An exciting time to partner with Mercer

If you own a growing business or start-up, the Mercer County Office of Economic Development is here to assist you in answering questions about government programs and public and private business opportunities. 

The Capital County boasts one of the most stable economies in the nation and a strong consumer base you can’t find anywhere else in America. Our highly skilled and educated workforce is one of the county’s strongest assets. Visitors and businesses alike enjoy our proximity to the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. Our transportation infrastructure rivals that of any successful market—Mercer County has three major train stations along the NJ Transit Northeast Corridor Line; easy access to the New Jersey Turnpike and many major expressways; an extensive bus system; and special transportation resources for older adults and people with physical disabilities. 

The future is ours to shape through hard work, smart business decisions and relationships that propel us to renewed prosperity. Mercer County government has strived to develop tighter relationships with the private sector in the past several years, and these public-private bonds must continue if we are to remain the county in New Jersey that is the leader in business services, research, education, health care and government.

Make the Mercer County Office of Economic Development your “first stop” in answering all of your business-related questions.  Feel free to contact us at 609-989-6555 or at acarabellijr@mercercounty.org.

-- Anthony P. Carabelli Jr., Director, Office of Economic Development 

If you are considering or currently import product from overseas, the Foreign Trade Zone might just be the right program for you. Businesses located within the County of Mercer can apply for Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) status through the Office of Economic Development. The program can offer benefits that may include: duty deferral; duty reduction; duty elimination; or reduced reporting entries. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please contact our office at 609-989-6049 or download a brochure at Mercer County FTZ.  

In addition, the Office of Economic Development will host an FTZ conference at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 8 to 10 a.m.. The free event will feature a presentation by FTZ Board representative Kathleen Boyce. Ms. Boyce will provide information on the steps to qualify for the FTZ and the role of the FTZ Board in this process. To register, please contact our Business Advocate, Darren Stewart, at 609-989-6912 or darrenstewart@mercercounty.org. 

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes recently announced that the county has taken the next step toward replacing its antiquated airport terminal. Mercer entered into a professional services agreement with Urban Engineers Inc. of Philadelphia to be the county’s consultant in the design phase of improvements at Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN), located in Ewing. Urban will guide the county through the rigorous process of investigating sites, developing an Environmental Assessment (EA), and providing preliminary design for a new passenger terminal. Preliminary design phase, or Phase 1, includes associated projects such as airside aprons and roadways, and landside roadways and new parking garage. Despite its small stature compared to similarly trafficked airports, Trenton-Mercer Airport now ranks 143rd out of 555 commercial U.S. airports for annual enplanements (people boarding a commercial flight), and saw a 30.6 percent increase in 2017 over the previous year.

Led by the Division of Culture and Heritage, the Mercer County Courthouse Public Art Committee reviewed artwork and qualifications submitted by 23 artists and artist teams to create and install five renderings for an exterior wall of the Mercer County Courthouse in Trenton. After completing a review of submissions, members of the committee individually ranked entries and selected Tim Gaydos as the Mercer County Courthouse Public Art project artist. Subsequently, Mr. Gaydos was approved by the Mercer County Freeholder Board in August and has begun his work to design an impactful and historically creative façade along Warren Street.