Larry Burns

Economic development often takes shape where business needs and community opportunities intersect. At Horsham Township, Larry Burns brings that perspective to his role after 30 years as a commercial banker. His connection to the township grew through community service, including 12 years on the police pension advisory board, 3 years on the township’s planning commission, and 7 years of service on the Horsham Township Authority for the NAS-JRB Willow Grove. That involvement included redevelopment planning surrounding the former 862-acre Naval Air Station – Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, which closed in 2011.

When Horsham adopted a new master plan for its business parks in 2016, the plan called for creating a Director of Community and Economic Development position at the township. The newly created role soon brought Burns into a conversation with the township manager over lunch. He hoped he was there to pitch the township’s banking, but the manager was there to pitch him a potential job, which ultimately opened the door to working for his community.

Burns’ responsibilities over the years grew to span several areas, including his role as deputy director of the Horsham Land Redevelopment Authority and as executive director of the Military Installation Remediation and Infrastructure Authority (“MIRIA”). He helped stand up MIRIA in its initial year and, since its formation in 2020, manages its day-to-day affairs. MIRIA’s dual mission is to allocate annual funding from Pennsylvania state grants to local municipalities and municipal water providers to fund regional PFAS remedial efforts and to fund road and other infrastructure projects in Horsham Township to aid in the base redevelopment efforts.

As an economic development executive, Burns’ energies are focused on Horsham’s five major business parks that house more than six million square feet of commercial office and flex space, a market significantly affected by the pandemic. Burns and township leadership continue to believe in suburban commercial office, pointing to the ample educated workforce in proximity to the township, changing worker preferences for shorter commutes, and quality of life benefits of a suburban location. He also sees more satellite locations and medical offices moving to the suburbs, bringing services closer to consumers. While the pandemic disrupted the market, adjusted prices have helped create new opportunities for investment. Many smaller firms are making commitments and signing leases. Asplundh, a major local employer, has recently moved its global headquarters into 680 Blair Mill Road. 104 Witmer Road now has jobs at the property after sitting empty for 15 years. A strong market recovery is underway in Horsham.

I believe it’s important to build strong relationships, understand business needs, communicate clearly, and draw on both social and analytical skills to create meaningful results.

The township has a diverse employment base, with Janssen Pharmaceuticals providing more than 1,500 jobs at the Commonwealth Corporate Center, and Align Precision recently relocated a manufacturing facility to Horsham, where they make precision parts for aeronautics, semiconductors, and the national defense industry. Other activities include pharmaceutical and advanced manufacturing, drones and communications equipment, varied medical uses, financial services, and insurance.

The former naval air station remains a key part of Horsham’s future, with Burns continuing to collaborate with township leadership and staff on its redevelopment. Ahead of the base redevelopment, he has worked to promote Horsham as an amazingly business-friendly location through national magazines, outreach, and industry forums. The base redevelopment efforts in recent years have gained a footing as a binding agreement of sale with the Navy was executed and covers about 118 acres. The township is expecting to have possession of that property in the fall of 2027. The acreage includes property inside and outside the fence line and, Burns says, is a prime parcel shovel-ready for redevelopment. Across the full site, the master plan calls for more than 1,500 homes, a town center and 1.5 million square feet of commercial office, flex, and advanced manufacturing space.

Outreach also remains central to this work with existing businesses. Office occupancy is about 75 percent, compared with roughly 92 percent in 2019. Burns communicates with corporate real estate executives, CEOs, and CFOs while emphasizing the advantages of locating a business in Horsham. Aside from the ample educated workforce, the township has one of the lowest tax rates in Montgomery County, has no gross receipts, business privilege or mercantile tax, has great access as it is less than ½ mile off the Pennsylvania Turnpike and is a safe community with a low crime rate. The township staff actively work to help companies through zoning and land development processes, understanding that their time is money and the cost of lawyers and engineers.

His banking background gives Burns a balance of social and analytical skills that help him communicate Horsham’s value to business leaders. That combination remains central to his approach, where understanding business needs, building relationships, and communicating the township’s advantages are part of the everyday work of economic development.