In the early 1980s, office and industrial development ended like a precipice at the New York state line. Rockland County was underdeveloped and its potential untapped. However, Eli Cohen saw the tremendous potential for a large industrial park across the state line.

Marine Midland Bank in NYC had been unsuccessful in selling a thirty acre industrial tract of land on Ramland Road in Orangetown, New York, and gave Eli Cohen Real Estate the exclusive listing. Instead of marketing it as a single site, Eli Cohen offered companies built-to-suit facilities utilizing New York State’s IDA Program of tax-free financing. Eli’s claim that the property was 16.5 minutes from the George Washington Bridge was the hook that motivated skeptical prospects to test the claim.

Under Eli’s supervision, his contractor built a 140,000 SF office and warehouse facility for Subaru, an 80,000 office building for Pentax, and a 30,000 SF manufacturing building for Cornell Manufacturing. ARCOM Fabrics subsequently purchased a site, and constructed its own 60,000 SF distribution building, and Eli placed Chromalloy in its 100,000 SF manufacturing building next to Ramland Road. Subsequently, Eli sold Reynolds Metals the adjacent 152-acre Volkswagon tract, which it developed into the largest, most prestigious industrial park in Rockland County. Eli then placed three important companies in that park.

As a result of Eli Cohen Real Estate’s activity during Rockland County’s nascent years, the area quickly realized its potential and became integral to the development of industrial and office properties in the county.