The new concourse at HQ Plaza in Morristown features lounge areas, dining options and conference spaces, while communal tables support informal meetings and work sessions. — Photos by Peter Dant Photography / Courtesy: Fisher Development Associates/The Olnick Organization
By Joshua Burd
The owners of the sprawling HQ Plaza complex in Morristown have unveiled its new-look concourse, having transformed the area that connects the property’s three office towers, a Hyatt Regency hotel and a growing mix of retailers and restaurants.
That space — complete with dining and lounge areas, adaptable workspaces and conference rooms — was on display Wednesday as Fisher Development Associates and The Olnick Organization welcomed local officials, its professional team and others to the 1 million-square-foot complex on Speedwell Avenue. The event marked the completion of a multiyear project to reinvigorate what was a dour, cavernous circulation area inside the property, part of a plan that also included new high-end restaurants and a redesigned outdoor plaza.
The result is not only a series of new amenity spaces for office workers, as several speakers noted, but a new public destination for downtown Morristown.
“The upgrades are designed to enhance the experience for our existing tenants, attract additional high-caliber companies and foster connections with the broader Morristown community,” said Seth Schochet, CEO of The Olnick Organization. “From upgrading infrastructure to modernizing tenant spaces in common areas to bolstering our restaurant and retail offerings, every detail was carefully considered to ensure HQ Plaza meets the evolving needs of today’s businesses and visitors.”
With 650,000 square feet of high-end office space, the former Headquarters Plaza has long been a destination for companies seeking a presence in the town. It has also enjoyed strong occupancy over several decades, but Fisher and Olnick unveiled their plans in early 2024 after a spate of new development that brought several blue-chip office tenants to the downtown.
The ensuing renovation, designed by Gensler, has infused the space with new lighting, biophilic design elements and enhanced physical and digital wayfinding for tenants and visitors. All of which complement the new seating, work areas and dining options that have filled the property’s main east-west corridor.
Ownership has also redesigned HQ Plaza’s 50,000-square-foot public space to accommodate tenant and community events, the firms said. That has given way to the complex’s new dining lineup, which includes Sushi Lounge, Parkside Tavern and Masseria by Joe Cetrulo, which have activated the exterior streetscape with outdoor seating.
“They’ve stayed committed,” Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty said, referring to Fisher and Olnick, while citing HQ Plaza’s role as a top taxpayer and employer for more than four decades. “And I embraced that when I became mayor — that they’re partners here, just like everybody else. Whether you’re a homeowner, whether you’re a small business, whether you’re a large business, they’re partners here with us in Morristown. And we could not be more grateful for the investment they have made here in our community and continue to make every day with new tenants that move in.
“People come and go, but they also bring in new tenants that are outstanding.”
JLL is the property manager for HQ Plaza’s office space, which operates alongside 100,000 square feet of retail space, the 256-room Hyatt Regency Morristown, a 40,000-square-foot Crunch health club and a 10-screen AMC theater atop a 3,000-space parking garage. The Hyatt, which underwent its own Gensler-designed renovation in 2021, has 31,000 square feet of meeting and conference space with four large ballrooms, 32 flexible conference rooms and enhanced catering and audiovisual services.
But it’s the upgraded common spaces that have helped attract new tenants, including KPMG. The accounting and consulting giant is set to occupy some 76,000 square feet across the top four floors of the west tower and the ground floor, following a lease announced early this year and a subsequent expansion.
“Repositioning HQ Plaza required a comprehensive approach to design, infrastructure and tenant experience,” said Brian Fisher, principal partner at Fisher Development Associates. “Key components of the property were thoughtfully upgraded to create a workplace and environment that reflects how people want to work, meet and connect today. The result is a dynamic setting that combines premium office space with hospitality and lifestyle offerings, bringing renewed energy and sophistication to downtown Morristown.”
René Cruz, project director at Gensler, added: “The transformation of this space for HQ Plaza creates yet another asset for the town where both tenants and community can enjoy a flexible and adaptive environment. The lounge was designed to be HQ Plaza’s hub of activity and experience, whether it be impromptu or purposeful.”
The landlords added that HQ Plaza’s physical transformation coincides with a period of strong leasing momentum.
“Over the past three years, more than 225,000 square feet of new leases have been signed at the complex, including 23 new tenants that have moved in or are scheduled to move in by 2026,” said Robert Donelly Jr., a vice chairman with Cushman & Wakefield, which serves as the leasing agent for HQ Plaza’s office space. “In the past year alone, 14 new leases totaling more than 100,000 square feet have been signed, further enhancing HQ Plaza’s evolving office and retail environment.”
