Plans for 1888 Studios, a project by Togus Urban Renewal LLC, call for 1.5 million square feet of film and television production space and support facilities across 58 acres on the Bayonne waterfront. — Rendering courtesy: Gensler
By Joshua Burd
The massive 1888 Studios project in Bayonne has signed a landmark deal with Paramount, the iconic media and entertainment company, securing an anchor tenant for the campus and further cementing New Jersey as a destination for film and television production.
According to an announcement Tuesday, the studio has committed to occupy more than 285,000 square feet at the 1.6 million-square-foot complex just west of the Bayonne Bridge. The minimum 10-year lease agreement with developer Togus Urban Renewal LLC will allow Paramount, a Skydance Corp., to create a major production hub that will leverage New Jersey’s crucial tax incentive program for film and television shoots.
Currently under development, 1888 Studios is set to become the largest campus-style production facility in the Northeast and one of the largest in the nation. Plans for the Gensler-designed, 58-acre facility call for more than 1.1 million square feet of production space spanning 23 smart sound stages with a minimum of 40-foot clear ceiling heights, along with production support space, flexible post-production space, offices, mills, base camp and backlot as well as lighting and grip facilities to accommodate every phase of production.
“Scaling our production and expanding our slate of world-class entertainment is central to our long-term strategy,” said Andy Gordon, chief strategy officer and chief operating officer for Paramount. “We’re thrilled to invest in the United States and in the region and lean into our creative momentum to spark economic growth. We’re deeply grateful for the support and partnership of Governor (Phil) Murphy, Senator Raj Mukherji, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and 1888 Studios.
“Thanks to highly competitive tax credit programs like New Jersey’s, the tristate area is more attractive than ever before for production as we work together to create new jobs and empower more domestic production for America’s creative workforce.”
The announcement noted that, through the state’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit program, 1888 Studios offers tenants incentives comparable to other leading production hubs worldwide. Officials expanded those offerings in 2025, allowing the Economic Development Authority to designate three studio partners and three film-lease partner facilities that are each linked to large-scale infrastructure commitments.
1888 Studios was designated New Jersey’s first film-lease partner facility in May 2024, according to a news release. Paramount has submitted its studio partner application, which is under EDA review and will be brought to its board for consideration on Thursday.
“With 1888 Studios, we set out to build a cutting-edge facility that would attract the world’s most ambitious storytellers — giving New Jersey true scale and a home for every facet of film and television production under one roof,” said Arpad “Arki” Busson, chairman of Togus Urban Renewal. “By keeping American productions at home, the project, which will be constructed by union workers, will generate thousands of jobs and additional opportunities for New Jersey’s small businesses.
“I am grateful to Paramount’s leadership and entire team for recognizing the unique opportunity that 1888 Studios and New Jersey present for future productions. Paramount’s commitment underscores the caliber of our campus, the strategic advantages of our Bayonne location, and the impact of Governor Phil Murphy’s leadership in establishing industry-leading tax incentives and promoting infrastructure that have enabled New Jersey’s entertainment industry to thrive and enshrine the state as a true cornerstone of global production.”
The deal is another signature feat for Murphy, who has shepherded the sector’s explosive growth in the state and is credited with attracting Netflix, which is building a 1.2 million-square-foot studio campus at Fort Monmouth.
“Paramount’s expansion into New Jersey, utilizing 1888 Studios’ large-scale, full-service production campus in Bayonne, reflects the incredible momentum of our state’s creative sector, solidifying our reputation as a global powerhouse in the entertainment industry,” Murphy said. “By attracting world-class studios and productions, we are not only creating high-quality jobs, promoting infrastructure and driving economic growth, but are also investing in our communities and elevating New Jersey as a national leader in entertainment.”
The developer noted that 1888 Studios, named after the year Thomas Edison patented the motion film camera, will evoke the imagery of Golden Age Hollywood while providing cutting-edge infrastructure, proximity to Manhattan, access to a deep and experienced regional industry workforce and some of the world’s most attractive film, television and post-production tax incentives. Busson was effusive in his praise of the governor and First Lady Tammy Murphy, as well as Mukherji, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, Laborers’ International Union of North America Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager Mike Hellstrom and the EDA team led by CEO Tim Sullivan.
“This once-in-a-generation, multibillion-dollar studio project will anchor a self-sustaining creative economy in Hudson County, create thousands of good-paying construction and permanent union jobs, and generate powerful multiplier effects,” Mukherji said. “With industry leaders like 1888 Studios and Paramount choosing New Jersey, it proves that our film and TV tax credit law — while prudent, guard-railed, and built for long-term capital investment — is competitive and can significantly boost our economy and local small businesses. And as film and television remain among America’s greatest sources of cultural influence and soft power around the world, Hudson County will be at the center of that global stage. Congratulations to all involved in bringing this transformational project to fruition.”
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