As with many of the topics we cover, the redevelopment of dated suburban office buildings in New Jersey is a recurring theme. It has been for more than a decade, especially for projects that call for razing these structures to develop new luxury apartments.
As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, the two asset classes have become inextricably linked in the last two to three years, as local governments increasingly turn to their aging office stock to fill the state’s housing deficit. Some have done so proactively, but others are acting out of necessity as they race to comply with New Jersey’s updated affordable housing law. That’s causing some market leaders to wonder if municipalities will face “multifamily fatigue” after the latest round of mandates and the corresponding land use planning, which has played out across the state over the past 12 months.
“It would have been a slow, painful process but for the affordable housing rounds that we’ve just come through,” Stephen Santola, executive vice president and general counsel for Woodmont Properties, said during a Real Estate NJ panel discussion, referring to the recent wave of office-to-residential redevelopment plans in New Jersey. Yet he believes that local officials are now “going to shut it down for a while” after complying with the controversial housing law, adding: “There’s a lot of multifamily fatigue across the state on the political end.”
Real Estate NJ was lucky to have Santola and five other experts join us for one of two featured panels at our Dec. 9 event — “The State of Redevelopment: Multifamily and Mixed-Use” — at The Highlawn in West Orange. The discussion centered on all things land use in New Jersey, from traffic and infrastructure to the growing demand for open space. But its focus on office redevelopment and affordable housing was especially timely as that process continues in New Jersey, making for a compelling program that drew a standing-room-only crowd.
Our January issue also has our must-read interview with now-former Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who stepped down on Jan. 14 after 12 years in the role. The conversation centers on how the progressive Democrat embraced a pro-growth agenda during his three terms, allowing the city to become even more firmly entrenched as the epicenter of multifamily construction in New Jersey. Fulop, who now leads the influential Partnership for New York City, famously leveraged that demand to expand development beyond Jersey City’s downtown and waterfront districts, having also boosted access to affordable housing while spearheading high-profile, public-sector investments that supported major social, cultural and quality-of-life initiatives.
You can find those stories and more in our first issue of 2026, which also includes our annual Market Forecast featuring a top-notch group of owners, builders and service providers. I would never expect a consensus, but it was clear from our industry experts that capital and confidence has returned to the market in a way not seen in several years, setting the stage for continued momentum in New Jersey’s commercial real estate sector. We’ll be there to cover it all in these pages and in The Briefing, our flagship morning email blast. Until then, thanks for reading, enjoy the issue and best of luck in 2026!
Joshua Burd
Editor
