By Joshua Burd
NAIOP New Jersey has announced three Deal of the Year winners ahead of its popular spring gala, with plans to reveal a fourth to the hundreds who will be on hand for the May 14 event.
According to the commercial real estate development association, which will host the ceremony at The Palace at Somerset Park in Franklin Township, the winning transactions include:
Industrial:
- Millstone 8 Logistics Park in Millstone, a 1.2 million-square-foot industrial project in New Jersey’s Exit 8 submarket developed by Crow Holdings Development and 2020 Acquisitions. JLL was also involved in the deal.
Mixed use:
- Bell Works Fort Monmouth in Tinton Falls, created by Inspired by Somerset Development, which acquired the former Commvault headquarters to transform it into the third Bell Works location under Ralph Zucker’s metroburb model. H.I.G. Realty Partners, NAI James E. Hanson, JLL Capital Markets, EquityMultiple and Antenna Group were also involved in the deal.
Emerging markets:
- 1888 Studios, a 58-acre film studio campus located on a 74-acre vacant brownfield site in Bayonne, which will be the largest film studio in the Northeast. Togus Urban Renewal LLC, Sills Cummis & Gross PC, Gensler, Turner Construction, Pizzutillo Public Affairs LLC, U.S. Title Solutions, Bayonne City Municipality, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. LLC, Benecke Economics, Langan, PS&S, SESI Consulting Engineers and Elysian Consulting Group LLC were involved in the deal.
NAIOP New Jersey plans to announce its 2026 Office Deal of the Year at the gala. Finalists include:
- Freshpet global headquarters, Bedminster
- MJH Life Sciences, Cranbury
- Sanofi flagship at M Station West, Morristown
“The 2026 Deal of the Year recipients and finalists are representative of the strength of our industry, and their accomplishments over the past year deserve to be celebrated,” said Dan Kennedy, the chapter’s CEO. “We are excited to honor them at the gala, which will be New Jersey’s premier commercial real estate networking event, and dealmakers won’t want to miss it.”
The association will present the coveted deal awards alongside honorees in several individual categories:
- Charles Klatskin Lifetime Achievement Award: Edwin Cohen, principal, Prism Capital Partners
- Impact Award: Clark Machemer, senior managing director with Crow Holdings Development
- Impact Award: Robert C. Kossar, vice chairman of JLL’s Northeast industrial region
- Industry Service Award: Dana Nalbantian, principal with Gensler
- Caren S. Franzini Public Partner Award: East Brunswick Mayor Brad J. Cohen
- Caren S. Franzini Public Partner Award: Bedminster Township Mayor Lawrence F. Jacobs.
Prism’s Cohen to receive NAIOP N.J. lifetime achievement award, headlining gala honorees
