A landmark project in Journal Square is especially meaningful for Gene Paolino, a senior partner with Genova Burns who spent nearly 20 years guiding the development. He’s also a Jersey City native, meaning he’s been personally invested in the city’s growth during a legal career that spans more than four decades.
Current Issue
Go inside the latest monthly issue of Real Estate NJ, the only New Jersey-based magazine dedicated to commercial real estate in the Garden State.
Into the future
There are plenty of parallels between the decline of the suburban office building and that of the legacy shopping mall, but the latter feels much more personal. I’m sure many of you would agree, especially in New Jersey, so you’ll find no lack of interest in the growing number of developers seeking to reinvent these once-proud retail hubs.
A new destination: Edgewood, Paramount advance plans to revive East Brunswick mall as open-air lifestyle center
Edgewood Properties and Paramount Realty have unveiled plans to transform the 775,000-square-foot Brunswick Square Mall in East Brunswick into a modern, open-air destination for the community — one that includes not just retail but a complementary mix of heath care, fitness and lifestyle uses that will revitalize the outdated, slumping shopping center on Route 18.
Turning early optimism into action
Gov. Mikie Sherrill took office with a clear mandate from New Jersey voters: make the state more affordable, more efficient and more competitive. For the commercial real estate (CRE) industry, that message matters because growth does not happen in a vacuum. It relies heavily on public policy that allows projects to move forward, capital to be deployed with confidence and employers to expand in places where workers can live, commute and thrive.
Good vibes
As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, the New Jersey Builders Association has been heartened by the earliest days of the Sherrill administration, with its focus on making New Jersey more affordable and government more efficient. The group points to steps such as the creation of the state’s first-ever chief operating officer, along with the governor’s pledge to launch a real‑time dashboard to track permits — steps that could provide a clearer path toward an expanded housing supply and lower costs for residents.
A fitting transition: Tantleff assumes new role as chair of Builders Political Action Committee
Fresh off two terms as chair of the New Jersey Builders Association, Deb Tantleff has taken the reins of the influential Builders Political Action Committee. And while the organizations are distinct and functionally different, it’s undoubtedly a natural transition to a role that hinges on relationships in Trenton and on raising funds to support pro-housing candidates.
Things to do
As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, the Queen City is now working to attract new retail, recreation and dining options to support its growing population. Look no further than PickleRage, the new 40,000-square-foot pickleball club that just opened under a project by ECA Developers. That’s just one example, according to the story by Marlaina Cockcroft, coming alongside a new $10 million aquatics complex that debuted last summer and plans for a 55,000-square-foot recreation and cultural center with a pool, event and performance space, workforce development facilities and an art gallery, as well as a building with 220 affordable units.
