A nearly 10-year-old law that placed environmental cleanups in the hands of private-sector experts has been hailed as a triumph and a sea change for the state’s development community. But the Smart Growth Economic Development Coalition says there is still much room for improvement.
Industrial
Owning or leasing industrial space in New Jersey means you’re within one day’s drive of one-third of the nation’s population. That means the state continues to be a hotbed of warehouse and logistics activity.
Making land: Addressing the supply problem
The Smart Growth Economic Development Coalition has developed a plan for what it describes as “making land” in the heart of northern New Jersey. That means everything from repurposing government-owned facilities in prime locations to having the state take a lead role in acquiring, assembling and cleaning up individual parcels in order to create large development sites near the port.
Trend Watch Nov. 28: Big-box leasing activity continues a climb
Twelve leases greater than 500,000 square feet closed throughout northern and central New Jersey, an increase of 33.3 percent year-over-year and a pace expected to outpace year-end totals for 2016. Big-box leasing has tripled as traditional retailers and e-commerce companies —representing 75.0 percent of big-box leasing for 2017 — continued to expand their distribution networks.
The Amazon effect: The e-commerce giant has infiltrated every major asset class in New Jersey
Amazon has long been known for having a profound impact on the bricks-and-mortar retail business. But as it turns out, that’s only one piece of the story of how the e-commerce powerhouse is transforming commercial real estate. New Jersey is poised to feel that impact as much as any other state in the country.
Game-changer: Amazon has been a driving force in surging N.J. distribution market
There’s no ignoring Amazon’s impact on the state’s industrial sector since early 2013, when the company committed to building its first New Jersey fulfillment center in Robbinsville. Not only has Amazon absorbed at least roughly 9 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space since that time. It quickly emboldened other pure e-commerce players that were hesitant to establish a footprint in New Jersey, amid concerns over having to collect sales tax from customers if they had a physical location here.
