KRE Group breaks ground on 239-unit rental project at ex-Mondelez site in East Hanover

Kushner Real Estate Group has broken ground on a new 239-unit luxury apartment property in East Hanover, as it expands its portfolio of garden-style multifamily assets.

Veris Residential completes $420 million sale of 1.9 million sq. ft. Harborside complex

Veris Residential Inc. has completed its high-profile, $420 million sale of Harborside buildings 1, 2 and 3 in Jersey City, the real estate investment trust said Wednesday.

Paramount, city officials unveil 70-unit rental project in Plainfield’s Netherwood section

Paramount Assets has opened the doors to a collection of more than 70 luxury apartments in Plainfield, its latest project in the burgeoning Union County city.

Hilton Realty taps Fennelly to market Princeton-area office, retail buildings for lease

Hilton Realty has picked Fennelly Associates as its leasing team for three prominent commercial properties in and around Princeton.

Developers find new frontier in Orange, quenching thirst for transit-oriented sites

The boom in luxury rental apartments has come to Orange, where at least 1,000 units have been planned near two train stations in this small Essex County city.

Kearny Bank CEO Montanaro named second vice chair with NJBankers

The New Jersey Bankers Association has appointed Kearny Bank’s top executive as second vice chair of its board of directors.

DIGroup-designed school in Perth Amboy notches LEED silver certification

A Perth Amboy elementary school designed by DIGroup Architecture has earned certification on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scale.

Walters plans April delivery for second age-, income-restricted rental building in Branchburg

Development firm Walters has nearly completed the final piece of a new age-restricted apartment community in the Somerset County township of Branchburg.

Logical Buildings launches $110 million platform to help landlords capture energy savings

Logical Buildings, a technology firm that helps landlords manage their energy costs, has launched a new $110 million facility for a so-called virtual power plant project that seeks to help apartments owners realize new savings and reduce their carbon footprint.

Finding a spark

We all know that developing in New Jersey is not for the faint of heart. Just ask any of the countless builders who have endured delays or scrapped projects altogether in the face of pushback by residents and a litany of regulatory hurdles.

The flip side? A supportive local government can go a long way in sparking new investment, as we’ve seen in what appears to be a growing list of municipalities in our state. That group includes the city of Orange in eastern Essex County, where at least 1,000 luxury apartments have been planned near two train stations with Midtown Direct service. As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, the projects have the potential to breathe new life into the town of 30,000 residents in 2.2 square miles, following decades of struggles despite its prime location on Interstate 280 and just west of Newark.