Columbia Property Trust Inc. has unveiled a series of new renovations at 95 Columbus, its 19-story, 680,000-square-foot office building in downtown Jersey City. — Photos by Chris Cooper/Courtesy: Columbia
By Joshua Burd
Columbia Property Trust Inc. has completed its renovation of a 19-story, 680,000-square-foot office building in Jersey City’s busy Grove Street neighborhood.
The property, 95 Columbus, now features an all-glass entrance and vestibule that connect the building to the surrounding neighborhood and fill the triple-height lobby with natural light, following a redesign by global architecture firm Spectorgroup. Columbia also pointed to a grid of suspended light fixtures over the reception area and new seating and meeting areas aimed at energizing the space, plus a custom-designed, polished granite and oxidized metal reception desk that is offset to allow for better circulation through the lobby.
Other new additions include the use of the building’s address number, 95, as a prominent design element. Columbia, meantime, has adorned the lobby with a series of large, shaped canvases known as Brushes for Beuys by contemporary artist Gregory Coates.
“Our goal for the 95 Columbus renovation was to create the best possible environment to enable our tenants to work and thrive,” said David Cheikin, Columbia’s executive vice president for the East Coast. “We combined Spectorgroup’s striking design with cutting-edge technology and an emphasis on wellness, while also enhancing the property’s connection to the vibrancy of the Grove Street retail and neighborhood. The revitalized 95 Columbus is ideally positioned to attract growing companies looking for a fully modernized workplace that offers exceptional one-seat Midtown and Downtown transit access in the midst of a vibrant, walkable and culturally rich community.”
SLIDESHOW: Inside 95 Columbus
Columbia has tapped a Cushman & Wakefield team led by Josh Kuriloff, Rob Lowe and Ed Duenas to market availabilities at 95 Columbus, which include 203,000 square feet across five contiguous floors, along with available retail space. The team will look to highlight the newly upgraded property and its location alongside the Grove Street PATH station, in addition to the neighborhood’s dining and retail offerings.
In a news release Wednesday, the real estate investment trust said the renovation extends to the base of the building, where it re-clad the retail spaces and repainted the façade. Other features include landscaping, seasonal greenery and storefronts with new glass windows and a signage band to raise their visibility.
“As a leading developer, owner and operator, Columbia Property Trust wanted an updated lobby that aligned with their overall revitalization of 95 Columbus,” said Scott Spector, principal of Spectorgroup. “We found strategic ways to modernize the lobby with a design that places tenant and visitor experience at the forefront and bring that same experience to connect with the streetscape.”
Columbia also detailed technology and operating enhancements that emphasize occupant health, wellness and safety, including:
- Installing automated digital access, touchless doors, bipolar ionization air filtration and destination dispatch elevators throughout the building
- A new bike storage room, bathroom and shower facilities
Jersey City: Columbia unveils first phase of upgrades at 680,000 sq. ft. office tower
