The Commissary at Baseline at 675 Oceanport Way in Oceanport — Courtesy: Denholtz Properties
By Joshua Burd
Denholtz Properties has secured its first tenant at a repurposed commissary building at Fort Monmouth, leasing more than 12,000 square feet for a planned brewery and tasting room.
The developer this week said the operator, Birdsmouth Beer, is slated to open late this summer or in early fall in the Oceanport section of the former base. The facility will occupy 12,080 square feet at The Commissary at Baseline, located at 675 Oceanport Way, as part of a 53,000-square-foot building that’s meant to be a multipurpose destination geared toward innovative food and beverage uses.
CBRE’s Suzanne Macnow represents Denholtz at The Commissary at Baseline. Pierson Commercial Director Gary Krauss represented Birdsmouth in the lease negotiations, while Matthew J. Schiller, a partner with Newark-based Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP, represented the business as lead counsel in connection with the transaction.
“Our goal at Fort Monmouth is to create a hub where businesses of all types can thrive and power the resurgence of this important piece of New Jersey’s history,” said Kristine B. Hurlbut, senior vice president of leasing at Denholtz Properties. “Birdsmouth Beer shares our vision for the future of Fort Monmouth, and we look forward to celebrating with them as they open their doors later this year.”
Denholtz acquired the former commissary building in 2020 as part of a 26-acre site that also includes a post exchange parcel, a post office area and a warehouse district, along with an adjacent parking lot. Since then, the firm has launched a multiphase redevelopment to repurpose the site as Baseline, a retail and commercial hub at the gateway to the historic property.
Its adaptive reuse of the former commissary building served as phase one of the project. The developer will soon welcome Birdsmouth Beer, headed up by co-founders Andrew Gioia, former head brewer at Kane Brewing, and real estate executive Rocco Laginestra, whose space will include a full production facility and a tasting room to create an experience for craft beer enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.
Denholtz also said it’s moving forward with plans for phase two, including the construction of 72,400 square feet of modern speculative industrial and flex space spread across three buildings on the site of the former warehouse district. Construction of the three buildings is slated for completion in 2023.
Denholtz acquires 26-acre Fort Monmouth parcel, plans $60 million redevelopment
Fort Monmouth,The Commissary at Baseline, 675 Oceanport Way, Oceanport, Denholtz Properties, Birdsmouth Beer, CBRE
