Plans for the mixed-use PARQ project in Parsippany call for 600 apartments and townhomes, retail, green space at a large piece of a former highway office park. — Rendering by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners/Courtesy: PARQ
By Joshua Burd
A development team has broken ground on a project that will bring 600 apartments and townhomes to the site of what was a sprawling highway office park in Parsippany.
The two-phase initiative, known as PARQ, will repurpose a 23-acre swath of the former Lanidex Plaza along Parsippany Road, near the junction of interstates 287 and 80. The property at one time spanned as many as nine buildings with a combined 450,000 square feet, but plans now call for a walkable residential destination that is bolstered by on-site retail, open green space and modern amenities.
“Urban renewal and revitalization projects are vital to stimulate the economy, enhance property values and instill a sense of civic pride,” said Anthony Milelli, principal director of PARQ, speaking during a recent groundbreaking ceremony. He joined members of the project team and local officials, hailing a plan that is reducing New Jersey’s glut of aging suburban office space.
According to the developer, the first phase of the plan will feature 275 apartments, retail space, indoor and outdoor amenities and ample parking, along with 75 clustered courtyard townhomes with two-car garages. The townhomes will feature contemporary farmhouse-style architecture with access to a clubhouse and outdoor pool, while the site will also feature an athletic field, a concession building, restrooms and a playground.
A second phase will deliver another 250 apartments, retail and amenity space, the developer said, while it will allow the township of Parsippany to fulfill part of its state-mandated affordable housing obligations. Completion of the redevelopment is slated for 2025.
“PARQ will forge us into the 21st century with state-of-the-art facilities, vast and welcoming green spaces for the community to enjoy, a recreational complex open to residents and sports programs to utilize and enhanced revenue as a result of the site’s modernization,” said Haytham Haidar, a managing director of the PARQ team.
The developer noted that the site was once known as Olson’s Farm before being rezoned and built up as Lanidex Plaza, which ultimately suffered from waning interest in suburban office space. An affiliate of Milelli Real Estate Partners assumed full control of the campus in spring 2018 with its acquisition of 100 to 700 Lanidex Plaza, marking the first time in decades that it was under a single ownership, giving way to its plans to rebrand and reposition the site.
“After some negotiation, we have since created PARQ Parsippany,” said Robert Garafolo, the principal attorney for the project. “Now and in the future, PARQ is going to be a very valuable, magnificent asset to the town of Parsippany.”
The developer noted that its two multifamily buildings will have green design elements and smart building and home features that promote wellness. Amenities, meantime, will include an upscale club suite, a private event room, a children’s playroom, a modern fitness center, a resort-style pool area and co-working alcoves.
The PARQ development team includes Garofalo O’Neill Ruggierio LLC, Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, Design 446, Greystar Real Estate Partners, Sue Adler of Keller Williams Premier Properties, Langan, Melillo + Bauer Associates and Mary Cook Associates.
“This new, authentic neighborhood will be upscale, welcoming and humble,” Haidar said. “At PARQ, the best is yet to come.”
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