Editor’s Note
Things to do
As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, the Queen City is now working to attract new retail, recreation and dining options to support its growing population. Look no further than PickleRage, the new 40,000-square-foot pickleball club that just opened under a project by ECA Developers. That’s just one example, according to the story by Marlaina Cockcroft, coming alongside a new $10 million aquatics complex that debuted last summer and plans for a 55,000-square-foot recreation and cultural center with a pool, event and performance space, workforce development facilities and an art gallery, as well as a building with 220 affordable units.
On the horizon
Two key asset classes in New Jersey have become inextricably linked in the last two to three years, as local governments increasingly turn to their aging office stock to fill the state’s housing deficit. Some have done so proactively, but others are acting out of necessity as they race to comply with New Jersey’s updated affordable housing law. That’s causing some market leaders to wonder if municipalities will face “multifamily fatigue” after the latest round of mandates and the corresponding land use planning, which has played out across the state over the past 12 months.
The best of The Briefing 2025
With the new year upon us, we’re excited to bring you a look back at our most-read stories of 2025. You can catch up on our daily “best of” emails below.
Building momentum
The Museum Parc project is now taking shape around The Newark Museum of Art, as you’ll read in this month’s cover story, as a development team constructs two new buildings with a combined 250 mixed-income apartments, ground-floor retail and additional cultural spaces such as a vibrant, glass-enclosed gallery. The construction along Central Avenue is now about 50 percent complete, as anticipation builds for full delivery in early 2027.
High stakes for CRE
Advocacy is central to a four-year strategic plan that NAIOP New Jersey unveiled at the start of 2025, as are other key goals such as creating new value for NAIOP members and improving the perception that public officials, residents and other outside stakeholders have of the commercial real estate sector. The blueprint also calls for elevating the chapter’s position in the industry, enhancing partnerships with academia and expanding its community service programs.
