Page 10 - RE-NJ

8 FEBRUARY 2025
INSPIRED BUYS COMMVAULT HQ,
PLANS NEW BELL WORKS FACILITY
Inspired by Somerset Development
has acquired the Tinton Falls
headquarters of cybersecurity fi rm
Commvault, with plans to repurpose
the building as a new phase of its
landmark Bell Works campus in
nearby Holmdel.
The developer on Jan. 30 said it
will look to enhance and lease out
the 276,900-square-foot property
to tenants seeking high-quality,
experiential offi ce and retail
spaces with extensive amenities
and offerings for employees. That
means new features such as fl exible
coworking space and the addition
of local restaurants, a Bell Market,
a coffee shop, retail spaces and
a health club, all of it under the
Bell Works brand, capitalizing on a
location off Route 36 and within the
revitalized Fort Monmouth property.
Commvault, which opened the
building in 2015, will remain a
prominent tenant and will occupy
some 75,000 square feet as part of a
leaseback agreement, according to
a news release. JLL represented the
company in the deal.
“The design of Commvault’s
headquarters is a perfect fi t for the
vision and ethos of the ‘Metroburb’
model we have developed at our
highly successful Bell Works New
Jersey and Bell Works Chicagoland
properties,” said Ralph Zucker,
president of Inspired by Somerset
Development. “Having already
developed in the Fort Monmouth
area, acquiring this property to create
a more intimate version of Bell Works
is a natural next
step for us.
Since the space
was previously
closed to the
public, we look
forward to
collaborating
with Commvault
Ralph Zucker
to reconfi gure
it, allowing residents of Tinton Falls
and surrounding areas to enjoy the
building’s extensive offerings, just
like its tenants.”
Inspired said the Commvault
facility, which was designed by
Rotwein+Blake, has open-concept
workspaces, conference rooms,
a fi tness center, a cafeteria,
outdoor spaces, walking paths
and recreational areas. Potential
updates will draw from the 2
million-square-foot, mixed-use
Bell Works complex on Crawfords
Corner Road in Holmdel, which the
fi rm has envisioned and developed
at the former Bell Labs research
campus for close to two decades.
To that end, Inspired will offer a
range of offi ce spaces as well as its
“Ready-To-Wear” offi ce suites for
short- and long-term leasing options,
the news release said. It also
plans to import its collaborative
workspace membership concept
known as coLab, among other
additions to the Commvault site.
The fi rm’s Lindsey Florio is
overseeing offi ce and retail leasing
at the building, with Sean Donohue
spearheading requirements at coLab.
“Expanding the coLab brand to
Fort Monmouth is an exciting next
step for us as we look to diversify
the markets in which we offer our
high-quality, fl exible coworking
model,” said Donohue, managing
director of coLab. “Spaces of
this caliber are often few and
far between, especially in more
suburban areas, which is why we
look forward to entering the market
with workplaces designed to inspire
creativity and boost productivity.”
The deal comes two years after
Commvault announced it would
sell and lease back a portion of the
property as part of a $40 million
deal with a then-undisclosed buyer.
That sale fell through, according
to the Asbury Park Press, paving
the way for the transaction with
Zucker’s fi rm.
“For our employees, being in the
offi ce is about more than just
workspace; it’s about collaborating
in a vibrant professional
community,” said Danielle Sheer,
chief trust offi cer at Commvault.
“We’re excited to work with
Inspired to transform the campus
into a central hub that fosters
community and connection for
both Commvault employees and the
broader community.”
Built by Torcon, the $100 million
headquarters building represented
the fi rst large-scale investment at
Fort Monmouth, following the start
of the state’s effort to redevelop
the 1,127-acre former Army base,
which the government closed in
2011. A long list of projects at the
property have followed or are in
development, most notably Netfl ix’s
nearly $1 billion campus that would
span more than 1 million square feet
of soundstages and other facilities.
“The Commvault headquarters is
a landmark in Monmouth County,
having played a signifi cant role in
our region’s business landscape,”
said Charles Terefenko, borough
administrator and director of public
safety in Tinton Falls. “We are
excited to see this iconic property
retain its original purpose as a
hub for innovation, now under the
stewardship of Inspired by Somerset
Development. With their proven
track record, we are confi dent
that this building will continue to
serve as a vibrant center for both
businesses and the community.”
File photo/Courtesy: R+B
Designed by Rotwein+Blake, Commvault’s sprawling headquarters in the Tinton Falls section of Fort Monmouth opened in 2015.