Page 38 - RE-NJ

36 APRIL 2025
UNILEVER UNVEILS NEW U.S.
HEADQUARTERS IN HOBOKEN
Unilever has opened the doors to
its new 111,000-square-foot U.S.
headquarters in Hoboken, becoming
the latest blue-chip tenant at SJP
Properties’ Waterfront Corporate
Center.
The consumer products giant
welcomed Gov. Phil Murphy, Mayor
Ravi Bhalla and other dignitaries
on June 5 to unveil the space at 111
River St., where it expects to house
more than 1,100 employees from
key business units and corporate
functions. Those colleagues will
occupy three newly designed floors
focused on collaboration, supporting
hybrid work models and promoting
innovation, aligning with a broader
effort that prompted the company
to move its main U.S. offices from
Englewood Cliffs.
“We are proud to officially celebrate
our new home in Hoboken,” said
Herrish Patel, president of Unilever
USA and CEO of Personal Care North
America. “This is a monumental
milestone for Unilever USA, and this
state-of-the-art workplace supports
modern ways of working, while
bringing people together in a way that
is dynamic and inspires creativity.
The design supports the innovation
and energy behind Unilever’s largest
market and one of the key anchor
markets for future growth for the
company globally.”
SJP, the developer of the master-
planned, 1.5 million-square-foot office
and retail complex along the Hudson
River, announced the lease last
summer as part of a deal that recently
won NAIOP New Jersey’s Office
Deal of the Year award. Despite
redesigning its 325,000-square-foot
U.S. headquarters in Englewood Cliffs
as recently as 2018, Unilever opted
to move its front office to Hoboken
with an eye toward further enhancing
the workplace experience for its
employees and providing a more
vibrant, transit-oriented location.
The maker of Dove, Hellmann’s,
Vaseline and a host of other
products — which still has its
research and development division
in Englewood Cliffs — is now an
anchor at Waterfront Corporate
Center alongside tenants such as
Lipton, Walmart, Newell Brands and
others that were drawn to the vibrant
downtown location and one that’s
two blocks from Hoboken Terminal.
“SJP Properties is proud to welcome
Unilever’s U.S.
headquarters
to 111 River
Street,” said
Steven J.
Pozycki, founder
and CEO of
SJP Properties.
“Hoboken
Steven J. Pozycki
is now the
preferred North American office
destination for global consumer
brands due to its access to multiple
modes of public transportation,
proximity to New York City and
three international airports, as well
as a highly educated professional
workforce.”
CBRE’s Greg Barkan, Robert Norton,
Nick Nemeth, Bill Mooney and Doug
Holowink represented Unilever,
which designed the new office in
partnership with global architecture
firm Perkins & Will. The company,
which tapped SJP Project Solutions
to build out the new office, noted that
the space emphasizes sustainability,
efficiency and employee experience
with features including:
• A state-of-the-art, professional
kitchen for Unilever Food
Solutions, where chefs craft
recipes using iconic brands such as
Knorr and Hellmann’s
• A full-service salon where science,
brands and real-life use cases come
together and employees innovate
to shape the future of labels such
as Dove, TRESemmé and Nexxus
• Key design elements that create
Photos courtesy: Unilever
Herrish Patel, president of Unilever USA and CEO of Personal Care North America, speaks on June 5 during the grand opening of the
company’s new 111,000-square-foot offi ce in Hoboken.
a supportive, inspiring and
welcoming working environment,
including biophilic design to
maximize access to daylight,
wellness spaces and mothers’
rooms
• Sweeping views of Manhattan as
a daily backdrop from all three
floors, with business unit spaces
on floors seven and eight designed
for optimal hybrid collaboration
• A town hall and multipurpose event
space located on the penthouse
level, which provides a forum that
inspires unity, celebration and
fosters community among Unilever
teams and partners
• Dynamic collaboration zones,
cutting-edge meeting technology
and immersive innovation
hubs for live collaboration and
demonstrations, supporting the
way people work today
• Design elements infused with the
spirit of Unilever’s brands and
corporate ethos.
Designed with sustainability in mind,
the space also features LED lighting,
energy-efficient HVAC systems and
low-flow water fixtures to reduce
energy and water consumption,
according to a news release.
Additionally, the project’s construction
team prioritized the use of low-
emitting and recycled materials.
“Our goal was to design a space that
not only reflects Unilever’s values
but empowers people to do their
best work,” said Nate Barney, head
of global workplace service for
Unilever. “From natural light and
open floor plans to versatile spaces
for collaboration and wellness, every
detail was considered to create
a modern workplace that fosters
community and innovation.”
In addition to the new headquarters in
Hoboken, Unilever has research and
development facilities in Englewood
Cliffs and Trumbull, Connecticut,
plus 10 factories manufacturing its
products.