Kennedys occupies 25,200 square feet at 400 Connell Drive in Berkeley Heights. — Courtesy: Kennedys
By Joshua Burd
Litigation and dispute resolution firm Kennedys has opened its new office at The Park in Berkeley Heights, marking another addition to the sprawling and fast-changing campus.
The global law practice, which has moved from the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, occupies 25,200 square feet at the property under a 12-year lease with The Connell Co. The space at 400 Connell Drive provides it with a location just off Interstate 78 and access to all that the 185-acre property has to offer, from high-end fitness facilities to a growing selection of dining options.
Those amenities are now available to an established team of attorneys and professionals who serve domestic and international clients across practice areas such as insurance coverage, corporate and commercial, defense and financial lines.
“The Berkeley Heights move continues our investment in dynamic, collaborative spaces that bring people together and support our teams and clients alike,” said Eric Hiller, U.S. managing partner for Kennedys. “We’re here to make a difference for our clients and that starts with empowering our people to reach their full potential to deliver exceptional services.”
Kennedys is among the newest additions to The Park, where Connell is in the midst of a decade-long, $500 million update of the former Connell Corporate Park. That includes a new 60,000-square-foot entertainment building that broke ground last fall and will house a brewery, several restaurants and bowling lanes, creating a destination for both nearby residents and those who work at the property.
The law firm’s new building, also known as RT400, is one of five that make up The Park’s 1.5 million square feet of office space. It’s also where Connell recently capped off a $100 million update to create a new upscale design and additional hospitality-focused amenities, fueling the firm’s announcement earlier this year that its office space was nearly full.
“At The Park, we are creating a new gold standard for East Coast office space, prioritizing a resort and lifestyle experience that is reflective of the needs of the modern worker,” said Shane Connell, executive vice president at The Connell Co., said in late April. “Our vision for The Park is to establish a live-work-stay destination that is surrounded by an ecosystem of hospitality-driven amenity spaces, retail and services. Our recent upgrades and rebranding of our office buildings were a key component that allowed us to fully execute our plan and enhance the tenant’s daily life.”
Berkeley Heights is now one of 12 U.S. locations and 46 globally for Kennedys, which recently reported a 22 percent revenue increase in North America, according to a news release. As part of its move, the firm said it donated furniture and equipment from its former space to local nonprofits such as Moms Helping Moms Foundation, Community Hope and Bernards Township Library.
Office space at The Park nearly full, as Connell taps leasing agent for campus’ retail space
