Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Robert C. Garrett was among those on hand Friday, April 4, as the organization topped off its new health and wellness center project at NJ Transit’s Metropark station. Seated (from left) are Russo Development CEO Ed Russo, state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, NJ Transit CEO and President Kris Kolluri and Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac. — Photos courtesy: HMH/Russo Development
By Joshua Burd
Hackensack Meridian Health’s new headquarters and medical office building in Woodbridge is on track to open this fall after reaching a key construction milestone last week.
Located in the township’s Iselin section, the nearly 245,000-square-foot facility is rising at the busy Metropark train station under a highly touted, mixed-use project by Russo Development, Onyx Equities and Dinallo Development. Plans include more than 60,000 square feet of medical office space with a host of primary and specialty care services, which HMH touted during a topping-off ceremony at the property near Route 27 and Wood Avenue South.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is thrilled to be one step closer to bringing this groundbreaking project to reality,” Robert C. Garrett, the health care system’s CEO, said in prepared remarks for the April 4 event. “The Health and Wellness Center at Metropark is a significant part of how Hackensack Meridian Health is making it easier to access convenient, quality care by bringing the doctor’s office into the heart of the community and just steps away from a patient’s daily commute.”
Garrett was on hand alongside the development team and many of the same elected officials who attended the project’s groundbreaking in March 2024. They noted that the building will deliver patient care at one of the state’s busiest mass transit hubs, making it more accessible to those who don’t own a car, as well as regular NJ Transit rail and bus riders and those on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
Services will include primary care, medical specialties, surgical specialties, sports and spine wellness, advanced imaging, phlebotomy, rehabilitation, retail pharmacy, occupational health and urgent care.
“Woodbridge has been a committed supporter of this development since Hackensack Meridian Health broke ground last year, and with every milestone in this process our enthusiasm has grown,” Mayor John E. McCormac said. “In addition to HMH’s first-of-its-kind health care facility at the Woodbridge Metropark Station, the development will bring much-needed health care providers and services to our township, along with significant community benefits that will provide valuable health care resources to our residents.”
The $200 million project by Dinallo, Onyx and Russo or DOR will also include 142,916 square feet of office space for HMH’s new headquarters, allowing the provider to consolidate three corporate spaces in nearby buildings. Following its completion, the developers will begin work on a second phase with 235 apartments and retail space.
The team noted that the project stems from Gov. Phil Murphy’s push to modernize transportation hubs throughout the state and create multiuse locations for residential, office space, retail and restaurants. To that end, the state Economic Development Authority is supporting the development with a 10-year, $114 million tax credit under the state’s Aspire program.
Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP Partner Chris Murphy and Brendan Pytka, the firm’s director of tax credits and incentives represented the project team in securing the Aspire tax credit. JLL’s Dan Loughlin, Ron Simoncini, Joe Messina, Jonathan Ortiz, Tom Stanton and Matt Loughlin brokered the lease with HMH.
“On behalf of our partners Onyx Equities and Terminal Construction, we could not be more pleased with the opportunity to redefine the Metropark Station and Hackensack Meridian’s vision in creating its new life,” said Ed Russo, CEO of Russo Development. “It is especially gratifying to celebrate a topping off that incorporates a fantastic set of collaborators, including the State of New Jersey, NJ Transit, EDA and the town of Woodbridge.”
Tim Sullivan, the EDA’s chief executive, added: “Hackensack Meridian Health’s new health care center is strategically located adjacent to a major mass transit hub, along some of New Jersey’s busiest thoroughfares, expanding access to high-quality care to residents and commuters traveling across the state. This massive investment advances Governor Murphy’s vision of revitalizing our communities through transit-oriented development, which is helping drive job creation and economic growth. The NJEDA is proud to support HMH’s state-of-the-art medical hub and is looking forward to the project’s next phase, which will create new housing options for New Jersey’s families.”
HMH added that, in the last several years, it has opened outpatient care centers across the state including in Eatontown, Clark and Paramus. The Metropark facility will be the latest in an ongoing push to bring key network physicians and ambulatory services under one roof in easily accessible neighborhoods throughout the communities it serves.
“Today marks a significant milestone toward a commitment to fostering a vibrant, transit-centered community anchored by NJ Transit’s Metropark Station,” NJ Transit CEO and President Kris Kolluri said. “This project not only drives economic growth, but also exemplifies the power of strong partnerships — with Hackensack Meridian Health providing world-class health care and jobs accessible by public transit, and outstanding leadership at the state and local level. I also want to commend the DOR team for their dedication to the timely execution of delivering this transformative development, which aligns with our vision for sustainable, transit-oriented communities.”
