Lebanon Plaza at 1271 Route 22 in Lebanon — Courtesy: KW Commercial
By Joshua Burd
A stream of new leasing activity has revitalized a Hunterdon County shopping center, creating a home for entrepreneurs and other small businesses outside the traditional retail space.
According to KW Commercial, the listing agent for the property at 1271 Route 22 in Lebanon, the transactions have helped raise occupancy at Lebanon Plaza from 60 percent in mid-2020 to roughly 90 percent today. The Clinton-based team led by Bob Bartnett has spearheaded that activity, which includes 14 leases during that span, noting that many of the tenants are small businesses that are taking commercial space for the first time.
He credited Joe Moglia and his daughter, Lisa Moglia, the owners of the 65,000-square-foot center, with reviving the asset “by reimagining how the property could be used to meet the needs of today’s business owners and entrepreneurs.” That’s led to deals ranging from 300 to 3,000 square feet, attracting a diverse mix of users from Lebanon Leather Works and Budding Roses Photography to Skylands Pelvic Rehab and Morningside Consulting Group.
“By converting Lebanon Plaza from a dying retail center into a business center with smaller spaces, an on-site property manager and a post office, the Moglias created a vibrant place for those who are starting a new business, and those that are growing out of their existing home-based businesses,” said Bartnett, a commercial associate with KW Commercial. “The highly visible and conveniently located Hunterdon County site has become a busy hub and an extremely desirable site for many businesses.”
Along with its highway access, Lebanon Plaza offers abundant parking and tenant-controlled HVAC, Bartnett said, adding that most units have access to shared tailboard loading. The site can also accommodate small flex-industrial space users, along with high-tech assembly operations and e-commerce users.
