A rendering of a new two-building, mixed-use project in Montclair that will be anchored by the historic Wellmont Theater — Courtesy: Ironstate Development Co./Marchetto Higgins Stieve/Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners
By Joshua Burd
A development team is nearing completion of 200 luxury apartments in downtown Montclair, part of a sweeping mixed-use project to create a bustling arts district in the township.
The partners, Ironstate Development Co. and Brookfield Properties, say they expect to launch leasing this spring at the building known as Two South Willow. The structure is rising on Bloomfield Avenue alongside the historic Wellmont Theater, the anchor for the new district, and will also include 38,000 square feet of street-level retail and arts space.
Plans call for a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
“We’re proud to introduce this dynamic property to downtown Montclair,” said David Barry, CEO of Hoboken-based Ironstate. “Montclair is a destination for people who enjoy its unique blend of shopping, dining and cultural attractions, and it is consistently rated one of New Jersey’s most desirable places to live. The opening of Two South Willow will bolster that reputation by adding a new modern living option to an area of town that will soon be pulsing with activity, culture and convenience.”
After breaking ground in late 2018, the arts district project will also include a seven-story building with 40,000 square feet of medical office space and 200 parking spaces, along with a five-story municipal parking garage with 315 parking spaces at Glenridge Avenue and North Willow Street. The developers are also building a new 12,000-square-foot public plaza on a former portion of Seymour Street that will anchor much of the retail space.
The design team for Two South Willow includes Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects and Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, with interiors by Kara Mann Design, according to a news release. The developers say the structure will respect the historic architecture and brickwork of adjacent buildings, such as the Wellmont, with spacious and upscale apartments and a host of amenities for tenants.
Those common spaces will include a fitness center with Peloton bikes, a rooftop study with a fireplace and a roof deck with fire pits, grills and a shuffleboard court, Ironstate said. Visitors to the roof deck will have views of the Manhattan skyline.
Outside, the new pedestrian-only section of Seymour Street will create the Wellmont Arts Plaza that will boast extensive landscaping, outdoor seating and multiple art installations. Plans also call for the space, which was designed by Montclair-based landscape architect Arterial, to host open-air performances and other events that will draw visitors to the site.
Residents of Two South Willow will be in the midst of Montclair’s popular downtown and within walking distance of NJ Transit’s Bay Street and Walnut Street stations, which offer commuter rail service to New York Penn Station.
Ironstate, Brookfield announce three retail, medical leases at Montclair project
