A rendering of Clarus Glen Ridge on Baldwin Avenue in Glen Ridge — Courtesy: JMF Properties
By Joshua Burd
JMF Properties is nearing the completion of a 110-unit apartment building in Glen Ridge, as it looks to expand on a concept introduced in another Essex County community.
Located on Baldwin Avenue, the firm’s Clarus Glen Ridge project will allow residents to be steps from downtown Montclair and NJ Transit’s Bay Street train station. The upscale building is slated to open next month with a collection of one- and two-bedroom homes and a mix of amenities led by a distinctive wellness and training center.
“We are excited to announce that we will soon be introducing a brand-new residential option to this charming, historic Essex County borough with the launch of leasing at Clarus Glen Ridge,” said Joe Forgione, principal of JMF Properties. “Glen Ridge is the perfect location for the newest addition to our Clarus series of luxury rental properties.
“You can walk to shops, restaurants, parks, cultural attractions and mass-transit in downtown Montclair, but when you walk home you return to a quiet, relaxed suburban neighborhood, completely insulated from the hustle and bustle. A lot of thought went into customizing every single detail of this community and we are counting the days until we can officially announce its debut.”
The project follows JMF’s success at Clarus Maplewood, a boutique apartment building that opened in fall 2017 and was the first residential community in New Jersey to achieve WELL Certification through the International WELL Building Institute’s multifamily pilot. The property leased up quickly and won multiple awards and accolades, thanks in large part to its focus on wellness as part of its design and construction.
According to the Whippany-based developer, the Clarus Glen Ridge wellness center includes high-end exercise equipment with touch consoles, cycling, TRX suspension training, a heavy bag and kettlebells, among other offerings. A separate personal training studio gives residents access to Echelon Reflect Touch touchscreens with both live streaming and on-demand training classes, including Zumba, yoga, kickboxing, strength and cardio-focused workouts.
Den units and private outdoor space will be available in select homes.
Other perks include a central lobby and lounge, a parlor with a gas fireplace and wet bar, a business center and a billiards room, according to a news release. Residents will also have access to on-site covered parking, car charging stations, storage lockers, bike storage and other services.
JMF updated its planned amenity and floorplan offerings even while construction was underway to accommodate needs such as remote work, according to a news release. To that end, the firm added conference rooms and private work spaces to the business center, while redesigning layouts to include more units with dens.
It also reconfigured the parking garage to provide each unit with up to two parking spaces with direct access to each resident’s floor.
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