Plans for Livana Colts Neck, Kushner’s new development at 7 Route 537 in the township, call for 15 three-story buildings with a combined 360 apartments and a clubhouse with a series of upscale amenities — Renderings by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners/Courtesy: Kushner
By Joshua Burd
Kushner has broken ground on a project that will bring 360 new apartments to Colts Neck, part of a sprawling, at times contentious development that is nearly 20 years in the making and will deliver the township’s first multifamily rentals.
Known as Livana Colts Neck, the community is set to rise along Route 537 on a 30-acre site just east of Route 18. That’s where Kushner joined local officials and members of its project team on Wednesday to mark the start of construction, which is slated to last through early 2027, with plans calling for 15 three-story buildings and a clubhouse that the firm says will evoke the landscape and tradition of an area known as New Jersey’s horse country.
“The best projects are typically the toughest ones, and this one clearly confirms it,” said Michael Sommer, Kushner’s chief development officer, who noted that the firm acquired the site in 2006 and received approvals to build 48 townhomes, but declined to move forward at the time. The developer later crafted a plan to build multifamily rentals that would help Colts Neck satisfy its state-mandated affordable housing obligations, giving way to a rezoning and approval process that came amid opposition from residents, environmental groups and some local officials.
“We’re thankful that these challenges are behind us,” Sommer added, “and we’re excited to move forward with this incredible project.”
SLIDESHOW: Livana Colts Neck
Designed by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, buildings at Livana Colts Neck will have what Kushner described as a modern farmhouse exterior. The community at 7 Route 537 will have a mix of one-, two, and three-bedroom floorplans and upscale amenities such as a fitness center and a yoga studio, plus social and work-from-home spaces such as a clubroom, a lounge and conference rooms.
Outdoor spaces will include a swimming pool with pergolas, patio seating, grills, firepits and a dedicated dog park.
“It has indeed been a long and challenging process to secure the necessary approvals, but every step has been driven by our commitment to creating something truly special for this community,” said Nicole Kushner Meyer, Kushner’s president. “Colts Neck is one of the most prestigious towns in New Jersey and is an equestrian haven. We have all believed in the potential of our state’s towns and cities to thrive and we are deeply committed to contributing positively to their growth and development.”
Sommer, meantime, said the groundbreaking was “a very special day” for both Colts Neck and Kushner, in that the project would create the first apartments ever built in the township. Reaching such a milestone required contributions from local officials and a long list of Kushner team members, Sommer said, while citing Minno & Wasko and many of the other outside firms involved in the project:
- Fortress, the project’s lender
- Giordano Halleran & Ciesla PC
- Langan
- Natural Systems Utilities
- 11FIFTYNINE
- Mulhern+Kulp
- Sharpe Engineering
- Cahn Communications
The event also marked Kushner’s third groundbreaking in Monmouth County in just over four months. The firm in May marked the start of construction at Monmouth Square, its planned redevelopment of the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, where it plans to create a modern town center with 1,000 residential units, 900,000 square feet of retail, an active public green space and pedestrian pathways.
In late March, Kushner kicked off a project in Long Branch where it will build 299 apartments, a SuperFresh grocery market and a neighborhood café. The project will look to enhance the Lower Broadway corridor and connect downtown to the beachfront, all while integrating with the firm’s mixed-use Pier Village property.
In Colts Neck, Kushner executives noted that residents will have access to fresh retail options, a highly rated school district and prestigious golf clubs.
“Livana Colts Neck reaffirms our commitment to investing in Monmouth County through meaningful developments that enhance the quality of life for residents and serve as attractive additions to the towns and cities in which we invest,” CEO Laurent Morali said.
Representing the township on Wednesday was Deputy Mayor Tara Torchia Buss, who also acknowledged that the project “has been in the works for a very, very long time.” But with construction set to begin, she said local officials would look to embrace those residents who will arrive starting less than three years from now.
“I want to make sure that everybody here understands that we really want to be a welcoming community to all 360 units that are coming here,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot of people, and we’re going to partner with everybody.”
