Work is underway at West Orange Plaza at 235 Prospect Ave. in West Orange, where Levin Management Corp. is expanding a former Kmart building to house a new Target by fall 2025. — Rendering courtesy: LMC
By Joshua Burd
A plan to enhance and expand a major shopping center in West Orange is underway, following a nearly 212,000-square-foot lease with Target that helped jumpstart the redevelopment.
According to Levin Management Corp., which represents ownership at 235 Prospect Ave., the project at the 296,500-square-foot West Orange Plaza will take place in stages. That includes renovating and expanding part of the main building to make way for Target, including loading dock modifications to accommodate the retail giant’s omnichannel needs, with plans calling for the space and related site improvements to conclude in fall 2025.
Additionally, the first phase involves new, ground-up construction of an 8,400-square-foot building and a 5,500-square-foot addition to one of the property’s existing outparcel structures, LMC said. Construction will begin this fall, with anticipated completion by late 2026.
The new opportunities at the 32-acre, Whole Foods-anchored center off Interstate 280 are already drawing strong interest.
“As one of the country’s most desirable anchor tenants, Target will add vibrancy and economic activity both to West Orange Plaza and the surrounding community,” said Sidney Singer, vice president of leasing at Levin Management Corp. “At a time when available shopping center space is limited for new construction, West Orange Plaza’s enviable demographics and ability to accommodate Target’s needs in an existing former Kmart space created the ideal leasing scenario.”
Additionally, the multimillion-dollar redevelopment will include center-wide renovations to update access, circulation and parking, as well as new signage, upgraded landscaping and facades and new lighting, according to a news release. Ownership will also incorporate infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging stations.
LMC added that the center, located at Eagle Rock and Prospect avenues, serves a three-mile population of more than 165,000 and nearly 63,000 households with an average annual income of roughly $178,500. The property draws more than 2.6 million visits annually, according to real-time traffic data from Placer.ai, supporting tenants such as America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s Subs and others.
The redevelopment vision, planning and orchestration is a collaborative effort of West Orange Plaza’s joint venture ownership, the news release said. LMC’s in-house construction management team is overseeing the construction process — including common area improvements and new outparcel development — as an owner’s representative.
West Orange Plaza currently has up to 14,000 square feet of inline space and an existing 7,625-square-foot pad site available, the management team said. Additionally, new development opportunities range from 1,600 to 8,400 square feet.