A space known as The Lab is one of several collaborative areas included in the design of Lowenstein Sandler’s new office in Roseland. — Courtesy: Mountain Development Corp. and Square Mile Capital
By Joshua Burd
Law firm Lowenstein Sandler has opened the doors to its new Garden State headquarters in Roseland, occupying nearly half of a repositioned 400,000-square-foot suburban office building.
The national firm, which moved from a nearby building, occupies 170,000 square feet within the property at 56 Livingston Ave. It is the largest tenant at the building, which underwent a major repositioning by Mountain Development Corp. and Square Mile Capital.
That work includes complete interior renovations and extensive amenity upgrades, including a new on-site café, health club and wellness center and security and full concierge services, according to a news release. The outside features an exterior lounge with fire pits, hiking trails, volleyball court and walking paths.
David Simson of Newmark Knight Frank, who orchestrated the deal to bring Lowenstein to the space, said the building known as 56 at Roseland “represents the future of office development.” He spearheads the leasing assignment along with NKF Senior Managing Director Blake Goodman and Associate Colleen McGuire.
“Tenants’ needs have changed dramatically over the last several years,” said Simson, vice chairman and chief operating officer for NKF’s New Jersey office. “Many employees no longer maintain a ‘9-to-5’ lifestyle, and the modern workplace needs to support this trend with on-site amenities and services.
“An employee who works at 56 at Roseland can arrive early for a morning workout, grab breakfast, and at the end of the workday, collaborate with colleagues in an outdoor seating area. Everything a sophisticated tenant needs is right here without ever leaving the building.”
NKF is marketing another 51,000 square feet of divisible space still available at 56 at Roseland.
“No new office product has been built within the Route 280/Suburban Essex market in more than 15 years,” Simson said. “The new, state-of-the-art office environment that has been created here presents an unmatched opportunity for visionary companies that want to establish a presence in an efficient, technologically advanced and collaborative office setting.”
Lowenstein Sandler is one of two large law firms to anchor 56 Livingston Ave., joining Connell Foley at the repositioned building. The latter moved into its 75,000-square-foot space in late June, touting many of the same amenities that can be used for its attorneys and staff.
“The project is an outstanding alliance between not just the principals but all the design professionals as well,” said Michael Seeve, MDC’s president. “Employees and guests are assured state-of-the-art features and technologies at this property.”
The joint venture of MDC and Square Mile said it teamed with Lowenstein Sandler to create a fully customized, collaborative headquarters space that aligns with the national law firm’s corporate identity and entrepreneurial culture.
“This is a unique property that offers an unmatched location in Northern New Jersey, along with a bucolic setting and an array of amenities that today’s workforce values greatly,” said Charles Ochman, Square Mile managing director. “Along with MDC, we’re pleased to be the landlord of one of the state’s great law firms.”
Marner Architecture designed Lowenstein’s new space, touting it as a fully branded “building within a building” due to features such as the law firm’s own tree-lined boulevard leading to a private entryway. The firm used the footprint of the building to create what it describes as interactive communities — namely, smaller working neighborhoods that are linked to a central open space shared by all.
“The design uses the building’s long, deep floor plan to create discrete groups and strong connections between them and the outside environment to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts,” said Larry Marner, partner of Marner Architecture. “It solves the number one requirement the law firm had of needing an office where people could come together and build stronger working networks within the firm, while also giving people the confidence that they could work in a focused way without distraction.”
The Lowenstein office includes a uniform single-size office layout and work desk for all, while everyone in the office has access to perimeter windows. The overall design is meant to encourage collaboration.
“Mountain Development Corp. has been an excellent partner in helping us realize a space that supports our drive for collaboration and our entrepreneurial culture,” said Gary Wingens, chairman and managing partner of Lowenstein Sandler. “It is gratifying to discover in our real estate decisions opportunities to advance our business.”
