Kearny Works, a 20,000-square-foot co-working space at Kearny Point. — Courtesy: Hugo Neu
By Joshua Burd
The developer that is reinventing a 2 million-square-foot former shipyard in Kearny has partnered with Uber as part of its effort to create a 21st-century workplace hub at the site.
Hugo Neu, the owner of Kearny Point, said the deal calls for establishing designated pickup and drop-off points for the ridesharing service both at the complex and off-site. Executives noted the property is less than five miles from Manhattan and close to the Journal Square PATH station, Newark Penn Station, the Meadowlands and the Secaucus Junction train station.
Select businesses located at Kearny Point will receive a $50 credit to Uber, the firm said, although it did not provide additional details about the criteria.
“Although Kearny Point sits in a location that is exceptionally accessible for those who drive, we recognize the need to provide alternative transportation options for our tenants and visitors,” said Stephen Nislick, chief financial officer at Hugo Neu. “Thanks to the partnership with Uber, those coming to Kearny Point from popular destinations in Newark and Jersey City can get here in just 10 minutes.”
The partnership coincides with preparations for the launch of Kearny Point’s second phase, during which Hugo Neu will redevelop the former crane way Building 100 into “a technologically advanced creative office environment geared toward larger corporations,” according to a news release. Brokers from Cushman & Wakefield are now marketing the space.
Kearny Point’s flagship space, known as Building 78, was the first on the property to be redeveloped under Huge Neu’s multiphase plan. The building includes creative flex space that is already home to nearly 100 businesses such as craft food artisans, tech firms and filmmakers.
The four-story building features 40,000-square-foot floor plates with polished concrete floors, heavy floor load capacity, 13-foot-high ceilings and individually controlled energy-efficient HVAC units, the news release said. Tenants can also access a 5,000-square-foot roof deck and lounge and a 3,000-square-foot indoor event space.
The project is transforming what was once the home of a massive shipbuilding operation with 30,000 employees during World War I and World War II. In total, the Kearny Point project will reactivate more than 3 million square feet of industrial space, with subsequent phases calling for indoor and outdoor common areas, including a waterfront park space and a new public marina.
