A rendering of Rutgers University-Newark’s Honors Living-Learning Community — Courtesy: RBH Group/The Blau & Berg Co.
By Joshua Burd
Five retail tenants have agreed to lease space at RBH Group’s new 320,000-square-foot student housing and academic building in downtown Newark.
The developer, which is working with Rutgers University-Newark to construct the school’s Honors Living-Learning Community building, has signed leases with Serena Space Yoga, Mangia Organica, Xi’an Taste, Shawafel House and Jersey Mike’s Subs, according to The Blau & Berg Co. and Hudson. The retailers will benefit from the residential learning facility’s built-in student population and proximity to a large daytime workforce, with a location that is bounded by Washington, Halsey, New and Linden streets.
They will occupy part of the 25,000-square-foot retail space below what is a 400-bed student housing facility. Christian Benedetto, director of business development at Blau & Berg, and Greg Levine, senior vice president at Hudson and founder of Synergy Realty Advisors, represented RBH.
The developer also completed new leases at its other properties in the city, the brokers said. At Teachers Village, RBH’s mixed-use community on five blocks along Halsey Street, the firm has attracted tenants comprising more than 20,000 square feet, including Inspira Performing Arts & Cultural Center, Dressed Up, Mangia Organica, Brick City Strength, Divino Tasting Room, Eatery & Lounge, The Chen School and Brilliant Smiles Pediatric Dentistry.
The tenants join the 60,000-square-foot retail component in Teachers Village alongside its 204 apartments.
Meantime, Columbia Bank opened its 50th community branch on the ground floor of 905 Broad St. below the Great Oaks Charter School, according to a news release. The full-service location taps into the local university community, commuters and area visitors to the nearby City Hall, Prudential Center and Courtyard by Marriott Newark Downtown.
“Christian Benedetto at The Blau & Berg Company working alongside Greg Levine and Hudson, have done a great job of bringing local, entrepreneurial retailers into our Teachers Village, 909 Broad Street and Rutgers University-Newark’s Honors Living-Learning Community projects,” said Ron Beit, CEO, RBH Group. “Together we are creating job opportunities and bringing a new vibrancy to downtown Newark.”
