1 Tower Center in East Brunswick
By Joshua Burd
The new owner of a 23-story office tower in East Brunswick has tapped Newmark Knight Frank as its leasing agent, offering new details about its plan to overhaul the well-known property.
The real estate services firm said it will represent American Equity Partners in marketing the multitenant building, 1 Tower Center, as it begins to implement the upgrades. AEP acquired the 417,430-square-foot property last month and is now proposing a series of renovations that will bring new amenities, building systems and enhanced transit connectivity.
Those plans include a new amenities center on the 15th floor with a modern fitness center, a social-centric tenant lounge and a grab-and-go café with views of the New York skyline, according to a news release. AEP will also convert a section of the floor to accommodate the opening of Kahoots, a co-working space that will provide flexibility for tenants looking to expand or contract their space.
Meantime, the company will overhaul an existing conference facility on the 15th floor to accommodate classroom and town hall configurations.
“We’re excited to work with AEP on transforming 1 Tower Center into a unique building offered to the East Brunswick office market,” said Jamie Drummond, a senior managing director with NKF. “After partnering with AEP on two successful assignments, we now share a strong bond and vision for the property that will enable us to find the right tenants who are looking to attract and retain talent in East Brunswick, NJ.”
Drummond is leading the leasing team alongside Executive Managing Director Steve Tolkach, Managing Director Adam Silver and associate directors Andrew Perrotti and Dan Reider.
The building, which was 39 percent occupied at the time of the sale, provides immediate access to the New Jersey Turnpike and routes 18 and 1. Its new owner also plans to add a shuttle service to the New Brunswick train station, which is 2.2 miles from the Tower Center complex.
“We saw tremendous potential in an accessible, amenity-rich office building like 1 Tower Center, with covered parking, accessibility to the turnpike, a grand lobby and panoramic views of Manhattan,” said David Elkouby of American Equity Partners. “We look forward to expanding upon those tenant amenities to bring a more urban, current feel to this well-established, suburban New Jersey property.”
Other planned upgrades include an updated HVAC system and new LED lighting.
