A redesign of Morristown’s Headquarters Plaza on Speedwell Avenue will include creating new lounge areas, dining and workspaces throughout the main east-west corridor, as the property’s look to modernize the concourse of the 1 million-square-foot office, hotel and retail property. — Renderings by Gensler/Courtesy: Headquarters Plaza
By Joshua Burd
The owners of Morristown’s Headquarters Plaza have unveiled their plans to refresh the 1 million-square-foot property, with a focus on the cavernous interior concourse that connects its three office towers, the Hyatt Regency Morristown and a host of retailers and restaurants.
The firms, The Olnick Organization and Fisher Development Associates, have tapped Gensler to spearhead the project inside the distinctive superstructure on Speedwell Avenue. They were among those on hand Tuesday as they detailed the reported $32 million project, which includes bringing new lounge areas, restaurants and workspaces to the main east-west corridor, in a time in which tenants have clamored for high-end workspaces in the downtown.
The renovations are slated to begin this spring and last about nine months, they said, while also announcing plans to rebrand the complex as HQ Plaza.
“We’re proud to work with Gensler to invigorate HQ Plaza as we apply a modern, energetic aesthetic to the development,” said Brian Fisher, principal partner at Fisher Development Associates. “This property is a well-established destination for business and leisure, and it brings us great satisfaction to unveil our new vision for the complex. The new design centers around providing our tenants with access to contemporary workspaces, thoughtfully curated hospitality, entertainment and the finest dining that Morris County has to offer.”
SLIDESHOW: Renovations at HQ Plaza
The property, which dates to 1980, comprises 650,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail space, the 256-room Hyatt Regency, a 40,000-square-foot Crunch health club with an indoor pool and a 10-screen AMC theater atop a 3,000-space parking garage, the owners noted. It’s long been a destination for corporate users seeking a presence in Morristown’s central business district, one that’s viewed as highly desirable but supply-constrained for Class A office space.
Upgrades at HQ Plaza have been ongoing, ownership said, noting that the on-site Hyatt recently underwent a full renovation designed by Gensler. The complex also boasts a recently updated, 50,000-square-foot outdoor plaza that’s open to the public and available to office tenants, hotel patrons and the neighboring restaurants for use as an ancillary, multipurpose event space.
Cushman & Wakefield’s Robert Donnelly, Robert Donnelly Jr. and Ben Brenner serve as leasing agents for HQ Plaza’s office space, while a JLL team led by Christina Honthy has managed the property since June 2022. According to JLL, the newest improvements will also include the white-label tenant engagement app HqO, which will allow tenants to access basic campus information as well as amenities and retail offerings from a smartphone.
“The transformation of HQ Plaza offers an exciting new elevated experience for both office tenants and guests who visit the concourse each day,” said Rene Cruz, a project director based in Gensler’s Morristown office. “Infused with daylight and biophilia, the space will become a destination with a host of amenities and offerings that can support a variety of events and space for collaboration.”
HQ Plaza has also inked leases with three restaurant concepts — Sushi Lounge, Parkside Tavern and Masseria by Joe Cetrulo — which will occupy prime retail space along Speedwell Avenue to create a new restaurant row within the bustling downtown, according to a news release. The property also has grab-and-go and sit-down breakfast and lunch options at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, while users are steps from Morristown’s many other restaurants.
“HQ Plaza is a centerpiece of one of the most desirable suburban downtowns in the state — seamlessly integrating live, work and play experiences for current and future tenants, as well as the surrounding community,” said Seth Schochet, president of The Olnick Organization. “The abundance of forthcoming restaurant and retail offerings will continue to enhance this stretch of Speedwell Avenue, bolstering Morristown’s profile while also facilitating convenience for our office tenants.”
Tuesday’s announcement comes after a flurry of recent activity at HQ Plaza, including 14 new leases, totaling some 100,000 square feet in the past year alone, ownership said. And it follows the recent arrival of companies such as Deloitte LLP and Valley Bank to new ground-up office buildings developed by SJP Properties, which is also constructing space for Sanofi as part of its M Station project.
Gensler, whose office is a roughly a block from HQ Plaza, designed all three SJP buildings.
“This iconic complex has long been a hub of professional activity, offering the Morristown community a range of expansive amenities,” Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty said. “The planned renovations will further enhance its capacity to serve the town. Contributing to the vibrancy of downtown, the new HQ Plaza will establish a revitalized epicenter for business, retail and dining on the Green, while also driving activity for the existing shops and restaurants along Speedwell Avenue. The evolution of this development is a foundational part of our strategy to elevate Morristown as a premier corporate and residential destination.”
Donnelly Jr., a vice chairman with Cushman, added: “Building a project of this scale in downtown Morristown was pioneering from the start. The original Headquarters Plaza, with its Class A office space, ample parking and outstanding amenities has been instrumental in enabling corporate employers to consistently attract and retain top talent over the years. The new HQ Plaza will further elevate Morristown’s reputation as one of the most desirable areas of the state to live, work and play.”
Following the recent renovations, the Hyatt Regency offers 31,000 square feet of meeting and conference space that includes four large ballrooms and 32 flexible conference rooms, enhanced with catering services and advanced audiovisual support to serve the business needs of tenants and hotel guests.
JLL named property manager of 760,000 sq. ft. Headquarters Plaza in Morristown
