Updates to the 15 NEST building at the Northeast Science and Technology Center in Kenilworth will focus on the building’s central lobby and auditorium, giving way to additional upgrades to other shared spaces in the 1.2 million-square-foot building. — Renderings courtesy: NEST
By Joshua Burd
The team behind the high-profile Northeast Science and Technology Center in Kenilworth have kicked off a multimillion-dollar renovation of the site’s anchor building, with plans to create 75,000 square feet of new amenities and common spaces for current and future tenants.
Onyx Equities, in partnership with Machine Investment Group and Pivot Real Estate Partners, said the updates to the 1.2 million-square-foot facility known as 15 NEST will take place in two phases. The first will focus on the building’s central lobby and auditorium, with completion slated for mid-2026, while the second will upgrade the additional shared spaces as part of a project that will conclude by the end of the year.
The work comes after the joint venture purchased the former Merck & Co. campus in 2023, seeking to reposition the 108-acre site on Galloping Hill Road into a multitenant hub that leverages its trove of high-end research and development space and infrastructure. They subsequently attracted several organizations, including New Jersey Institute of Technology, Revlon and CoreWeave, while Merck remained at 15 NEST through September 2025 and maintained a network of modern laboratories and biomanufacturing space.
SLIDESHOW: Renovations at 15 NEST in Kenilworth
Onyx said that, while the R&D spaces remain highly advanced, it will modernize the balance of the building so that it fully reflects the same standards of design, technology and functionality that define the rest of the NEST complex. That will create some 75,000 square feet of central amenity and common space to establish a collaborative, innovative campus ecosystem as it looks to attract additional tenants.
“NEST was envisioned as a place where world-class science, technology and innovation converge,” said Matthew P. Flath, senior vice president of asset management at Onyx Equities. “The researchers and organizations that will soon call this campus home deserve a facility that reflects their ambition. With these renovations, we’re setting the stage for an environment that will spark connection, collaboration and discovery for years to come.”
Onyx announced late last year that NJIT would occupy 25,000 square feet at 15 NEST for a new translational research facility, which will allow professors and students to conduct groundbreaking research and accelerate the transformation of discoveries into tangible solutions for real-world problems. Revlon, which is leasing 62,000 square feet, has also committed to the building as it moves its research labs, pilot manufacturing and office functions to the site.
NJIT to open 25,000 sq. ft. translational research center at NEST campus in Kenilworth
