Construction is underway at the site of the New York Red Bulls’ planned training complex and youth sports campus off Columbia Road in Morris Township. — Courtesy: New York Red Bulls
By Joshua Burd
Construction is underway on the New York Red Bulls’ highly anticipated new training complex at the former Honeywell International headquarters site in Morris Township.
Designed by Gensler, the privately funded project will span 80 acres off Columbia Road and will cater to the Major League Soccer club’s professional and youth teams with a host of modern facilities. Those include a cruciform-shaped building with locker rooms, a gym, a dining hall, academic spaces, physiotherapy areas and offices, as well as eight full-size outdoor soccer pitches, including a turf field and complementary training areas.
March Construction is managing the project as its general contractor. The Red Bulls, which play their home games in Harrison but have long trained in Morris County, said the complex is slated to open in fall 2025.
“We are excited for construction to begin on our new training complex,” said Jochen Schneider, the Red Bulls’ head of sport. “We want to provide our players, both professional and our academy, the best place for them to work, train and improve. This is a great day for our organization.”
The campus, which will serve as the headquarters for the team’s sporting department, will house both the first team and reserve squad, according to a news release. It will also be home to the New York Red Bulls Academy and Youth Training programs.
“Building the premier training complex in Major League Soccer is a significant investment, but one that we believe is necessary,” team President Marc de Grandpré said. “Our vision is for this facility to be a source of pride for our entire organization, our fans, partners and the Morris Township community for many years to come.”
The Riker Danzig LLP real estate team of Nicholas Racioppi Jr., Linda M. Herlihy and James M. Maggio Jr., along with Marilynn R. Greenberg of the firm’s environmental practice, represented the Red Bulls in its fall 2021 acquisition of the former Honeywell site and of adjoining land, which will be integrated with the larger parcel. The law firm also represented the club in the permitting and approval process.
Honeywell announced in 2013 that it would leave its longtime home in Morris Township, following a legal battle over the municipality’s rezoning of the 147-acre site and a planned redevelopment involving new residential construction. The technology giant moved its headquarters to a 465,000-square-foot building it acquired in neighboring Morris Plains, only to then sell and lease back a portion of the property while shifting its front office to North Carolina.
