UNICOM, the California-based company that has acquired the former Merck campus in Readington, is doing far more than simply backfilling space at one of New Jersey’s largest stranded assets — with plans to create a dynamic, inclusive technology campus that will attract other tenants and serve as a regional hub for research and innovation.
Healthy options: A look at the growth of medical retail in New Jersey
Medical tenants have become increasingly critical to the retail sector, creating a new opportunity for landlords who have grappled with e-commerce and bankrupt retail chains. New Jersey is no exception, and the opportunity comes as urgent care centers, physical therapists and other businesses experience rapid growth spurred by major changes in the health care industry.
Continued strength for multifamily
The tax reform package is widely seen as a boost to the already thriving apartment sector. At the very least, experts say the changes could delay an existing renter’s decision to transition to homeownership, although many stopped short of saying that it would have dire effects on the for-sale market.
A rebound for investment activity
When it came to commercial real estate, many investors had likely felt that property values had peaked in 2016, that the bull run was ending and the economy was due for a pullback. Those are among the reasons that Jeff Otteau feels overall investment sales in New Jersey fell last year to $6.5 billion, from $8.3 billion in 2016, while activity also slowed in New York City. Yet that trend could be in store for a reversal as a result of the newly amended tax code, which has preserved and added to the benefits given to real estate investors.