By Joshua Burd
Development firm TFE Properties has attracted three health care tenants for a combined 63,000 square feet at repurposed retail sites in East Brunswick and Freehold.
According to the firm, the leases include a 35,000-square-foot transaction with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Inc. and a 17,000-square-foot deal with Children’s Specialized Hospital, both at its Junction Pointe property in East Brunswick. The location will be home to multiple medical practices that are slated to open in the second or third quarter of 2023, while helping to further reposition a former Kmart property at 645 Route 18, about three miles from the New Jersey Turnpike.
The activity by TFE Properties follows a recent lease on Route 9 in Freehold, where RWJ Barnabas Health will occupy 11,000 square feet at a former Golden Corral location. According to the East Windsor-based developer, the site will offer primary care and women’s health services when it opens early next year.
“We are excited to help bring cutting edge new medical facilities to the East Brunswick and Freehold communities,” said Carey Tajfel, president of TFE Properties. “We expect that these medical offices will thrive in centrally located, high-demand areas. Plus, hospital and health care tenants are strong long-term tenants, as our communities will always need medical care. This sector is resilient in the face of fads and trends.”
In announcing the deals, TFE noted that the former Kmart site in East Brunswick has been expanded to more than 230,000 square feet of commercial space in addition to multiple pad sites. Current tenants include CubeSmart Self Storage, Crunch Fitness, The Clothing Center, Investors Bank and Xfinity.
TFE’s other East Brunswick developments include the Cranbury Commons office building and a multi-pad retail site at 260 Route 18 featuring AAA and Dunkin Donuts.
“East Brunswick Township is a great place to do business,” Tajfel said. “They work with both developers and tenants, and the town’s commitment to fostering retail and multifamily development is sure to be a boon for business interests and for the community at large.”
The Freehold site, meantime, is also home to Provident Bank, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Leaders in Learning and JAG-ONE Physical Therapy.