From left: Montvale council members Annmarie Russo-Vogelsang and Dieter Koelling; Douglas Cohen, vice president, business and legal affairs and general counsel of The S.Hekemian Group; Beattie Padovano LLC Member Martin W. Kafafian; Peter Hekemian, senior managing director of The S.Hekemian Group; Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali; Planning Board Chairman John DePinto; and Beattie Padovano Member Antimo A. Del Vecchio were among those on hand May 12 for a ribbon-cutting at Workplace North Market, a 52,000-square-foot office and retail building at the former Mercedes-Benz USA campus in Montvale. — Courtesy: The S.Hekemian Group
By Joshua Burd
The S.Hekemian Group has opened the doors to a new office building in Montvale, part of a mixed-use redevelopment of the former Mercedes-Benz USA campus in the borough.
Located off the Garden State Parkway, the 52,000-square-foot structure is home to law firm Beattie Padovano LLC, which preleased 20,000 square feet early last year. The developer is now marketing additional space as it proceeds with other phases of its plan for the campus, including two luxury multifamily and retail buildings that are slated for adjacent parcels.
Public officials joined the firm recently to mark the milestone at what’s known as North Market.
“This marks an exciting day in the ongoing evolution of North Market,” said Peter Hekemian, senior managing director of The S.Hekemian Group. “Our Workplace building is truly something special and innovative in Bergen County — and anchors North Market’s modern, one-of-a-kind walkable urban setting in a suburban community. In it, we have established a place where businesses can thrive, surrounded by an eclectic neighborhood of eateries, experiences, shopping and lifestyle services.”
SLIDESHOW: Workplace North Market
All renderings courtesy: The S. Hekemian Group
The four-story building, located at 200 Market St., includes 40,500 square feet of office space and 11,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Its developer on Friday detailed architecture that includes loft ceiling heights with corrugated metal, plate glass windows and exposed ceilings, along with a shared plaza featuring hardscaped and landscaped elements that encourages social and collaborative gathering.
Local stakeholders said the building represented a fitting, practical way to repurpose part of the former Mercedes campus. The automaker said in 2015 that it would move its U.S. headquarters to Atlanta, in a move that rippled through the borough, and was among several high-profile companies that said they would pull out of northern Bergen County at the time.
“There is a lot of pride in Montvale, and this is the crown jewel of our community,” said John DePinto, chairman of the borough’s planning board. “It exemplifies what the borough feels, believes and is dedicated to. While other communities have suffered the loss of a major tenant leaving, Montvale worked cooperatively with the developer to come up with a solution that works for the 21st century. Big office buildings with big tenancy are no longer the norm. We must be more creative in our approach to planning and zoning.”
All told, the North Market master plan combines office, retail, luxury apartments and a boutique hotel on the former Mercedes-Benz site. The property also incorporates The Shoppes at DePiero Farm, the adjacent, highly successful project that The S.Hekemian Group opened in 2017 with Bergen County’s first Wegman’s supermarket as its anchor.
“This is a functional live, work and shop space that is going to be the hub of the region,” Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali said. “Although it took several years to get to this point, we already are reaping the benefits with more businesses and corporations attracted to Montvale. I take pride in this project; it is what’s best for the community, the tax base, the job market and for the convenience it brings to our residents.”
Hekemian last week said ongoing interest in Workplace North Market remains strong, citing additional tenant contracts that are in process.
“As our anchor tenant, we are honored that Beattie Padovano bought into our vision,” Hekemian said. “Businesses and retailers alike are being drawn by this property’s promise of ‘experience’ and a sense of neighborhood that you simply cannot find elsewhere in the suburbs. Add to that stellar accessibility just off Exit 172 of the Garden State Parkway — in the heart of one of the strongest markets in the New York metropolitan area – and this district has a strong future as a preferred destination for life, work and play.”
