Liberty Hall Corporate Center at 1085 Morris Ave. in Union Township — Courtesy: JLL
By Joshua Burd
The Transportation Security Administration has taken 47,000 square feet in Union Township as part of an expansion at a soon-to-be-upgraded office building, brokers with JLL announced.
The agency, which had been subleasing space at 1085 Morris Ave., has now signed a direct, long-term commitment at what’s known as Liberty Hall Corporate Center. It’s leasing the space from a partnership led by the Cali Family, whose plans for the five-story, 210,000-square-foot building include the addition of a new fitness center and a renovated cafeteria and conference facility, plus event space and enhanced indoor and outdoor amenities to provide meeting and gathering areas.
Architectural firm Rotwein+Blake is spearheading the repositioning of Liberty Hall Corporate Center. JLL Senior Managing Director David Stifelman and Executive Vice President Chris Conklin represented ownership in the 10-year lease, noting that the TSA will continue to use the property as a network operations center that supports Newark Liberty International Airport.
“We are thrilled that a credit tenant such as the TSA has chosen to solidify its presence in the property in what is a testament to its premier location and the many attributes that are demanded by companies today as they position themselves to attract and retain talent,” Conklin said.
JLL noted that the agency is expanding from its prior sublease space, which spanned 41,000 square feet, and will now occupy the entire second floor and part of the first floor at Liberty Hall Corporate Center. The deal follows the departure of the Elizabethtown Gas Co., which occupied the full building on a triple-net lease until the deal expired.
Ownership now hopes to attract new tenants with a location directly next to Kean University’s main campus and within walking distance of NJ Transit’s Union station and the Shoppes at Vermella Union. The site is also minutes from the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 78, Route 22, the New Jersey Turnpike and other major highways, while it’s two miles from Newark Liberty International Airport and 22 miles southwest of Manhattan.
“As the repositioning gets underway, we look forward to reintroducing this headquarters-quality facility for the first time since its long-term occupancy by a single tenant,” Stifelman said. “Liberty Hall Corporate Center is situated within a walkable downtown community offering access to multiple retail options, new housing and a network of transportation alternatives, all of which will appeal to companies seeking amenity-rich suburban environments that serve as a central hub that inspires productivity and collaboration.”
