By Joshua Burd
Tulfra Real Estate and The Hampshire Cos. are nearing completion of the first piece of a 500,000-square-foot, mixed-use development at a former Roche Diagnostics site in Belleville.
The firms announced the progress at what they call Park 11, a master-planned site at 11 Franklin Ave. and adjacent to the Clara Maass Medical Center. The developers have completed a new retaining wall, a new road, utilities and graded pads for the property’s planned self-storage facility, convenience store, retail space, pharmacy and quick-service dining.
Tulfra and Hampshire acquired the 20-acre property in 2015 with a mixed-use complex in mind. Since then, Wawa has inked a 25-year ground lease for two acres on the site, while Extra Space Storage plans to build a standalone self-storage facility on the portion of the property facing Franklin Avenue.
Construction of both facilities is underway.
“The first phase of construction sets the stage for complete transformation of this property,” said Sonny Jumani, president and partner of Tulfra Real Estate. “We are proud to play a part in transforming this large, centrally located area into a new hub for commerce in Belleville.”
Jumani touted the site’s location across the street from Branch Brook Park and a surrounding three-mile population of more than 350,000 residents. The property offers easy access to the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike and routes 21, 3, and 17, proving a quick route to Newark Liberty International Airport and New York City.
“Tulfra Real Estate specializes in transforming outdated properties into revenue-generating developments,” he said. “Municipalities, residents and visitors alike benefit from the improvements we make to properties we acquire.”