United Way of Northern New Jersey awarded its 2024 Industrial Impact Award to Central 9 Logistics Park. Pictured are members of the project team from 2020 Acquisitions, Paragon Packaging, Cushman & Wakefield, Newmark, Alston Construction, M+H Architects, Bohler, Old Bridge Township and Giordano Halleran & Ciesla PC as well as United Way Senior Vice President of Resource Development George Xuereb. — All photos by Karen Fucito/Courtesy of United Way of Northern New Jersey
By Joshua Burd
For one of the state’s largest public-private partnerships in recent memory, the benefits of the sprawling Central 9 Logistics Park in Old Bridge go even deeper than the new 18-hole municipal golf course, traffic upgrades and other pieces of the project’s more than $35 million in offsite improvements.
Developer Efrem Gerszberg said as much Friday as he accepted United Way of Northern New Jersey’s Industrial Impact Award in connection with the nine-building, 4.2 million-square-foot industrial campus that’s taking shape on Route 9.
“More important, and consistent with the United Way, is the fact that this will generate over 2,000 permanent jobs in Old Bridge,” said Gerszberg, the CEO and sole principal of 2020 Acquisitions. “And most of them will probably come from the local community, helping people work close to their homes, which is an important factor when looking at any industrial project.”
The message was especially fitting as United Way marked its 25th annual Legacy Event, a fundraiser that has enjoyed outsized, longstanding support from the state’s commercial real estate sector. This year’s program was no different, drawing some 400 attendees to the Meadow Wood in Randolph and raising $335,000 for the population that it calls ALICE, an acronym for those who are asset-limited, income-constrained and employed and represent the essential workers who struggle to afford the basics.
Since 2000, the commercial real estate industry has helped to raise more than $4.5 million for United Way.
“We are grateful for this industry’s longstanding commitment to United Way — especially in the face of such challenging times,” said George Xuereb, the organization’s senior vice president for resource development. “For 25 years, this industry has stood by us and helped to put ALICE individuals and families on a path to financial stability. In addition, we congratulate this year’s winners for their positive impact within our communities.”
Receiving this year’s Commercial Impact Award was Kenvue’s world headquarters in Summit, which was honored ahead of three other finalists in the category. The winning team includes Onyx Equities, Kenvue Inc., CBRE, JLL, Unispace, Torcon, Jacobs, Prime & Tuvel, HLW, dancker and Langan, with plans calling for 191,000 square feet of renovated office space and 100,000 square feet of newly constructed research space at the former Celgene Corp. campus.
Central 9 Logistics Park, meantime, was one of three nominees in the industrial category, as United Way also cited benefits such as the planting of 10,000 new trees and the preservation of 300 acres. The winning team included 2020 Acquisitions, Paragon Packaging, Cushman & Wakefield, Newmark, Alston Construction, M+H Architects, Bohler, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla PC and Old Bridge Township.
Friday’s event drew the support of 28 sponsors, including gold sponsors Alston Construction and Turner Construction Co. It was a reminder of the enduring contributions from the private sector, including the 140 volunteer leaders from the United Way Commercial Real Estate Network who have helped organize and grow the fundraiser into a must-attend spring event over the past quarter-century.
Those leaders were also among this year’s honorees, as United Way presented its Spirit of Philanthropy Award to committee members that have served throughout the event’s history.
“Part of the reason why we’re so connected to this organization is because we believe in ALICE and the work that this organization does,” said JLL Executive Managing Director Tim Greiner, a longtime Commercial Real Estate Network member, who accepted the award on the group’s behalf. He also called it “the single best networking event in the CRE industry.”
“This organization has given me some amazing relationships,” he said. “But I think the real reason that committee members are so passionate about this is neither of those reasons. It’s really about the leadership and the staff at the United Way.”
Greiner pointed to John Franklin, the former CEO of United Way of Northern New Jersey, as well as longtime chapter executive Theresa Leamy and Xuereb, who succeeded her as senior vice president for resource development.
“So on behalf of the committee, I accept this award with a ton of gratitude,” he said, “but I really accept it on your behalf, and I want to thank you guys for everything you do.”
