CJ Huter (left) and Marc Palestina are founding principals of VanRockCRE, a new commercial real estate brokerage and services firm based in Midland Park. — Courtesy: VanRockCRE
By Joshua Burd
Veteran brokers CJ Huter and Marc Palestina have launched VanRockCRE, a new commercial real estate services firm focused on retail and mixed-use properties in New Jersey.
Based in Midland Park, the company said it will represent both landlords and tenants while providing investment sales, development and property management services. Huter and Palestina, both former longtime brokers with The Goldstein Group, will serve as founding principals as they draw on nearly four decades of combined experience in retail and other asset classes.
“VanRockCRE was born from the vision of seasoned professionals who recognized the need for a more focused and results-driven approach to retail sales and leasing in New Jersey,” Huter said. “We’ve built a firm grounded in relationships, market knowledge and an unwavering commitment to our clients’ success.”
The principals noted that, collectively, VanRock’s team has completed more than 2,000 transactions representing more than 10 million square feet of real estate sold or leased and more than $1.5 billion in lifetime deal volume. That includes expertise in markets ranging from bustling urban corridors to thriving suburban communities, they said, with experience representing property owners, retailers and investors.
“Our passion for commercial real estate and dedication to delivering exceptional results define who we are,” Palestina said. “VanRockCRE represents not just a new firm, but a renewed standard of service and execution in New Jersey’s commercial real estate landscape.”
Huter brings more than 24 years of expertise in retail-focused sales, leasing and development, the news release said, noting that his career spans investment sales, property acquisitions and dispositions, construction management, land assemblage and large-scale development projects. To date, he has led more than $800 million in transaction volume and over 10 million square feet of retail transactions across New Jersey and the surrounding region.
Palestina, for his part, has more than 12 years of experience and has completed more than $500 million in deal volume and 6 million square feet in retail transactions, VanRock said. His background includes shopping center leasing, investment sales, land acquisition and development, with a deep specialty in representing quick-service restaurants, medical tenants, financial institutions, large-format dining concepts and big-box retailers.
