Last month, the demolition of a dilapidated warehouse/factory in Metuchen, N.J., commenced to make way for an apartment complex with 272 Class A studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.
The multifamily community redevelopment is being spearheaded by Klein Enterprises, a 75-year-old firm with nearly 60 assets in its portfolio. Last year, Klein acquired the Gulton factory as part of the development parcel that is adjacent to a 30-acre wildlife preserve. It made that acquisition under the PILOT incentive program, which allows the developer to make payments to the borough in lieu of taxes based on the project’s revenue. Over the 30-year agreement, it is estimated that Klein Enterprises will pay $20 million. The borough would receive 95 percent of the PILOT revenue.
This project will provide Metuchen—a bedroom community that’s a 45-minute train ride from New York City—with millions of dollars to invest in infrastructure. Prior to the start of the factory demolition, the property had already undergone a $10 million environmental remediation that included the planting of 3,000 trees. (The land is bounded on the west by a borough-owned woodland within the wildlife preserve, which will receive $1 million of Klein’s PILOT payments earmarked for improvements that include a network of trails and paths, more open space, and access and parking for a new nature preserve.)
A solution after years of discussion
The apartment complex is expected to take 24 months to complete by the fall of 2025. Fifteen percent of the units will meet New Jersey’s affordable housing requirements. Six of the apartments, all on the ground floor, will be one-bedroom live-work homes.
The community’s interior design will honor artists, literary figures, and intellectuals who brought culture and the arts to Metuchen in the 1800s. The project is also pursuing green initiatives that include a partial green roof, large solar array, electric car charging stations, LED lighting, and a pollinator garden. Other amenities will include a dog park, pool, and community garden.
The site of the apartment complex is located at 212 Durham Avenue. Metuchen Realty Advisors, which acquired the land in 1986 and did the environmental cleanup, sold a piece of the land to Middlesex County, and will transfer the remaining open space after the community is completed. This land is adjacent to the planned expansion of the popular Middlesex County Greenway linear park.
Metuchen Mayor Jonathan M. Busch was quoted as stating that discussions about how to redevelop this industrial site had been ongoing for decades. (The Borough designated the Gulton property as an area in need of development in 2015.) The redevelopment, he stated, “enable[s] us to open the largest recreational space in Metuchen, fund a variety of important infrastructure projects, and help protect our environment, all while providing our community with new housing options.”
The apartment complex is located near Metuchen’s train station, and will be within walking distance to the borough’s downtown.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Dec 6, 2022
Miami-Dade County will allow accessory dwelling units
Commissioners in Miami-Dade County, Fla., recently voted to allow many single-family homeowners to rent out accessory dwelling units on their property. Many homeowners will be allowed to rent out garages, separate quarters, or detached backyard apartments if they meet certain standards including for lot size and parking.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 6, 2022
Support for multifamily rent control legislation grows as metros face big rent hikes
Steep rent increases during the pandemic recovery have spurred support for rent control legislation in several areas of the country.
Mixed-Use | Dec 6, 2022
Houston developer plans to convert Kevin Roche-designed ConocoPhillips HQ to mixed-use destination
Houston-based Midway, a real estate investment, development, and management firm, plans to redevelop the former ConocoPhillips corporate headquarters site into a mixed-use destination called Watermark District at Woodcreek.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 29, 2022
Number of office-to-apartment conversion projects has jumped since start of pandemic
As remote work rose and demand for office space declined since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, developers have found converting some offices to residential use to be an attractive option. Apartment conversions rose 25% in the two years since the start of the pandemic, with 28,000 new units converted from other property types, according to a report from RentCafe.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 22, 2022
10 compelling multifamily developments debut in 2022
A smart home tech-focused apartment complex in North Phoenix, Ariz., and a factory conversion to lofts in St. Louis highlight the notable multifamily developments to debut recently.
Sponsored | Multifamily Housing | Nov 16, 2022
Commercial Framer Training: Back to Basics for Big Buildings
A glimpse into the most common wood construction framing errors, and how to avoid them, in today’s nonresidential construction industry.
Legislation | Nov 13, 2022
U.S. voters pass numerous affordable housing measures
Voters in many U.S. jurisdictions passed housing measures Nov. 8 that will collectively set aside billions of dollars in new funding to create more affordable housing and provide protections for renters.
BAS and Security | Oct 19, 2022
The biggest cybersecurity threats in commercial real estate, and how to mitigate them
Coleman Wolf, Senior Security Systems Consultant with global engineering firm ESD, outlines the top-three cybersecurity threats to commercial and institutional building owners and property managers, and offers advice on how to deter and defend against hackers.