Lunch at The Park in Berkeley Heights isn’t what it used to be especially at the office building known as RT 300 inviting dining and social spaces for tenants from an expansive food hall to a cocktail lounge and game room — all with custom furniture Like many other parts of the sprawling campus they’re also available for the public to rent “These are now all event spaces,” Shane Connell executive vice president of The Connell Co. “We now have an event calendar and brochure that shows that you can rent this socially for evening activations or corporate events — so the design had to be nice enough that it felt not like a cafeteria but a fine dining institution that’s rentable.” creating a new destination for both nearby residents and workers from the property’s 1.5 million square feet of office space Connell has also broken ground on the first of two luxury apartment buildings that are slated for the 185-acre property which is just south of Interstate 78 and 22 miles from Manhattan with additional plans for ground-up retail space along the new pedestrian corridor “The goal is a 20-minute neighborhood — everything you need is within 20 minutes,” said Connell, whose family built the campus starting in the early 1980s. Today, its five office buildings are home to the likes of Fiserv Samsung and dozens of other companies with a combined 9,000 employees who occupy the site alongside a 176-room Embassy Suites hotel Life Time Fitness and acres of outdoor space complex and painstakingly integrated — all with a level of branding and merchandising that is unlike anything at other commercial properties in the state The Park will have more than 20 standalone brands operating on the site from original restaurants like Emberside Brewery to its Fieldhouse health and fitness club the on-site catering and hospitality company and even plans for a line of original craft beers that honor the Connell family’s roots as the world’s largest rice trader Many of those concepts will be woven into a master brand known as Round Table or RT which the firm has assigned to its office space “This is the biggest difference between us and what other people are thinking,” Connell said striking a comparison to other mixed-use campuses we said ‘Let’s actually create brands that support that.’” the updates have been critical for many of the 40 or so companies that occupy The Park especially smaller tenants that hope to lure their employees back to the office “For companies that are working on their own floorplate and having to generate all that interest internally a New York City-based designer who recently joined Connell’s on-site team “So this supportive infrastructure really helps people with that effort to get people interested in coming back to the office creating that culture and doing a lot of that development that would be prohibitive for a lot of companies to do themselves.” chefs and other professionals that Connell has recruited from New York City custom furniture that appears throughout Round Table Workspaces and Round Table Studios branding and concepts that will permeate The Park’s next phases including the new apartment buildings and shopping dining and entertainment hub known as The District working alongside Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners as the architect of record The first apartment building is now rising just outside RT 300 and 400 with plans calling for 179 rental homes slated to open in 2026 giving way to a second phase with another 149 units The District is also under construction and on track to open next year creating a new center of the campus with multiple food concepts which will be adjacent to a custom playground will feature a sleek seating area that transforms from indoor to outdoor space through signature guillotine glass doors designed by Seatle-based Olson Kundig That’s in addition to some 60,000 square feet of street-level retail space that Connell is now marketing to would-be tenants alongside a planned 20,000-square-foot spa by New York City-based Bathhouse the corridor will be akin to a Main Street that connects office users at RT 300 and 400 to the Embassy Suites and we’re a little bit more than halfway,” Connell said “So we had to fix the house first,” he added That’s the phasing and that’s the program.” renters at RT Residences will have membership to Fieldhouse 400 the full-service health club for RT 300 and 400 Connell also recently launched a public membership program for the gym that’s available to the community at large while it plans to roll out a “social membership” known as Penta that will provide even broader access to The Park’s services and amenities Whether the public takes to the social club concept remains to be seen but the new offerings will undoubtedly boost the value of the office space “We’re going to do this because it’s a tenant amenity,” he said “And then the question is: Is there a culture of people that have left New York City where there is a social club scene that’s really popular where a golf course is maybe the only opportunity for them to join some sort of club So is there is a social need of young millennials who are coming to the suburbs looking for something has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Greek Real Estate Partners has gained a seal of approval for one of its key divisions thanks to a new accreditation from the Institute of Real Estate Management All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy is offering a new glimpse of the two apartment buildings it’s developing at The Park its flagship business and hospitality campus in Berkeley Heights 179-unit property known as RT500 that is under construction at the 185-acre complex just south of Interstate 78 That’s slated to hit the market in February 2026 149-unit property known as RT600 that would rise across the street The developer this week unveiled new renderings of the buildings designed by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners and David M where it will market a mix of upscale studio one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes with rents starting at just under $2,500 Plans also call for resort-style outdoor pools coworking spaces and modern fitness centers along with a mix of hospitality-based amenities and concierge services that will be available throughout The Park “We’re building an urban, walkable, downtown community within a suburban setting at The Park and a critical piece of this model is our residential buildings,” said Shane Connell executive vice president at The Connell Co “By creating luxury resort-style residences on site we’re ensuring that all residents can experience everything The Park has to offer large parks and open spaces and high-end amenities all in one campus.” RT500 will be connected to a 6,000-square-foot coffee shop known as Cafe Exchange that is also open to the public The eatery will offer a selection of beverages and food a book exchange program and an evening wine bar Office tenants at The Park include the likes of Blackstone The property is also home to a 176-room Embassy Suites hotel a luxury fitness and wellness facility known as FIELDHOUSE outdoor walking and jogging trails and the coworking social club Round Table Studios Going public: New phases taking shape at The Park as Connell’s plan for resort-style, community-facing campus advances in Berkeley Heights has started construction on a 60,000-square-foot entertainment building that will serve as a focal point of its redeveloped business campus in Berkeley Heights multiple restaurants and duckpin bowling lanes — will be among the newest additions to the 185-acre property just south of Interstate 78 It will also be the core of a new 60-acre shopping dining and entertainment district anchored by a walkable main street which Connell sees as a destination for both residents and workers within the property’s 1.5 million square feet of office space “The District at The Park is at the center of our redevelopment project,” said Shane Connell we wanted to create beautifully designed spaces with concepts that complement each other and encourage people to visit We are extremely excited about beginning construction on the entertainment building and can’t wait until the public can enjoy each of the concepts coming to The Park.” The firm noted that the construction is part of a $500 million plan to reposition The Park from a traditional office complex into a new full-service a project for which Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners serves as the architect of record Its plans have also included repositioning much of the existing commercial space as well as the addition of more than 300 apartments Operators at the new entertainment building will include: Connell added that the building will be adjacent to a custom playground and feature a sleek seating area that transforms from indoor to outdoor space through signature guillotine glass doors designed by Seatle-based Olson Kundig “We are working tirelessly to deliver the highest quality spaces services and experiences to everyone who steps foot in The Park,” said Stephen Kilroy Connell’s senior vice president of hospitality and marketing this new building is designed with the purpose of creating a unified for everyone who comes to The Park to live We are thrilled to begin sharing what is to come with the surrounding communities and look forward to sharing more in the near future.” The milestone follows the recent debut of Round Table Workspaces a rebrand of The Park’s office spaces with collaborative lounges It also features game rooms and access to Fieldhouse as well as to Table & Banter’s hospitality team social activities and catering and event services for all tenants the campus is home to companies such as L’Oreal as well as a 176-room Embassy Suites hotel outdoor walking and jogging trails and coworking social club Round Table Studios Connell details plans for new residential, retail phases at landmark Berkeley Heights campus Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group Republicans currently lead in a race for two seats on the Berkeley Heights Township Council which could leave the current split 3-3 council with a Democratic mayor unchanged Councilman John Foster (3,964) appears to have won re-election leading Democrat Andrew Moran (3,663) by just 74 votes  Democrat Roberta Koubek (3,589) is 74 votes behind Moran Republican Paul Donnelly did not seek re-election Foster and Capone are former police officers; so was Donnelly is the Union County Public Safety director Koubek works in financial services and has participated in several volunteer community roles Berkeley Heights began to flip in 2018 when Angie Devanney a well-known Democratic operative who was political director of Jim McGreevey’s 1997 gubernatorial campaign ousted a Republican mayor;  Republicans held a 5-1 council majority at the time the Berkeley Heights Police Department became aware of an incident reported to the staff at the Berkeley Heights Public Library on Feb "It is important to note that the Berkeley Heights Police were not informed of the incident until nearly three weeks later when the reporting resident came forward," said police engaging in lewd behavior while seated at a computer station inside the library the man was dressed in all black and exposed himself while inappropriately situated at the computer the resident promptly notified library staff who then asked the individual to leave the premises After police were made aware of the incident detectives began an investigation which led to an arrest warrant for South on April 8 South's current whereabouts remain unknown Chief William Ives emphasized that the department is actively pursuing leads and is collaborating with neighboring law enforcement agencies and NJ Transit to find South He faces one count of fourth-degree lewdness related to this incident The Berkeley Heights Police Department is urging anyone with information about Samorio M South's whereabouts or any further details regarding this incident to contact the Berkeley Heights Police Detective Bureau at 908-464-1111 Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Board of Trustees of the Free Public Library of Berkeley Heights will hold a board .. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application grandfather and great-grandfather entered into eternal rest on December 4 he passed away in his Berkeley Heights home where he lived for 46 years Son of the late Hans and Käthe Syré Falk he was born and raised in the Olney section of Philadelphia – he loved his old neighborhood and could speak for hours on the wonders of growing up in Olney He was a graduate of Saint Helena’s School and the Northeast Catholic High School for Boys in Philadelphia He entered the United States Army shortly after graduating and served in Germany in the US Army Signal Corps and enjoyed a nearly 40 year career in the Bell System he worked for the IBM corporation for several years he enjoyed annual trips with Else to Florida He also enjoyed travel adventures with his grandsons Robby where they quickly learned the rules of travel in Pop’s Town Car he was always up for skating on the Delaware Canal with Kathy and John a hike in the Watchung Reservation with Peter and David or sledding with his grandchildren he and Else were regular subscribers to the Metropolitan Opera for many years and he continued to attend live performances at local theaters through the last opera season He was an avid tennis player who played twice a week for over 50 years He enjoyed volunteering and served on the Westfield and Berkeley Heights Rescue Squads for many years and was a devoted volunteer at the Lyons Veterans Hospital where he visited with veterans; he received recognition from the White House for his many hours of service to veterans he enjoyed his involvement with the Berkeley Heights Senior’s organization Bernard was a long-time member and past officer of the Saengerchor of Newark – he very much enjoyed his Friday night rehearsal gatherings with the men of the chorus and the fellowship that followed He was also a member of the Deutsche Club of Clark New Jersey believing there was always something more to learn.  Bernard will be lovingly remembered by his four children He also leaves behind his dear friend Phyllis DiSturco.  A celebration of his life will be held at a later date Helena-Incarnation Catholic School c/o Independence Mission Schools This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Officials in Berkeley Heights have granted a key approval to a project that would bring 20 apartments and ground-floor commercial space to a major corridor in the township According to Taylor Architecture & Design plans for the site at 714-730 Springfield Ave include a three-story building that would help create a gateway into the municipality and to Union County as Springfield Avenue crosses the Passaic River It would do so in tandem with a planned expansion of the Passaic River Parkway that Union County is planning across the street — a proposal that would include green trails and passive recreation — after the county purchased a 1.5-acre site that was home to the well-known Berkeley Plaza banquet hall The Berkeley Heights zoning board approved the application in a 7-0 vote during its Nov following a presentation by Taylor Architecture President Brian M He described a design that would consist of a full-brick masonry veneer a running bond pattern fiber cement panel facade and composite trim details as well as a pronounced crown and architectural frieze wrap around the building at the parapet level to give it a distinctive look led by applicant 735 Springfield Avenue LLC is working closely with the municipal planner and engineer and the township’s Downtown Beautification Committee the developer plans to name the building The Berkeley Plaza as a tribute to the now-demolished banquet facility across the street “The original Berkely Plaza was a well-known and revered catering and banquet hall,” Taylor wrote in a press release last week including weddings and family gatherings that live in the minds of residents of Berkeley Heights and surrounding towns.” Floorplans will include two one-bedroom units 16 two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units adding that three of the homes will be income-restricted to help the township comply with its state-mandated affordable housing requirements The developer has also proposed a landscaped pedestrian plaza and sustainability features such as electric vehicle charging stations and rooftop solar panels while the ground floor would consist of a 1,590-square-foot café restaurant and covered parking The apartment building will have package room Variances approved by the zoning board last month include those for density The development team also includes land use attorney August Santore civil engineer Joseph Bachi of EKA Associates PA Pessolano of MJP Land Use Planning LLC and consulting architect David Andriola of D.B