G reen B uildings
Real Estate Journal — Green Buildings — July 25 - August 14, 2014 — 19B
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M id A tlantic
NGKF serves as leasing agent on behalf of The Hampshire Companies Newmark Grubb Knight Frank negotiates trio of signings for 44,000 s/f at LEED Certified bldg.
SELIN, NJ — It has been touted as one of the best new office buildings in New Jersey, and with the signing of three new long-term leases totaling 44,000 s/f, the class A Centra Metropark continues to generate buzz. The Rutherford, NJ-based Newmark Grubb Knight Frank team of David Sim- son , vice chairman and COO of NGKF's NJ operations, and Jamie Drummond , senior managing director, are leasing agents on behalf of the owner- ship, The Hampshire Cos . The LEED Platinum certified, 110,500 s/f, five-story property is located at 186 Wood Ave. South in Iselin. In the largest of the three transactions, each represent- ing an expansion and reloca- tion from elsewhere in the market, Grant Thornton has leased 31,288 s/f. The audit and tax advisory firm, which was represented by Mike I PHILADELPHIA, PA — AthenianRazak , a Philadel- phia-based real estate services firm, has won an inaugural Willard G. “Bill” Rouse III Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute Phil- adelphia , for its role as devel- opment manager of Lenfest Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music in Center City Philadel- phia. Amajor expansion to the world renowned music insti- tute, Lenfest Hall addressed Curtis’s need for more space including rehearsal, dormitory and dining spaces – doubling the size of the school’s campus and creating a venue to better support 21st-century music education. The Awards for Excellence, with nearly 60 nominations, recognized the best projects completed within the last five years in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware.
trak and New Jersey Transit, Centra Metropark is across from the Woodbridge Hilton, has immediate access to the Garden State Parkway and is within minutes of the New Jersey Turnpike, I-287, Rte. 9 and other major highways. Onsite amenities include a full service café, fitness center and conference facility. CentraMetropark’s dramat- ic award-winning architecture was designed by Kohn Ped- ersen Fox and built by Tish- man Construction . “Centra Metropark's superior design and leasing momentum is a testament to the strong insti- tutional ownership provided by The Hampshire Cos.,” said Simson. “The quality and reputation of the ownership is always a key factor in the success of any building.” With the latest leases, re- maining availabilities include 13,700 s/f in the Garden Level, a space that features a private
Christian and Sam Horow- itz of DTZ , will occupy the en- tire top floor of the signature building. “Grant Thornton is a key addition as a major tenant of this extraordinary building,” said Drummond. “Its globally recognized name is clearly an endorsement of the quality of Centra Metropark and its prime location.” Stern + Associates, repre- sented by Marc Rosenberg of Cushman & Wakefield , also has joined the tenant roster, leasing 7,558 s/f. Ad- ditionally, Atrium Staffing of NJ, which leased 5,272 s/f, was represented by Christian Politan of Cushman &Wake- field. Centra Metropark’s three newest tenants join current tenants NatApp, a data storage company, and 1-800-DOCTORS. Situated within walking distance of the Metropark rail station served by Am-
Centra Metropark
outdoor garden seating area; 15,700 s/f on the second floor; and 14,300 s/f on the third floor. “Metropark continues to be one of New Jersey’s strongest suburban office markets, still tenants remain discerning and
are competing for the highest quality spaces available,” said Drummond. “They not only seek first-class amenities and convenient locations, but they also appreciate the benefits of a LEED Platinum property and green building design." n
Recognized for role at LEED Gold Certified Lenfest Hall at Curtis Institute of Music AthenianRazak selected as winner of ULI Philadelphia inaugural Willard G. Rouse III Award for Excellence
from zoning and approvals to design and construction, and led the team to significantly reduced costs while improving the building’s constructability and functionality. Athenian- Razak and Curtis worked closely with neighbors, design- ers, legal counsel and City of- ficials to improve community participation. The company also supported all fundraising and financing efforts. Certified LEED Gold, the new facility incorporates the historic facades of the adjoin- ing 19th Century townhouses. Lenfest Hall opened – on schedule and $5 million under budget – in time for the Fall 2011 semester. In addition the Athenian- Razak, other members of the team included Venturi Scott Brown Associates , Intech Construction , Keast & Hood and Urban Engi- neers . n
Lenfest Hall after
Lenfest Hall before
“Curtis Institute was the ideal client, who in their Len- fest Hall project made pos- sible all of the best elements of thoughtful real estate de- velopment – sensitive infill, adaptive re-use, historic pres- ervation, sustainability and broad community support,”
over as development manager, the project was $7 million over budget, facing severe construc- tability challenges and opposi- tion from its neighbors in an historic corridor. The company reconfigured every aspect of a highly-collab- orative development process,
said Alan Razak , principal of AthenianRazak and once a partner at Rouse & Associ- ates . “And as a former ‘Rouse- tafarian,’ it means a lot to win an award named for Bill, who was so influential in my early career.” When AthenianRazak took
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