ROI-NJ

Special Report: Inspira Health to break ground on $240M expansion at Mullica Hill that will include five-story, 150K-sq.-ft. tower | https://lnkd.in/euXmKpgm

Holmdel’s Bell Works New Jersey, a thriving 2 million-square-foot “Metroburb” — or suburban metropolis — featuring a dynamic mix of offices, retail, dining and hospitality, said it recently signed 21 new office lease agreements and lease extensions, bringing the campus to an occupancy rate of 98%. “Bell Works’ New Jersey campus has seen remarkable leasing success this year,” Ralph Zucker, CEO of Inspired by Somerset Development, the owner and manager of Bell Works, said. “Over the past decade, it has been inspiring to watch this Metroburb evolve into a vibrant hub, with the new additions enhancing its lively and collaborative environment. This achievement underscores the importance of diverse, amenity-rich office environments that meet the needs of the modern workforce.”

Morristown-based law firm Riker Danzig LLP on Thursday said counsel Robert Vacchiano was appointed by the Brennan-Vanderbilt Inn of Court as a member of its executive board and, in addition, has been selected to serve as the inn’s treasurer. Vacchiano has been a member of the Brennan-Vanderbilt Inn, New Jersey’s oldest Inn of Court, since 2017. The Brennan-Vanderbilt Inn seeks to promote legal excellence in civil litigation and fidelity to the highest standards of professionalism. The Inn holds monthly dinner meetings offering litigation and trial skills continuing legal education programs, with a focus on building professional relationships by discussing current legal issues each month, and on emphasizing a commitment to integrity, ethics and civility.

Red Bank-based First National Realty Partners on Wednesday said it appointed Stuart Brackenridge as vice president of acquisitions. In his new role, Brackenridge will be responsible for sourcing, evaluating and acquiring best-in-class retail assets. With over 27 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Brackenridge most recently served as managing director of investments at Newport Capital Partners, where he was responsible for sourcing, underwriting and structuring investment transactions.

Unity Bank in Clinton said four local New Jersey businesses and one based in New York have each been awarded $10,000 grants through the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Small Business Recovery Grant Program. These grants aim to help businesses overcome challenges posed by inflation, supply chain constraints, rising energy costs and a volatile rate environment. As a committed member of FHLB, Unity Bank continues to champion local businesses, providing vital support as they navigate today’s economic challenges. By leveraging the SBRG Program, Unity Bank granted $10,000 each to five businesses.

Following a recent landmark decision to grant approval for establishing a cutting-edge film studio in West Orange, the township’s council has approved Matrix Development Group’s purchase of a 12-acre tract of land, flagged for redevelopment, that will be the home to the proposed studio, along with a new corridor connecting the film studio to the downtown. “West Orange Township is standing at a transformative threshold with this $10 million dollar investment in our downtown,” West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney said. The land is located behind the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, near the Edison Lofts. The film studio project, a collaboration with Monroe Township-based Matrix, is set on approximately 12.2 acres within the town’s Film Services Overlay District. The envisioned studio will span between 150,000 and 350,000 square feet and feature three to six production stages ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet each. https://lnkd.in/d5wRVhMk

Jersey Mike's Subs will donate 20% of sales this weekend to support research to prevent and cure breast cancer. Jersey Mike’s is teaming up with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to raise funds in support of lifesaving science to prevent and cure breast cancer. During a two-day weekend fundraiser, Saturday and Sunday, Jersey Mike’s will donate 20% of sales at nearly 3,000 locations nationwide to help BCRF continue to push its mission forward.

Op-Ed | "Even if the 76ers don’t bite, this ambitious offer puts Camden on the map for other high-profile companies looking for a home. The message is clear: New Jersey is open for business. A 76ers move to Camden would be another transformative project for an urban area in our state," writes New Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Tom Bracken.

From Military Matters | “It is my dream to build an empire of veterans helping veterans.” Timothy Awojobi not only had this dream during his more than five years of service in the Air Force, but he had the notion in his head even before he joined the military. “I was thinking of doing this for years before I enlisted, but my time in the service told me this was my mission.” Awojobi, born in Union, went right to work upon leaving the Air Force. He launched TTA Empire Inc. as a one-man operation in July 2023 and, by December, he had attained 501(c)(3) status. It is also a veteran-owned and minority-owned business. “We are prioritizing veteran’s health care and mental health issues, homelessness and special needs,” Awojobi said. This year, he has grown his organization and reports TTA Empire has already helped more than 300 #veterans. He is looking to expand his resources and his reach so he and his team can do more for more veterans. https://lnkd.in/eGfipZ5G _______ Subscribe to ROI-NJ's Military Matters newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eDYYExCk

U.S. Sen. George Helmy, showing he is in full support of the offshore wind energy industry in New Jersey, is co-sponsoring two bills to support the sector in the state: the RISEE and the NOW acts. The Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act (known as the RISEE Act) establishes a revenue-sharing system that allows for a portion of federal dollars from offshore wind development to flow back to states to fund coastal protection and restoration efforts. The Nonrestrictive Offshore Wind Act (or NOW Act) eliminates a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act that links future offshore wind lease sales to future offshore oil and gas lease sales. “As offshore wind continues to grow across our nation, moving us toward a greener economy, it’s important that we reinvest federal offshore wind revenues into our coastal communities, which are housing the industry,” Helmy (D-N.J.) said.