Business View Magazine | August 2019

301 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE AUGUST 2019 Brunswick believes that the redevelopment of older industrial sites should not focus solely on ratable growth, but should also include sustainable environmental measures, efforts to manage traffic congestion, steps to promote mass transit, efforts to create new jobs for every segment of the population, and provision of housing opportunities for residents of all income levels. Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and providing jobs, housing, and a high quality of life for all residents of every demographic group is of utmost importance.” Vigna notes that over the past 15 years, this 240- year- oold suburban township of approximately 43,000 people has had to deal with the loss of a number of industrial uses and major retail tenants. The first of these was the redevelopment of a 46-acre site on Route 1 that included 150,000 square feet of buildings being vacated by Johnson and Johnson. The township worked with the NJ Economic Development Authority to enter into a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement (PILOT) to redevelop the site into 300,000 square feet of high tech research space now known as the New Jersey Technology Center. Subsequent to that closing, the township worked with a developer to tear down an abandoned industrial building on a prominent 15-acre site at the intersection of two major state highways (Route 1 and Route 130). This resulted in the development of a 153,000-square-foot Lifestyle Center known as the Shoppes at North Brunswick, which features a number of high-end clothing stores and restaurants. In addition, the township has worked with property owners to recover from the loss of major retail tenants such as A&P, Grand Union, and Barnes and Noble. In each case, the township administration and planning board modified development approvals to attract major tenants, the last of which involved modifications to accommodate a much sought- after Trader Joes to replace Barnes and Noble as an anchor of a 144,000-square-foot retail center. By far, according to Vigna, the most impactful action taken by the township was the 2010 rezoning of a 212-acre office/industrial site being vacated by Johnson and Johnson. This site, also located on the busy Rt. 1 corridor, consisted of 1.2 million square feet of office, research, manufacturing, and warehouse space that NORTH BRUNSWI CK , NEW JERSEY