
JULY 2003

New Jersey’s "Wall
Street West" is downsizing
By LERON KORNREICH
A budding skyline
can be spotted across the Hudson River
marking the tremendous evolution of
New Jersey's "Wall Street West." The
acres along Jersey City's coastline,
once abandoned and decrepit, are sprouting
skyscrapers and luring companies like
Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase
to plant roots in the Garden State's
second largest city.
But the picture
is not entirely rosy. A number of
companies that announced their plans
for Jersey City with much fanfare
before Sept. 11 have ended up downsizing
significantly since. The economic
downturn has led companies to put
the brakes on many projects, scale
down others and sublet existing office
space. The vacancy rate has shot up
to 12.9%, according to Cushman &
Wakefield statistics. That number
might soar above 18% depending on
how much space Goldman Sachs and UBS
PaineWebber place on the market once
construction is completed on buildings
they were supposed to occupy in entirety.
UBS is already formally marketing
500,000 square feet.
The Lefrak Organization
is credited with single-handedly rejuvenating
the Newport section of the city just
outside the Holland Tunnel. In the
eighties, Newport Office Center I
got the ball rolling and soon buildings
II-VI were standing tall.
The rise of office
buildings in Newport was followed
by development a few blocks south
at Exchange Place. Newport Office
Center III was entirely leased prior
to completion. JP Morgan Chase leased
Newport Office Centers V and VI. But
by the time construction on Newport
Office Center VII was underway, the
tide turned. UBS PaineWebber leased
the 1.1 million square foot building
but finds itself with more space than
it needs because of the slump in the
financial services market.
"Because of the
velocity of rents in Manhattan and
because of the scarcity of space,
people were taking more space than
they needed based on their growth
projections and the lack of availability,"
explains David Stifelman, a director
in the commercial brokerage division
of Cushman & Wakefield. "Well,
you know what happened. Everyone hit
a wall."
Perhaps the most
excitement was generated by Goldman
Sachs' plans to build what will be
the tallest skyscraper in New Jersey.
The office tower is slated to open
in spring 2004 but plans are on hold
for a retail atrium and for a mixed-use
facility that was supposed to include
a conference and training center,
office space, and a hotel. Goldman
Sachs would not confirm it, but according
to brokers the company has already
cut the number of employees scheduled
to relocate by more than half. Goldman
spokesman Bruce Corwin says the number
of employees that would be transferred
to the Jersey City facility is in
flux.
"There's still
enthusiasm about Jersey City. It's
just that we launched this project
at sort of the height of the bull
market and market conditions have
changed drastically since then. And
so, while we're still enthusiastic
about Jersey City, we can accommodate
a larger part of our workforce in
our existing facilities because our
workforce is smaller." The company's
overall headcount dropped by 13 percent
last year.
Uncertainty has
put many projects in limbo until the
pulse of the economy strengthens.
Hartz Mountain Industries had fully
leased 70 and 90 Hudson Street by
the time Jersey City began feeling
the pinch of economic downturn. The
developers are putting plans for 77
Hudson Street and Journal Square Plaza
III on hold until a commitment from
an anchor tenant can be secured.
Lehman Brothers'
plans for 101 Hudson Street also changed.
The company is seeking to sublet the
400,000 square feet it leased in the
multi-tenant building. Only half of
Mack Cali's thirty-four story Harborside
Plaza 5 is leased. Tenants include
Forest Labs, SunAmerica Asset Management
Corp, Garban, and TradeWeb. The latter
two relocated from New York City.
Mack Cali leased the 577,575 square
foot Harborside Plaza 10 to Charles
Schwab but before the building was
complete, Schwab was seeking tenants
to sublet. Stifelman points out the
company has only succeeded in subletting
half the building's office space.
"The pricing has
been a freefall and most of these
people are prepared to do what it
takes to get the space off their books."
But the scenario
is not as bleak as it was during the
eighties, according to Stifelman.
"Most of the people that develop are
either REITs, very wealthy individuals,
pension funds, and most of the buildings
were pre-leased."
Much of the Gold
Coast's future hinges upon its ability
to compete with Lower Manhattan, according
to Glenn Brill, Senior Manager at
Ernst & Young Real Estate Advisory
Services Group. Jersey City's edge
might be undercut as developers rebuilding
the financial district offer incentives
and competitive rental rates. Brill
said Jersey City's other advantage
used to be new construction but, as
the World Trade Center site is redeveloped,
Lower Manhattan will offer new construction
as well. "I think you can expect Lower
Manhattan to compete very strongly
for tenants and if they successfully
enhance the transportation infrastructure
in Lower Manhattan, it could be a
formidable competitor."
As the commercial
market sags, the residential market
remains resilient, according to Dan
Frohwirth, Director of Real Estate
for the Jersey City Economic Development
Corporation. Tenants are signing leases
at Liberty View Towers after the opening
of the first of two 28-story waterfront
luxury apartment buildings. Another
luxury apartment building, Marbella,
is in the works.
As the neighborhood
gentrifies with the arrival of thousands
of professionals, the demand for restaurants,
bars, and shops has increased. Cosi,
Starbucks, and other yuppie favorites
have opened shop. Target is opening
a store by taking over existing space.
The Lefrak Organization is constructing
a six story building with retail space
and offices for specialists like lawyers
and doctors.
Jersey City's
proximity to Lower Manhattan and economic
incentives are key factors in attracting
commercial tenants. The PATH train
system allows for easy access to Manhattan
as do ferries run by New York Waterways.
The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is still
in its infancy but the Jersey City
end of the line is complete and in
use.
Jersey City's
draw is still strong, according to
Stifelman. "You will find out it is
much less expensive to operate your
building in New Jersey. If you don't
have to be in Manhattan but want accessibility
to Manhattan, to draw upon the labor
pool, and for business purposes, it's
the best alternative."
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