Developer builds bond

J&J-site purchaser works with North Brunswick

Home News Tribune Online 09/29/05

By RICHARD KHAVKINE
STAFF WRITER
rkhavkine@thnt.com

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Repre- sentatives of Garden Commercial Properties, as of Monday the sole potential buyer of the Johnson & Johnson property off Route 1, pledged a fully transparent and cooperative planning process as the company considers development options for the 210-acre site.

The real-estate development firm, which is privately held by the Wilf family, expects to take ownership of the property by the end of the year, said the company's director of planning and development, John E. Taikina, at a Planning Board meeting Tuesday night.

Short Hills-based Garden Commercial will become the de facto owner of the property 60 days after contracts are signed in the next few weeks, Taikina said.

The firm has yet to develop a concept for the property, Taikina said. He repeatedly emphasized Garden Commercial's wishes to enlist township officials and residents in any decision-making regarding the property.

"We want to do what the town wants us to do," Taikina said during his 10-minute presentation before the planners.

"It would have been the height of arrogance to come in and drop a plan on your desk," he said in response when township planner Richard Rebek asked whether Garden Commercial already had a concept for the property.


"You know a lot more about the property than I do," Taikina said.


Asked whether Garden Properties could come up with a development plan by the end of the year, Taikina said that while an 80-day turnaround was possible, a more feasible timeline might extend into early 2006, given the holidays.

"Our goal is to get it done in the time frame that is right," Taikina said.

He said he expects to meet with township officials within the next few weeks to work out a timetable for meetings with residents and officials.

Taikina said that just as the sprawling J&J facility became a township cornerstone for more than a generation, whatever rises next on the 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space should be a similarly inspired, "cutting-edge, public-involvement project."

Mayor Francis "Mac" Womack, calling the presentation "a much more laid-back approach than we've come to expect from developers," said yesterday that he was encouraged by the give-and-take approach advocated by Garden Commercial.

"Every agency in the township will be respectful, and we'll ultimately come out with something that the people of the township will be happy with," Womack said.

The company already has a foothold in North Brunswick. It developed Renaissance Square, a shopping center at the intersection of Route 130 and Renaissance Boulevard, with 54,400 square feet of tenant space and 761 parking spaces, anchored by a ShopRite store; is shepherding another 23-acre project nearby, and is advancing proposals for a 16-acre site at the southeastern corner of routes 1 and 130.

Womack called the township's relationship with the company "comfortable" as Garden Commercial moved to develop those other parcels. He did note that, depending on what is envisioned for the J&J property, the company might need to seek zoning-change approvals.

That gives the township some leverage, he said.

"They must work with us," Womack said. "They can't come in and dictate to the planning board or the council what they want."

The mayor has been pushing for a transit village with a train stop on the site, although the lack of housing — and potential train passengers — nearby could be a disadvantage, Taikina told the planners.

But whatever takes root on the J&J property, "We are here for the long term," he said.

J&J's Consumer Products Co. ceased manufacturing at the site in April 2004, although the company still has about 500 researchers and salespeople working on site. Taikina said J&J would retain offices there for at least a few years, as tenants. GAF Materials Corporation also maintains some operations on the site, which J&J opened in 1956.

The firm has enlisted the Hillier architectural firm, which has offices in Princeton, as a partner.

Garden Properties also has developed Route 9 Plaza in Old Bridge, home to a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot. Its other projects include Crosspointe Town Square in Woodbridge and a 185,000-square-foot retail space on Vineyard Road near Interstate 287 in Edison where a Wal-Mart is planned.

It has other properties in Georgia, Illinois and California.

Garden Commercial is a subsidiary of Garden Homes, a privately held company, also based in Short Hills, owned by the Wilf family, which is among the largest owners of shopping centers in North America.

The family keeps a low profile, sometimes setting up limited liability companies for its developments — for instance, K&K Developers and Edison Route 27 Associates LLC, which are the names of record of companies that developed the Wal-Mart in Edison, much to the ire of some residents there.

Since 1997, the Wilfs and limited liability companies established by Garden Homes have given at least $126,363 to Democrats throughout the state and at least $26,000 to New Jersey Republicans, according to state election records.

Since 2000, Garden Homes and its subsidiaries have donated at least $19,000 to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization.

Richard Khavkine:
(732) 565-7263;
rkhavkine@thnt.com