In today’s competitive real estate market, office complexes are constantly innovating ways to attract and retain tenants. One such solution is the integration of entertainment venues like Topgolf into these commercial spaces. With its unique blend of golf, food, and socializing, Topgolf offers a one-of-a-kind experience that not only brings excitement to the office complex but also serves as a powerful magnet for businesses and employees alike. By incorporating this dynamic entertainment option, office complexes can create a vibrant and appealing environment that goes beyond the traditional office setting, ultimately driving tenant satisfaction and occupancy rates to new heights.
Six months after the purchase of Jersey City’s Harborside Complex, the new owners are unveiling their plans for its future. The complex is made up of buildings located at 150, 200, and 210 Hudson Street with ground-floor retail, office space, and incredible waterfront views. In hopes of elevating and breathing life into roughly two million square feet of underused space, several new restaurants and a Topgolf will be among the spots added to the building’s offerings.
The sale of the complex made headlines in April 2023 for its superlative elements: it was the largest office sale in the US by over $150 million, and the largest multitenant office sale in the history of New Jersey. The purchaser and new owner is NYC-based real estate company 601W Companies, which is known for purchasing and revitalizing large but underused buildings. 601W owns Manhattan’s Starrett-Lehigh Building at 601 West 26th Street. It is a former railroad warehouse and manufacturing facility that is now office space including several fashion designers and film studios. 601W purchased the space when it was 50% occupied in 1998, and sold it in 2011 after a major overhaul.
After hitting a few golf balls, Topgolf offers guests a full menu of comfort food, including wings, pizzas, tacos, burgers, cocktails, and their popular injectable donut holes.
The firm also noted the contrast between Harborside’s incredible location and lack of amenities as a problem that it would be able to solve, for the benefit of tenants and neighbors. “We believe Harborside will become the hub for all of Jersey City,” said Mark Karasick, a managing member of the firm. The complex has several notable tenants in place already, including the Northeastern headquarters for Amazon; Morgan Stanley; and Zurich American Insurance. The new owners also plan to take advantage of renovation efforts that took place before the purchase, including the construction of the atrium connecting buildings two and three.
Now, plans are taking shape for what is next for the space. The management group with New Jersey ties will be a big part of maximizing the space’s potential. Green Group LLC, a Morristown-based hospitality group, will play a large role in revitalizing the space. The Green Group is behind the 1776 by David Burke restaurant and the Topgolf Swing Suite in Morristown. The Green Group has signed a lease for 45,000 square feet in the Harborside complex and plans to open two to three restaurants and a Topgolf.
Building owners are also working with the internationally renowned design firm, Gensler. The goal is to make the space a destination for building tenants and visitors alike, with restaurants and other amenities that will draw people in. More tenant only amenities will be added including lounges, a gym, and a 10,000-square-foot roof deck.
Earlier this year Topgolf announced plans to construct a Topgolf in northern New Jersey. It will be the state’s third installation of the overwhelmingly popular driving range and entertainment complex. Officials in Parsippany have been working on local approval to construct the three-deck golfer’s paradise — one slated to bring 102 swing bays into town.
Parsippany’s zoning board just greenlit the project and the rest of the governmental approvals should be a gimme, per the outlet. The 67,500-square-foot slated facility is planned to be built on a land parcel in between parallel thoroughfares I-80 and Route 46 near Beverwyck Road. The Topgolf will replace four vacant office buildings sandwiched between a park and a shopping center.
The business’s hole-in-one success has been thanks to, in many ways, an ability to pair crowds that either love or know nothing about golf. It’s done through light-up targets and themed games, comfy seating areas that feature huge TVs, in addition to food and drink service. More devout golfers enjoy GPS-tracked balls, which give detailed specs on their swing’s exact location, velocity and slice, too. Topgolf takes its “not golf” very seriously. “What we mean,” noted CEO Gen Gray, “A full-service restaurant manned by executive chefs, 22-foot video wall, more than 100 HDTVs, music and year-round family-friendly programming are just as much a part of the Topgolf experience.”
Learn more at the Topgolf website
