Former Retail HQ in North Bergen, N.J., Repositioned For Multi-Tenant Use

On Nov 28, 2014

Real Capital Solutions has recently completed the transformation of the 300,000-square-foot former Liz Claiborne, Inc. headquarters building in North Bergen, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s Curtis Foster.

Real Capital Solutions purchased the property at 5901 West Side Ave. in 2013, and has made substantial investments into phase one and two to repurpose the building as a modern, multi-tenant property. Now known as WestSide Center, the eight-story building was developed in 1994 for Liz Claiborne, Inc., which became Fifth & Pacific Companies before being renamed Kate Spade & Company earlier this year. Upon the property’s sale to RCS, the organization leased back nearly 107,000 square feet on a long-term basis.

“Kate Spade’s newly fit-out space provides a great illustration of how the building’s large, adaptable floor plates work to accommodate today’s popular open work environments,” noted Foster, who serves as exclusive leasing agent for the building with Jerry Shifrin of Cushman & Wakefield’s East Rutherford, New Jersey, office. “Trendy brick accents and 14-foot ceilings, collaborative spaces, and a layout that capitalizes on natural light speak to the needs and desires of contemporary office tenants.”

RCS capitalized on the building’s dramatic, five-story atrium lobby to create this same appeal within West Side Center’s common areas – with new and updated finishes throughout the property, including bathrooms, lobbies, elevators and parking structure. “The entire feel is reminiscent of New York City’s Chelsea Market. Tenants have the option of a standard ceiling grid or a lofted ceiling with indirect lighting,” Foster said. “Along with this outstanding image, the building offers superior technology infrastructure and on-site amenities typically associated with a major corporate user.”

West Side Center offers a professionally managed institutional-quality cafeteria providing upscale food service with a capacity of 280. The property also offers a fully equipped lifestyle gym with aerobic and yoga classes, country club-style locker rooms and two rooftop basketball courts.

At the same time, the building is being marketed to office users of all sizes. “West Side Center presents an opportunity for even small tenants to land at a corporate headquarters-quality facility with competitive pricing in the Meadowlands,” Foster said.  The building can accommodate tenants as small as 5,000 square feet. “The enthusiasm we experienced at a recent broker open house at the property, and increasingly strong interest from the business community indicate that RCS has done a great job positioning the property to successfully draw a desirable tenant mix.”

Other features include on-site guard service, abundant covered parking and direct bus service to Manhattan. Tenants enjoy sweeping views of the Meadowlands sports complex and waterways. West Side Plaza sits in an Urban Enterprise Zone near abundant retail, restaurants, entertainment and lodging; just 2.4 miles from the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 3; six miles from Manhattan; and 13 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport.

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