NJEDA Approves $9.5M to Support Film Studio Development

On Apr 11, 2024

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has approved $9.5 million in funding to support five projects under the Film and Digital Media Studio Infrastructure Program. The pilot program supports strategic economic development investments in the film and digital media industry by providing grant funding to municipalities, counties, and state entities for infrastructure improvements and sitework in support of the development of a film or digital media studio production facility.

The following projects were approved for grants:

Borough of Carteret – $4,700,000 – The Borough will use the grant to construct public access to a brownfields redevelopment site along with utility infrastructure to support the development of a 1.2 million-square-foot film studio called “Carteret Stages” at 300 Roosevelt Avenue, which is anticipated to consist of numerous 20,000-square-foot sound stages, post-production facilities, and offices.

City of Jersey City – $2,161,400 – The City will improve infrastructure to support a planned renovation of 50 Dey Street for the creation of approximately 280,000 square feet of studio production facilities. Infrastructure work will consist of electrical power utility capacity improvements, upgrading the storm drainage system on Dey St., and road improvement access on St. Pauls Avenue.

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency – $1,433,000 – The Agency will undertake several public infrastructure improvements in the Liberty Harbor Redevelopment Area of Jersey City to support a proposed 124,000-square-foot film studio containing three sound stages for Criterion Group/Cinelease Studios. Infrastructure upgrades include additional crosswalks and traffic control signage to better regulate both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, installation of security and public access lighting to enhance overall safety surrounding the property, public accessible bicycle parking racks, and other streetscape improvements.

Egg Harbor City – $1,029,500 – The City will undertake infrastructure improvements and sitework on an 80-acre brownfields site at 1000 Hamburg Road for development by Atlantic Picture Motion Studios into approximately 185,000 square feet of motion picture and media sound stages, and entertainment production support space. Infrastructure work includes road widening, curb cuts, sidewalk improvement, street lighting, and street drainage improvements.

Township of East Brunswick – $176,100 – The Township will run a sewer line and improve the existing networking infrastructure to and for the approximately 75,000-square-foot Community Arts Center building located at 721 Cranbury Road. The Township is in the process of making building upgrades to include a Black Box Theater/Film Studio and the relocation of East Brunswick Television (EBTV) Production Studio to the Community Arts Center, which can support film creation, film screenings, and film editing and production.

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