by admin | May 15, 2017 | Articles
Two River Times – Jay Cook May 14, 2017 MIDDLETOWN – A sprawling, untouched parcel of land in Middletown has been the center of conversation over planned development versus conservation for nearly two decades. Whether Route 35 is the way home or the fastest road to the Garden State Parkway, it now seems that Calico the Clown – Middletown’s iconic landmark – is pointing his red-tipped finger toward what could be one of the local area’s largest new developments. “We are trying to build something that blends with the environment and the community, and also something that the community can be proud of,” said John Orrico, president of National Realty & Development Corp. (NRDC) of Purchase, New York. Last week, Orrico met with The Two River Times for an exclusive interview about the status of Village 35, L.P, an entity of NRDC, which is developing the yet-to-be-approved $70- to $80-million commercial project. GETTING INVOLVED Orrico hopes to develop commercial property on 52 of the 119 acres along Route 35 North from Kanes Lane to Kings Highway East, which spans about a half mile. It’s been on the drafting table for years. In 2013, NRDC was approached by Mountain Hill, LLC – the Azzolina-Scaduto family partnership that owns the land – to build the town center they envisioned after a deal with unnamed developer fell through. According to Orrico, that deal called for 460,000 square feet of retail with highway flyovers from each side of Route 35 into the development. He said that project “would never get approved and was too much development for the area.” Two years later, NRDC...
by admin | May 10, 2017 | Announcement
156,530 square feet of new retail and entertainment space leased in Middletown, New Jersey National Realty & Development Corp., (NRDC), recently announced it has signed its first anchor tenants at their newest development, The Shoppes at Middletown, in Middletown, NJ. Wegmans Food Markets (130,000sf) and CMX, The VIP Cinema Experience (26,530sf) will join the 340,000 square foot town center. The Shoppes at Middletown will offer a blend of national, regional and local specialty retailers and restaurants with open café space. The project will be located on Route 35 at the intersection of Kings Highway East in eastern Monmouth County. The new Wegmans stores feature a European open air café concept that include displays of fresh produce, meats, fresh-caught seafood, deli products, international foods, plus all the grocery and household items usually found in a supermarket. Currently, Wegmans operates only 7 other locations in NJ and for the 20th Year in a Row Fortune Names Wegmans as “Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For,” with a #2 ranking in 2017. CMX, The VIP Cinema Experience will feature 6 screens with oversized reclining seats, in-seat as well as Grab & Go gourmet dining options and an exceptional assortment of wines and handcrafted cocktails. The theater’s outdoor seating area will complement the center’s overall outdoor dining concept. “This is not your ordinary shopping center. The Shoppes at Middletown will greatly enhance the retail environment along this part of the Route 35 in keeping with the charm of the community,” said John G. Orrico, President at NRDC. “We are completely reimagining the shopping, dining and entertainment experience by providing a lively walk-able...
