West Orange Plaza in will undergo a multi-million dollar facelift with a new 211,500-square-foot Target joining current anchor tenant, Whole Foods. This redevelopment program will also include significant site wide cosmetic and infrastructure upgrades, new retail opportunities and an expansion of Whole Foods from 296,500 to 311,500 square feet.
The redevelopment is a collaborative effort between West Orange Plaza’s joint-venture ownership and Levin Management Corporation (LMC) of North Plainfield. The construction will be overseen by LMC’s in-house construction management team.
The 32-acre Essex County property which lies just west of Eagle Rock Reservation at 235 Prospect Avenue in West Orange will be redeveloped in stages.
In Phase 1, the main building on the site, once occupied by Kmart, will be expanded and overhauled to accommodate the new Target location. Those modifications and improvements are slated to be finished in fall 2025.
Phase 1 also includes two new structures, an 8,400-square-foot building and a 5,500-square-foot addition to an existing structure. Construction begins this fall and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. There is also more in the pipeline. West Orange Plaza has approvals for roughly 38,000 square feet of new construction.
In addition, the entire site will undergo a broad range of improvements and renovations to update parking, access, circulation, signage, landscaping and lighting. EV charging stations are also a big piece of the overall infrastructure plan.
Current retailers at West Orange Plaza include Chipotle, America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Jersey Mike’s, Verizon, and long-time tenants Frank’s Pizza (30 years) and My Gym (18 years). Dogtopia, a doggie daycare, will open soon. There are also available opportunities with up to 14,000 square feet of inline space and an existing 7,625-square-foot pad. Upcoming development opportunities range from 1,600 to 8,400 square feet.
“As one of the country’s most desirable anchor tenants, Target will add vibrancy and economic activity both to West Orange Plaza and the surrounding community,” said Sidney Singer, VP of Leasing at LMC. “At a time when available shopping center space is limited for new construction, West Orange Plaza’s enviable demographics and ability to accommodate Target’s needs in an existing former Kmart space created the ideal leasing scenario.”
