Following a 211,500-square-foot lease with national retail chain Target, a multi-million-dollar redevelopment is underway at West Orange Plaza in West Orange. The ambitious program will expand the Whole Foods-anchored shopping center at 235 Prospect Ave. from 296,500 to 311,500 square feet in its initial phase.
“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,” Sidney Singer, vice president of leasing at Levin Management Corporation (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 K-mart space created the ideal leasing scenario.”
Redevelopment of the 32-acre Essex County property will take place in stages. Initially, a portion of the property’s main building is being renovated and expanded for the new Target store – including loading dock modifications to accommodate omnichannel needs. The Target building and related site improvements will be completed in the fall of 2025.
Additionally, Phase I features new, ground-up construction of an 8,400-square-foot building and a 5,500-square-foot addition to one of the property’s existing outparcel structures. Construction will commence this fall, with anticipated completion by late 2026. Already, these new opportunities are drawing strong interest. West Orange Plaza is approved for approximately 38,000 square feet of total new construction.
The redevelopment also involves a program of center-wide renovations to modernize West Orange Plaza. Comprehensive updates underway include access, circulation and parking improvements, as well as new signage, upgraded landscaping and facades, and new lighting. The incorporation of infrastructure to support EV charging stations is also in the plan.
Located just off Interstate 280 at the corner of Eagle Rock and Prospect avenues, West Orange Plaza serves a three-mile population of more than 165,000, comprising nearly 63,000 households with an average annual income of approximately $178,500. The shopping center draws more than 2.6 million visits annually, according to real-time traffic data from Placer.ai. Additional tenants include America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Verizon, and long-time staples Frank’s Pizza (30 years) and My Gym (18 years). Dogtopia – a provider of dog daycare, boarding and spa services – is coming soon.
West Orange Plaza currently offers up to 14,000 square feet of inline space and an existing 7,625-square-foot pad site. Additionally, new development opportunities range from 1,600 to 8,400 square feet.
The redevelopment vision, planning and orchestration is a collaborative effort of West Orange Plaza’s joint venture ownership. LMC’s in-house construction management team is overseeing the construction process – including common area improvements and new outparcel development – as an owner’s representative.
