Morristown's Headquarters Plaza to get new name and $7M facelift. Here's what's coming

Morristown’s downtown district has been transformed by development in recent years, from the M Station residential and commercial complex to a new Valley National Bank headquarters.

On Tuesday, the 1 million-square-foot office, retail and hotel center that still functions as the town’s largest single taxpayer announced its own makeover. That complex, long known as Headquarters Plaza, announced it was shortening its name to HQ Plaza, as the owners unveiled a $7 million renovation of its mall concourse and other portions of a property first opened in 1982.

New York-based Fisher Development Associates partnered with the Olnick Organization to build the plaza four decades ago. The two companies still jointly own the property and will team with the Morristown architectural firm Gensler for the latest renovations.

As seen in an artist’s renderings, the interior mall space at Headquarters Plaza, renamed HQ Plaza, will undergo a $7 million renovation to add more open spaces, conference rooms and amenities throughout the concourse between its three office towers and the Hyatt Regency hotel.

“We’re proud to work with Gensler to invigorate HQ Plaza as we apply a modern, energetic aesthetic to the development,” Fisher Associates principal partner Brian Fisher said during the presentation, held in a Hyatt ballroom. “The new design centers around providing our tenants with access to contemporary workspaces, thoughtfully-curated hospitality, entertainment and the finest dining that Morris County has to offer.”

The plan follows an already completed $25 million in renovations at the property, mainly at the 256-room Hyatt Regency hotel.

“HQ Plaza is a centerpiece of one of the most desirable suburban downtowns in the state,” added Olnick President Seth Schochet.

HQ Plaza revamp focuses on mall

Described by the principals as an “office, hospitality and retail complex,” the plaza currently includes 650,000 square feet of Class A office space in three towers, 100,000 square feet of retail space, the Hyatt Regency Morristown, a 40,000-square-foot Crunch health club, a 10-screen AMC theater and several restaurants, all atop a 3,000-space parking garage.

Most aspects of the plaza have been successful, but the mall, hidden from public view within the complex, never took off.

“It was just kind of there,” Morristown Mayor Timothy Dougherty said. “Times change. Morristown has changed. Now Fisher and Olnick are stepping up to renovate the inside of this mall. It’s exciting to see the organization investing in Morristown.”

Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty speaks at Headquarters Plaza, renamed HQ Plaza, on Tuesday. The downtown complex announced a $7 million renovation that will add open space, conference rooms and amenities throughout the concourse between its three office towers and the Hyatt Regency hotel.

A new “open-concept area” in the mall concourse with brighter lighting, wood flooring and carpeting, conference rooms and seating areas for guests are all part of the renovation. Exteriors along the ground floor will get a facelift as well.

The new HQ Plaza will be “infused with daylight,” Gensler project director Rene Cruz said of the mall-space makeover. “The space will become a destination with a host of amenities and offerings that can support a variety of events and space for collaboration.”

The 50,000-square-foot outdoor Pioneer Plaza has already been upgraded and now includes a stage platform for live music and other events.

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New ‘restaurant row’

The owners said the renovations have already attracted 14 new tenants who have leased 100,000 square feet of space in the last year.

HQ Plaza also has new leases with three restaurants: Sushi Lounge, Parkside Tavern and Masseria by Joe Cetrulo. These eateries will occupy HQ Plaza’s retail space located along Speedwell Avenue, creating a new downtown “restaurant row,” according to the owners.

“The abundance of forthcoming restaurant and retail offerings will continue to enhance this stretch of Speedwell Avenue, bolstering Morristown’s profile while also facilitating convenience for our office tenants,” Schochet said.

Urban renewal project

Before becoming the centerpiece of redevelopment for a previous generation in Morristown, the Headquarters Plaza property was earmarked for an urban renewal project that began in 1968.

Demolition of the former buildings there began in 1970, but when the original developer went bankrupt, the lot was little more than a hole in the ground for years before the principals of Headquarters Plaza stepped in with a new plan.

“The evolution of this development is a foundational part of our strategy to elevate Morristown as a premier corporate and residential destination,” Dougherty said.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morristown’s Headquarters Plaza to get new name and $7M facelift. Here’s what’s coming