Nestlé Health Science leased the entire 180,000-square-foot Building JR-2 within the class A, 850,000-square-foot research and development campus.

Nestlé was looking for a self-contained solution that combined office and research space and other amenities in close proximity, says Cocoziello.

“It's much more effective for them and also the ability for their employees to be able to have the exercise facility, choices of restaurants, and that type of thing, is what these companies are desirous of,” he says.

“One of the deciding factors was Advance Realty's vision to reposition the campus into a 21^st-century, mixed-use 'company town' that includes a hotel, apartments, retail, restaurants and recreational venues in a beautiful setting,” says Anders Kaspersson, vice president and program manager for research and development, Nestlé Health Science. “The location offers facilities and a talent pool that are on par with any of the other locations we considered. This concept will give us a tremendous advantage in attracting the best talent.”

Jones Lang LaSalle negotiated the lease for Advance and CrossHarbor. Daniel Loughlin, international director and head of New Jersey brokerage; Craig Eisenhardt and Robert Ryan, senior vice presidents; and Scott Stange, vice president, led JLL's team on the transaction.

“This investment reflects our commitment to leading the development of innovative nutritional therapies that change the course of health for people and patients in the U.S. and globally,” says Nestlé Health Science CEO Greg Behar. “The new facility will house the latest technologies and people in the field, uniting our R&D and business teams in a region with strong life-science activity; it will enhance and accelerate the quality and speed to market of Nestlé Health Science's innovations that improve nutritional status and health outcomes.”

“New Jersey continues to enjoy burgeoning demand for high-end research and development space among midsize and emerging life sciences companies and biotechnology firms companies,” says JLL's Loughlin. “The New Jersey Center of Excellence offers move-in -ready research and innovation space that is ideally located in a region with a highly skilled workforce. Nestlé joins Ashland and Kashiv Pharma at the state-of-the-art complex.”

Advance Realty and CrossHarbor Capital Partners acquired the New Jersey Center of Excellence at Bridgewater in 2013 from Sanofi Aventis, which formerly used the site as its North American research and development campus.

The complex occupies 110 acres in Somerset County, NJ with 850,000 square feet of laboratory, office, GMP production and warehouse facilities. It also features a full-service cafeteria and fitness and conference centers. In addition, the campus's proposed “Town Center” development with hotel, retail, and multifamily will result in a dynamic “live-work-play” environment.

Approximately 300,000 square feet of R&D space remains available, in addition to 400,000 square feet in build-to-suit opportunities, at the multi-tenant research and development technical center. The campus offers convenient access to Interstates 78 and 287 as well as the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike/I-95 and Routes 22 and 28. The New Jersey Center of Excellence at Bridgewater is located directly off Route 202/206 and has more than a quarter mile of frontage on Interstate 287.