The 620,000-sq-ft Wellness Plaza in downtown New Brunswick, N.J., puts a new spin on the concept of mixed use. While it brings together commuter parking, shopping convenience and a decked-out fitness facility, the $105.1-million project also serves a larger purpose: It is a critical part of the effort to redevelop a former industrial hub.
Located beside a key rail station on the mainline tracks connecting New York to Philadelphia, the new public-private development required deep coordination for site planning and construction staging. That legwork allowed the project team to stick to a tight schedule, with demolition and clearing work starting in March 2011 and the facility slated to open this November.