And the company is in the news again, this time for sewing up a package of a half-dozen leases totaling more than 260,000 sf of office space. Besides the good news for Mack-Cali's portfolio of more than 28 million sf, the leases also provide an indication of the ongoing statewide trend of diversified industries fueling leasing and sales activity. The latest group is heavy on the high-tech, but includes some more traditional companies as well.

In the largest of the leases, Ford Motor Co. signed on for five more years at its existing 96,053-sf location at 200 Riser Rd. in Little Ferry, NJ. The office property is adjacent to Teterboro Airport, one of the busiest general aviation facilities in the country.

Also, Avaya Inc., the former enterprise group of Lucent Technologies before it was spun off a while back, has signed a new 10-year lease for the entire 66,000-sf 233 Mt. Airy Rd. in Basking Ridge, NJ. The location is in the fast-growing I-287 corridor in Somerset County.

In New Providence, NJ, meanwhile, Aspen Technology has signed a 10-year lease for 41,712 sf at 890 Mountain Ave., an 80,000-sf office property. The company is an integrated solutions provider.

In Mack-Cali's home town of Cranford, Allstate Insurance has re-upped for five years for 22,444 sf at 65 Jackson Dr. The 82,778-sf office property is currently 100% leased.

Also, Lucent Technologies has inked a five-year, 18,302-sf lease at 300 Horizon Center in Hamilton Twp., NJ in Mercer County, near Trenton. Lucent is a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of communications systems and products.

Finally, GEAC Computers, a software and systems solutions supplier, has renewed for 16,170 sf for four years at 1340 Campus Parkway. The property is within Monmouth Shores Corporate Park, located in Wall Twp., Monmouth County.