As part of the repositioning, the New York-based Sackman has hired Cushman & Wakefield of NJ, East Rutherford, to market the 12-story building. The firm's David Stifelman and Dave DeMatteis are heading the assignment.

"Although this building has served as a single-tenant structure for many years, its 12,000-sf floorplates position it for users as small as 2,500 sf," DeMatteis says. "We anticipate that the property will be suitable for the needs of law offices and service firms that support the area's existing large corporate users."

The approximately 150,000-sf 35 Journal Square was actually built as two buildings, the first in 1898 and the second in 1921. The two are joined by a common elevator bank and share building systems. The cost of the repositioning has not been disclosed. The redeveloped building will include ground-floor retail, including a branch of North Fork Bank.

"We view it as a significant historic structure," says Carter Sackman president of Sackman Enterprises. "As with other projects here, we are committed to preserving its original ambience." It's actually Sackman's first office venture in New Jersey. The company, which specializes in adaptive reuse, does have a couple of local projects, however, including the conversion of the former Earl Hotel at 57 Sip Ave. into residential and retail units, and the conversion of the former Brunswick Laundry plant in residences.