WHIPPANY, NJ—The U.S. Green Building Council New Jersey has named Bayer Healthcare's East Coast Headquarters as co-recipient of its 2014 Suburban Green Project Award.

Vision Real Estate Partners' Sam Morreale, founder and managing partner, will accept the award at the organization's 12^th Annual Emerald Awards Gala on Friday, Nov. 7, at the Montclair State Conference Center in Montclair, NJ.

Located in Whippany, the Bayer Headquarters is part of one of the largest-scale, mixed-use redevelopment sites in northern New Jersey. Vision Equities (which Morreale co-founded) and Rubenstein Partners purchased the 194-acre former Alcatel-Lucent property at 67 Whippany Road in 2010, and subsequently subdivided and sold 94 acres to Bayer Healthcare in 2012. The partnership then designed, executed approvals and developed a 675,000-square-foot, LEED Gold-certified facility for this global industry leader and long-time New Jersey corporate citizen.

“Bayer's commitment to green building and sustainability along with their partnership with Vision Real Estate Partners represents best practices in the industry demonstrating the highest regard for the well being of their employees, the environment and positive economic impact,” says Florence Block, executive director, U.S. Green Building Council – NJ.

“The entire project was conceived and orchestrated with a specific emphasis on sustainability,” says Morreale. “This honor from USGBC NJ is particularly gratifying because it comes from an organization that advocates green development in our home state of New Jersey. We are proud to be among the commercial real estate practitioners that are helping to fulfill its mission.”

As part of the site preparation, the Vision/Rubenstein partnership rectified existing environmental issues on the campus. The partnership also incorporated ecologically friendly features into the redevelopment. This included creating public viewing spaces overlooking landscaped open areas, storm water retention ponds and preserved mature forests, as well as the preservation of more than 45 acres of vital wetlands.

The entire project was designed to LEED Gold standards. The design incorporated two existing structures (totaling 450,000 square feet) suitable for revitalization, reflecting a commitment to reuse. More than one million square feet (or 90 percent) of existing ceiling tiles were recycled, remanufactured and utilized throughout the new building. This effort earned recognition by the Armstrong Companies as the national award winner for the “Largest Quantity of Recycled Materials,” and the “Largest Green Project in New Jersey” for reclamation and recycling in a redevelopment project.

The Bayer Headquarters project also has been recognized with high-profile honors from NAIOP New Jersey, NJBIA, the Morris County Economic Development Corporation and United Way of Northern New Jersey. Completed in 2013, it is driving forward the project's residential, retail, hospitality and additional office components. Vision Real Estate Partners currently is master-planning the 100-acre “South Campus” parcel.

Instant Insights /

Vision Real Estate Partners Get USGBC NJ Emerald Award

Related Stories

Recommended For You