MT. ARLINGTON, NJ—Executives of Woodmont Properties, which has opened its newest rental apartment community, Woodmont West in Mt. Arlington, tell GlobeSt.com that despite the conventional wisdom that millennials want to live in edgy urban core communities, there is a large percentage of the younger workers attracted to suburban lifestyles with urban commuting as an option.

Woodmont is appealing to both of these groups with transit-oriented developments in Cranford, Metuchen, Red Bank and elsewhere centered around major transportation hubs, and filling the luxury rental niche in the more suburban Morris County market.

"Certainly, that is a very strong segment of the market," Woodmont's executive vice president and general counsel, Stephen A. Santola, tells GlobeSt.com exclusively. "But equally as strong is Mount Arlington, where we see the luxury apartment market being underserved, because nothing was built in that part of Morris County for 35 years, so we're sort of in the infill niche, but we also happen to be a quarter of a mile from the Mt. Arlington train station."

While Mt. Arlington doesn't have the transit hub heft of a Cranford or Red Bank, "It's a growing ridership and it dovetails well into the idea that not everybody wants to live right in the middle of the downtown right near a train line that's very close to Manhattan," Santola says. "They may work elsewhere, and they are also interested in some of the other aspects of New Jersey. They may have grown up in Morris or Sussex County, and they are not so eager to live on the Gold Coast, but they like a lot of the amenities, and also the higher end aspects of the homes themselves."

Woodmont West offers resort-style living with a range of luxury amenities and convenient access to shopping, restaurants and transportation.

"We like to focus on both in-fill and TOD, and Mt. Arlington really hits both spots," says Santola.

"Not every millennial needs to, or wants to live in a downtown urban environment," says Lewis Zlotnick, president of Woodmont."There are a lot of underserved areas in the suburbs where most people live and there is high demand, particularly for those most prone to live in apartments, and that may be millennials as well as those in their 50s who are changing their lifestyles and moving out of their homes into apartments. We're trying to build a community that caters to a full lifestyle."

Zlotnick says he is optimistic about the economy over the next year. "We feel the economy has markedly improved, we think that employment is up," he says. "We are opening our leasing centers five or six months prior to occupancy, and we're signing leases. People are anxious to move into 'new,' and want to stay close to work, and we find there is immediate support, whether we are building in Mt. Arlington or Metuchen, or in Upper Macungie. We find there is immediate interest and wanting to get on board and get the right location."

The community's outdoor amenities include resort-style swimming pool and sundeck, a hot tub, barbeque area, sports court/bocce court, walking paths, picnic areas, gazebo and a first-of-its-kind community garden. The community includes an unusally large (15,000-square-foot) indoor theatre and lounge, game room, club room, kiddie playroom, business center, 24/7 active lifestyle center including a fitness center (with strength and cardio areas), yoga room/fitness on demand center, and indoor golf center with putting green and a golf simulator. There are also plenty of pet-friendly amenities including "bark parks," pet stations and a pet grooming center. The site will also include a community garden.

"There's a lot more that we can do because we have the space in Mt. Arlington that you wouldn't find in a downtown urban environment," says Zlotnick. "That can be a lot more attractive and appealing to people who are oriented to outdoor activities, or want to walk their dog and be in a nice, safe large community."

Situated on 55 acres in Morris County, Woodmont West features one- and two-bedroom apartments, with select apartments including a den and/or loft. In addition to the unique floor plans, the apartments include private patios or balconies and large walk-in closets. Woodmont West is also equipped with energy efficient central gas, heating and air-conditioning systems, and is built with energy efficient windows and doors.

The firm is also obtaining approvals for a new development in Roxbury Township, not far from Mt. Arlington, Santola says. "Hopefully in the next twelve months we'll see construction start there," he says.

Woodmont is confident that its community designs "provide all kinds of options and don't limit what somebody can do without having to get in the car and go somewhere," says Zlotnick.

"We call it 'walk to coffee,'" says Santola. "If you commute to work you literally don't need a car, vs. somewhere like Mt. Arlington, where you can walk right out to Howard Boulevard and get coffee, but you're not necessarily droped in the middle of a downtown, which isn't everybody's taste."

Woodmont West is located directly on Valley Road at Exit 30 off of Route 80, which also provides access to Routes 10 and 46. The location is close to numerous dining, shopping and entertainment options in Ledgewood and Rockaway, as well as parks and other recreational areas for activities such as boating, fishing and hiking.

Instant Insights /

Woodmont Straddles TOD and Luxury Niches in Mount Arlington

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