PEEK Development Closes Fundraising for Two OZ Projects

ORANGE, NJ—PEEK Development, a fledgling joint venture between Equis Realty Partners LLC, based in Jersey City, NJ and The Fountain Group LLC of Teaneck, NJ, report it has completed the initial fundraising round for two Qualified Opportunity Fund projects in the pre-construction phase in the City of Orange.

PEEK Reock I QOF, LLC and PEEK Reock II QOF, LLC are set to break ground next year on two separate apartment-rental properties of 50 and 118 units, respectively, within the city’s Reock Street Redevelopment Area. The combined development cost for the two projects is approximately $45 million.

Philip Evanski, PEEK co-founder and managing member of Equis Realty Partners, says development costs are expected to be $12.8 million for the 50 market-rate units at 276 Reock St. and $32.2 million for the 118 market-rate units at 49 S. Day St. Both properties are a two-minute walk to Orange Station and offer NJ Transit bus service along Route 92/Orange Crosstown, connecting Newark Light Rail-Branch Brook Park Station to South Orange Train Station.

“In addition to being among one of the first Qualified Opportunity Funds to close its initial fundraising phase within months of launching—and then immediately moving toward breaking ground within an 8-to-12-month timeframe—PEEK is proud of its collaboration with city officials and local residents to revitalize a part of the city that has tremendous untapped potential,” he said.

Emanuel Klein, co-founder of both PEEK and The Fountain Group, says, “This is yet another step in realizing development within the Reock Street Redevelopment Area to establish a pedestrian- and commuter-friendly city center that will yield a self-sustaining, safe and secure neighborhood over the long term.”

In addition to its two Reock QOFs, PEEK is preparing to launch a third fund, PEEK Cleveland I QOF, LLC. This fund will focus on efforts to develop a 68-unit multi-family property on Cleveland Street. The total cost of this initiative is expected to be $17.3 million.

“The leadership at PEEK Development has a demonstrated track record of partnering with municipalities like Orange, by taking a redevelopment plan’s strategic objective and transforming it into a sustainable reality for the entire community over the long term,” said Orange Mayor Dwayne D. Warren, Esq. “By teaming up with PEEK, Orange will achieve its rightful place as a dominant live/work/transit/retail hub in the East Essex Region.”

The properties are located one block from NJ Transit’s Orange Station and the Main Street Business District, the planned developments align with the city’s efforts to revitalize land and property parcels between the NJ Transit railroad right-of-way and Freeway Drive/Interstate 280, PEEK Development states. The area is bounded by South Essex Avenue to the west and South Center Street to the east.

PEEK, formed last November, is an investment, development and management joint venture focusing on traditional development as well as recently approved opportunity zone projects throughout New Jersey’s urban submarkets. Currently, PEEK has a project pipeline of more than 300 market-rate units valued in excess of $85 million.