Are you among Americans who assumed your lone exposure to a campus would be during your college years? If so . . . surprise! Your campus life can extend right into your work years, if you join and stay with employers officing at new work campuses.
With growing numbers of wage earners returning to offices, emerging work campuses are gaining fresh attention. They combine office real estate with food and beverage services, entertainment and community events to heighten work day enjoyment. Among the offerings of urban work campuses: Private work spaces, live musical performances, culinary events, fine dining, retail options and even farmers’ markets.
Several work campuses in major Mid-Atlantic cities deliver prime examples of the trend. They are Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York City; Baltimore Peninsula in Baltimore, Md.; and Manhattan West, aptly enough on the West Side of Manhattan.
Brooklyn’s backyard
Encompassing 6 million square feet and 16 waterfront buildings, Industry City is led by Belvedere Capital, Jamestown and Angelo Gordon & Co. It is home to 600 individual businesses and more than 8,500 employees. Serving as a center of creativity, Industry City appeals to a diverse and innovative blend of tenants in industries from robotics to architecture, design, woodworking and candle making.
When the denizens of this work campus leave the office, they’re met with experience-driven dining opportunities, inviting retail venues, destination courtyards and a variety of event programming. “What makes Industry City such a unique campus is the businesses, small and large, and we’ve recognized that since the very beginning,” says Jim Somoza, partner and managing director, Industry City. “We’re doing everything we can to keep that ecosystem of local and national retailers, corporate offices, experiences and events, creative studios, manufacturing sites and more, thriving.”
New community
The 235-acre redevelopment project called Baltimore Peninsula took shape on a former industrial site. Envisioned by Under Armout founder Kevin Plank, and developed by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners; the mixed-use community features more than 1.2 million square feet of residential, hotel and office space housed in five buildings. Included are 376 apartments, newly dedicated waterfront parks, and more than 2,000 jobs provided by tenants that include the headquarters of both Under Armour and CFG Bank. Lured by restaurants, amenities and events scheduled year-round, many of those employed at Baltimore Peninsula have chosen to live right within the community.
Baltimore Peninsula’s dedication to effective urban design has helped the community bring about the kind of vibrancy and activity that can’t be forced, reports MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners. “Office, residential, hotel, parks and plentiful retail on site allow Baltimore Peninsula to capitalize on the concentration of people, events, and jobs to build a thriving community, with top restaurants and major employers putting us on the map,” she says.
Pedestrian plazas
Developed by Brookfield Properties, Manhattan West blankets eight acres with more than 7 million square feet of mixed-use space. Featured are 6 million square feet of offices, shops, residential space and a boutique hotel. Also part of the development is new public space offering pedestrian plazas and the High Line – Moynihan Connector, which links Manhattan West to the popular elevated park built on a historic freight line.
“The success of modern office projects like Manhattan West hinges on its surroundings, certainly access to transit but also vibrant retail, public space, places to stay and live,” says Callie Haines, executive vice president and head of the Northeast Region, Brookfield Properties. “A trophy office like Five Manhattan West, with its expansive floorplates, advanced infrastructure and abundance of natural light, attracts prominent tenants like Amazon and JPMorgan Chase. But what drives them to stay is the holistic campus experience we offer.”
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