15 New Companies Sign Leases At Bell Works

HOLMDEL, NJ — Fifteen companies have signed new leases to rent office space at Bell Works, bringing Bell Works office space to now more than 80 percent leased.

The news was announced by Somerset Development, the owner of Bell Works, and it means Somerset CEO Ralph Zucker's gamble may have truly paid off: In 2007, he purchased the aging, relatively unused two-million-square-foot Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, for a rumored price of $27 million. Prior to that, the behemoth had sat mostly empty, and was falling apart: The roof leaked. Weeds were actually growing inside the main lobby.

How things have changed. Today, Bell Works is bustling as Zucker's vision has come to life: It's a thriving "metroburb" with a mix of white-collar and tech businesses, shopping and dining. With nearly all the office space leased, the on-site Holmdel library up and running, and plans in the works for a rooftop hotel and lounge, Zucker might have just proven every critic wrong. (The hotel will not open until 2020, however.)

The new office tenants at Bell Works are:

• Atrium Staffing, a woman-owned recruitment and contingent workforce solutions company that designs and manages client enterprise and tech-forward talent engagement programs.
• ASC Americas, a global provider of omni-channel recording and analytics solutions for contact centers, financial institutions and public safety organizations.
• Defined Spaces Commercial, an award-winning design studio and consulting agency offering work place space planning, hospitality design and model home merchandising. Focusing on footprint optimization, employee well-being, operational performance and margin improvement, as well as brand imaging, project management and turnkey operations.
• Ding, an international mobile top-up platform delivering cutting-edge technology to developed and emerging markets.
• Drive21, a project management and design consultation firm offering top-to-bottom project management, engineering and logistics, as well as print production, custom fabrication and installation. Drive21 is currently executing on the exterior wayfinding at Bell Works and will complete installation this month.
• Garmany of Red Bank, a corporate office location for the refined clothing store offering designer brands, shoes and accessories for men and women.
• HarborOne Mortgage, a leader in residential mortgage lending throughout the Northeast since 1983. Greg Wareham, manager of the Bell Works’ office, lives locally and leads an experienced team of local experts to assist with home finance queries.
• Hillcrest Wealth Advisors, a firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning and discretionary investment management.
• HiringSolved, a company specializing in artificial intelligence-powered recruiting, automated candidate searching and innovative talent acquisition.
• HYLAN, a leading provider of turnkey communications and electrical infrastructure design, engineering and construction services for wireline, wireless and smart city municipal service operators around the U.S.
• Onyx Equities, a leading real estate investment and property services firm specializing in acquiring and managing commercial properties.
• Performance Language Solutions, a leading patent translation and global IP filing provider specializing in turnkey solutions for Paris Convention and PCT National Phase filings and EP Validation. PLS safeguards intellectual property with a streamlined approach, freeing up time and resources for more strategic applications.
• LightRiver Software, a pioneer and the industry leader in the software defined discovery, analysis and control of multivendor fiber optic telecommunications networks
• Upward.net, a company disrupting the hiring process and human resources by connecting candidates to employers through innovative technology solutions.
• As Patch already reported, Bells Works is also home to the new constituent offices of 13th Legislative District legislators, Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso. DiMaso and O'Scanlon represent Holmdel and numerous towns in Northeastern Monmouth County. Their office is available to the public to answer questions pertaining to New Jersey laws and to act as a resource and advocate for residents experiencing difficulty with government offices or programs.

"The office environment here is unlike any other in New Jersey," said Jeff Garibaldi, president of The Garibaldi Group, Bell Works' leasing agent. “Its unique combination of modern office space, urban-style shopping and chic dining continues to attract a diverse mix of businesses to the building.”

Bell Works’ quarter-mile long atrium has been redesigned to resemble a pedestrian street. Salon Concrete hair salon and City Barn Country Penthouse, a boutique offering home, bed, bath and other gift items, have officially opened their doors.

The newly-opened Bell Market features Honeybell Bakery, baked goods and coffee; Broadfork, fresh made-to-order salads; Jozu, poke bowls and traditional sushi rolls; Bubz Deli, customizable subs and deli sandwiches; and Corbo & Sons Pizza, brick-oven baked pizza and bread.

Mexican restaurant Estrella Azul, and sister restaurant Mezza Luna, which will offer classic Italian fare, are coming. They will be accompanied by popular chain The Hummus & Pita Co.

While office space is humming along, Bell Works is still only about 40 percent leased for its retail capacity. However, the following businesses are all supposed to open at Bell Works later this year: Dimension Dental, a dental support organization; OceanFirst Bank, a community bank offering commercial and residential financing solutions; Alchemist Jewelers, a fine jewelry boutique; Holmdel Florist, a shop offering beautiful floral arrangements for any occasion; and The Bar Method, a popular exercise boutique offering specialized barre classes and group fitness.

The Bell Works rooftop will soon house a 186-room hotel along with a restaurant, bar, lounge area and infinity pool. Earlier in September, Two Roads Hospitality, a leading national hospitality group, was tapped to serve as the hotel and conference space operator.

Bell Works is also home to the brand-new Holmdel Library and Learning Center as well as the Holmdel Montessori school.

Originally constructed between 1962 and 1964 Bell Works served as the research headquarters for Bell Laboratories, Lucent, and Alcatel-Lucent, the building housed a total of seven Nobel Prize winners, including those who conceived theories for the laser, the Big Bang theory, cellular technology and the transistor.

Ongoing Patch reporting on Bell Works: More Renderings Of Holmdel's Bell Works Hotel

Long Longed-For, Holmdel Library at Bell Works Opens Dec. 18

First Look At The New Holmdel Library at Bell Works!

Luxury Boutique Hotel Operator Chosen For Bell Works Hotel

All photos provided to Patch by Somerset Development.