SJP plans new commercial space, housing in Morristown after being named conditional redeveloper of North Park buildings

SJP Properties has taken a key step toward another major project in Morristown, securing a conditional designation to redevelop a cluster of prominent, long-vacant properties downtown.

According to local officials, the proposal would transform the former Century 21 building and several neighboring sites along North Park Place and Washington Street, with plans calling for some 120,000 square feet of commercial space, 200 new residential units and retail. Doing so would fulfill the promise of an area that directly fronts the historic Morristown Green, including storefronts that the town has hoped to redevelop for more than a decade, only to see plans by other developers and would-be buyers fall through.

MorristownGreen.com, which has chronicled those proposals in recent years, was the first to report the conditional designation for SJP Properties. The outlet also reported that an affiliate listed as SJP Morristown Green LLC was under contract to buy the North Park Place and Washington Street properties from Dave Brown, their longtime owner.

“This is an important step forward for a part of downtown that has been waiting for new life,” Morristown Mayor Timothy P. Dougherty said. “These properties occupy a highly visible location in the heart of Morristown, and their redevelopment will have a tremendous impact on our downtown. This proposal gives us an opportunity to bring new housing, commercial activity and retail to the area while creating a more vibrant and connected downtown for residents, businesses and visitors.”

For SJP, the project would follow several high-profile developments in the town, including the acclaimed two-phase, 373,000-square-foot M Station complex on Morris Street that houses some 3,400 corporate employees of Deloitte and Sanofi. The firm also built a new 124,000-square-foot headquarters on Speedwell Avenue for Valley Bank and last year secured approvals for M Lofts, a 150-unit luxury apartment project just north of M Station.

Its latest project would include parcels at 1 North Park Place, 17-21 North Park Place, 11-23 Washington St. and 2-10 Washington St. The town has already designated the properties as an area in need of redevelopment, according to a news release, seeking to bring the underutilized sites back into productive use and strengthen the area surrounding the Morristown Green.

Officials said additional details, including architectural plans, site design and potential commercial tenants, will be announced as the project moves through the planning and approval process.

“M Station has been a transformative development for Morristown, and the redevelopment of North Park will advance our longstanding vision for a more vibrant and elevated Morristown Green,” said Steven J. Pozycki, founder and CEO of SJP Properties. “Through the arrival of a skilled workforce, high-quality retail and premier housing, we’ll reactivate this area and restore its place at the center of the town.”

According to MorristownGreen.com, the town now has a 90-day exclusive negotiating window with SJP to reach a formal redevelopment agreement and authorize a “pre-development funding agreement.” The agreement is extendable by 60 days at the discretion of the mayor or business administrator.