News Release: June 12, 2002Developer Morristown Green, LLC, is looking to the past to help create a brighter future for downtown Morristown. The company's restoration of an office building from the early 1900s known as 10 Park Place has earned Morristown Green a 2002 New Good Neighbor Award from the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.
"A dinosaur has become a diamond," said Morristown Mayor John J. Delaney Jr., who nominated 10 Park Place for the award. "In Morristown, we are very proud of our downtown resurgence, and 10 Park Place is a showcase for that progress. This is a true example that development does not have to be a dirty word in the Garden State."
"This is a dramatic restoration of one of Morristown's downtown landmarks," NJBIA President Joe Gonzalez said. "Instead of an aging office building, Morristown now has a bright showplace that will serve as a fine addition to this historically sensitive area."
One of the most interesting features of the $10 million restoration is the addition of another full story to the top of the building. Kimmerle Group architects of Morristown and builder Lanyi and Tevald of Morris Plains recessed the new floor from the existing parapet on what was the fourth floor roof. The new steel and glass fifth floor sits atop the existing terra cotta and stone building, increasing the total size of the building from 50,000 square feet to 70,000.
Although the fifth floor is new, much of the turn of the century structure was preserved. The original bronze, brass, marble and terrazzo finishes remain. The revitalized lobby is dominated by a breathtaking bronze stairwell. New lighting and fixtures, together with new windows, has brightened the interior lobby and corridors.
The 10 Park Place project was honored June 11 at NJBIA's Annual New Good Neighbor Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place in Iselin.
The New Good Neighbor Awards program, now celebrating its 42nd year, recognizes newly built or renovated facilities that have created jobs and contributed to the quality of life in their communities. This year's 13 winners were selected from 45 projects that represent more than $1 billion in combined construction value and will house 13,600 permanent full-time workers.
A panel of independent judges painstakingly reviewed the projects and selected the winners based on architectural merit, jobs created and community involvement. Project nominations were made by a variety of people, including mayors, a state senator, local economic development officials and a chamber of commerce president.
