By Laura D.C. Kolnoski
Have you heard? Entertainment giant Netflix plans to build a new 12-soundstage production studio on former U.S. Army base Fort Monmouth in Monmouth County. It’s a big deal, bringing stars, jobs, and potential economic benefits. It is not, however, a done deal…yet. Read on to separate fact from fiction.
The Basics:
The 1,126-acre fort, covering parts of Eatontown, Oceanport, and Tinton Falls, was closed in 2011 after almost 100 years of continuous operation, with personnel transferred to Maryland.
A redevelopment has been ongoing for over a decade, beginning with a Master Plan that divided the property into parcels, each with defined uses. A public/private agency overseen by the state, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA), has been marketing, selling, and overseeing the completion of each parcel’s next generation from rendering to reality. About 86% of the fort has been sold to date.
Simultaneously FMERA, under the watchful eyes of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, has modernized infrastructure fort wide, installing all new water, sewer, and electrical systems, and remediating toxic situations the Army left behind. By law, all proceeds from land sales must be reinvested in the redevelopment. As each new project comes online, the property reverts to the towns and goes onto local tax rolls.
At its height, the fort employed 15,000 personnel, including 5,000 civilians. Surrounding businesses thrived, providing more jobs. Much was lost when the fort shuttered. Today, the entire area is rebounding. Written into FMERA’s Master Plan are minimum employment quotas which must be met by each project, under threat of fines for jobs not created.
What’s Already Open?
Homes, businesses, and restaurants are operational. Among the earliest was tech security company TetherView, opened in 2017 in a renovated historic administration building fronted by the Parade Grounds, which can never be built upon. An entire Historic District has been preserved, with work there adhering to strict codes.
As per the Master Plan, 1,500 total residences must be built, with 20% affordable units. Officers’ Row, comprised of stately red brick duplexes, detached homes, and the General’s House, was renovated into East Gate, the first new residential development, opening in 2018 and quickly selling out. Most projects are locally owned and incorporate homages to the fort’s rich history.
• Commissary. Three food-related entities are thriving where military personnel once bought groceries and hardware. Birdsmouth Brewery debuted in 2022, followed by multi-level, indoor/outdoor sports bar and event space Baseline Social, and MGT Foods, a commercial food production facility.
• New Jersey City University (NJCU). This satellite location of the Jersey City institution opened in 2021in Squier Hall, the renovated former HQ of the Signal Corps, named for Maj. Gen. George O. Squier, who invented Muzak. Advanced cybersecurity and nursing studies are among courses offered in state-of-the-art facilities.
• Park Loft. A major transformation turned a bland 1940s Army dance hall into a unique venue, booking weddings and parties since 2022. A developer husband and wife team created photogenic spaces indoors and out, planting hundreds of trees. They also purchased a fort firehouse, with plans for a casual eatery.
• Sun Eagles Golf Course. The miliary moniker remains under new owners, who turned the legendary Gibbs Hall clubhouse into a Tillinghouse event space containing upscale steakhouse Ember & Eagle. Sixty luxury townhomes - the Ridge at Sun Eagles - are under construction on the perimeter.
• Oceanport Municipal Complex. After their offices and police headquarters were destroyed in Superstorm Sandy, nomadic borough employees moved into their new Fort Monmouth home during 2021.
• Abundant Life Church, Family Promise. The fort chapel is now home to a local house of worship. Next door, a small brick structure is part of Family Promise, a non-profit assisting families facing homelessness.
• Trinity Hall Girls Catholic High School. Opened in 2015 and now undergoing its second expansion, the school was reinvented from the fort’s daycare and child development center.
• Fort Athletic Club. With a decorated fort veteran on staff to share lore with members, this multi-faceted family fitness and sports facility was created from the fort’s gym.
What’s Next?
Monmouth Medical Center. Visible from the Garden State Parkway, a new hospital complex is rising in the Tinton Falls section on 36 acres. Planned in two phases, the Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health affiliate will offer a cancer center, Ambulatory Care Pavilion, and surgery center.
RiverWalk Center. TetherView’s owner, along with a partner, bought another parcel nearby and is nearing completion of a substantial multi-use project, reusing some structures and building complementary new ones. The centerpiece is Allison Hall, a 1928 former hospital transforming into a boutique hotel. Expected to open later this year are retail, fitness, and personal service concerns, another brewery/tap room, and food franchises. A two-level waterfront restaurant/party space will regenerate an existing structure.
Liberty Pointe. In the Eatontown section, homebuilder Lennar is removing 486 dilapidated military dwellings on 60 acres. In its place will be 275 residences including single-families, townhomes, affordable rental units, a gas station and convenience store.
Netflix
Netflix entered the picture in 2021 after FMERA created a 292+-acre “Mega Parcel,” combining languishing unsold parcels. Governor Phil Murphy contacted top filmmakers, stressing the state’s welcoming atmosphere and tax incentives. Netflix responded and is currently under contract to purchase the site spanning portions of Eatontown and Oceanport for $55 million. In addition to 12 soundstages, the complex will host a mill, support buildings, backlot, and offices surrounded by a perimeter wall. Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth will be the company’s second largest after Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The firm expects to invest some $900 million, creating thousands of construction and permanent jobs. Closing is at least a year away, but Netflix has gained permission to perform some preparatory work at its own expense, including retrofitting some buildings for reuse, and demolition/removal of 88 obsolete structures.
Netflix is currently navigating a 36-month mandated approval process for Phase 1 construction, covering 39 acres. This summer, Netflix is expected to present plans for Phase 2. Completion is projected for 2028.
“With Netflix leading the way, the creation of new, world-class studios has solidified New Jersey’s standing as a national leader in film and television production,” said Gov. Murphy. Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos added the complex “will catalyze job creation and economic growth, contributing to a vibrant production ecosystem in New Jersey.” (Fun Fact: Sarandos and Murphy are friends, having met when Murphy was Ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama and Sarandos’ wife Nicole was Ambassador to the Bahamas.)
“Approvals of our site plan for the first phase of the proposed Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth demonstrates the community shares our enthusiasm for building a new studio in New Jersey, birthplace of the modern film industry,” a Netflix spokesperson told New Jersey Lifestyle. “While we still have a lot of work ahead, we are excited to continue partnering with local officials and the community to transform this historic space into a world-class production facility.”
NOTE: Laura D.C. Kolnoski has covered the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth since 2011, primarily for the Two River Times of Red Bank. In July 2021, she broke the news of Netflix’s interest in building its new production studio there. She received a New Jersey Press Association award for her fort reporting.
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Photo/Rendering Credits: Laura D.C. Kolnoski, Netflix, RiverWalk Center, Park Loft, NJCU, Fort Athletic Club, RWJBH
In Photo 10, Ted Sarandos is standing behind Gov. Murphy - white shirt, no tie.
