The Berger Organization

A Leader in Newark’s Transformation

By Jean Nash Wells

I recently hosted some friends from Manhattan for dinner and a show in Newark. The plan for the evening included a delicious, light dinner (try the short rib taco) at Dutch’s Restaurant located in the TRYP Hotel, followed by great seats for the opening night performance of the magnificent Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at NJPAC, then a quick dessert back at Dutch’s. My friends were amazed how much Newark had changed since their last visit about 10 years ago, and though the rain poured down it was an altogether marvelous evening.

Since the election of Mayor Ras J. Baraka, just re-elected for a third term as I write this, the city has indeed begun to sparkle. Its historic downtown boasts a robust dining, arts, and entertainment scene. With a number of new residential and commercial buildings rising from the ashes, so to speak, and room for more, Newark has developers from all over the country giving it a second look.

While these second lookers find Newark a fine place to do business and get in on the construction opportunities, there are those like Mayor Baraka, who never left and are still moving the city forward. Newark natives, like Shaquille O’Neal, Queen Latifah and others whom you might say left their hearts in Newark, have come back to build much-needed residential apartment homes, which all include affordable and market-rate dwellings.

Another developer who has put Newark on his priority list is Miles Berger, president and CEO of the Berger Organization. Berger owns the recently renovated historic Robert Treat Hotel, and the TRYP Hotel, formerly the St. Francis Hotel, now completely redone and home to the sleek and modern aforementioned Dutch’s Restaurant. The Berger Organization’s portfolio includes more than two million square feet of commercial and office space.

Berger has been instrumental in Newark’s renaissance for nearly five decades and among the first to anticipate its revitalization as a destination of choice for business, shopping, dining, entertainment, sports, and culture. Recognized as a visionary in Newark’s revitalization, Miles Berger is celebrated for his foresight in developing projects that add to the advancement of New Jersey’s largest city, and he’s not done yet.

“We are proud of our nearly fifty years of development history in Newark,” Berger stated. “That includes hospitality properties and office buildings, and now we are embarking on our first residential development.”

With his partners in the project, SK Development and Brooklyn Standard Properties, the new development known as 22 Fulton, a 22-story mixed-use tower, will rise on what is now a parking lot. Conveniently located near the city’s main thoroughfare, Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard (formerly Broad Street), McCarter Highway, and the Newark Light Rail track, the site is around the corner from Washington Park and NJPAC. Estimated at $176 million, the premises will consist of 396 residential units with studios, one and two bedroom apartments, 4,800 square feet of retail space, 106 garage spaces, a co-working lounge, and a courtyard. Unanimously approved by the city’s planning board in October 2021, completion is scheduled for Fall 2024.

Newark is poised for continued urban repositioning and development and the company is targeting residential and transit-oriented mixed-use development projects to further elevate Newark’s status as a true 24/7 destination city. With Miles Berger at the helm, The Berger Organization continues to be a leader in the transformation.