Joint venture partners Ironstate Development Company and Brookfield Properties on Tuesday said they acquired lease signings for the first three retail and office operators setting up shop at the partnership’s mixed-use development nearing completion in Downtown Montclair.

Businesses scheduled to open in the first two quarters of 2021 include One River School, The Gravity Vault, and Summit Medical Group, a multispecialty medical practice.

The collection of tenants reflects the developers’  efforts to energize a swath of Bloomfield Avenue and bolster the Essex County township’s reputation as a cultural, dining and shopping destination.

The project includes 1 Seymour Plaza, apartment community Two South Willow, and the Wellmont Arts Plaza. It will feature residential units, retail, office space, art space, and public parking to create a vibrant arts and entertainment district anchored by the adjacent
Wellmont Theater.

“One River School, The Gravity Vault, and Summit Medical Group will complement the dynamic lineup of arts, entertainment, fitness, and community services we’re curating to echo Montclair’s unique character and appeal,” said David Barry, CEO of Hoboken-based Ironstate Development Company. “Montclair is well known for tastefully blending local merchants with high-profile brands, and we plan on partnering with businesses who share our vision for community building, a desire to enhance residents’ daily lives, and will attract new visitors to the township.”

Occupying 2.5 acres along Bloomfield Avenue, the new mixed-use development includes two buildings that straddle Seymour Street and complete the block alongside the Wellmont Theater.

Two South Willow will feature 200 rental apartments, 234 parking spaces, and 38,000 square feet of street-level retail and arts spaces, including The Gravity Vault and One River School. Much of the retail space will front on the Wellmont Arts Plaza, a former portion of Seymour Street which will be converted into a 12,000-square-foot public outdoor space.

Featuring extensive landscaping, outdoor seating, and multiple art installations, the Plaza is expected to host open-air performances and other events.

A second, seven-story building at 1 Seymour Plaza will rise just southwest of the Wellmont Theater and will include 40,000 square feet of medical office space home to Summit Medical Group and 200 parking spaces. The project also includes a five-story municipal parking garage which will house 315 parking spaces at the intersection of Glenridge Avenue and North Willow Street.

Designed by Marchetto Higgins Stieve and Minno Wasko, with interiors by Kara Mann Design, the new buildings will respect historic architecture and brickwork at adjacent buildings like the Wellmont Theater. Both buildings will feature predominantly brick facades to blend contextual design with modern amenities and best-in-class commercial spaces. An unobstructed view of the surrounding landscape and Manhattan skyline will be enjoyed from the office floors and from a rooftop amenity in the Two South Willow residential building.