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The basics:

• Newport sees growing interest from film, TV productions in Jersey City
• Community locations and infrastructure attract major filming projects
• NJ’s expanded tax credit makes the state an appealing destination
• Local businesses benefit from increased foot traffic and visibility

New Jersey’s production sector is going through a major boom – and its impacts are being felt in a number of positive ways all around the state. That was on full display last week at the Meadowlands during the inaugural NJ Film Expo, which showcased the state’s ever-expanding production ecosystem and infrastructure.

A big catalyst of the activity has been the expanded tax credit program – providing a 30%-35% tax credit, as well as the opportunity for bonuses. That combined with initiatives such as Film Ready NJ, several major planned production hubs (including Netflix and Lionsgate), and New Jersey’s diverse landscapes/geographies has fostered a surge of activity.

In Jersey City, LeFrak’s Newport neighborhood is taking notice of an uptick in interest from productions and location scouts to film in its locations.

NJBIZ recently caught up with Charles Burton, head of community relations for the family-owned property company, to discuss this trend and how Newport is leaning into it.

All around town

“Historically, Jersey City’s been of interest. We have agreements going back to the early 2000s in our files. So, the interest has always been there. The interest did dip a bit when Gov. [Chris] Christie was in office. Just statewide, there was less interest in filming in New Jersey. But then, the changes Gov. [Phil] Murphy and the Legislature made – both kind of welcoming the industry, but also fully funding the tax credits.

“From what I understand, the tax credits are front-funded, so it’s easier for productions to get their resources for their projects sooner rather than later. New York, I believe, there’s a waiting period – and the money is not in the account. Just from a business efficiency standpoint, New Jersey is appealing right now.

“We also just have great locations,” Burton added. “Jersey City – is so much more than the waterfront. We have great historic areas throughout the Jersey City Heights and on the West Side of Jersey City, amazing parks. And then, kind of getting into our neighborhood – we have just a number of options. We have the mall. We have big box retail sites – but we also have a lot of residential buildings and parks – and the waterfront.”

Burton said there are requests to film everywhere from Newport Centre Mall to inside residential buildings – including the new amenities centers in its latest residential buildings – to office buildings, and more.

Newport’s parking garages and lots also allow it to handle a lot of the logistical situations that come with a major production, such as trailers, staging locations or holding areas for extras.

Working relationship

“And based on our location – and everything that Jersey City has to offer, combined with how well the state’s funding the tax credit (which he says is a sign the state’s open for business) – Jersey City has really become a compelling place to be.”

Burton said that Jersey City itself has been a great partner in this space.

“From our perspective as a private organization, our government contact is Jersey City. They’re an excellent partner for us. We’re familiar with everything that’s happening at the state level,” said Burton, noting the governor and Legislature’s continued funding of the tax credits. “But in terms of our day-to-day operations, really, Jersey City is our partner. And they work very well with us. I think a lot of that has to do with the amount of revenue that comes into the city because of this.”

He also pointed to the opening a few years back of Cinelease Studios in Jersey City.

“So, filming and all that that entails is just something that I think a lot of folks in Jersey City are familiar with,” said Burton.

“As we are discussing, there has been filming in Jersey City for quite a bit, but is there a noticeable uptick of interest that you are seeing at this point?” NJBIZ asked.

“Yes – there’s definitely an uptick,” said Burton. “There’s a number of factors for it – everything from the number of streaming services that exist today and the amount of content that has to be created, combined with technology. And just how much of that content is available on our phones – just how people view entertainment has changed. You’re not just in a movie theater or at home waiting for a television program.

“You can view content at all hours of the day and night on your phone. So, I think that’s one of the reasons why the number of film requests have increased. You’re just seeing so many more shows created.”

Burton said it’s been really fascinating for the company to be part of the production process.

While he could not identify particular projects that have used the company’s facilities, he said that everything from major motion pictures to shows that are on the popular streaming platforms and programs from regular broadcast channels have all asked to film in Newport.

Local effects

The conversation shifted to the community impacts, from creating cultural moments for the area by its appearance in major productions, as well as the opportunity for folks around the community to be extras — and of course, the economic impact.

“In terms of economic impact, for local restaurants and other vendors to get good business out of it – filming in Jersey City really works for everybody,” Burton said.

“How has the local feedback been? Has it been well-received by the local community with the increased amount of filming and production going on?” NJBIZ asked.

“Yes,” said Burton. “The curiosity from our residents is palpable. The residents really seem to enjoy it. The local businesses – it’s just a very welcome surprise. And it helps them out. Our ground floor retail does very well anytime we have a production, of any size. Because it’s just bringing a critical mass of people that’s somewhat unexpected into our neighborhood.”

The curiosity from our residents is palpable.
– Charles Burton, LeFrak

Burton also noted that the production companies have been very easy to work with.

“Any production that comes in – we have to have some sort of agreement with them. We want to make sure everybody is safe. We want to make sure we have plenty of notice for security – and in working with the city, crowd control, traffic control. So, we have plenty of time to alert our local businesses our tenants – that they’re going to see these productions coming. They’ve been able to prepare well. And there really haven’t been any known disruptions.”

Leaning in

As the conversation winded down, it circled back to the uptick in interest. Burton noted it has been organic – with the location scouts seeking out Newport.

“It’s the sort of thing where – historically, we get periodic interest. And now we’re hearing from a number of location scouts, I would say several per month. So much so that we decided to create a lookbook for Newport. We are going to unveil sizzle reel at the NJ Film Expo (see below). Just so that we present ourselves the best way possible – and just meet expectations that these folks are seeing across the industry.”

“Is it fair to say that because of this uptick, you guys are kind of leaning into this all more?” NJBIZ asked.

“Yes,” said Burton.

“I’ll close with this – how exciting of a time is this? Your company has dealt with filming before, but now it’s really surging … It’s such a cool, fascinating space. How exciting is to have this kind of other segment … developing in real time here?” NJBIZ asked.

“It’s wonderful. We’re thrilled with it. It’s a great way to showcase our many projects – but also the larger Jersey City community,” said Burton. “And we hope that people locally, across the country, and even around the world can see what we find to be so special about Jersey City – on the screen.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:02 p.m. EST May 9, 2025, to emphasize the Newport neighborhood’s efforts rather than LeFrak.