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The basics:

• Kushner Cos. expanding major projects across Monmouth County
• Monmouth Square adds housing, retail and public spaces
• Livana developments target luxury rental demand at the Shore
• Projects include affordable housing in multiple communities

Monmouth County is home to a growing population of more than 654,000 residents. Following an influx in recent years, more selectivity is returning to the market, as living options expand to meet demand.

And for good reason. Monmouth County earns an overall A+ from Niche. The centrally located region offers a midway point between New York City and Philadelphia, not to mention its vibrant downtowns and the Shore.

Most residents own their homes, 76% Niche says, and the median value for that property ($606,100) is almost twice that of the national price point. Median area rent is $1,827, also north of the comparative $1,413 nationally.

Life in Monmouth County

As living preferences evolve and demand for housing persists, developers are betting on a desire in Monmouth County for luxury, walkable and amenity-rich communities with year-round appeal. That growth provides opportunities for residents, municipalities and developers looking to capitalize on the shift. Kushner Cos.’ work in the region offers a closer look at a big, varied bet to capitalize on that shift.

As of April, there are more than 1,700 rental properties available across Monmouth County, according to Realtor.com. And the pipeline is robust. Over 2025, DCA figures showed Monmouth County issued the third-most housing units authorized by building permits (859) for the year. Data from the agency also show the multifamily sector accounted for 29% of building permits by type in Monmouth County, representing the largest share of all categories listed.

Kushner Cos. kicked off three major projects in Monmouth County in 2024. Each will – or has – arrived in some capacity this year. Beyond the distinctive Monmouth Square, Livana Colts Neck and Livana Long Branch developments, the company will also embark on a project to utilize the last development parcel at what is essentially its county flagship, Pier Village.

‘Tremendous opportunity’

For family-owned Kushner, the work also brings another dimension, long-term investment from both a personal and professional stance.

“My family has been going down to Long Branch since I’m about four … and so for us, we’ve seen the evolution in the area over time,” Kushner Cos. President Nicole Kushner Meyer told NJBIZ. “And there are, I would say, some fundamental things that you just can’t change, like the ferry and access to downtown Manhattan, NJ Transit.”

From a residential standpoint, Chief Development Officer Michael Sommer said the housing market is undersupplied.

Realtor.com identified the county as the 112th “hottest” market in the U.S. last month. Within the state, Monmouth County is the sixth largest in terms of population. Meyer noted how the rise of flexible work arrangements in recent years has helped drive expansion, along with access to the Jersey Shore, and growing employment opportunities.

Buoyed by fundamentals, “From a luxury rental standpoint, we continue to see tremendous opportunity in and around the county,” Sommer said. And Kushner’s regional footprint reflects that.

Kushner’s Monmouth Square, Livana Colts Neck and Livana Long Branch projects span the county’s geography across three distinct locations.

Monmouth moonshot

Located in Eatontown, Colts Neck and Long Branch, respectively, the luxury residential components across Kushner’s three projects will all bear the Livana name.

Sommer and Meyer detailed the brand ethos and the process behind the product.

“The word luxury is really relative,” Sommer said. For Kushner, it’s defined as “real quality product that is introduced to the market. It doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is intended to be priced out by any means; it’s really more about quality.”

The approach seeks to confront outdated viewpoints on what renting looks like. Beyond condo-level finishes, there is also a premium on “customer service,” as Sommer put it.

Meyer noted that they employ a long-term view. “We’re not merchant builders. We’re owners and operators … we are not looking to flip these properties; we’re looking to invest in them,” she said. Livana means moon in Hebrew. “And we’re seeing different cycles of life as they’re channeling through.”

We’re not merchant builders. We’re owners and operators … we are not looking to flip these properties; we’re looking to invest in them.
– Nicole Kushner Meyer, president, Kushner Cos.

“Renting is not a negative thing,” it’s a choice, Meyer said. As such, the Livana brand doesn’t speak to one person, “it’s speaking to a lifestyle that they want.”

Something for everyone

Leaning into the lifestyle component can also help to elevate a community. Livana properties feature team members focused exclusively on programming.

“The clubhouse and the amenities are really the center of your universe,” Sommer said. Examples include Kentucky Derby and Super Bowl parties, along with events for holidays such as Mother’s or Valentine’s Days. “There’s always something for someone on a regular basis.”

Sommer said the business plan calls for branding all ground-up projects in New Jersey as Livana. And while the intent is the same across Kushner’s footprint, Meyer noted the approach is curated. “We design and plan each property, it’s very market specific,” she said. “So, we look at the customer, we look at the resident, we study all the comps … we’re really speaking to the customer.”

At Monmouth Square, Meyer explained they worked with Stonehill Taylor, which she said typically does hospitality work. “We really wanted this to have an elevated look that did not feel like you were in a cookie cutter in New Jersey. There was a lot of character in the design and the feeling and the sentiment that went into that.”

The making of Monmouth Square

The reimagining of Monmouth Mall will turn the indoor shopping mall out, essentially, to establish a vibrant, live-work-play environment. The project will shrink the retail footprint slightly, to about 990,000 square feet of space with 1,000 multifamily units.

“Thankfully Monmouth Mall was not a dead mall, but it was not heading in the right direction,” Sommer said. “And we knew that, and that’s why we were thoughtful about looking to redevelop it.

Kushner broke ground at the former Monmouth Mall in May 2024. Construction is well underway on Monmouth Square, including on its four multifamily buildings and clubhouse. The project team also includes residential architect Minno + Wasko Architects and Planners, retail architects Benoy and The Dietz Partnership, and retail broker BOND RP.

In Eatontown, “we also had to design the residences and the retail so that they spoke to each other and they aligned from a branding standpoint,” Meyer said.

Enter Whole Foods. The anchor is scheduled to open later this summer. The high-profile, 40,000-square-foot anchor tenant reflects the curated mix the redevelopment effort has sought to cultivate to complement remaining, longstanding anchors (Macy’s, Boscov’s, AMC Theatres and a relocated Barnes & Noble, which remain open through construction).

“We think about this as an 18-hour day,” Meyer said.

On the menu

Overall, the retail component is 85% pre-leased. Announced tenants include Cava, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Offshore Coffee, Strong Pilates and others.

SA Hospitality Group will bring the first New Jersey location and flagship for restaurant Felice to Monmouth Square. The move is an endorsement of the thesis underway. “We’re very intentional about where we grow, and Eatontown stood out as the perfect neighborhood to bring our restaurant,” said SA Hospitality Group partner Jacopo Giustiniani when the lease was announced in 2025. “It has the right energy, community, and character and feels like a natural fit.”

On the horizon, Meyer said a newly signed lease will bring a cosmetic company with Jersey-based founders on board, and that they’re “talking to some great boutique jewelry companies.”

Emphasizing its walkability, Sommer highlighted the commercial component as an additional amenity for Monmouth Square residents.

‘Profound responsibility’

Like Kushner, the township is keen to get the mix right. Speaking at the project’s groundbreaking, Sommer noted the property holds distinction as the borough’s largest tax ratable, adding, “we have always understood the profound responsibility that comes along with that.”

According to the township, the project will create approximately 350 construction jobs as well as 300 new, permanent jobs. Additionally, 12.5% – or approximately 125 units – will be restricted for very low-, low- and moderate-income households.

“We can’t deny the fact that the landscape is changing and we should change with it,” Eatontown Mayor Anthony Talerico said during the May 2024 groundbreaking ceremony. “The reduction of retail space, the increase in residential and the reversion to an open air market is radical, and I get it, but I suspect it’s no more radical than when these farmlands were converted to a shopping center. Things change. And in order for Eatontown to change with the times and remain economically vibrant … you must change with it.”

Describing her lifelong ties to the area, Meyer highlighted the role of trust in the undertaking and the sense of responsibility that comes along with it. “I think we understand how people live and act and where they want to go in the community,” she said.

Where residents want to be

“For us, this is not necessarily about bringing a mall and then combining it with residential,” Meyer explained. “It’s really about being thoughtful of how to create these neighborhoods … within an area that everyone who lives there wants to be a part of and everyone outside wants to be a part of, as well.”

Sommer said the mayor “played a large role in figuring out a way to make this all work for us and for the community, from a retail perspective, from a residential perspective and even from a fiscal perspective.”

It’s really about being thoughtful of how to create these neighborhoods … within an area that everyone who lives there wants to be a part of and everyone outside wants to be a part of, as well.
– Michael Sommer, chief development officer, Kushner Cos.

The borough will issue multiple tranches of bonds to finance a portion of the project costs up to $3 million. In 2023, the town council approved a 30-year payment in lieu of taxes agreement for the project.

Beyond the commercial spaces, Monmouth Square includes a 2-acre green, along with a public park and playground. “I think we see this as a merging of the retail brands speaking to the design and everything that we’re building from a residential; but it’s really creating a lifestyle and center for Monmouth County for people to come and enjoy with their families,” Meyer explained.

Keeping up ap’pier’ances

As Sommer put it, Pier Village is really what started it all.

Kushner acquired Pier Village in 2014. It’s since transformed the mixed-use destination to include 500 apartments and two hotels, along with 133,000 square feet of retail and entertainment options. “The City by the Sea” draws 2.7 million visitors annually.

In September 2022, Kushner joined efforts to revitalize Long Branch’s Lower Broadway area. The city adopted a redevelopment plan, that included the area, in 1996. Its stated goal is to “bring about a compact and integrated ensemble of public and private places that support year-round uses related to living, working and recreation and visitation.”

Like Monmouth Square, the Lower Broadway project in Long Branch features a grocery anchor and another small retail storefront. “But it’s in close proximity to Pier Village, so you have the best of both worlds there, as well,” Sommer said—noting there’s also the access to the beach.

The project rising at 118-119 Broadway broke ground in March 2024. It comprises 299 rental units, a 20,000-square-foot SuperFresh grocery store and neighborhood cafe.

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Sommer says the arrival of Livana Long Branch’s first residents is expected to coincide with summer at the Shore. “It’ll be a great complement to Pier Village—and obviously will further activate not only the Pier Village area on Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, but also Broadway … it was a long time coming to see that redevelopment project come to fruition for the residents of Long Branch,” he said.

He noted the area has been known as a retail center, “but we’re breathing fresh life into it.” From a collaboration standpoint, the local administration prioritized those elements.

“They wanted to make sure we weren’t just building multifamily, but having the grocer and having the other retail was very important,” he explained. “A, as an amenity for the larger community, well beyond the boundaries of our project. But really, to ensure that we were activating Broadway – or further activating – I should say.”

‘Definitely seeing more action’

And that notion has caught on. In March of this year, Downeaster Development and Tantum Real Estate broke ground on The Elbie, which will bring 78 rental units to Broadway in Long Branch.

Noting some other small, adjacent projects have started the approval process, Sommer said “we’re definitely seeing more action,” in and around the area.

Elsewhere in Long Branch, Kushner is breaking into Monmouth County’s strong condominium market.

According to New Jersey Realtors, Monmouth County closed townhouse-condo sales were up 10.7% in April 2026 versus that same month a year earlier. The median sales price increased 3.3% over that same period to $565,000.

The Wave Condo project will add 39 two- to four-bedroom upscale condominium residences, located adjacent to the Wave Resort & Spa. According to Sommer, construction will begin in September, as will sales.

He said Kushner believes a condo project is the highest and best use for the last parcel at Pier Village. “I think a lot of people are attracted to, not only … beachfront living, but the lock and leave opportunity,” that a building like this offers. “Come for the weekend, come for the week. And then … not have to worry about all the exterior maintenance of a single-family home or even a townhome, necessarily,” Sommer said.

That kind of thinking has driven other condo projects, like the Inkwell Lofts that recently debuted in Long Branch. The boutique project from Inspired by Somerset Development serves as a precursor to that Monmouth County-based company’s ultra-elevated Lido condos underway in Asbury Park.

Inward thinking

The renter in Colts Neck is a little different from those expected to move in Long Branch and Eatontown.

Livana Colts Neck introduces the first apartments, ever, to its namesake municipality. The project broke ground in August 2024. The 30-acre property comprises 15 three-story buildings with a total 360 one-to-three-bedroom luxury rentals. The buildings feature modern farmhouse exteriors to complement the surrounding landscape.

Residents have already moved in, and the clubhouse is open. The renter here wants to be within driving distance of the beach but may prioritize the other local leisure activities – direct access to golf and an active equestrian community – within reach. Additionally, its prime location along county Route 537 sits across from the local high school and in close proximity to Route 18.

Sommer says the market has responded in force, with leasing velocity surpassing expectations. “We feel as though there’s an insatiable appetite for well-located, well thought out, well designed multifamily product in the county. And Colts Neck, I would say, is just the latest testament of that.”

Livana Colts Neck features 72 affordable units (20%). Sommer added, “And I’ll say, that we would probably not have been able to get multifamily zoning in that town, but for the obligation.” He described it as an opportunity on many different levels.

Livana Long Branch and Monmouth Square both also include an affordable component. “We love, as a company, the idea that we’re able to offer the same level of luxury … to those who maybe wouldn’t otherwise be in a position to afford living in one of these properties,” Sommer said.

On the horizon

It doesn’t bear the Livana banner, but Kushner is putting its mark on an existing multifamily community in Monmouth County. Atlantic Point comprises 304 units across a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes. Since acquiring the property, Kushner said it has already added certain amenities, with designs to bring more online.

“It’s just a further testament to our conviction about Monmouth County,” Sommer said. He noted the property is close to Seastreak ferry service and downtown Atlantic Highlands. The pedestrian-friendly town offers eating and shopping options.

If it wasn’t already evident, Sommer said Kushner is “super bullish” on Monmouth County. And the company loves the idea of doing more. He said their acquisitions and investments team is focused on several areas. “We love Red Bank, which certainly isn’t unique to us, but there’s plenty of other smaller towns that get a lot less attention in and around the area that we’re focused on, as well.”

“In addition to all of the work that we’re doing … and other developers are, the Netflix effect, if you will, I think, is real,” he said. “And it will obviously and has already created local jobs. It will create more jobs.”

Eyes on the region

The attention has helped shine a spotlight on the region. And while there’s always been competition across Monmouth County, Sommer said, it’s only increased.

“In terms of marketed deals … you can bet if Kushner is on it, there’s 30 other companies that are there,” he said, ranging from small to public and private. “And even on the off-market deals, the ones that we look to cultivate, it’s very rare that we go and speak to an owner only to find out that they haven’t spoken to anyone else either recently or in the past.”

Even companies that traditionally have not turned their attention toward Central Jersey are starting to.

As of the summer, Kushner will have 2,500 units under construction statewide. “Trust me when I tell you, we are not solely focused on Monmouth County,” Sommer said.

“We’re focused throughout the state because there’s plenty of opportunity. Where there’s population growth, where there’s job opportunities, where there is public infrastructure, where there’s public transportation, and the ability for people to get to work, where there are good schools, we are interested in all of the above in locations throughout.”

In those respects, Monmouth County is certainly maintaining momentum. “For the same reasons why we love Monmouth County, all of our peers in the industry love it as well,” Sommer said.