Leasing chief named for $2.5B Riverton project in Sayreville

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JLL Senior Vice President Charles Cristella will be leasing director for Riverton, a $2.5 billion, mixed-use project in Sayreville, developer North American Properties announced.

Riverton is situated on 400 acres with over 2 miles of frontage on the Raritan River and Raritan Bay about 20 miles from Manhattan. The project is a mixed-use destination that will blend retail, residential, office and hotel along with community amenities and gathering spaces.

Groundbreaking is slated for Spring 2022. The community will have direct access from the Garden State Parkway at the new $80 million Exit 125 Interchange in Sayreville, which was constructed in a public-private partnership to stimulate redevelopment of the former industrial area.

“I am very excited to play a key role in bringing Riverton to life by blending relevant national brands with local favorites into one immersive community” Cristella said in a statement. “Jersey knows Jersey, and we are looking forward to bringing the best of Jersey to the heart of Jersey. Riverton’s connection to the waterfront combined with a series of community gathering spaces, diverse retail, entertainment & dining experiences will make it a go to destination.”

North American Properties said Cristella has a proven track record in retail leasing over the past 25 years, with skills in market research, demographic analysis and identifying and securing the right tenants and creative uses for each development project he oversees. In New Jersey, Cristella has coordinated leasing for 10 high-profile regional shopping centers, comprising 5.5 million square feet of gross leased area, totaling $550 million in redevelopment.

Most recently, Cristella developed and implemented leasing and merchandising strategies for six large malls: Westland Mall in Hialeah, Fla.; the Mall at Wellington Green in Wellington, Fla.; Northlake Mall in Charlotte, N.C.; Blue Back Square in West Hartford, Conn.; MacArthur Center in Norfolk, Va.; and River Ridge in Lynchburg, Va. 

“Charles has demonstrated the ability to deliver merchandising and leasing strategies for a range of retail projects, combining his industry-wide relationships and national market knowledge with a strong local perspective,” said Kevin Polston, Riverton’s project executive. “Between his lifelong connections to the Philadelphia-New York corridor and his national reach, Charles is the ideal leasing professional to share our story with prospective end-users. Charles also is a great fit for our growing team at Riverton, as we build a fun and exciting place for people to live, work, shop, dine and play.”

Founded in 1954, North American Properties is a privately held, real estate operating and development company that has acquired, developed and managed more than $7 billion of mixed-use, retail, multifamily and office properties across the U.S.