Sign Off at Metropolitan Center

The lights will be going out on the Metromedia sign that has topped the Metropolitan Center in the Meadowlands for more than 15 years.EAST RUTHERFORD

The lights will be going out on the Metromedia sign that has topped the Metropolitan Center in the Meadowlands for more than 15 years.

ING Clarion, the New York City-based investment arm of ING Real Estate, the world’s largest real estate investment manager, has announced plans to replace the sign on top of the 15-story, 423,000-square-foot Class A office tower.

Metromedia became a tenant in the building in 1991 but vacated its space three years ago. ING is looking to sell exterior signage rights to a large prospective tenant.

ING also said a 93,000-square-foot block of space on the building’s upper floors will be available in January 2009, after shipping company P&O Nedlloyd, which currently leases the majority of the space, relocates to Madison.

Metropolitan Center is known as one of the most visible office buildings in northern New Jersey.

It is off the New Jersey Turnpike and overlooks the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which comprises Giants Stadium, the just-renamed Izod Center and the new Xanadu retail complex under construction.