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The township's zoning board has approved the golf and entertainment company, bringing it one step closer to a potential opening.

Posted Fri, Aug 18, 2023 at 4:02 pm ET|

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Golf lovers might have a new place to practice their swing.

Last week, the Parsippany Township Zoning Board approved the site plan for Morris County's first Topgolf location.

Topgolf, which mixes golf, technology, and entertainment, currently has two open locations in New Jersey, with the nearest one being located in Edison.

According to the application, the golf and entertainment company is looking to build its newest location on Route 46 East, next to Smithfield Park. If approved by the planning board, the development would call for the demolition of all four of the vacant office buildings along the highway.

Todd Waldo, a Topgolf representative, first presented the plans in Parsippany in December 2022. The site plan includes a three-story, 67,500-square-foot facility that has a full restaurant and bar, along with 102 hitting bays.

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Waldo also stated that with the approval of this project, the township would be creating approximately 400 jobs when the venue is fully operational and 200 jobs during the construction period. He also stated that the business would be able to generate more than $1 million in revenue for the property.

When discussing the project back in December, several Zoning Board members discussed their personal experiences at Topgolf, stating that the entertainment section of the business was surprising for a sports complex.

"You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy Topgolf," Waldo said.

Some board members were concerned about the possibility of light disruptions since the outfield where patrons hit golf balls is illuminated with multiple lights. Waldo responded that, while the lights do remain on for up to two hours after closure, they may be dimmed, so they are not a concern.

Despite the Zoning Board's clearance, it could still be some time before families can book a weekend trip to Topgolf. The location has to be reviewed by the Planning Board, and construction time has to be considered.

However, to pique your interest for the future, here are some things Topgolf has to offer.

There will be 102 outdoor, climate-controlled hitting bays spread across three levels at the Parsippany facility. Each bay contains high-top tables or lounge-style furniture, making it perfect for group outings. The location has advanced technology from Topgolf, which tracks each golf ball's trajectory, distance, and other statistics.

Topgolf also claims to take "not golf" extremely seriously. That's why each location includes a full-service restaurant, a rooftop terrace with fire pits, more than 200 HDTVs, music, and year-round family-friendly programming.

Private event rooms and an outside area with backyard activities are also available for team excursions, family gatherings, meetings, or almost anything else players want to celebrate.

Each golf bay is priced by the hour, with fees varying based on the day and time of day, plus a $5 one-time membership charge for new players. A bay may hold up to six players, officials said.

If you're not a golfer and don't own any clubs, don't worry; you can use any Topgolf club for free while playing. Clubs are available for men, women, lefties, righties, and kids of all ages.

For more information on Topgolf, click here.

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2-minute read

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has issued a work stoppage order for a subcontractor at the Parq Life Reimagined redevelopment project that is replacing an office park with 600 new residences and retail space in central Parsippany.

The Division of Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance last week announced that they had cited Ultimate Framing LLC of Newark after a June site visit, during which investigators said workers told them they were being paid in cash.

The investigation also determined the workers were paid without statutory deductions, were not receiving pay stubs and "none mentioned being afforded earned sick leave," the NJDOL report stated.

Ultimate Framing did not respond to a call seeking comment. The company has requested a hearing on the matter, the report stated. No penalties or monetary assessments have been announced.

Parq Marketing Director Haytham Haidar said he was "unaware" of Ultimate Framing and referred subcontractor questions to Ryan Homes, the contracted developer for the project. Representatives of Ryan Homes did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment on Monday.

1,400 new homes in Parsippany

The Parq project is one of several large redevelopment projects in Parsippany replacing a glut of empty office buildings with what's expected to amount to more than 1,400 residential units as well as new retail space.

Parq is rising on the site of office buildings demolished last year at the Lanidex office park off Parsippany Road. The project, nestled into the interchange between Route 287 and Route 80, includes 600 residential units and a mix of ground-floor retail and open space on a 23-acre lot. Only two of the seven existing buildings on the site, which once totaled 450,000 square feet of office space, will remain.

Occupancy in the first of two six-story Parq buildings is scheduled for the spring of 2024. "Our program is on track," Haidar said in an email.

Development:‘We could put an apartment building there’: Developer plays hardball in Parsippany dispute

Three miles to the south along eastbound Route 10, two more office buildings were demolished last year to make way for another mixed-use redevelopment project. Construction is underway at the District at 15fifteen, where 498 residential units are planned above ground-floor retail.

Another 325 new rental units are under construction in the office park off Cherry Hill Road replacing another two demolished buildings in the Interpace office park. About half of those units are expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall, with the rest scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024.

Stop-work orders

Stop-work orders are initiated by the Labor Department to halt work being performed by an employer "in a manner that exploits workers" or is noncompliant with state laws and regulations, the agency said in its announcement.

The department has issued 110 stop-work orders since Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that gave the state authority to issue such sanctions when an initial worksite investigation finds “sufficient violations.”

The stop-work order may be lifted if and when any remaining back wages and penalties have been paid and all related issues have been resolved, according to the department. The state can assess civil penalties of $5,000 per day against an employer conducting business in violation of the order.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Residents pay more per month on household bills, such as mortgages, car payments, and insurance, than the state and national averages.

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Have you ever wondered how affordable it is to have a home near Parsippany?

According to a new report released this week, the average American household spends $24,557 per year on the most important household bills, but the average Parsippany resident spends significantly more.

As the cost of living in the United States continues to rise, residents of Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maryland may be feeling more pressure, as these states top the list of the most expensive.

Morris County is the most expensive county in New Jersey, according to doxo's 2023 State by State Bill Pay Market Report, which examines the $3.87 trillion U.S. consumer bill pay market.

The report, which reflects actual bill payment activity in more than 97 percent of U.S. zip codes, identifies the most and least expensive states for Americans to live in based on average monthly spending on actual household bill payments.

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According to the report, Parsippany's annual bills are $9,884 higher than the national average, totaling $34,441 per year and $2,870 per month.

"Household expenses in Parsippany, New Jersey are 40.2 percent more than the U.S. average," the report states.

Parsippany is the 67th most expensive town in New Jersey for household expenses and the ninth most expensive in Morris County, trailed by Denville Township, Rockaway and Dover.

One of the main contributors is Parsippany's mortgage and rent prices. According to the study, the average mortgage payment in Parsippany is $2,640, while the national average is $1,321. For renters, that price goes down to $1,491 in Parsippany and $1,191 nationally.

Health insurance is one of the only categories in Parsippany that is lower than in other areas. The average Parsippany resident pays $117 per month for health insurance, compared to $120 nationally.

"As consumers navigate their household bills in today’s volatile marketplace, bill payers may feel left in the dark, not fully understanding how much they are truly paying each month," said Liz Powell, Senior Director of INSIGHTS at doxo.

Earlier this year, the National Low Income Housing Coalition released its annual report on rental costs, showing that many Americans make less than their area's "housing wage—the hourly, full-time wage needed to afford fair-market rent without spending more than 30 percent of their income.

According to the NLIHC, New Jersey has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, at $14.13 per hour.

However, Parsippany's market rate for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,850 per month, which would necessitate an hourly wage of $35.58, which amounts to approximately $72,800 per year.

According to the NLIHC, 26 percent of tenant households in New Jersey earn less than what is required to afford two-bedroom rent. According to the report, even affording a "modest" one-bedroom apartment at market rate necessitates 79 minimum-wage hours per week.

View the NLIHC's full report: Out of Reach 2023: The High Cost of Housing.

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PARSIPPANY — Assistant Superintendent Robert Sutter has been elevated to acting superintendent of the township school district, where Barbara Sargent is leaving at the end of her contract on June 30.

Sutter, who has served the district as assistant superintendent in charge of human resources, will assume his new post on July 1. Sargent, hired in 2017, is moving to the same position in the West Morris Regional School District, which operates two high schools serving the Chesters, Mendhams and Washington.

The Parsippany district announced Sutter's appointment on Thursday. The largest school district in Morris County, Parsippany operates 14 schools serving 7,200 students, including 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and an adult education center.

“I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be selected to serve as the next superintendent," Sutter wrote in a district statement. "I am excited and honored to continue the district’s rich history of success.”

When asked about a permanent replacement for Sargent, district public information officer Joan Benos responded "there is no superintendent search" but did not offer more details.

Applications sought to fill school board seat

The Parsippany Board of Education still has some pressing business to conclude before the end of the school year, including replacing board president Tim Berrios, who resigned last month. Applications to fill his seat are due by June 13. The board plans to make the appointment at its meeting on June 22.

Hopeful candidates who possess the qualifications for board members should submit a resume or contact board secretary Robin Tedesco at [email protected] by 1 p.m. on June 13, the district said. Submissions also can be sent or delivered to the Calabria Education Center, 292 Parsippany Road, Parsippany, N.J. 07054.

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For subscribers:After 8 years, huge Parsippany housing and retail project underway. Here's what's coming

Acting superintendent's career

Sutter began his career as an elementary teacher in Paterson before arriving in Boonton, where he served as an assistant high school principal and elementary and middle school principal. He later worked as the chief school administrator of the Lebanon Borough School District before coming to Parsippany in 2016.

"The board looks forward to Dr. Sutter’s continued tenure in the district and a smooth transition into the 2023-2024 school year," the district wrote in its announcement.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

The new facility will serve as the East Coast Hub for Gilead Sciences, a California-based biopharmaceutical company.

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Gilead Sciences, an American biopharmaceutical company, is preparing its more than 500 employees for a facility relocation to Parsippany, according to a Gilead spokesperson.

Gilead Sciences has opened a new cutting-edge facility in Parsippany-Troy Hills that will serve as the company's East Coast hub. The new site serves as a springboard for Gilead's ongoing transformation as the company strives to deliver ten or more transformative medicines by 2030.

A team of up to 500 employees from corporate affairs, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, commercial, and general administrative functions will work out of the 96,000-square-foot office.

The new office occupies space on the first two floors of the Morris Corporate Center on Interpace Parkway.

This is one of Gilead's largest investments in a physical U.S. site outside the company's headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Foster City, California, and it demonstrates the company's growing commitment to the East Coast.

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The pharmaceutical company's primary focus is on researching and developing antiviral drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, influenza, and COVID-19.

"As we celebrated the grand opening of Gilead’s new Parsippany site today, I was struck by the many attributes that make this an important and special place for the hundreds of colleagues who will call this their new workplace," said Jill Massey, Vice President, Global Medical Strategy and Operations at Gilead Sciences and N.J. Site Lead.

Gilead also announced a $250,000 grant to Students 2 Science, a local organization that helps foster a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce through hands-on STEM experiences, at the ceremony.

The grant will assist in the expansion of Students 2 Science programs, making them available to 1,650 underserved students from Morris County School Districts.

Gilead officials stated that they hope the new Parsippany facility will serve as a space where innovation can thrive. "One special detail that stands out in particular: Every conference room is dedicated to a person whose life has been impacted by a Gilead medicine, serving as an important reminder of the people we serve every day with our work," Massey said.

Gilead Sciences was founded in 1987 with the goal of providing new hope in the face of devastating diseases. They have been at the forefront of some of the world's most serious public health issues for over 35 years.

The company has developed a hepatitis C cure. They have contributed to the advancement of HIV treatment and prevention. They've fought cancer and COVID-19, and they're still dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing life-threatening diseases through the development of next-generation life-changing medicines and global health collaborations.

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