Harvest Leases Space for Two Restaurants on Morristown Green

July 29, 2010 - PRLog -- MORRISTOWN, N.J., July 29, 2010 – Harvest Restaurants, an established owner/operator of upscale eateries in northern New Jersey, has leased 10,700 square feet of retail space at The Shoppes on the Green in Morristown, announced Rick Rizzuto, Michael Stone and Jim Postell of commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., exclusive leasing agent. Harvest Restaurants will open two concepts – Roots Steakhouse and Urban Kitchen; the restaurants will anchor the newly constructed project’s dining mix.

As the amenities component of Rosewood’s 40 Park luxury residential development, The Shoppes on the Green features more than 70,000 square feet of retail beneath seven stories that house 60 condominium and 13 penthouse units. It also anchors The Metropolitan, a seven-story 130-unit luxury rental building, and The Lofts, a 30-unit condominium property.

According to Rizzuto, Harvest Restaurants and the two concepts the company is bringing to Morristown are a perfect fit for The Shoppes on the Green. Headquartered in Morris Plains, N.J., Harvest Restaurants began in 1996 with the opening of Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery in Berkeley Heights. The company has grown to six additional restaurants known for their stylish designs and unique seasonal menus, including Grato and Tabor Road Tavern in Morris Plains, Huntley Taverne and Roots Steakhouse in Summit, and Ciao Restaurant and 3 West Restaurant in Basking Ridge.

The Morristown Roots Steakhouse will mirror the successful Summit restaurant, combining New York City-style flair with a suburban twist. The 7,500-square-foot establishment will feature a rich menu in a sophisticated atmosphere highlighted by dark mahogany, leather and polished-brass finishes.

Urban Kitchen represents a new concept for Harvest Restaurants. The 3,200-square-foot casual restaurant will be geared to adults, with an interior design projecting fun, bright colors. The menu will feature a heavy emphasis on burgers, and also will offer sushi, fish tacos, shakes and smoothies – as well as a full bar. Urban Kitchen will be Harvest Restaurants’ first location to offer breakfast.

“40 Park is a pivotal project in Morristown’s trend toward luxury housing and amenities, and we are excited to be part of it,” said Harvest Restaurants’ Grant C. Halliday, director of operations. “The wealthy population here is growing, and this location also will draw customers from surrounding towns like Mendham, Harding, New Vernon, Bernardsville. These are our target guests for Roots Steakhouse, and we are pleased to be able to offer them a location closer to home. Urban Kitchen is a very different type of restaurant than our other concepts. We are confident that the hip, cool atmosphere and fun menu will appeal to Morristown’s upwardly mobile residents and visitors.”

According to Rizzuto, the new restaurants – and the larger Shoppes on the Green project – represent a positive step toward reestablishing downtown Morristown as a destination for shopping, dining and community. Roots Steakhouse and Urban Kitchen will join AT&T, which was the first retailer to lease space at The Shoppes on the Green.

“With these tenants in place, inquires for the balance of the space have increased about 75 percent,” Rizzuto said. “We have interest from a larger national, cutting edge electronics-focused retailer and various health clubs, and we also are looking to bring in boutique retail – clothing companies, book stores and the like – as well as additional restaurant concepts and a high-end grocer to round out the tenant mix.”

Rizzuto also serves as exclusive retail leasing agent for Rosewood’s The Highlands at Morristown Station, a mixed-use project that includes 8,000 square feet of Class A retail space as part of the town’s high-profile Transit Village development.