Prominent New York real estate executive Jamie Schwartz has been named President of the Hudson Valley iCampus, a 2 million-square-foot mixed-use, multi-tenanted campus on 207 acres in the hamlet of Pearl River, Rockland County, N.Y. The campus was sold by Pfizer, Inc. in 2015 to Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG), a real estate development and investment firm that owns more than 100 million square feet of commercial property across the U.S. The site is managed by its affiliate, IRG Realty Advisors, LLC (IRG RA).
Schwartz’s appointment comes after an extensive executive search for the leadership role at the campus. He has already begun a major rebranding effort, renaming the property Hudson Valley iCampus. It was previously the New York Center for Innovation. Schwartz also is responsible for reintroducing the property to current and prospective tenants and to brokers, as well as building and leading a strong management and operations team. Additionally, Schwartz will be planning and executing a development strategy for the vast amount of buildable land at the site.
“We’re thrilled Jamie decided to continue his very successful career at our Hudson Valley iCampus,” said Stuart Lichter, President and Chairman of IRG. “His experience, accomplishments and reputation in the marketplace as well as his relationships in the community have already had a positive impact.”
Prior to being named President of the Hudson Valley iCampus, Schwartz spent 18 years as Executive Vice President of GHP Office Realty, LLC in White Plains, N.Y., and was responsible for the leasing, management and construction of GHP’s multimillion-square-foot office, flex, warehouse and retail portfolio. Schwartz also managed GHP’s third-party broker representation and was an integral part of the acquisitions, sales and debt-placement teams. Throughout his career, he has negotiated and closed new lease, renewal, acquisition and sales deals worth more than $1.5 billion comprising some 8 million square feet. Schwartz also is an experienced attorney specializing in commercial real estate transactions, litigation and entertainment law.
“Although I was not looking to make a career move, when I was approached for this position it presented a unique opportunity for me to combine all of my professional experience with the forward-thinking leadership that is the hallmark of IRG,” said Schwartz. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with all of the stakeholders to successfully lead an exciting new chapter for the property.”
Hudson Valley iCampus tenants include Pfizer, Inc.; RK Pharma, Inc.; Sanofi US Services, Inc.; Iris Biogen Corp.; and Urban Electric Power, Inc. The property also features a 23-megawatt Central Utility Plant that provides reliable, economic power to the tenants of the campus.
The unique property has been featured on numerous TV shows and films, including “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC), “FBI: Most Wanted” (CBS), “Manifest” (NBC/Netflix), “Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix), “The Blacklist” (NBC/Peacock); “Prodigal Son” (Fox) and “BlacKkKlansman” (a Spike Lee film).
The campus has a rich history in the pharmaceutical industry, serving as Lederle Laboratories’ R&D, laboratory, manufacturing and headquarters, dating to the early 1900s. The property was later transferred to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer acquired Wyeth and the original 240-acre property in 2009 and sold 207 acres and 25 buildings to IRG in 2015. Pfizer currently occupies approximately 850,000 square feet on 33 contiguous acres it owns.
About Hudson Valley iCampus
Hudson Valley iCampus – www.hvicampus.com – is a 2 million-square-foot mixed-use, multi-tenanted property on 207 acres at 401 North Middletown Road in Pearl River, N.Y. The property is centrally located in the Hudson Valley and close to dining, shopping and entertainment options, with easy access to train stations and the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and within 24 miles of Manhattan. For information, contact Jamie Schwartz at jschwartz@irgra.com.
About Industrial Realty Group, LLC
Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG) is a nationwide real estate development and investment firm specializing in the acquisition, development and management of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the U.S. IRG, through its affiliated partnerships and limited liability companies, operates a portfolio containing more than 100 million square feet space in 31 states. IRG is nationally recognized as a leading force in the adaptive reuse of commercial real estate, solving some of America’s most difficult real estate challenges. For information, visit www.industrialrealtygroup.com.
About IRG Realty Advisors, LLC
IRG Realty Advisors, LLC (IRG RA) is currently the largest real estate services company headquartered in the State of Ohio that manages a portfolio of approximately 120 million square feet of assets in 31 states. Its profile includes commercial, office, retail, industrial, warehouse, multi-family properties and developable land. IRG RA provides specific emphasis and unique experiences in the development and management of large complicated mixed-use projects. As an advisory firm, its approach is to connect all the elements that can affect the performance of a commercial real estate investment and bring those together into a cohesive strategic recommendation of value enhancement. This is accomplished with an eye toward each step of the real estate life cycle, from acquisition to repositioning, to stabilization, to exit planning. For information, visit www.irgra.com.
