The New York Jets and a team of world renowned designers today unveiled the preliminary designs for the new team training facility and corporate headquarters to be built in Florham Park, NJ.
The relocation of the Jets headquarters from Long Island to New Jersey will generate local jobs and more than $10 million annually in new tax revenue for the state. The agreement with Florham Park also provides for the Jets to create an annual $50,000 fund that the Borough will dedicate to athletic and recreational facilities and programs.
The world renowned design team is led by architects David Childs (architect of the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site) and Roger Duffy of Skidmore, Owings, Merrill (SOM) and Tom Krizmanic of STUDIOS Architecture. SOM is the lead architect with responsibility for the site plan layout and building architecture and STUDIOS is responsible for the interior design of the complex, including classrooms, weight rooms and training facilities.
Inspired by the history of the site, formerly part of the Twombly Estate, the new facility will embrace the original typology – a main building with surrounding practice fields and courtyards to create a classic site plan for a state-of-the-art practice facility.
The training facility and corporate headquarters will include a 120,000 square foot building which will house roughly 100 employees and all football and business operations, four outdoor football fields (3 natural grass and one artificial turf) and one artificial turf field in a structured field house
"This is an exciting day for our organization," said New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson. "We are creating a competitive advantage for our team by building state-of-the-art training and medical facilities and a first rate teaching and learning center which will enhance the player experience and performance. We look forward to occupying our new facility - and becoming active members of our new community in Florham Park."
"Our new corporate campus will accommodate the needs of our football and business operations, all under one roof," added Jets President Jay Cross. "I want to thank SOM and STUDIOS for their outstanding collaboration on this preliminary design. They have embraced the history of the site while creating a unique, modern and user-friendly design which will showcase the best of the New York Jets."
"The Jets organization is one of our greatest regional institutions," said David Childs of Skidmore, Owings, Merrill. "We are extremely pleased to be helping them create a superb new training facility and corporate campus for their football and business personnel."
"We wanted to respect the history of the original Twombly estate by creating an educational campus for the Jets organized similarly to the historic estates of the region," added Roger Duffy of Skidmore, Owings, Merrill. "The main building will have a strong presence with a series of site walls that define courtyards for playing fields, parking, entrances and other project components."
"The interior experience of the facility will be designed to create the best high performance atmosphere for learning, training, and teamwork," added Tom Krizmanic of STUDIOS Architecture.
"On behalf of the citizens of our fine Borough, I am gratified and excited that Florham Park will become the future home of the New York Jets Training Facility," said Florham Park Mayor Frank Tinari.
"We are thrilled that the Jets are relocating their training facilities from Long Island to New Jersey," said Carl Goldberg, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "Not only will New Jersey gain a corporation committed to community involvement, but our state will reap significant economic benefits from the tax revenues generated by the practice and training facilities. We are excited that they have finally chosen a home in the community of Florham Park."
Stan Gale and Les Smith of The Gale Company and Rockefeller Group Development Corp., partners on the master planned development that will house the Jets new complex, added "We couldn't be happier with the progress the Jets organization has made on developing their world class plans. We are thrilled that their facility will demonstrate the same quality and first class design that the balance of our exciting master planned community will maintain as well."
On March 31, 2006, the New York Jets concluded a six month search during which time more than forty sites were considered as the Jets potential new home. The Jets have agreed to relocate their practice facility from Long Island to New Jersey as part of an historic agreement to build a new joint stadium with the Giants in the Meadowlands. As part of that agreement, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority agreed to acquire a site for each team to build new training complexes in New Jersey.
ABOUT SOM
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is an architecture firm focused on design excellence and innovation that has completed many iconic buildings throughout the World. SOM has eight offices strategically located across the globe and recently celebrated its 70th anniversary. The firm's work has been widely published and enjoyed widespread international recognition. David Childs is currently working on a number of important projects in the region including Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan, the Moynihan Station Project and the Jets Training Facility. The SOM Education Lab, led by Roger Duffy, has extensive experience with teaching and learning environments and will be taking a lead on the Jets project. The SOM Education Lab is currently working on several academic and athletic projects in the Northeast.
ABOUT STUDIOS
STUDIOS Architecture is an international architecture practice with offices in New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Paris. Founded in 1985, STUDIOS is active in the programming, master planning, design, and construction of corporate campus, academic, civic, and commercial buildings for clients including Bloomberg LP, Microsoft, MTV, XM Satellite Radio, and Nike.
