Few can claim a more inviting, accommodating, and innovative workspace than the people who work at Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey. Bell Works has been transformed from a historical research and development facility to a multi-use “metroburb” providing a place where people may work, live, innovate and play all within a single complex. Conveniently located in Central New Jersey and in close proximity to New York City, Bell Works is rapidly becoming one of the most sought out places to work in the country. Our employment law firm is proud to be one of the first tenants to move into the redeveloped facility in 2016 and continue to look forward to experiencing the renaissance taking every day place at Bell Works.
Bell Laboratories was originally developed between 1959 and 1962 by world renowned architect Eero Saarinen. Some of Saarinen’s more family designs include the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, Washington Dulles International Airport and the TWA Flight Center in New York City. Bell Laboratories was one of Saarinen’s last projects before his passing in 1961.
From the property’s creation through its abandonment in the early 2000s, Bell Laboratories was home to a variety of scientific laboratories, all with revolutionary missions. In 1932, Karl Jansky invented radio astronomy and located the center of the galaxy from his lab in Holmdel, New Jersey. Between 1929 and 1959, much of the scientific work being completed in the laboratory addressed shortwave radio frequencies. After the new building was erected around 1960, technological development in the complex sped forward and included satellite communication with the development of the Telstar mission in conjunction with AT&T and NASA, as well as advancement in mobile phones and electronic switching systems. Research completed in Bell Laboratories also contributed to the winning of several Nobel Prizes. These include Prizes awarded to Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes in 1958 for inventing the laser, to Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1978 for their development of the Holmdel Horn Antenna that helped to prove the Big Bang Theory, and to Steven Chu in 1997 for successfully using laser lights to trap and cool atoms.
Bell Laboratories was originally owned and developed by Bell Telephone Company, followed by AT&T, and then Alcatel-Lucent. The complex has historically maintained a focus on community and social awareness, with events and groups that focused on political issues such as the Vietnam War. The community also held social events such as art shows, and created clubs such as softball teams and jogging groups. The size, organization, and location of the Bell Laboratories building allowed employees and building owners to host all types of events and pursue interests of all kinds.
Eventually, the scientific community’s need for Bell Laboratories diminished, and the building was abandoned by 2010. Recognizing the potential of the space, Somerset Development Company acquired the property with the intent to create a uniquely progressive workspace. Ralph Zucker, the creator of the complex, describes the concept as a “metroburb”, or an urban park in a suburban location. His objective was to create a space where individuals can work, shop, live, eat, and play all in one convenient location.
Office spaces, restaurants, coffee shops, exercise studios, and a hotel will all be contained in the Bell Works space before its final completion. In this way, Bell Works will have the characteristics of a metropolis while maintaining a suburban location. Bell Works now houses a wide variety of businesses in a wide variety of industries. Bell Works is open to the public, with the Holmdel library, shops, eateries, fitness center, day care and more. Bell Works regularly hosts community and industry events in their multi-purpose space, including the Fourth of July Fireworks, New Jersey Digital Marketing Conference and a weekly farmers market during the summer.
The innovative, comprehensive, and productive workspace at Bell Works makes meeting with the employment attorneys at Smith Eibeler a more accommodating and less stressful experience. Come visit us today in Suite 1-105R in Bell Works, located at 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, New Jersey. Bell Works is conveniently located off the Garden State Parkway Exit 114.
Click here to watch a video about the rich history of the Bell Works building.