The Plaza at Harmon Meadow

The Plaza at Harmon Meadow is a mixed-use commercial complex in Secaucus, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands area approximately six miles from New York City. Developed by Hartz Mountain Industries and built in 1981, the property combines shopping, restaurants, hotels, offices, entertainment, and convention facilities rather than functioning solely as a conventional enclosed mall. Hartz Mountain Industries has also used the Plaza as a corporate base, linking the development to the company’s broader real-estate activities in the Meadowlands. The complex occupies approximately 175 acres and contains more than 3.5 million square feet of hotel, office, retail, and restaurant space. Its shopping component provides about 400,000 square feet of gross leasable area. The tenant and destination mix has included large-format retailers, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, and service businesses. Retail facilities associated with the broader Harmon Meadow development include Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Best Buy, while the entertainment offering includes the 14-screen Showplace Theatres, which opened in October 2009. A significant part of the Plaza’s identity is its event and hospitality infrastructure. The Meadowlands Convention Center, also known as the Meadowlands Exposition Center, provides approximately 61,000 square feet of exhibition space. The wider complex contains several hotels with a combined capacity of roughly 1,200 rooms, allowing it to serve corporate meetings, trade shows, fan conventions, leisure visitors, and regional events. This combination of retail, lodging, dining, offices, and exhibition space has positioned Harmon Meadow as a destination-oriented commercial district rather than simply a shopping address. The property changed ownership in 2015, when it was purchased by the Carlton Group, associated with Howard Michaels. Hartz Mountain Industries remained important to the site’s development history and corporate presence, but the acquisition marked a transition in ownership of the complex. The Plaza’s location near Route 3, Paterson Plank Road, the New Jersey Turnpike, and major bus routes gives it access to northern New Jersey and Manhattan. Public transportation connections include NJ Transit routes serving Newark, Jersey City, Union City, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The Plaza has also been used as a venue for large public gatherings. It hosted BronyCon from June 30 to July 1, 2012, bringing a fan convention devoted to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic to the complex. Beginning in 2015, the Meadowlands Exposition Center became the East Coast Comicon venue after the event moved from Asbury Park. These uses reinforce the property’s role as a flexible regional destination that combines commercial activity with convention and entertainment programming.

The Plaza at Harmon Meadow was developed by Hartz Mountain Industries as part of the company’s larger Meadowlands real-estate activity. Construction was completed in 1981, establishing a substantial commercial complex in Secaucus, New Jersey, close to Route 3, Paterson Plank Road, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the New York metropolitan area. From its early development, the property was conceived as more than a traditional retail center: its uses included shopping, restaurants, offices, hotels, and facilities for meetings and exhibitions. Hartz Mountain Industries’ corporate offices were located within the Plaza, further connecting the site with its developer. Over time, Harmon Meadow expanded into a large mixed-use community covering approximately 175 acres. The development grew to include more than 3.5 million square feet of combined hotel, office, retail, and restaurant space. Its retail component amounted to approximately 400,000 square feet of gross leasable area and included a range of shopping formats, from large national retailers to dining and service businesses. Walmart and Sam’s Club were located east of the New Jersey Turnpike near Route 3 and Interchange 16E, while Best Buy was among the other major retail destinations associated with the complex. Hospitality and entertainment became important parts of the property’s regional role. Several hotels across the development provided approximately 1,200 rooms in total, supporting visitors to the retail district, nearby businesses, and convention events. The Meadowlands Convention Center, later referred to as the Meadowlands Exposition Center, supplied approximately 61,000 square feet of exhibition space. A 14-screen Showplace Theatres opened in October 2009, adding a major cinema attraction to the site and broadening its leisure offering. The Plaza’s location and transportation connections supported its development as a destination serving both northern New Jersey and Manhattan. Bus routes connect the complex with Newark, Jersey City, Union City, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Road access through Route 3, Paterson Plank Road, and the New Jersey Turnpike provides additional reach across the metropolitan region. The property became associated with convention and fan-event programming as well as everyday retail. BronyCon, a convention centered on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, took place at the Plaza from June 30 to July 1, 2012. In 2015, the Meadowlands Exposition Center became the venue for East Coast Comicon after that event relocated from Asbury Park. These events demonstrated the value of the complex’s exhibition, hotel, dining, and transportation infrastructure. Ownership changed in 2015 when the property was purchased by the Carlton Group, associated with Howard Michaels. The transaction marked a new phase in the ownership history of a property that had previously been closely identified with Hartz Mountain Industries. The Plaza continues to operate as a mixed-use commercial and event destination in Secaucus, although individual tenants, operators, and offerings may change over time.

• 2015

  Ownership transferred to Carlton Group

  [1]The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org

  The Plaza was purchased by the Carlton Group, associated with Howard Michaels.

• 2015

  East Coast Comicon moved to the Meadowlands Exposition Center

  [1]The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org

  The convention moved from Asbury Park to the exhibition facility located at the Plaza.

• 2012

  BronyCon took place at the Plaza

  [1]The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org

  The complex hosted BronyCon from June 30 to July 1, demonstrating its capacity for large fan and convention events.

• 2009

  Showplace Theatres opened

  [1]The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org

  A 14-screen Showplace Theatres cinema opened at the complex in October, expanding its entertainment offering.

• 1981

  The complex was built

  [1]The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org

  Hartz Mountain Industries completed development of The Plaza at Harmon Meadow in Secaucus, New Jersey.

A large, accessible Meadowlands mixed-use destination combining retail, restaurants, hotels, offices, entertainment, and convention facilities for local customers, regional visitors, business travelers, and event attendees.

• Retail · 1981

  Retail shopping

  The Plaza’s principal retail offering consists of approximately 400,000 square feet of gross leasable shopping space. The broader Harmon Meadow development has included national large-format retailers, specialty stores, restaurants, and service businesses, giving the property a mixed retail profile rather than a single-store format.

• Convention and exhibition venue

  Meadowlands Convention Center / Meadowlands Exposition Center

  The convention facility provides approximately 61,000 square feet of exhibition space within the Plaza complex. It supports trade shows, conventions, public events, fan gatherings, and other large-format programs, with nearby hotels, restaurants, retail, and road and bus access supporting attendees.

• Entertainment · 2009

  Showplace Theatres

  Showplace Theatres is a 14-screen cinema facility at the complex. It opened in October 2009 and forms part of Harmon Meadow’s leisure and destination-oriented offering alongside restaurants, hotels, and retail.

• Hospitality

  Hotel accommodation

  Several hotels are located throughout the wider Harmon Meadow complex, with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1,200 rooms. The hospitality component serves shoppers, business travelers, convention delegates, event attendees, and visitors to the New York metropolitan area.

• Commercial real estate · 1981

  Office space

  Office space is one of the major uses incorporated into the Plaza’s mixed-use layout. Hartz Mountain Industries has maintained its corporate offices at the property, while the wider development accommodates commercial tenants alongside retail, hospitality, and event uses.

• 2015East Coast Comicon at the Meadowlands Exposition Center

  United States · New Jersey · New York metropolitan area

  The Meadowlands Exposition Center at the Plaza became the host location for East Coast Comicon after the event moved from Asbury Park.

  Outcome. The relocation added another recurring public convention to the complex’s event calendar and highlighted its regional exhibition capacity.

  Source
• 2012BronyCon at The Plaza

  United States · New Jersey · New York metropolitan area

  The Plaza hosted BronyCon from June 30 to July 1, 2012. The event brought a large fan community associated with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic to the complex and used its convention, hotel, dining, and transportation infrastructure.

  Outcome. The event established the property as a venue for specialized fan conventions and other destination gatherings.

  Source

• 2015

  Sale of the property to Carlton GroupM&A

  Background

  After decades of association with developer Hartz Mountain Industries, ownership of the complex changed in 2015.

  Action taken

  The Carlton Group, associated with Howard Michaels, purchased The Plaza at Harmon Meadow.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition created a new ownership phase for the mixed-use property; the available reference material does not specify subsequent operational changes.

  Source

• 2009

  Opening of Showplace TheatresProduct launch

  Background

  The mixed-use complex expanded its entertainment offer with a new 14-screen cinema.

  Action taken

  Showplace Theatres opened at The Plaza at Harmon Meadow in October 2009.

  Aftermath

  The cinema became part of the property’s retail and leisure destination mix.

  Source

1. 1The Plaza at Harmon Meadowen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Plaza at Harmon Meadow directorytheplazaatharmonmeadow.com