HAMILTON, N.J. — When Modern Recycled Spaces emerged as a restorer by converting the area’s old, dilapidated buildings into aesthetically pleasing, loft-style commercial spaces, it also brought unique, creative and philanthropic companies to Hamilton’s Bromley neighborhood.
Where others tend to ignore longtime-neglected factories and warehouses, the award-winning Hamilton-based developer has a focus on reinventing such historic buildings by transforming them into inspirational and beautiful spaces for businesses that also help the surrounding communities by giving back.
Daniel “Max” Popkin, director of leasing and marketing at Modern Recycled Spaces, stated that the developer “specializes in refurbished commercial space for rent or lease for office, industrial, shops, factories, studios, warehouse, distribution, showrooms and retail spaces and units.”
His flagship projects in Hamilton’s Bromley neighborhood are Studio Park and Mill One that attract creative companies, entrepreneurs, and jobs to the arts and cultural district.
Popkin named specific projects that Modern Recycled Spaces has helped developed, stating that some of them have been kind in giving back to the immediate communities.
He said they are excited to work with the Bromley Center, and recently their companies assisted in the Bromley Center’s neighborhood clean up.
Another example of benevolence was when David Fine, a tenant of Mill One, owner of Bark-N-Bag, and member of Shop Hamilton, approached Modern Recycled Spaces asking for help to raise money so he could afford a gift donation to the Bromley Center, and he received immediate support from another tenant, Mixbin, whose CEO is Corey Zeiter. They helped him to quickly meet his goal, Popkin reported.
“As Modern Recycled Spaces is dedicated to bringing startups, businesses, entrepreneurs, artists to these buildings, they are also focused on helping the surrounding communities,” he said.
He also said Talksoft, whose CEO is Ken Walsh, is another creative startup in the Studio Park and Mill One complex that grew, is very successful and is also involved with assisting the local community.
According to Popkin, in the last two years, they have had many startups and have tried to do “cool stuff with art and artists” in their Studio Park and Mill One buildings.
“Studio Park has about 30 different companies including Mixbin, local and other artists, real estate companies and so on,” said Popkin.
He said Isles is their partner at Mill One, and Isles will move their headquarters there.
Popkin said they are just the developers of the buildings that usually get neglected because sometimes they are in rough neighborhoods, are too old and are usually falling apart.
He said, “We are the best in the area. We are unique. No one around does this. We keep old architecture like the bricks and wood and make them beautiful.”
He added, “We’ve been doing this for at least 30 years now. The majority of our buildings are in Hamilton, and we have one in Trenton. Our next project will be in Bordentown.”
Modern Recycled Spaces is working to transform and redevelop the former Ocean Spray building in Bordentown, he said.
Among other notable projects, the developer has renovated a golf bag factory and an old mill in Hamilton. It turned an aging pottery factory in Lambertville into Canal Studios with a complete vibrant artist and ballet studio; a brick-oven pizzeria, and a small-batch coffee roaster and café. He said the company even saved a vintage stainless-steel diner from the wrecking ball and is turning it into a job training facility for underprivileged youth.