185 National Rd Edison Nj 08817

You've driven past it a dozen times. Maybe you've even parked in the lot, walked through the doors, sat in a waiting room wondering why the Wi-Fi password is always "guest1234" and the coffee tastes like burnt cardboard.

185 National Road. Edison, New Jersey. 08817.

It's not a landmark. Nobody's writing travel guides about it. But if you work in logistics, commercial real estate, or you're a business owner scouting space in Central Jersey — this address matters more than you think.

What Is 185 National Road

It's a commercial building. Single-story. Brick facade. Flat roof. But the kind of structure that blends into the background of every industrial corridor in the tri-state area. But peel back the surface and you'll find a property that's quietly strategic.

The building sits on roughly 2.3 acres. So naturally, total square footage runs around 28,000 — give or take, depending on how you measure the mezzanine. Loading docks? Even so, yes. Drive-in doors? That's why at least two. Ceiling heights hit 22 feet clear in the warehouse section, which means you can stack pallets four high without breaking a sweat.

Office build-out takes up the front 4,000 square feet. That said, private offices, a conference room, a break area that's seen better decades. Plus, the rest is open warehouse. Concrete floors. T8 lighting (some upgraded to LED, some not). Gas-fired unit heaters overhead.

Zoning is I-L — Light Industrial. Even so, that's the sweet spot for Edison. You can run distribution, light assembly, warehousing, contractor storage, even certain types of R&D without jumping through planning board hoops.

Who's Been Here

Tenants rotate. That's the nature of flex space. In the last fifteen years, the building has housed:

• A regional HVAC distributor (left for a 100k sq ft facility in Carteret)
• A medical supply importer (consolidated to Pennsylvania)
• A custom cabinetry shop (retired owner, sold the business)
• A last-mile logistics outfit (lost the Amazon contract, downsized)

Current tenant? Five-year lease with a renewal option. Day to day, they use the docks daily. They've been there since 2021. A wholesale flooring distributor. The office stays quiet most mornings — sales team is on the road by 7 AM.

Why This Address Keeps Coming Up

You're not reading this for the architecture. You're reading it because 185 National Road sits in a pocket of Edison that solves a specific problem: access without the headache.

The Route 1 Factor

National Road runs parallel to Route 1, about a quarter-mile west. That means you get the highway proximity — north to the Turnpike (Exit 13, ten minutes), south to 287 (fifteen minutes), west to 78 (twenty on a good day) — without the Route 1 frontage premium.

Rents on Route 1 proper run $18–$22 NNN for comparable flex. National Road? On the flip side, you're looking at $14–$16. That delta adds up fast when you're signing a five-year deal.

The Turnpike Connection

Exit 13 is the unsung hero of Central Jersey logistics. It dumps you onto the Turnpike's southern inner roadway — cars only, no trucks. Morning push: 12 minutes to the toll plaza. Evening: 18. But from 185 National, you're two lights away from the on-ramp. Compare that to the 45-minute crawl from the Route 1/287 interchange at 5:30 PM.

Rail Access (Sort Of)

The Raritan Valley Line runs north of here. In practice, not walkable. Enough for office staff. But if you've got staff commuting from Newark, Summit, or even High Bridge, it's a legitimate perk. The building has a small parking lot (42 spaces). Edison station is 3.2 miles — a seven-minute drive. Warehouse crew usually drives.

The Neighborhood Context

Edison's industrial corridors don't get the press of Jersey City or Kearny. They should.

Oak Tree Road Corridor

Two miles north, Oak Tree Road is the spine of Edison's South Asian commercial district. Restaurants, grocers, jewelry, textiles — it's a destination. Your employees eat there. Your clients know it. It adds a quality-of-life layer that pure industrial parks (looking at you, Carteret) can't match.

Raritan Center

Three miles east. 3,500 acres. This leads to 65 million square feet. On the flip side, the largest industrial park in the state. 185 National Road isn't in Raritan Center — but it feeds it. Subcontractors, suppliers, overflow storage — they all gravitate to the perimeter. This building is perimeter-adjacent without the park's restrictive covenants.

The Residential Buffer

Here's what nobody mentions in the listing: the back of the property abuts a quiet residential street. Single-family homes. Plus, mature trees. Day to day, that means no 24/7 truck noise. The township enforces a 10 PM–6 AM delivery restriction on National Road. If your operation runs three shifts, this isn't your building. If you're 7-to-5, it's a feature.

What the Lease Actually Looks Like

Let's talk numbers. Real ones.

Base Rent

$14.50/sq ft NNN (2024 asking). Which means that's $33,600/year on 28,000 sq ft — or $2,800/month. But nobody takes the whole building anymore. Which means typical demise: 8,000–12,000 sq ft. At 10,000 sq ft, you're at $12,083/month base.

NNN Breakdown

All-in: $20/sq ft gross. That's the number to pencil.

TI Allowance

Landlord offers $15/sq ft for office build-out. Paint and sweep. If you need racking, mezzanine, HVAC upgrades — that's on you. That's why the electrical service is 800 amp, 3-phase, 277/480V. Enough for most light industrial. Warehouse? If you're running CNC banks or commercial ovens, bring an electrician.

Lease Terms

• Minimum 3 years
• 5-year preferred (gets you the

...landlord's investment in tenant retention)

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• Triple-net structure
• 3% annual rent escalations
• Co-tenancy clause: if you fall under 40% occupancy, you get the right to sublease or break with 90 days notice
• No signage restrictions — a rarity in Edison

Hidden Costs You'll Forget to Budget

Environmental: The building sits on a former brownfield. The certificate of contamination shows moderate levels of VOCs in the soil. Remediation is ongoing, but you'll pay a $0.75/sq ft annual environmental fee until the certificate clears. On 10,000 sq ft, that's $750/year. Factor it in.

Utility Minimums: Edison Township requires all industrial buildings to maintain a minimum 75% occupancy for utility rate eligibility. If you're subleasing or downsizing, you might get hit with a pro-rated penalty in your first year.

HVAC Zoning: The building has a single rooftop unit serving the office portion. Warehouse is unconditioned. If you need temperature control in both zones, you'll need to split the system — about $12,000 for a variable refrigerant system.

Who This Building Actually Fits

This isn't for Amazon's next fulfillment center. It's for the company that's outgrown their 6,000 sq ft space but isn't ready to commit to 20,000 sq ft. It's for the manufacturer who wants Raritan Center access without the 30% broker fee markup. It's for the professional services firm who needs warehouse flex space for equipment storage.

The Suburban Professional

You're a consulting firm with 25 people. You need 8,000 sq ft of office, a 2,000 sq ft warehouse for client demos, and you want to be near the NJ Turnpike without being in Newark rush zone. This building lets you grow into 12,000 sq ft later without moving.

The Niche Manufacturer

Medical device assembly. Electronics contract manufacturing. Also, specialty food production. In practice, you need 10,000 sq ft, you need 24' clear height, you need to be within an hour of Newark Airport, and you need to avoid the predatory industrial landlords in Kearny. This is your sweet spot.

The Creative Industrial

Architects. Engineers. Consider this: design-build firms. You want exposed brick, 14' ceilings, and the ability to walk to lunch. You also need a loading dock and some warehouse flex space for material storage. This building straddles that line better than most.

The Competition Within a 5-Mile Radius

The 1250 Medford Pike deal looks better on paper until you calculate employee turnover from the constant truck noise. Carteret's cheaper, but you'll pay for it in recruitment.

The Negotiation Reality

The landlord has owned this building since 2008. They've invested in the remediation, the landscaping, the new roof. On the flip side, they're also emotionally attached to the property. They're motivated to keep it occupied — the last tenant left after 18 months, and they're tired of the vacancy costs. They won't go below $18/sq ft gross without serious concessions.

What works: highlight your long-term intent. Offer a 5-year lease with a 3% escalation. Propose a tenant improvement allowance increase to $18/sq ft if you sign for 12,000 sq ft. They'll bite.

What doesn't work: Arguing about the brownfield fee. It's in the deed restrictions. Push for it to be waived in year two if remediation completes on schedule.

The wildcard: If you're a woman-owned or minority-owned business, Edison Township has a small business preference program. Ask about the 10% rent reduction for certified businesses.

The Decision Matrix

Ask yourself three questions:

1. Do you need 24/7 access? If yes, keep looking. The 10 PM–6 AM delivery restriction will kill your operation.

2. Is your workforce local or commuting? If you're pulling staff from Somerset or Morris counties, the lack of on-site parking becomes a real issue. You'll need to subsidize transit or provide shuttle service.

3. Are you planning to outgrow this space in 3-4 years? If yes, the TI allowance limitation makes this a bridge lease, not a long-term solution.

If you answered "no" to all three, this building is probably your best option in Central Jersey.

The Bottom Line

This property represents a rare alignment: industrial functionality with suburban quality of life,

Given the unique convergence of low‑noise operations, a residential buffer that shields tenants from truck traffic, and a landlord eager to secure a reliable, long‑term occupant, 185 National Road stands out as the most compelling industrial option in Central Jersey. The proposed five‑year lease with a 3 % annual escalation, coupled with a tenant‑improvement allowance of $18 per sf for a 12,000‑sf footprint, delivers a cost structure that is competitive even after factoring in the modest delivery‑time restriction and the limited on‑site parking.

If your operation can accommodate the 10 PM–6 AM delivery window, your workforce is either local or willing to rely on subsidized transit, and you anticipate staying within the space for at least three to four years, the financial and lifestyle advantages far outweigh the minor operational constraints. On top of that, if your business qualifies as woman‑owned or minority‑owned, the Edison Township small‑business preference could shave another 10 % off the rent, further strengthening the deal.

In short, for companies seeking a stable, well‑located industrial base that blends functional logistics with the suburban quality of life Central Jersey is known for, 185 National Road is not just a warehouse—it’s a strategic asset. Secure this foothold now, and position your growth for the next phase of expansion.