Photo Courtesy of West Orange Film making began in West Orange at Thomas Edison’s Black Maria studio, pictured, and is now likely to return with the Township Council’s approval of a land sale for the site of a proposed film studio behind the Edison property.
Film making began in West Orange at Thomas Edison’s Black Maria
studio, pictured, and is now likely to return with the Township Council’s approval of a land sale for the site of a proposed film studio behind the Edison property.
WEST ORANGE — The Township Council has approved Matrix Development Group’s purchase of a 12-acre tract of land that will be the home to a proposed film studio, along with a new corridor connecting the film studio to the Downtown.
“West Orange Township is standing at a transformative threshold with this $10 million dollar investment in our Downtown,” West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney said. “This agreement offers financial stability by bringing down our debt, generating tax-paying revenue, and works toward the necessary, needed remediation of the site. I believe this agreement will create a positive impact for our business owners and residents, and the economic vitality it will produce to effectively market ourselves as a premier film & TV production destination that will resonate for the Township for years to come.”
The land is located behind the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, near the Edison Lofts. The film studio project, a collaboration with Matrix Development Group of Monroe Township, is set on approximately 12.2 acres within the town’s Film Services Overlay District.
The project aims to diversify West Orange’s mixed-use development and economic foundation by fostering film production activities, specifically ‘studio use,’ adjacent to the historic site of the world’s first film production studio.
The envisioned studio will span between 150,000 and 350,000 square feet and feature three to six production stages ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet each.
These stages will be equipped with on-site production services, including grip and electric equipment, props, set building, location catering, cleaning services, and security, according to a press release from West Orange.
Additionally, the facility will include office and support spaces, as well as parking facilities capable of accommodating 200 to 400 cars and 30 to 60 trucks. Once fully operational, the film studio project is expected to create 300 to 600 new full-time jobs, significantly boosting the local economy, the release said.
West Orange Councilwoman Michelle Casalino, a key advocate for the development of a Downtown corridor that will connect the film studio to the heart of the Downtown, emphasized the significance of the project.
“Connecting the film studio to our vibrant Downtown is a crucial step in drawing more visitors to experience and explore the exceptional small businesses and events that make Downtown West Orange so unique,” Casalino said.
Matrix Development Group will have 18 months to close on the property. This advance in the project enables Matrix Development to seek and secure a movie studio partner. Once the purchase is complete, MDGC will undertake the necessary environmental remediation of the property, in conjunction with the township, which is currently investigating various sources to assist in the cleanup and remediation.
McCartney, chair of the township’s Brownfields Development Steering Committee submitted a grant application to the state Department of Environmental Protection in July 2024 for Brownfields remediation.
Matrix Development Group has secured redevelopment rights for this film studio project, paying $400,000 to the Township, which mirrors the expected property taxes for the year 2023. Matrix Development has committed substantial additional funds during the due diligence period to negotiate with a film studio partner and obtain the necessary state tax benefits for a viable project.
West Orange was recently designated as a Film Ready Community by the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. The designation positions West Orange to better accommodate movie and television producers.
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