Aerial rendering that shows studio, residential housing, and mixed-use residential and retail property.
This is a rapidly evolving story, more details to follow!
Tonight, for those who watched the livestream of the Borough Council meeting, it was announced that Americana Studios is building a Hollywood-scale production studio on the former Sony property. This project follows the borough's redevelopment plan. In addition to the movie/TV production lots, there will be mixed-used retail, condominiums, townhouses, single-family homes, a hotel, and office space.
Impact of Closure
The closure of the Sony manufacturing plant in March 2011 dealt Pitman a significant economic blow. Approximately 300 employees lost their jobs after the company eliminated another 160 positions the previous year. Beyond the job losses, the closure dramatically reduced the property's contribution to the local tax base. At the time, then-Mayor Michael Batten estimated the borough would lose approximately $400,000 in tax revenue. Over the ensuing 15 years, the reduction likely amounted to millions of dollars in potential tax contributions to the borough and its schools, shifting more of the tax burden onto other property owners.
The borough's efforts to encourage redevelopment came amid years of frustration over the property's lack of progress. In September 2023, Mayor Michael Razze told the Courier-Post that multiple developers had expressed interest in the property, but none had successfully reached a deal with its owner. Two months later, Councilman Kelly suggested that the borough's willingness to pursue eminent domain seemed to have motivated the owner to sell. This proved optimistic, as three years later the property still hadn’t been sold.
The Road to Redevelopment
March 14, 2022 — The Process Begins
Pitman Borough Council adopted Resolution 65-2022, authorizing an investigation into whether the former Sony property qualified as a Condemnation Redevelopment Area under New Jersey law.
June 20, 2022 — Planning Board Recommendation
Following a public hearing, the Planning Board adopted Resolution 2022-15, recommending the condemnation redevelopment designation.
June 27, 2022 — Eminent Domain Eligibility Established
Borough Council adopted Resolution 123-2022, formally designating the property as a Condemnation Redevelopment Area and establishing the legal foundation for potentially acquiring the property through eminent domain.
August 31, 2022 — Redevelopment Plan Adopted
At a special meeting, Borough Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 10-2022, establishing a redevelopment plan for the approximately 76-acre property.
September 11, 2023 — Property Acquisition Authorized
Borough Council unanimously adopted Ordinance O-08-23, authorizing the borough to acquire the property through purchase, condemnation, or other lawful means.
April 8, 2024 — Redevelopment Plan Amended
Borough Council adopted Ordinance 5-2024, approving an amended redevelopment plan that accommodated a broader range of potential uses, including residential, commercial, and industrial development.
June 2024 — Private Development Proposals Sought
The borough issued a formal Request for Redevelopment Proposals, inviting developers to submit plans for the property.
Environmental Contamination and Remediation
The former Sony property also has a long history of environmental contamination dating back to its years as a Columbia Records manufacturing facility. A 2004 Philadelphia Inquirer investigation found that the company discharged nickel-contaminated wastewater onto the property and into lagoons during the 1960s and 1970s, contaminating soil and groundwater. By 2004, at least $1.8 million had been spent on cleanup efforts, including the removal of more than 4,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Groundwater monitoring continued, although testing at the time indicated the remaining contamination was not spreading.
Environmental concerns later became an obstacle to redevelopment. The borough's 2024 Sony Redevelopment Plan cites environmental reports from around 2000 that projected a 63-year cleanup period for one contaminated area, with no timeline determined for another. The property's current environmental remediation status is hard to determine, but anyone doing a deep dive can use the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection data miner.
