From Skates to Slots

Bellevue Properties Group gives former Parkway Skating Center new life as office building for Bally Gaming & Systems.

EGG HARBOR TWP. – For years, the building at 3133 Fire Road in Egg Harbor Township was a place where children of all ages would gather to play. Today, the former Parkway Skating Center is the focus of adult games, reborn as the Eastern Region Client Center for Bally Gaming & Systems. This unlikely transformation from aging roller rink to stylish, high-tech office space was the brainchild of Bellevue Properties Group, LLC.

 Bellevue Properties Group, headed by George Mortellite, has built or redeveloped numerous office and professional properties throughout Atlantic County, finding creative uses for underutilized commercial spaces. Their portfolio includes the striking office building at 2900 Fire Road in Egg Harbor Township, accented by five dancing fountains, concrete spheres of various sizes, and a two-story, glass-enclosed lobby featuring a red cactus sculpture made of copper tubing that stands 25 feet high.

 “The success of a business can depend on matching it with the right operating space. That’s what we do at Bellevue,” Mortellite said. “We carefully consider type of business, size, amenities and future growth potential to determine the best building designs for our clients.”

 In addition to leasing and managing their inventory of properties, Bellevue Properties Group is happy to work with clients on a “build to suit” basis. It was this dedication to customer satisfaction that led Bally Gaming & Systems to Bellevue when the company was ready to move into office space of their own.

“After sharing office space with several other companies, it’s such a pleasure to have a building of our own,” said Diane Renzetti, manager of human resources and administration for Bally Gaming & Systems. “It has become our company showplace and we’re all very excited and proud to be working here.

The group moved into the 24,000 square foot building nestled on more than four acres of property on August 17, 2004. Where skaters once circled round and round, the Bally’s team now enjoys attractive work areas, a modern and spacious training room, a welcoming lobby, three conference rooms, development and testing labs, an employee dining area, a documentation library and a state-of-the-art client showroom.

 Bellevue worked closely with Bally Gaming to tailor the building’s renovations to not only service Bally’s clients, but also foster a creative and productive environment for its employees. Assisting Bellevue on the design of the project were architect Harry Harper of Absecon and interior designer Maggie Hampton from Noble-Hampton of Northfield. Rite Way Construction of Woodbine, NJ, served as the general contractor. Vanguard Property Group and Colliers L&A, Inc. represented the two parties in the transaction.

 “One of the biggest challenges in redesigning the overall facility for Bally Gaming & Systems was to transform what was a plain, industrial looking building into something that looked more like an office building,” added Dan Pittaro of Bellevue Properties Group. “To that end, we added 48 windows and doors to bring in more natural light, give it more aesthetic appeal and create a more desirable work environment.”

Bellevue’s ability to turn lackluster spaces into attractive, productive office buildings is a benefit to more than just the companies who occupy them; it also benefits the surrounding community. With Bally Gaming & System’s move into the former Parkway Skating Center, 85 employees are now dining, shopping and supporting various other businesses in and around Egg Harbor Township.

“We take pride in the buildings we develop and are pleased to see them become assets to the neighborhood,” Mortellite continued. “It is my hope that when people see the Bellevue Properties Group sign go up in front of a new renovation, they’ll know it’s a quality project that will be as nice to look at as it is to work in.