What Onyx Equities does

Onyx Equities, LLC (legal name Onyx Equities, LLC) is a privately held commercial real estate investment and property services firm founded in 2004 by co-founders and managing principals Jonathan B. Schultz and John Saraceno Jr. and headquartered in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The firm pursues a value-add strategy: acquiring well-located, under-performing commercial properties across office, industrial, life sciences, retail, and residential product types, then repositioning them through capital improvement programs and creative marketing. It serves institutional investment partners (through joint ventures and its direct investment platform), tenants ranging from enterprises to academic institutions, and lenders holding troubled assets. Operations span ten states — New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee, and Virginia — with the core footprint concentrated in the New York Metro area.

The company operates a platform-plus-services model. Its Full Platform layer provides in-house property management, asset management, construction management, leasing, and accounting, supplemented by court-approved receivership and REO services for defaulted or troubled assets. Onyx runs a proprietary CRE technology platform that integrates operational tools such as non-compliance and real-time variance alerts, GPS staff check-in, a performance-measures dashboard, energy-consumption monitoring, interactive stacking plans, lockbox/rent collection, treasury management, and reporting automation to run its portfolio from a single system. Signature assets include the ~2 million+ SF Northeast Science and Technology Center (NEST) in Kenilworth (formerly Merck's global research headquarters), the Gateway Center mixed-use complex in Newark, the Summit East and Arbors office/life-science campuses, the Inwood Logistics Center and High Point on 10 industrial facilities, and residential communities NOMA and The Benjamin.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The business monetizes through property acquisitions and dispositions, recurring property/asset management and accounting fees, transaction-based leasing commissions, construction and receivership professional-services fees, and an investment fund arm (Phalanx Funds) that has historically generated fund-level IRRs in excess of 25%. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated per property and per tenant, with no publicly disclosed tiers. Since inception the firm reports over $4 billion invested in acquisitions and more than $1 billion in asset repositioning projects.

Name

Onyx Equities

Legal name

Onyx Equities, LLC

Website

https://onyxequities.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Onyx Equities is a New Jersey-based commercial real estate investment and property services firm that acquires, repositions, and manages under-performing office, industrial, life-science, retail, and residential properties for institutional partners and tenants across ten U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodbridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Acquisitions: Onyx acquires well-located under-performing commercial properties across multiple product types including office, retail, industrial, life sciences, and residential. The company implements value-add strategies through capital improvement programs and creative marketing to reposition assets.
2. Property Management Services: Full-service property management including day-to-day, on-site resources to maintain and improve assets across all property types.
3. Asset Management: Asset management services applying proven strategies to stabilize assets and implement value-add initiatives for partners and direct investment platform.
4. Leasing Services: In-house leasing team ensuring market exposure for properties to attract and secure tenants.
5. Construction Management: Construction department services managing capital improvement projects with millions of square feet of experience.
6. Accounting Services: In-house financial controls and reporting services for portfolio operations.
7. Receivership Services: Court-approved receivership services including asset and property management, pre-default due diligence, and property stabilization for troubled assets or portfolios.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Onyx Equities acquires well-located under-performing commercial properties across office, industrial, life sciences, retail, and residential product types and repositions them through capital improvement programs and active management. The firm operates an integrated full-service platform covering property management, asset management, construction management, leasing, and accounting, supported by a proprietary CRE technology platform for operational efficiency.

Product overview

Onyx Equities is a real estate investment and property services firm operating a platform-plus-services model. The core offering spans acquisition, management, and repositioning of commercial properties across office, industrial, life sciences, residential, and retail sectors. The Full Platform Services layer provides integrated property management, asset management, construction, leasing, and accounting services. Their CRE Technology Platform powers internal operations with efficiency, streamlining, and collaboration tools. Key property assets include the Northeast Science and Technology Center (NEST) life science campus, Gateway Center mixed-use complex, Summit East and Arbors office campuses, Inwood Logistics Center and High Point on 10 industrial facilities, and residential communities NOMA and The Benjamin. Receivership & REO Services complement the investment strategy for troubled assets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Platform Services Comprehensive property services including asset management, property management, construction management, leasing services, and accounting services delivered through an integrated internal platform for owners and institutional investors.
• Receivership & REO Services Court-approved receivership services, pre-default due diligence, property management and stabilization, and leasing and marketing for troubled commercial real estate assets and portfolios across NJ, CT, NY, GA, NC, SC, MD, PA, TN, and VA.
• CRE Technology Platform Proprietary real estate technology platform featuring efficiency tools (alerts, variance tracking, GPS check-in, performance dashboards), operational streamlining (interactive stacking plans, lockbox/rent collection), and collaboration tools (reporting automation, tenant health awareness) used internally for portfolio management.
• Northeast Science and Technology Center (NEST) A 2 million+ SF world headquarters and research campus in Kenilworth, NJ featuring turn-key biomanufacturing, wet lab, vivarium spaces, Class-A professional office space, and a 50 MW on-site substation for life science and technology tenants.
• Gateway Center Three Class A office towers with a 100,000 SF retail/dining concourse (The Junction) in downtown Newark, NJ, featuring direct commuter connections to NJ Transit, PATH, and Amtrak.
• Summit East An 11-building, 620,573 SF campus in Summit, NJ featuring life science and office spaces, 45+ conference spaces, and a 10,000 sq ft fitness center.
• The Arbors @ Parsippany Five-building, 750,000+ SF campus in Parsippany, NJ on 60-acre grounds with newly renovated lobbies and common areas, wellness programming, full-service cafes, and conference centers.
• 650 From Road 348,510 SF, 5-story Class A office building in Paramus, NJ, the largest Class A office space in the area, with a brand-new lobby atrium, on-site restaurant, and conference center.
• 1 Giralda Farms 155,000 SF Class A office building in Madison, NJ on an 181-acre campus with hiking trails, featuring a renovated lobby atrium, conference center, and fitness center.
• Inwood Logistics Center 500,000+ SF industrial logistics facility with 10 buildings in Inwood, NY, offering direct access to JFK Airport and proximity to NYC boroughs.
• High Point on 10 600,000+ SF industrial campus in East Hanover, NJ featuring solar-ready facilities, warehouse and office space, with proximity to I-80/287 Interchange and major transportation hubs.
• Hudson Crossing Industrial Park 1.2 MSF mixed-use industrial complex in Blauvelt, NY featuring warehouse, distribution, office, flex, and retail/showroom spaces with 18'-28'6" ceiling heights.
• NOMA Luxury residential rental community in Ridgewood, NJ featuring modern amenities and high-end finishes.
• The Benjamin Ultra-luxury boutique-style residential rental community in Ridgewood, NJ.
• Westgate Retail shopping center in Bethlehem, PA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $4 billion invested in acquisitions since founding in 2004
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CoreWeavecoreTechnology or Integration · 25 October 2024AI startup CoreWeave is building a $1 billion data center at Onyx's NEST campus in Kenilworth, NJ. This represents a major technology infrastructure investment at the former Merck global research headquarters, transforming the site into a cutting-edge data center facility.
• NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2024NJIT has leased 25,000 square feet at the NEST Center in Kenilworth, becoming the first academic partner at the facility. Four professors and 26 students will conduct research in photonics, biomaterials, environmental science, and sustainable technologies. The expansion represents a milestone in New Jersey's life science, technology, and pharmaceutical research hub initiatives.
• Better SpacesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnyx partners with Better Spaces for wellness and community programming at The Arbors @ Parsippany property, providing enhanced amenities and tenant experience services.
• Hackensack Meridian HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHackensack Meridian Health officially endorsed Onyx's re-opening plans, procedures, and cleaning processes for their buildings. HMH guided documentation and processes for return of workforce and customers during COVID-19, providing protocols based on then-current governmental and regulatory guidelines.
• Hillmann ConsultantsminorOthersOnyx engaged Hillmann Consultants to prepare COVID-19 prevention and response protocols specific to each property. All cleaning specifications follow CDC guidance for cleaning and disinfecting.
• Russo DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnyx partners with Russo Development on multiple projects including transit-oriented apartments (Essex & Crane, LIA communities near Orange Station), a 380,000 SF cold storage facility in East Hanover, and the Vermella Woodbridge residential development (124-unit second phase).

Scale indicators26 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Kushner Companies: Family-owned New Jersey-based real estate firm acquiring and repositioning office, industrial, retail, and residential assets across the Northeast; closest direct comparable to Onyx in scale, geographic focus, and value-add strategy.
• Hartz Group: Multigenerational, privately held NJ-focused real estate investor and operator with office, industrial, retail, and residential holdings across the NY metro; comparable to Onyx as a regional owner-operator.
• Russo Development: New Jersey-based real estate developer with a multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use portfolio including transit-oriented projects, and an existing JV partner of Onyx; comparable as a regional NJ developer with overlapping deal flow.
• Veris Residential (fka Mack-Cali Realty): New Jersey-headquartered REIT focused on Class A multifamily and office properties in the NY metro; comparable to Onyx's NJ office/life-science/residential portfolio and geographic footprint.
• Fisher Brothers: Privately held New York-based owner, developer, and operator of Class A commercial office properties; comparable to Onyx as a family-controlled operator-investor in the NY metro office market.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Property Company: Large national commercial real estate investment, development, and management firm with a significant Northeast office and multifamily platform; broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities to Onyx's full-service model.
• JLL: Global commercial real estate services and investment management firm offering leasing, property management, capital markets, and asset management; broader incumbent that competes with Onyx on third-party mandates and leasing talent.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Global CRE services firm that handles leasing for several Onyx properties (Inwood Logistics Center, 650 From Road); broader incumbent competing on landlord-rep leasing and asset services.
• CBRE Group: Global real estate services and investment firm that handles leasing for Onyx's High Point on 10 industrial campus; broader incumbent offering investment sales, leasing, and property management that overlap with Onyx's platform.

Regional players

• NAI Mertz: Full-service commercial real estate firm serving New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and surrounding markets with brokerage, management, and investment services; comparable regional player with overlapping NJ tenant relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jonschultzpodcast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1767752

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Onyx Equities