New retail and restaurant spaces will be included in the building's revamp.

One of Journal Square’s most iconic buildings is getting a makeover.

Renovations at 2 Journal Square will start in mid-April. Gaia Real Estate has tapped design and architecture firm HLW to revamp and modernize the 300,000 square-foot office building. In the past, HLW has renovated and designed facilities for the likes of Google, Ironstate/Mack-Cali, and LeFrak.

Originally built in 1987, 2 Journal Square sits across the street from the Stanley Theater and the JSQ PATH Station. In an effort to draw modern clientele to the building, 2 Journal Square will get new interiors and amenity spaces. The lobby will also get a tech overhaul that’ll include a smart directory for quickly identifying tenants.

Journal Square residents will also be happy to know that 2 Journal Square will feature approximately 30,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space at ground level. The hope is that the new retail will continue to revitalize the neighborhood and offer residents new places to shop and eat. (In addition to Jollibee, of course).

To make the building more visually appealing to pedestrians, the façade of the ground floor retail spaces will also be reoriented parallel to the streetscape. (It’s currently a bit of a hot mess with a zig-zag pattern).

Renovations at 2 Journal Square will wrap up by September 2019.