Oceanport Approves Netflix’s First Four Studios at Fort Monmouth

Oceanport recently gave the green light to Netflix for their exciting new project at Fort Monmouth. Netflix has big plans to create a mega studio complex called Netflix Studios, complete with a total of 12 sound stages. The first phase will include the construction of four sound stages in the McAfee Zone, a 29-acre area in the heart of the Mega Parcel.

During the planning board hearings, there were discussions about the size of studio identification signs and the aesthetics of the campus wall. Netflix requested 12-foot signs for emergency identification purposes, but ultimately compromised for 10-foot signs to reduce the visual impact on residents. The proposed 8-foot wall, brick-stamped and made of pre-cast concrete, will remain as planned.

Netflix is in the process of finalizing the purchase of 292 acres at Fort Monmouth for their East Coast studio production hub, with an estimated investment of $850 million. This move is expected to bring a boost to the state’s economy and put New Jersey back on the map as a hub for the film industry.

The approval obtained from the Oceanport planning board is just the first step. Netflix will have to seek approval from other planning boards, including Eatontown, Monmouth County, Freehold Soil, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. If all goes according to plan, construction on the McAfee Zone campus is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Once completed, the McAfee Zone will feature four sound stages, two of which will be standalone structures while the other two will be connected. In addition to the sound stages, Netflix plans to construct ancillary buildings for design, production, and administrative purposes. The entire campus will be enclosed by an 8- to 10-foot concrete wall with four gate entrances, one of which will be manned by security.

While Netflix is gearing up to begin construction and production at Fort Monmouth, there are still several stages to go through before everything is up and running smoothly. The company is looking forward to working with local officials and the community to transform the historic space into a state-of-the-art production facility.