I used to work at Bell Labs, so I couldn't wait to see what had become of the incredible building designed by Eero Saarinen. I'm very impressed by how the unique architecture has been repurposed so well into a mixture of retail, restaurants, civic space and office space. I went on a Thursday, so I missed the Wednesday market that I hear is fantastic, but the place was still buzzing with a mixture of workers and members of the public who were there to shop, visit the library or grab a bite to eat. I hope that eventually all of the retail and office space is filled, because I would really like to see this great work of architecture be used and appreciated. read more

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I know I'm late to this party as Bell Works has been open many years. Met my friends at a Holiday Market giving us newbies an opportunity to do some last minute Christmas shopping and check the place out. Plenty of parking but take note where you park and enter as the lots are huge. The atrium style building has numerous private businesses. The public areas - wow. On one end of the building is a basketball court, how cool for employees to get in a workout before, during or after work. The other end has open space, there were a few moms with their kids playing there. In between these areas, everything you need and more. A branch of monmouth county library, a convenience store, florist, dentist, indoor golf, clothing store, just to mention a few. The food options are abundant. We opted for Corbo & sons pizza. We each got a personal pizza and shared. Made nice and fresh upon ordering. We also stopped in Buskerdoo Coffee and got the special of the day, Shortbread latte. We checked out Bar Bella which wasn't open at the moment, but intend on returning in warmer weather to take advantage of their beautiful outdoor patio. And, to top it all off, there's a Jersey Freeze there. One of my all time favorite ice cream places. Was told farmers markets will start up again soon. Check their IG or Facebook for events. Definitely a unique place! Worth taking a trip for lunch or dinner and a walk to check everything out. read more

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The Ramen place in here and the other food stalls are not open yet. Not sure when they will open for business. The rest of the mall at Bell Works is open but not all stores are open. read more

Totally a cool huge place to check out! A coworker recommended we come here on a Thursday afternoon to get started on a few work assignments needed. The parking lot was huge so our biggest concern was not being able to find one another. Yet we all met at the main entrance with no problem. As we entered into this gigantic space we were all astonished at how this place was set up. A lovely section was set for kids to run around. Another section was like a food court with your option of various meal. At another area, we appeared to have come during their time of having different vendors. It appears as though the first two floors consist of stores and the rest of the building consisted of office businesses. This place is totally in the upcoming of greater things. We had the privilege of setting up a table and chairs together while using their free WiFi. read more

I must say I was impressed. The space is huge and open a true modern office space. Lots of light and green. The kitchen on the main floor is actually very good and fresh. It's open to the public. You can park in visitors and go in and eat it has outside seating by fire pits and fountains. It's a def summer treat. If your looking for a startup space or a nice lunch this is a place to def look into. read more

We finally made it to Bell Works after hearing good things about it! It was on one of tha hottest day of the year and we were truly glad to be in such an airy, grand place! It is huge! The building is not entirely occupied but it has its fair share of shops and restaurants... We love how the main atriums were designed, each section for the comfort and enjoyment of patrons, no matter the age! Comfortable couches and sitting options, table games and more! By the market area, there are plenty of tables and counter spaces to choose for a casual meal or snacks; there are even communal tables which offer work stations for all the electronic needs.. I loved their outdoor patio! Too bad is was so hot!! We tried Mezza Luna, a casual Italian Restaurant... You pla.ce your order on screens and wait to be called for your order... My hubby ordered The Ponte and I had the Prosciutto Deli Sandwich! Both fresh and delicious! We shared an amazing pastry from the Honeybell Pastry Shop along with espresso! What a treat! read more

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Close to the famed Holmdel horn antenna is one of the last great architectural wonders of the post-War military-industrial complex: the Bell Labs Holmdel facility. Built by Eero Saarinen (of St. Louis Arch and TWA terminal fame), the colossal open-plan laboratory wrapped in mirrored curtain wall was the largest of many such Bell Labs facilities that dotted the NJ suburban landscape. In 1962, architectural critic Allan Temko described it as "Bell's palatial baroque park, which, in this country at least, is unrivaled as a formal setting for a technological building." High praise! Because all good things must pass, the complex is now a fancy shopping mall/co-working space. read more

Very large 5 story mall-like office/retail building in the middle of Holmdel farmland and suburban residential communities. Great to visit for lunch and beverages, as well as having options for short-term/longer term office and retail space. Ground level is dedicated to retail shops: pizza, salads, soup, ice cream. Other amenities include golf, Pilates, childcare and clothing shops. Food is very good and one can find seating/tables in the open area, which is surprisingly quiet, clean and wi-fi enabled with available power pods provided in the floor of the open areas. read more

This place is a must see at least once. It feels like a dystopian nightmare. It was a pretty day outside but the old building was dark and brooding inside, concrete and sharp angles you feel every single year since the 80's. The surrounding houses all look identical, the vast open blank grass looking like a windows 98 background hellscape of monotony, the ridiculous road full of circles just to get to the parking lot. It just feels like a people farm. It's where people are farmed for their data, creativity, ideas. They get fed only approved foods, engage in only approved activities everyone is well behaved. There was a lot of effort to provide everything anyone would need so they never have to leave... my son thinks it's a cult compound, he's silly. Inside the building rings hollow with fake grass to lounge on because the outside grass is no good? Dirty? Nobody was outside when we went, the vast over manicured area would have been spectacular as a park instead it's just a wasteland that probably costs a lot to keep up. The lounging areas inside are full of odd ultra modern geometric shapes scattered about to lounge on adding to the unsettling feel. I really don't get why anyone would feel comfy in a cold war bunker that probably has way more cameras than people. The pizza was decent a little pricey, but the ice cream is very good and at a very good price. Everything else was closed when we went, we should have stuck around for the escape room that might have been fun. At least check it out once for yourself. Maybe you'll like it. I will still take people back there because of both the ice cream and how weird this place is. read more

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Stopped in to check out the farmers and craft market, wow lot's of new places to check out here! read more

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This place is awesome! Especially on raining/bad weather days when you want to get out but have no where to walk. I LOVE that they allow dogs to come in as long as they are on leash and you clean up after them. You can get coffee, walk, or just sit and enjoy the vibe. It's great and I'm so glad this is here in NJ! read more

Huge office/retail building tucked away in Holmdel. The "campus" is huge and my running club comes here on weekends to run and get miles in. I recently went into Bell Works to check out the relocate Holmdel Library and I was impressed with the inside. Huge, modern, and expansive (a little too big if you don't like walking), and there is even an astro turf! Wish I worked in this building! read more

Outstanding public space. There are offices, a library, future restaurants a cafe, open green space - just really amazing overall. I was in awe walking inside and seeing the facility from the inside for the first time. Literally had to soak it all in because it is in the middle of one of the most picturesque towns in NJ with nearby farms. Wonderful place to take kids, go for an indoor walk when the weather is not good or just see something new. The plan is to make this into the main street for Holmdel - a really impressive and amazing vision. Highly recommend if you are in the area. read more

Best place to work in New Jersey. The building is going to have a large food court, restaurants, stores, office spaces, a hotel on the roof, a beer garden, and many other things. Tons of parking and a friendly environment. Once you work here for about a month you will start to see familiar faces and everyone is friendly. Very close to NYC and the Jersey shore. Great innovative space. read more

I absolutely love this building and now that it is back open to the public we can't wait to go back and support the small businesses! The escape room looks amazing and the ice cream store is now open too! The food is so good especially the quesadillas from Estrella Azul and the Asian bowls at Jozu and we love the gyros at The Hummus and Pita place. My wife enjoys the salon here and I've played a round of golf at Swing Loose after dropping her off. The kids can play VR and before they closed they had a full court basketball court installed that looked like a lot of fun right in front of the Escape Room. We would come here on Thursday's last summer because they had live bands on the outside deck and we've been to a bunch of fun events inside too from a Mardi Gras party to a Christmas party in the huge ballroom to the farmers market every Wednesday. They have done such a great job with this building, I hope everyone comes back and enjoys it as much as I do! Thanks Bell Works for creating an awesome place to visit! read more

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Great office space to establish your organization within this upcoming tech environment. The ownership and management have been great to work with. The complex is huge and there is ample room to expand here. read more

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I literally love this place. Nothing else like it around here. So many things all in one building. I come here all the time to study with friends. The coffee and cookies in he bakery are so good. read more

I scouted this building yesterday for an upcoming tv series. This place is the reason I'm a Location Scout. I feel like I've discovered some great big secret. Visually stunning!. I live in NYC but if I lived anywhere near this behemoth, I'd have to be a part of it. While waiting for my contact to take me around I had a coffee in the new coffee joint- damn good Americano and ate in the newly christened food court. I had the smoked salmon on a piece of rustic bread with cream cheese and it was perfect: fresh salmon, fresh bread and the flavors were perfect. So good I bought a big salad from the adjacent salad bar for when I got hungry later in the day on my next mission near Teterboro. Love! read more

My group booked an avenue at Escapology. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions we called ahead to ask about masks. There were two people in our group they could not wear masks for medical reasons. We were told that it wouldn't be a problem and would be fine that we enter without masks. However, when we arrived the security and staff of Bell Works asked us to leave regardless of the fact that we could not wear masks. We were told that we must have a slip of paper or doctor's note showing that we could not wear masks. The "security officers" said it was a law; however, we have never been required to show any such paper when entering any place of business. A manager was sent down and he basically kicked us out of the building. As much fun as we had in our escape room and as beautiful as the building and grounds are i would personally never go back. The mere fact that we were rudely asked to leave the building was rude and poorly handled. I do know that many people find security in the masks but if it causes a health risk to me and my group and yet we were forced to put it on just to walk through the lobby is a violation of my health and personal rights. i was not respected as a person and my group was not respected with their disabled health conditions. I never plan to go back read more

This place has a long way to go before it becomes anything like truly awesome spaces like The Source in Denver. It was pretty empty and dead feeling when I visited, and the shops are not very nice or classy. That being said, there are a few major positives like the fact that they allow leashed dogs inside (animals lovers are just great people), the play spaces and chill out spaces in the interior are awesome, it does seem like an amazing place to launch a business, and the food court area looked decent. They are in dire need of more upscale shopping and dining options. Throw in a nice cheese shop, a great bakery, a unique restaurant (right now it's some deli normcore and a few other counter serve not table service spots) with a great happy hour, and some sophisticated shopping and they would be golden. I really am rooting for this place and hope it gets even better! And yes, this review is brought to you by the new target consumer, a millennial. Right now this a great place for your parents...not totally hip at all. But again, totally want it to succeed! And how about some good music? Ok, I'm done. read more

Such a high energy place to work. Makes me want to switch my employment. Amazing place to walk around and get inspired - enjoyed the Farmer's Market on Wednesdays from fresh Burratta, to baked goods to gorgeous greens and homemade items, it was a fun way to spend an hour or two. read more

As a new resident to the area, we love the convenience of everything inside of bell works. There are many good food options, an amazing salon, a library and too many other items to list. Plus, you can get your steps in walking laps around the building! read more

SCREAMING KIDS. It's a hassle to get here - definitely not a destination spot. The food court is good (Mezza Luna the best of the lot), and ultra-pricey, and closed on weekends. But the god-awful intent seems to be to turn the ground floor into some kind of pedestrian 'play mall'. Hence there are two huge, tennis-court sized areas of astro-turf full of kid stuff + the screaming kids to go with them. The LOUD shrieks reverberate in the 1/4 mile, long rectangle and the inner atrium. It penetrates the 5th floor conference rooms which line the edges of the office floors.Crafty-type vendors arrive on Wednesday for more noise and tacky tie-dyed clothing. And when the Montessori lets out and the mombies arrive..Moreover there are scheduled to to 3, yes three, virtual reality places opened ready to welcome wealthy gamers who seek a full immersion experience at $700. The one open now has no customers so I wonder what will happen when the others (life Golf Swing) arrive. The retail business - a Vermont Country Store type place is open but one never sees a soul in there. Maybe it's the $200 sheets they are selling (on sale!). The current exercise studio is also empty, has cut hours, and now a Pilates place is coming in to compete for their non-existent customers. Same for the florist. I was told by my manager that no fresh plants/flowers were allowed in the office area - this has got to impact the owner of that business. Hairstylist is empty too. The Holmdel library does not lend books outside its home territory so office workers are out of luck there. The library is uninviting, as a cold, concrete floor and needs to take a lesson from Barnes & Noble in Princeton as to how to display books and make the place attractive and less like a warehouse. Boskerdoo Coffee is hardly packed even with 3000 workers. That's because every office has coffee makers and Keurigs. The Pita Place is now offering kids size meals ($5) since the adult meals will run you $10 bucks a pop with toppings and they need to do something...A hotel is scheduled within the next few years and I wonder if the retail can survive. read more