Bridgewater Commons to Announce Canstruction® Winner in September 22 Ceremony

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (September 17, 2026) — Four spectacular structures are now on display in Center Court, where visitors are voting for their favorite. Next week, one team will be crowned the winner of Bridgewater Commons first-ever Canstruction® competition, presented by Messer, and will receive a one-of-a-kind trophy 3D printed by the Bound Brook High School robotics team. The prize ceremony will be held:

When:

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

5:30 p.m.

Where:

Bridgewater Commons, Center Court
400 Commons Way

Bridgewater Township, NJ 08807

The competition began on September 15, when four spectacular sculptures — constructed by members of the New Jersey business and academic communities using 10,000 cans of donated Goya Foods goods — were unveiled to the public. 

Combining art, friendly competition, and community impact, Canstruction® is a global nonprofit organization that brings communities together to create imaginative structures made entirely from full cans of food. Following each competition, the food is donated to local food banks in the host communities. 

Through September 22, Bridgewater Commons guests can vote for their sculpture:

• Bridgewater-based Messer’s “Launching Hope,” an approximately 10-foot-tall by 8-foot-wide rocket ship that is a tribute to the idea that great technologies — and great missions — begin with the right fuel. 
• Somerville-based SSP Architects’ replica of the Navesink Twin Lights, one of New Jersey’s most iconic architectural landmarks. 
• Branchburg-based Paramount Facility Management Solutions’ “Meals in Flight,” a 7-foot-tall hot air balloon illustrating how community support can lift lives. 
• Los Piratas (The Pirates), Seton Hall University’s Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute’s concept, which celebrates Hispanic heritage, family, and the shared tradition of gathering around meals with “Abuela’s (Grandma’s) Pantry,” a colorful pathway leading to a communal table. 

After the prize is awarded, the sculptures will be disassembled and the canned goods donated to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County. Since 1982, the organization has responded to the needs of the food insecure of Somerset County. The network now has nine pantries around the county, as well as programs that include stuffed backpacks to ensure children have enough to eat on weekends and school holidays. According to the Food Bank, 10,000 cans can provide feed approximately 500 families for a month.

“It’s wonderful to see the amazement on our visitors’ faces when they see what imagination, some engineering and a dedication to community can create,” said Tom Kovacic, Marketing and Business Development Director of Bridgewater Commons. “Our competing teams dedicated many hours to the design and construction of these extraordinary statues, and I can’t wait to learn and reveal the winner. But the real winners are the Food Bank and the hundreds of our neighbors who will benefit as a result from Canstruction. That’s the real prize.”

Located along Interstate 287 at the intersections of Route 22 and Route 202/206, the 1.15 million-square-foot Bridgewater Commons is Somerset County’s largest shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

For more information on this event, visit www.bridgewatercommons.com. 

About Bridgewater Commons
Bridgewater Commons is one of Central New Jersey’s premier shopping destinations, located in a vibrant suburb in proximity to New York City. The 1.15 million-square-foot shopping center features a mix of premier retailers and restaurants with wide consumer appeal. Over 130 brands call Bridgewater Commons home, from well-known national retailers and restaurants such as Anthropologie, Alo Yoga, Apple, Kendra Scott, lululemon athletica, Popmart, Williams-Sonoma, Seasons 52 and Fogo de Chão, alongside popular local shops like Athletifreak and Zuted Vintage. In 2023, Bridgewater Commons celebrated its 35th anniversary and is owned by Pacific Retail Capital Partners, one of the nation’s premier owners and operators of retail real estate. For more information on the property, please visit bridgewatercommons.com or follow on social media: Facebook @BridgewaterCommons and Instagram: shopbridgewatercommons.  

About Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP) is one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups of large open- air and enclosed shopping centers, with more than $3.0 billion in assets under management across the United States. Based in Southern California, the company’s portfolio totals 24 properties encompassing over 20 million square feet. With a highly experienced team that has a proven track record of generating value its stakeholders, PRCP is dedicated to evolving real estate for the next generation by working with the communities it serves to design master plans that transform its assets into high-performing mixed-use destinations. The vertically-integrated company provides end-to-end sourcing, assessment, underwriting, valuing, developing, marketing, design and asset management services. To learn more visit pacificretail.com or follow on social media at: Facebook: @PacificRetailCapitalPartners and Instagram: @PacificRetail. 

About Messer

Messer is the largest privately held industrial gas business in the world and a leading industrial and medical gas company in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Messer offers more than 125 years of expertise in industrial, medical, specialty and electronics gases. The company delivers quality gases, related services and technology via an extensive production and distribution network. Health and safety, sustainability practices and environmental protection are core Messer values that are embedded in the company’s daily operations. 

Messer Americas sales account approximately for 52% of Messer worldwide sales of over $5 billion USD. For more information, visit: www.messeramericas.com

About Goya Foods

Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company and a leader in Latin American food and condiments. In 2026, Goya proudly celebrates its 90th anniversary, marking nine decades of delivering authentic flavors and quality to consumers nationwide. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central, and South America. Rooted in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world, Goya products combine authentic ingredients, robust seasonings, and convenient preparation to suit every taste and every table. For more information, please visit Goya.com and GoyaGives.com