JERSEY CITY | Projects and Construction thread

[Hamilton]

By the way, a representative of Harwood Properties will discuss Harwood's plans for the arts subdistrict development in Journal Square behind the Loews Theater tomorrow at 2737 Kennedy Boulevard between 10am to 12 noon.

[citybooster]

Originally Posted by Hamilton

By the way, a representative of Harwood Properties will discuss Harwood's plans for the arts subdistrict development in Journal Square behind the Loews Theater tomorrow at 2737 Kennedy Boulevard between 10am to 12 noon.

Wish I could make it but pleasewhatever recap you can provide tomorrow evening about the proposal I'd very much appreciate... a very exciting potential district and possibly two soaring high rises if everything incorporated into the idea can be realized.

Regarding the Liberty Harbor plan I was looking through that pdf link and it appears to say the maximum tower height would be 57 stories, and encouraged staggering the heights(as the plan calling for 60, 51,40, 37, 30 and 18 does) for the 6 maximum height towers that can be built)...were they able to get a waver up to 60 stories for the tallest one?

[C.]

Originally Posted by citybooster

Wish I could make it but pleasewhatever recap you can provide tomorrow evening about the proposal I'd very much appreciate... a very exciting potential district and possibly two soaring high rises if everything incorporated into the idea can be realized.

Regarding the Liberty Harbor plan I was looking through that pdf link and it appears to say the maximum tower height would be 57 stories, and encouraged staggering the heights(as the plan calling for 60, 51,40, 37, 30 and 18 does) for the 6 maximum height towers that can be built)...were they able to get a waver up to 60 stories for the tallest one?

Look a little closer, that's a max of 57 stories above a 3-story plaza\base. What I really like about this plan is that it dedicates minimum heights and forbids any tower to be within the same height of the other, so we're guaranteed diversity.

50/90 Columbus along with Trump I and II really could have used the same policy. Especially the second trump building on Bay street, looks ridiculous with its twin, in my opinion...

[citybooster]

Thanks, CIA... did not see that info about the base when I first looked. Yeah, love the diversity as well in the sizes... starts with a mid riser at 18 stories, then goes to high rise territory with 30, at least 400 ft with a 37 and 40, and probably 550-650 ft with the 51 and the 60. We'll get six individual buildings instead of cookie cutter replicas. I'm more of a fan of the appearance of the Bay Street towers than the 70/90 Columbus towers but yeah I agree they didn't need to do clones of each other in either case. I'm hoping the new One Journal Square twin towered project won't be cookie cutter replicas now that they both will be 77ft(thanks for nothing, FAA!) but 30 Journal Square(owned by the same Kushner side of the family now in laws with Trump and built the new second tower at Bay Street) will when constructed make a nice contrast even at a relatively similar height(72 stories, 799 ft if the FAA can keep it's hasty height chopping paws off it) because it definitely has a pretty unique style for Jersey City towers.

Speaking of Kushner projects, did the three towered Journal Squared also have to look alike? I do think the next one to be built, the largest at 759ft, will look fine and have a more prominent setbacked appearance especially on low to middle floors...but while I love the height the built out 53 story one finally gives Journal Square... aesthetically from most angles it's pretty darn boring.

[Hamilton]

I got to the meeting a bit late, so I'm not sure what the height of the new Harwood buildings would be. But the plan will consist of two towers with 1200 apartments, in addition to a public esplanade and public park along the PATH right-of-way, a gallery and a black-box theater, and a pedestrian plaza on Magnolia Ave. The current commuter parking garage containing 1,000 parking spaces will be torn down, and the new buildings will include a 450-space accessory parking garage. The Harwoods want to seek Planning Board approval within the next month, and foresee the project being built out over the next 7 or 8 years, with construction starting within two years. However, given the number of projects seeking financing in the neighborhood, I wouldn't hold my breath.

In the next week they're going to send around slides from the presentation including the site plan and preliminary renderings, as well as details about the height/number of floors (I think). I'll post those when I get them.

[Hamilton]

One other interesting tidbit--the Harwood rep said that another (unnamed) developer was in the process of acquiring all the properties on the corner of Bergen Ave and Kennedy Blvd south of the Loews Theater. In other words, the buildings that contain the Journal Square Pub and Boulevard Drinks. He thinks that the developer will close on the properties within 5-7 months, and that we'll see a development proposal for those lots soon after that.

[citybooster]

Thanks, Hamilton. Obviously they'd build it out separately rather than together since the rival Kushner projects on the heart of the Square will all be going up soon(well, One Journal Square we hope). The secondary proposal with the Boulevard Drinks/Journal Square Pub building among several bought out, is that a secondary proposal outside the main Harwood area development? Wish they could keep that building, really unique classic on the square and rather use it like the Jersey Journal building as part of a bigger development and not tear it down.

Look forward to all the info when you get them, and if they do get planning board approval I would hope they could get one built at least starting within two years as they would like.

[Hamilton]

Originally Posted by citybooster

The secondary proposal with the Boulevard Drinks/Journal Square Pub building among several bought out, is that a secondary proposal outside the main Harwood area development?

Right, they said that it was a different developer that's buying those properties. Harwood mentioned it because they hope to work with that developer of those properties on maintaining the esplanade that they want to build next to the PATH tracks.

Wish they could keep that building, really unique classic on the square and rather use it like the Jersey Journal building as part of a bigger development and not tear it down.

I agree! That building is a very cool, and really contributes to the historic dense urban fabric of the area, especially when you're stepping out of the JSQ station. Hopefully they incorporate the current building into any proposal for the site.

PS I was just thinking about how big these Harwood buildings will be--at 600 apartments each, I think these will easily rise into the ~600ft range. For comparison, the first Journal Squared tower has 538 apartments.

[C.]

Interesting info Hamilton, thanks!

I'm very surprised the Harwood site is moving so quickly. Planning board approval within the next month? Whoa. I can't help but wonder if Harwood will sell the site to another developer once they get full planning permission.

I'm thinking these will be 60 floor towers, with 10 units a floor. If only 9 units a floor, it jumps to 67. I want to say, from the preliminary site plan in the Journal Square plan. The site for building 1 looks larger than building 4. So we may get varying heights, thankfully.

[saglik]

Plans for N.J.'s new tallest tower get federal OK

By Terrence T. McDonald
Jan. 12, 2016

"New Jersey is one step closer to having a new tallest tower.

Real-estate site New York YIMBY reports that developers of a 950-foot tower planned for Hudson Street in Downtown Jersey City have received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA said the tower would have "no substantial adverse effect" on the utilization of navigable lazer airspace, New York YIMBY reports..."

[C.]

Originally Posted by saglik

Plans for N.J.'s new tallest tower get federal OK

By Terrence T. McDonald
Jan. 12, 2016

"New Jersey is one step closer to having a new tallest tower.

Real-estate site New York YIMBY reports that developers of a 950-foot tower planned for Hudson Street in Downtown Jersey City have received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA said the tower would have "no substantial adverse effect" on the utilization of navigable airspace, New York YIMBY reports..."

That news is over 1-year old.

[chris08876]

I'm curious about the whole Liberty Harbor + Liberty Harbor North. We are looking at over 8000 units.

For Crescent park, add another 2100.

That's quite nuts. Almost to good be true. Unless the whole LH project has 6682 units and includes the 2,015 unit figure in its total? But even then, its still 8000+ units for the area.

[C.]

Originally Posted by chris08876

I'm curious about the whole Liberty Harbor + Liberty Harbor North. We are looking at over 8000 units.

For Crescent park, add another 2100.

That's quite nuts. Almost to good be true. Unless the whole LH project has 6682 units and includes the 2,015 unit figure in its total? But even then, its still 8000+ units for the area.

I have the breakdown per tower for Liberty Harbor.

The big 55-story one is 1.5 million sqft and 1,320 units in the tower and it's base. The small 25-story one is just under 500,000 sqft and 512 units. It's not inclusive of the 2000+ Crescent Park or the recent RFP for 41 and 52 Athena St.

Crescent Park was originally only going to be 995 units and is seeking a major rezoning to 2,295.

[C.]

I'm really disappointed with the marketing of Journal Squared. Those fools will sabotage the revitalization of the entire neighborhood if there building isn't an immediate success.

https://therealdeal.com/2017/03/08/l...rek-trademark/

From the Real Deal

Jonathan Kushner is boldly going where no man has gone before.
Just kidding — he built a luxury tower in New Jersey.

The ad campaign surrounding Journal Squared, Kushner Real Estate Group’s newest development in Jersey City, however, would have you think differently. The posters and the leasing site feature astronauts lounging in their apartments, hitting snooze on an alarm clock set for 10:20 and lounging with martinis. These astronauts are clearly living their best life — with Lower Manhattan always in view.

The gist, it seems, is that residents will be charting unknown territory (in this case, a part of Jersey City that’s not the waterfront) and new worlds that can easily beam over to Manhattan but aren’t technically part of the five boroughs. The phrase “Live long + prosper” appears on posters and marketing materials, a nod to the Vulcan greeting put into the pantheon by Leonard Nimoy’s character Spock in “Star Trek.”

The phrase is trademarked by CBS for various uses, one of those being posters. It doesn’t appear that Kushner obtained permission to use the phrase, nor has CBS challenged the use publicly. Representatives for the network declined to comment for this story.

After The Real Deal contacted representatives for KRE on Wednesday, the company removed the phrase from its website and from its marketing materials (though posters were still up in the PATH train as of 2 p.m. on Wednesday).

Ad for Journal Squared in Journal Square-bound PATH train

[C.]

Speaking of Journal Squared...

It looks like Phase II made is almost out of that horrible FAA review process. It's currently in interim status.

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external...21999931&row=7

Groundbreaking is next! It's crazy to think that that Journal Squared Phase II is gonna break ground before One Journal Square. C'mon, J. Kushner. First a height reduction and now still sitting at some office in the FAA. Do something!

[Oron Zchut]

Originally Posted by CIA

I have the breakdown per tower for Liberty Harbor.

The big 55-story one is 1.5 million sqft and 1,320 units in the tower and it's base. The small 25-story one is just under 500,000 sqft and 512 units. It's not inclusive of the 2000+ Crescent Park or the recent RFP for 41 and 52 Athena St.

Crescent Park was originally only going to be 995 units and is seeking a major rezoning to 2,295.

I read over the Liberty Harbor North plan, and I think it goes something like this:



Liberty Harbor North includes the units currently there and under construction in its count (10,30,50 Regent, 9 Regent, 225 Grand, Gulls Cove, 18 Park, 33 Park, 333 Grand...).

This doesn't include the Aetna St projects that the city put out RFPs for (assuming they aren't part of Crescent Park).

So you're looking at something like 16500 units in this area (again not including the Aetna St projects), of which maybe 2000 are built or under construction.

[Hamilton]

Renderings of 2973 Kennedy Blvd, a 20-story building with ground-floor retail, 2 floors of offices, 79 apartments, and 0 parking which was approved by the JC Planning Board on October 13 2016:





Courtesy of the architects, HLW International:

http://hlw.com/ourproject/sasvic-tower/

Not currently under construction, despite what the JC Development Map says, but I hope it starts soon! It will really activate that corner.

[C.]

Originally Posted by Hamilton

Renderings of 2973 Kennedy Blvd, a 20-story building with ground-floor retail, 2 floors of offices, 79 apartments, and 0 parking which was approved by the JC Planning Board on October 13 2016:





Courtesy of the architects, HLW International:

http://hlw.com/ourproject/sasvic-tower/

Not currently under construction, despite what the JC Development Map says, but I hope it starts soon! It will really activate that corner.

[C.]

From that same architect. Not sure I've seen this one before: http://hlw.com/ourproject/liberty-harbor-holdings/

[C.]

Some updates - Journal Square is going GANGBUSTERS. Two new boutique hotels are planned for the Journal Square neighborhood!

323-325 Pine Street
Morris Canal Redevelopment Plan
Proposed height change to reduce the building height from 7 stories to 6 stories.

97 Newkirk Street (f/k/a 87 Newkirk Street)
Journal Square Redevelopment 2060
Finally, the amendment includes a change in the mix of units, resulting in the change of the number of units. Original number of units were 113, newly proposed is 132, accounting for a greater mix between studio 1bedroom / 2bedroom unit counts. The building envelope will not change.

78 Cottage Street
Journal Square Redevelopment 2060
Proposed five stories with eighteen new hotel studio units

823 Newark Avenue
Journal Square Redevelopment 2060
Proposed four stories with twenty-one hotel room units, including a restaurant with 1,839 square feet

165-169, 173 Academy Street
Journal Square Redevelopment 2060
18 story building with 176 units, 3,560 sq ft of retail space, and 17,220 sq ft of office space

342 Johnston Ave
Lafayette Park Redevelopment Plan
8-story mixed-use building with 55 dwelling units and 2,246 square feet of ground floor retail, 13 parking spaces, and a public resiliency space and 12 bedrooms dedicated toward affordable housing.