Category Archives: New Jersey

Low-Income Housing Project Finally in Progress in Trenton

Construction has begun on Premises Patriot Village II in Trenton. The $22 million project will create a four-story, mixed-use building with 72 affordable housing units.

The residential units will include one-bedroom units (11), two-bedrooms (42), and three-bedroom units (19). Priority will go to homeless and veteran applicants. Residents will also have access to children’s educational activities and health and wellness activities for all.

The building’s amenities include a 690-square-foot gym, 1,600-square-foot community room, and more than 1,100-square feet of ground level retail.

There will be 72 on-site parking spaces under the building and an interior courtyard.

The project broke ground in July after years of federal grant money was frozen and kept the plans from moving forward.

With access to the money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, work is in progress with completion expected in Fall 2021.

M Station Breaks Ground in Morristown

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Last week, developers and town officials gathered to break ground on the $225 million M Station Redevelopment project at the former Midtown Shopping Center site in Morristown, NJ. Now, construction begins on what is being called a “transformative” project for the town, the most significant commercial development in the decades.

The first part of the multi-phased project will be two mixed-used office and retail buildings on the five-acre site on Morris Street, between Lafayette Avenue and Spring Street. One building will be seven stories with 233,770 square feet of office space and 19,400 square feet of retail. The second building will have six stories and 118,900 square feet of office space and 10,130 square feet of retail. Plans call for large outdoor terraces on the top floor of each building.

M Station is expected to act as a connector between the town’s New Jersey Transit station and the Green and tenants are already signing on. Deloitte has agreed to move its Parsippany operations to 110,000 square-feet at M Station.

According to the project plans, there will be a promenade and public plaza, as well as a parking garage with 889 parking spaces and 33 surface spots. Other site improvements include landscaping, pedestrian improvements, road reconfiguration of Spring Place, and a new roundabout on Morris Street.’

Last month, the Morristown council approved a 30-year PILOT agreement between the developer and the town. The council also endorsed issuing up to $8.8 million bonds for the roundabout and other off-site improvements.

Plan for Trail at Princeton Pike Residential Project Approved

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The Trail at Princeton Pike residential housing plan was approved earlier this month to begin construction at the site at the end of Lenox Drive in the Princeton Pike Corporate Center.

The project will build 189 residential units comprised of 145 market-rate townhomes or condominiums and 42 affordable housing rental apartments. It also includes a one-bedroom apartment to be used as a sales office and a one-bedroom apartment for maintenance staff.

The townhouses would be three-bedroom units with two bathrooms and range in size from 1,500- to 2,500-square feet. One- and two-car garages are planned. There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment units with outside parking spaces for renters.

Original plans were altered to address concerns that the housing site was too close to the 18th-century historic farmhouse, the Brearley House, which Lawrence Township owns.

Transformation of Bogota Riverfront Continues

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It took years to overcome many obstacles—including extensive remediation and drainage work to avoid the frequent flooding—but the The River Club Apartments and Retail project in Bogota, NJ, is pushing toward successfully transforming the former industrial area into a residential and retail neighborhood.

Construction is ongoing on the $100 million project at the former Hess Tank Farm Site on West Fort Lee Rd. When it is finished, there will be five, four-story buildings with a total of 424 luxury apartments. Ten percent of those units will be designated as affordable housing for veterans. Two of the buildings should be done shortly with the other three to be completed soon after. There will be retail space on the ground floor of one building.

The four-phase project on the more than 13-acre site includes many amenities, including an 8,000-square-foot clubhouse, 5,000-square-foot public recreation area, a dog park, heated pool, 2,200-foot walkway along the Hudson River, and a new, on-site NJ Transit bus stop.

Dunellen Station Ready to Rise at Former Art Color Facility

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Vertical construction is set to begin for Dunellen Station at the former Art Color industrial facility in Dunellen, NJ. Demolition is complete, building permits have been issued and construction of the $105 million project is expected to start before the end of 2020.

The two existing lots at 100 South Washington Avenue will be subdivided into two new lots that will give rise to a mixed-use development across South Washington Avenue from the Dunellen train station. The plan calls for six four-story buildings with 194 one and two-bedroom market rate apartments and 58 low- to moderate-income units for a total of 252 rental residences. There will also be 130 townhouses spread among four 12-unit stacked townhouse buildings, one 10-unit stacked townhouse building and nine eight-unit townhouse buildings.

Developers are promising many amenities including a fitness center, meeting rooms, clubhouse and outdoor pool and entertainment area.

In addition, there will be 9,240 square-feet of retail space fronting South Washington Avenue and with a planned transit theme and design that complements the neighborhood.

Former Bayonne Catholic School To Become Luxury Apartments

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The pandemic and its economic impact have created another challenge for Catholic schools struggling to stay open. Just this year, at least 19 New Jersey Catholic schools closed, and at least another five were folded into nearby schools. Buildings left empty by closings are not new for the Catholic schools, which have been battling falling enrollment and funding issues for years.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Bayonne has sat unused since the school closed in 2008. Now developers plan to convert the school into a luxury apartment building within walking distance of the light rail.

The 99-year-old building at the corner of East 22nd Street and Church Lane will retain the original Roman revival-style façade as the interior is turned into 30 loft apartments, from studios to two-bedroom units. Plans for the building also include a gym, rooftop terrace, and garage.

The target date for the $15-20 million project is third quarter 2021, but that is contingent upon approvals. As of earlier this week, the site plan application had yet to be filed with the town planning board. Developers still plan to complete construction and start leasing apartments in late 2023.

Veterans and Affordable Housing Building Underway in Downtown Dover

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Construction has begun on veterans and affordable housing units in Dover, NJ.

The $1.1 million project will consist of 70 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units in a four-story building. Each floor of the building will have laundry facilities. There will be on-site parking, a community space, bicycle storage and on-site maintenance and support services for residents.

At least five percent of the units will be accessible to residents with physical disabilities, and all units will be completely adaptable.

Veterans will receive preference for half of the units. Five units will be set aside for residents who were previously homeless.

The project, which is part of Dover’s master redevelopment plan of downtown, is being built on a former parking lot. The building will conform to the existing architecture of downtown Dover. Developers anticipate completion of the project—which is being finance with low-income housing tax credit from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency—is expected in 14 months.

Princeton University Makes Room, Will Build New Soccer Facilities

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Demolition of the Fritz Randolph Observatory at Princeton University has begun, the first step toward the new East Garage & Roberts Stadium at Princeton Stadium & Jadwin Gym. The university plans to salvage stones from the Observatory and use them elsewhere on campus, but the historic building will be lost to soccer facilities, athletics buildings, and amenities for fans.

A five-level parking garage is expected to be finished by Summer 2022. The university has targeted Fall 2022 for the completion of a new soccer stadium and practice field. Roberts Stadium will have a capacity of 3,000 fans, an NCAA regulation-sized soccer field with natural grass, support areas, a ticket office, concession area, and a press box. The practice field will have artificial turf. Both facilities on the East Campus near Jadwin Gymnasium will have lights for nighttime use.

The site will also have an athletics operations facility, paths and roads that create better access and travel through the area for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, and a geo-exchange utility facility and the needed associated infrastructure to support campus-wide carbon neutrality goals. The area being redeveloped is a 33-acre portion of a lot that is more than 140 acres. Already at the site are a biodigester pilot project, buildings for athletics and university operations, the Finney/Campbell athletic fields, and the East Basin.

Jersey City Tower Project Can Move Forward

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With litigation recently settled, developer HAP Investments has been granted automatic site approval for the $400 million HAP 11 Tower Park and Community Center in Jersey City. The Summit Ave project, which has been in the works for years, can now move forward as part of the development of the Hilltop neighborhood near Journal Square.

The two existing empty two-story residential structures will be demolished, clearing the way for a 42-story, one million square foot mixed use tower. There are 800 residential units planned along with 35,000 square feet of retail.

Under the terms of the agreement, HAP will construct a 0.8-acre park at the location, as well as a $2.5 million community center, both of which will then be transferred to city ownership. The tower will be built first and the community center and park must be completed within a year of the residential units Certificate of Occupancy. In addition, 40 of the 100 spaces in the garage will be reserved for the community center and park.

Mixed-Use Building Gets Approval for Newark’s Ironbound District

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A new mixed-use building has been approved by the Newark Planning Board. Florio Residential and Retail at 648-652 Raymond Boulevard calls for 120 residential units and 2,800 square feet of ground floor retail space. It is another building in the ongoing redevelopment of Newark’s Ironbound District in the East Ward.

The new five-story building across from Newark’s Riverfront Park will be more than 141,000 square feet. The residential floors will be a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units. There will also be more than 1,200 square feet of amenity space on the second floor and a 5,200 square feet terrace for use by residents.

A ground level parking garage with 89 spots is also planned.

The project requires the demolition of the existing building on the site, which sits a little more than a mile from both Newark Penn Station and the PATH station in Harrison.