While most new high-rise development proposals in Hudson County tend to be concentrated near the Hudson River waterfront and Journal Square in Jersey City, a new application calls for constructing a 25-story tower near a transportation hub close to the Hackensack River in the Meadowlands.
A company called Fraternity Meadows, LLC recently filed plans with the Secaucus Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) in connection with the proposed development on the premises of XChange at Secaucus Junction, according to a legal notice. If approved and ultimately built as currently planned, the 25-story “Building G” would consist of 403 residential units. Parking would take up four floors of the development, which would be situated off of Brianna Lane.
Located near the New Jersey Turnpike, High Tech High School, Laurel Hill Park, and dozens of warehouses, the existing XChange at Secaucus Junction apartment complex was completed in stages beginning in 2008 and largely consists of four-story and five-story buildings. The only other residential high-rise currently standing in Secaucus is the Harmon Cove Towers condominium complex off of Meadowlands Parkway.
The ZBA is scheduled to hear the developer’s application during its meeting on Monday, January 13 at 7:00pm. A height variance is being sought, with the notice adding that the “Town of Secaucus has petitioned the NJSEA [New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority] to amend certain sections in the Secaucus Transit Village Redevelopment Plan…to allow the maximum overall height of any residential building located in the Riverfront Landing zone to be 25 stories, inclusive of parking.” NJSEA filings show that land use applications for a new building and a “variance/special exception” in connection with Building G were received by the authority in September.
Last fall, the Secaucus Town Council approved three ordinances related to financial agreements and tax exemptions for XChange at Secaucus Junction, one of which referenced plans by Tower at Waterside Station Urban Renewal, LLC for 403 market-rate units on Fraternity Meadows-owned property. The ordinance in question mentioned that the Town of Secaucus was entering into a financial agreement involving payments in lieu of taxes in regards to this development “in order to enhance the economic viability of and opportunity for a successful project, and cause the successful development, design, construction and financing of the project.”
Fraternity Meadows is registered out of the same address in Woodbridge Township as Atlantic Realty Development Corporation. A representative for the developer along with the firm’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
Note to readers: The dates that applications are scheduled to be heard by the Secaucus Zoning Board of Adjustment and other commissions are subject to change.
