In another sign that the vertical building boom happening along the Hudson River’s west bank isn’t slowing down, one of Jersey City’s most prominent companies is looking to replace part of a parking lot with a sky-high development that would be one of the tallest in the state.
Earlier this month, a corporation named Plaza VIII & IX Associates LLC applied to the city’s planning department seeking approvals for a new project. The company is a subsidiary of Mack-Cali’s Roseland Residential Trust and the parcel they would develop is a 169,000-square-foot surface parking lot located at 242 Hudson Street and 3 Second Street.
The vision for the land is bold, as the development would construct a 68-story building that rises just over 708 feet at the highest point. The mixed-use project, which has been referred to as Harborside 8/9 by Mack-Cali in the past, would feature 680 residential units paired with 18,662-square-feet of commercial space.
A total of 505 parking spaces would be included in the development, 329 of which would be inside a garage within the building. The remaining 176 would be located on a portion of the surface parking lot set to remain under the plans. Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects is listed as the architect of record on the company’s application.
The units inside Harborside 8/9 would break down as 206 studios, 266 one-bedrooms, 183 two-bedrooms, and 25 three-bedrooms. Because the property falls within the East Waterfront District of the Harsimus Cove Redevelopment Plan, no affordable units are included in the proposed project, as none are required to be.
A revision to the layout of the nearby Lutze Biergarten is included in the plans, which appears to be the first building of three that are envisioned at the site. Per the application, only 21% of the lot will be covered by the proposed building and conceptual renderings from Mack-Cali’s recent reports show three structures of similar height rising on the land.
The proposed building’s impact on the skyline would be significant. Including structures either built or currently under construction, this development would be the sixth tallest in the state behind Atlantic City’s Ocean Resort Casino. If you include the recently-approved Avalon Tower and the currently-stalled 30 Journal Square, Mack-Cali’s latest proposal would still rank as the eighth tallest in New Jersey.
Back in February, Jersey City’s planning board approved Mack-Cali’s application to subdivide the land and that reality indicates that this proposed high-rise might not be the last one that emerges at the property. Mack-Cali submitted plans for the tower to the city on October 1, but a date hasn’t been set for the planning board to hear the application.
