A property on Jersey City’s Western Slope that used to be where many local residents shopped for fresh produce could soon be where many new residents call home.
For years, motorists who drove past the Hudson Farmers Market and Garden Center at 3437 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Ward D saw hundreds of plants, pumpkins, fruits, and vegetables, both alongside the street and on top of the building itself. However, the site now just contains an empty building and a sign that the business has moved to the Bergen Garden Center 17 miles north of Jersey City in New Milford.
Now, plans to replace the site of the market could potentially move forward. John & Maryann, LLC has filed an application that calls for replacing a one-story building on the premises between Lincoln and Thorne Streets with a six-story building, according to a legal notice. Unlike many new developments in Jersey City, the proposed project would not include any retail space. Instead, it would be entirely residential, with 60 units taking up most of the building. 30 indoor parking spaces would also be provided on the premises. Residents of the remaining 30 units would likely rely on public transportation, such as New Jersey Transit’s 2, 88, and 125 buses.
The Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled to hear the developer’s application for Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan approval during its meeting this Thursday, November 1, at 6:00 p.m. The company is seeking multiple variances, including height, density, parking, building coverage, and lot coverage for the proposed development, which would be constructed in a one- and two-family housing district, according to the notice.
John & Maryann, LLC reportedly bought the property, along with neighboring 3443 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, in 2016 for $2.1 million from Seasonal Specialty Wholesale. As we have previously reported, this firm, along with similarly named John & Maryan, LLC, has been acquiring properties and proposing new developments all over town over the last few years, from The Heights to Greenville. The company is registered out of a house on Bleecker Street that also contains Angelo Construction.
Note to readers: The dates that applications are scheduled to be heard by the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment and other commissions are subject to change.
