A vacant Jersey City lot with a decade-long hope for revitalization might finally be moving forward with a revised plan that eliminates some parking while adding more residences and retail space.
During their April 16 meeting, Jersey City’s Planning Board approved a modified application for 44-46 Newkirk Street. The long empty property has had revitalization in the works since at least 2016, per our reporting from that era.
The land was once owned by Titanium Realty Group but is now controlled by a Chatham-based company named ILC 44 Newkirk LLC. That entity can be traced to a company named Interland Holdings, who gained new approvals under a plan drawn up by MVMK Architecture and Design.
Set to rise 12 stories and 130 feet, the revamped 44 Newkirk is set to feature 3,293 square feet of retail on the ground floor split between three storefronts. The space situated on the corner of Baldwin Avenue and Newkirk Street is set up as a cafe in the plans.
The biggest changes in the plans include the upsizing of the project to 200 total units that skew smaller. 113 studios, 83 one-bedrooms, and four three-bedroom units are included in the development, which does not have any affordable housing component.
The extra units come at a price, as 14 parking spaces that were included in the original plan have been scrapped. However, a curb cutout in the original proposal has also been eliminated.
The first floor of the property would be home to a 2,900-square-foot amenity space for future residents while a rooftop aims to impress. It is set to include an indoor bar and event space for tenants spanning 3,120 square feet, an outdoor pool with picnic tables and a fire pit, plus a 2,119 square foot green roof.
The reworked 44 Newkirk will utilize exterior materials consisting of brick and cement board panels. The approved changes are consistent with current zoning, as a staff report drawn up for the application notes that the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan has no parking requirements or density caps.
Despite the approvals, a groundbreaking date has not been announced for the project.
