While the building boom in Journal Square has gotten boatloads of attention in recent years, Jersey City’s Downtown isn’t exactly a slouch when it comes to construction and several large projects will be adding new residents, restaurants, retail, and public spaces to the landscape over the coming months.
One development along the waterfront that has mostly wrapped construction is now called Bisby, which rises 34 stories tall just a block from the Hudson River and next to the Newport Green. LeFrak has all but completed work at the complex except for the ground floor, which will soon be home to an outpost of Montclair’s Efi’s Gyro.
LeFrak has already started making moves on their next projects in the surrounding area, as much construction equipment is still hanging around in anticipation for another 47-story tower that was approved by the Planning Board earlier this year.
Just a bit further inland, the second phase of Hudson Exchange is starting to rise. Brookfield Properties and G&S Investors broke ground on the $620 million project last year and work is well underway on the 60-story development, which is expected to be completed in 2026.
The 1.3-million square foot complex will include 802 rental apartments and 115,000 square feet of retail space, 85,000 square feet of which will house a new ShopRite supermarket to replace the aging facility across the street. The facade has started to go up on the lower floors of the project, which will also create a 20,000 square foot green space along Marin Boulevard including plazas, a new dog park, and more.
Just a few blocks south, work is wrapping up on the Arts & Powerhouse Building. KABR Group is repurposing a former A&P warehouse property into an office and retail concept that has fully restored and linked two historic structures.
Several high-profile tenants have already signed on to space in the building including Han Dynasty, Daily Provisions, Tacombi, and Rumble Boxing.
Heading toward the Grove Street PATH Station, the restoration and expansion project known as the Columbus & Barrow Residences is taking shape. Grove Street-based Norkez Properties is bringing a total of 63 residences that include some townhomes along with two storefronts spanning about 4,500 square feet.
The tallest seven-story section along the Columbus Drive portion of the property is already topped out, while the exterior restoration of the original building is mostly complete. The development is slated to utilize gray brick alongside metal cladding on the new portion.
Another development at 157 Newark Avenue is slated to formally begin work soon. A building that once housed Fabco Shoes has already been torn down and a lot on Barrow Street included in the L-shaped development has been cleared as well.
The 41-unit development will include stepbacks from Newark Avenue at the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors. Several of the upper floor penthouse units will feature private outdoor spaces overlooking either Newark Avenue or Columbus Drive and the ground floor storefront at the development is slated to span 4,377 square feet.
Perhaps the most prominent ongoing Downtown development is in Paulus Hook at 55 Hudson Street. The initial portion of a two-tower project will bring new rental apartments, public open spaces, and retail to Jersey City’s Downtown courtesy of Tishman Speyer and Goldman Sachs.
The first 58-story tower first phase includes 1,017 rental apartments plus a new parking garage with 378 spaces. The construction of 55 Hudson Street will additionally create a new plaza along Hudson Street across from the Hudson Bergen Light Rail trackage and deliver approximately 60,000 square feet of new retail space.
One of the more long-term projects in Jersey City’s Downtown can be found at Pier Six along the waterfront. The property, along Sixth Street, is owned by LeFrak and is slated to house four high rises plus some open space.
The land was once envisioned as an office development, but a revamped plan emerged in 2022. The proposed four towers along the pier would include a total of 1,723 residential units plus garage parking for 897 cars.
To facilitate the project, LeFrak has proposed extending 6th Street eastbound along the southern portion of the pier alongside the creation of several northbound “loops” for vehicles to access the buildings. Work stabilizing the pier is ongoing at the site, but proper construction of the high-rises is still a few years away from coming to fruition.
Downtown Jersey City’s latest developments are reshaping the landscape, bringing new residential, retail, and public spaces that add to its urban appeal. With all these projects and more underway, the area is set to welcome an even larger array of options for living, working, and exploring in the coming years.
