An ambitious effort to replace every bit of public housing in Hoboken with modern units has a redevelopment partner and an initial phase in place, with hopes of advancing through the planning process this year.
The Hoboken Housing Authority held a meeting this week, revealing the look of its first building as part of the city’s massive overhaul of its public housing units. The authority manages six housing complexes on over 21 acres throughout the city, comprising 1,354 units, all built between 1940 and 1979.
The authority is planning a one-for-one replacement of all housing units, including 200 residences currently being rehabilitated at the Fox Hill Garden senior housing complex. Much of Hoboken’s public housing lies in the city’s southwest area along Jackson and Harrison Streets, which is where the first phase is slated to rise.
Per Hudson County View, Hoboken’s City Council passed an ordinance last June moving forward with plans to redevelop properties managed by the authority. A partnership was struck soon thereafter with Hoboken Forward One Urban Renewal Associates, a subsidiary of RPM Development Group.
The authority’s approval calls for a 50/50 partnership with RPM for the first phase, which is to be built on a surface parking lot between Jackson and Harrison Streets along Fourth Street. The development of the parcels leaves in place an existing building at the corner of Jackson and 4th Streets, plus the Mi Sueños Polleria market.
Designed by Inglese Architecture + Engineering, the first phase of the project is proposed to rise 12 stories. The lower floors will feature a white-brick base, while the higher floors will boast a metal-and-glass façade.
A total of 165 public housing residences are included in the building, broken down as 28 one-bedroom, 95 two-bedroom, and 42 three-bedroom units. A total of 2,050 square feet of retail is included along the Jackson Street side of the building.
84 garage parking spaces are included in the proposal, along with amenities such as community lounges and workspaces. The building is designed to “passive house” standards, includes flood mitigation components, and is slated to feature a solar canopy system and roof-mounted solar panels.
The next step in phase one is for the City Council to approve a redevelopment agreement for the project, which will also require approval from the Planning Board. The city hopes to have shovels in the ground for the project by the end of 2027, with the first phase potentially completed in 2029.
The Hoboken Housing Authority overhaul could include up to 10 phases, with new buildings on the authority’s campus ranging from 6 to 12 stories tall. Other goals of the endeavor include infrastructure upgrades, transportation improvements, and the creation of a commercial corridor along Jackson Street.
The overhaul of the southwestern section of the housing authority also aims to create community-focused amenities, including a new resiliency park along Marshall Street at the site of a former power substation. The plan will create additional revenue for Hoboken, according to officials, as the current federally owned land does not pay property taxes, but the new buildings will be subject to them.
While plans for all phases of the project are not finalized, future portions could include mixed-income units that add non-housing-authority residential units to the campus. All existing housing authority residents will be given priority for the first phase of units, and no residents will be displaced during the construction.
