Several years ago, the Jersey City Planning Board approved a proposal to construct a new apartment building on a lot near Journal Square. For over a decade, the property at 205-211 Baldwin Avenue sat vacant just south of the bridge that crosses the PATH tracks and the parking deck for the Jersey City State Office Building, but the plans called for turning the site into a 40-unit development with 15 parking spaces. However, city records show that construction permits were never filed. Today, the premises continue to remain undeveloped with “no trespassing” signs posted on the barbed wire fence in front.
Despite the lack of construction on this project, the property owners are apparently looking to move forward with building another development at the site. 205 Baldwin Avenue, LLC, which is registered on NJ Parcels out of an industrial park in Elizabeth, has applied to the Jersey City Planning Board for Preliminary and Final Site Plan approval with variances such as minimum lot width and side yard setbacks in order to create a new residential building. 43 units would be included in the proposed structure, according to an agenda from the planning board, though it is not clear yet if they would be rentals or condominiums nor is it known how they would be priced.
Should the project be approved and constructed, the site would also include 11 parking spaces, though the Journal Square business district and PATH station are within a half-mile walk. The property sits within the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan Area and upper floors of the proposed development would likely feature views of the Jersey City and Lower Manhattan skylines.
Initially, the proposal was slated to go before the Planning Board on August 14, but the matter is now scheduled for September 11.
The previous development that was planned for the site was to be given a five-year tax exemption from City Hall. All of the units would have been market rate. Construction on the $10 million project was supposed to have been completed in December 2017.
