Newport’s transformation from an area rife with abandoned rail yards into a modern neighborhood ranks as one of New Jersey’s largest revitalization efforts ever and an ambitious plan looking to bring almost 2,000 new apartments and townhomes to the southern tip of the community could soon move forward.
Jersey Digs broke the news last summer about plans for an 8.5-acre pier at 2 Sixth Street. The structure was originally built by the Pennsylvania Railroad as a low water timber relieving platform but has remained vacant for many years under LeFrak, the current owner.
The company had initially pitched an office development for the site but scrapped that proposal last year in favor of a mixed-use residential project. Our exclusive reporting from September showed that LeFrak submitted plans regarding the project to the Department of Environmental Protection, who will need to sign off on the project for it to advance.
The company will soon be seeking local approvals that could massively reshape the neighborhood’s skyline. Drawn up by New York-based Arquitectonica, LeFrak’s plans for 2 Sixth Street include three total structures and five high-rise towers that are set to include a total of 1,998 residential units.
Per an application submitted to Jersey City, the development’s westernmost building would have two offset 33-story towers connected by an eight-story podium base. The first five floors would consist of a parking garage sporting 349 parking spaces, while the sixth floor of amenities would include an entertainment room, a 7,500-square-foot terrace, health center, indoor pool, club lounge, yoga room, and game rooms.
The central building of the proposal would also have an eight-story podium base but feature one 33-story and one 39-story tower. The base of the middle structure would include a full eight floors of parking with 660 spaces, and both the central and westernmost buildings would feature two- and three-bedroom duplex townhomes that wrap around the taller portions.
Both podiums at the first two components would feature roofs that double as outdoor terraces for future residents with greenery spanning over 35,000 square feet. The first two portions would additionally include a combined 1,096 spaces for bicycles within both garage facilities.
The easternmost portion of the property would be home to the final and tallest building under the plan, as a stand-alone tower that rises 51 stories is envisioned. The structure would be connected to the middle component via a third-floor sky bridge and include a single 3,185-square-foot retail space on the north side of the tower’s ground floor.
To facilitate the property’s development, LeFrak has proposed extending Sixth Street westbound from its current terminus near the start of the pier. The road would run along the pier’s southern portion and three loops to access the buildings and parking garages would be constructed within the development.
The proposal would add over half a mile to the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway throughout the entire perimeter of the pier plus some additional open space between the buildings. The exteriors of all the buildings are slated to utilize vision glass, metal canopies, and stone cladding components for a modern look.
The 2 Sixth Street property falls mostly within Jersey City’s Newport Redevelopment Plan but has a small portion under the jurisdiction of the Harsimus Cove Redevelopment Plan. LeFrak will need variances related to minimum yard and multiple structures on the same lot to move forward, as the property is currently not subdivided and remains one giant parcel.
The latest proposal from LeFrak is tentatively scheduled to be heard by Jersey City’s planning board during their April 6 meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be held virtually on Zoom. It can be accessed by the public at this link or at the webinar ID 894 1105 4619.
LeFrak’s presence along the Jersey City waterfront is large and the company’s The Beach project is slated to wrap construction later this year. They won approvals just weeks ago to construct a facility nearby dubbed Newport Pier Park despite controversy that erupted over a since-removed section that was slated to be accessible only to residents of their buildings.
