A development in Jersey City’s Journal Square neighborhood that has already begun rising could almost double in size to take advantage of affordable housing incentives that were overhauled last year.
Jersey City’s Planning Board is slated to review an expansion for the already approved Imperial Tower at 2966 Kennedy Boulevard. Developer Sunny Kumar kicked off construction at the site in late 2023, but work halted in 2024.
The entirety of the project had been slated to include 35 floors and feature residences, hotel rooms, retail, a banquet hall, and a rooftop restaurant. The latest plan, still drawn up the MVMK Architecture, keeps all those components intact but raises the height of the project to 55 floors and increases the residential component to a total of 542 units.
As a concession for the height allowance, the developers of Imperial Tower will be setting aside a 10% affordable housing component in the proposed plan. The changes are in response to modifications officials made last year to the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan.
The approved version of Imperial Tower did not include any affordable housing, so a green light from the new application from the Planning Board would create 54 new affordable units on-site. The entirety of the residential component, which would be located on the building’s higher floors, would break down as 108 studios, 324 one-bedrooms, 97 two-bedrooms, 11 three-bedrooms, and a pair of four-bedroom penthouses.
The details of the remainder of the project remain mostly consistent with the previously approved plan. The ground floor of the project would still boast a 4,800 square foot retail restaurant space plus another 1,700 square foot storefront in addition to lobbies plus a 202-space parking garage to be entered on Cottage Street.
The first six floors would consist of mostly parking besides a second-floor amenity space for hotel guests including a cafe and lounge, a bowling alley, gym, workspace, and a children’s playroom. The seventh floor would boast additional amenities like a rock-climbing wall.
The 154 hotel rooms in the project would be located on floors nine through 13. Perks for residents in that component of the project would include 32nd and 51st floor residential amenity spaces plus a roof terrace with a pool deck, infinity pool, and jacuzzi.
The proposed banquet hall on the 55th floor of Imperial Tower is still included in the new vision and set to span over 11,500 square feet with about 1,300 square feet of exterior terrace space. The property’s 56th floor would still boast two separate restaurant spaces that both include outdoor terraces.
The design of the building is mostly consistent with the previously approved project, with the additional floors featuring a uniform glass curtain wall instead of the facade design on the lower floors. The added stores in the new version of Imperial Tower break down as four for parking, two for the hotel component, and 20 for the residential portion.
Jersey City’s Planning Board is slated to hear the proposed changes to the application during their May 6 meeting, which begins at 5:30 pm and is being held in the Boardroom of the City Hall Annex at 4 Jackson Square.
