A trailblazing project that kicked off a building boom in Journal Square, Jersey City is now fully completed after over a decade of construction.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and other dignitaries joined principals of KRE Group and National Real Estate Advisors to celebrate the completion of the game-changing Journal Squared development. The third and final 60-story tower now stands alongside its two predecessors, completing the $900 million, 2.3 million-square-foot project.
The latest tower topped out last year. Leasing is underway at the final high-rise which adds 598 new rental residences for a grand total of 1,840 units across three towers.
“We’re incredibly proud of the community we’ve built here and the role it has played in revitalizing Journal Square,” said Jonathan Kushner, President of KRE Group. “Journal Squared has drawn thousands of residents who embrace the neighborhood’s unique character and culture while enjoying an unparalleled lifestyle. As we celebrate the completion of the final tower, we look forward to continuing to enhance this vibrant community.”
Designed by Handel Architects and HWKN Architecture, the completed complex has towers rising 53, 60, and 68 stories along with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. The complex is also home to Magnolia Landing, which boasts 36,000 square feet of street-level retail including the grocer Food Story and Whealth Kitchen.
Per our reporting from earlier this year, a new cafe and lounge from the team behind the Almost Home coffee cart is currently in the works for the retail component in the third tower.
KRE Group and National first broke ground on Journal Squared in 2014 and the white metal panels and punched windows on the façade has since redefined the neighborhood. Its visibility extends for miles from both sides of the Hudson River and serves as a recognizable landmark for those flying into the region.
“It really took a special developer to actually see what was possible here at the time,” said Mayor Fulop, lauding KRE’s vision for the neighborhood. “We had all this transportation infrastructure, but the reality of 2012, 2013, is that all of the development was on the waterfront. People were a little cautious about venturing away.”
“Then you fast forward 10 years and you drive around these streets in Journal Square, I am very proud, and I think all of you should be proud, because there isn’t a place in the United States of America with this much development in three square blocks,” the mayor added. If you think about what it is going to be in five years, it really will be the heartbeat of Jersey City, if not the heartbeat of New Jersey.”
Amenities offered in the final tower include a performance lounge with bleacher seating, a soundproof recording studio, a karaoke lounge, a boxing gym, and a sky lounge with a wet bar and sweeping views.
The new amenities complement existing shared spaces across the development, including a fitness center, indoor bouldering wall, library, co-working lounges, and a digital game lounge, among other perks.
