The final portion of a long-planned townhouse community along the Hudson River has finally been greenlit after over a year of hearings and pushback from a local condo board.
During their June 16 meeting, Jersey City’s Planning Board voted 6-1 to approve an application for 200 Chapel Avenue. Jersey Digs first reported on the project last summer in the community of Port Liberté, situated south of Liberty State Park and featuring several canal-like waterways and about 800 townhomes.
The final phase encompasses the entire remaining vacant land, which spans about 10 acres. Bridgewater-based Pulte Homes is behind the newly approved portion, which is set to consist of 19 new buildings.
To be called Liberty Watch, the proposed density will be significantly lower than the 512 units allowable at the site. The 168 total townhomes in the proposed plan will each feature three bedrooms, and all structures at the development will rise four stories and 55 feet.
The largest building is set to span 16 connected townhomes, and new roads will be created on the property to access the residences. Each home will have two parking spaces: one in an internal garage and one on a deeded driveway. A total of 336 spaces will be created for the residential units, along with 80 guest parking spots on the street.
A total of 168 bicycle parking spaces are included in the project, which will utilize brick stucco on the exterior of the townhomes. The development will create a green space along Chapel Avenue near its entrance and add a playground within the community.
The landscape plan for the development includes 197 new trees and 1,702 shrubs, along with perennials and grass throughout the site. Work to construct the project will raise the site’s current grade by about 3 feet on average to mitigate flooding concerns.
Jersey City’s Planning Board voted both to approve the development’s application and to amend the existing Caven Point Redevelopment Plan. The project did not need any variances from existing zoning as a result of the modifications.
The myriad of hearings and hours of testimony regarding the project got contentious. Lawyers for the existing Port Liberte Condo Association argued against the project on several grounds: they claimed that a redevelopment plan for the area had expired and that Pulte Homes lacked the necessary easements to build their proposed project.
The condo board also objected to the new development not contributing to a fund that maintains the nearby waterfront walkway connecting the neighborhood to Liberty State Park. But in the end, the board found that their role was narrow regarding those issues and approved the project.
It remains to be seen whether litigation will be filed against the developer over the disputed issues, and a groundbreaking date for the final phase of Port Liberté has not been announced.
