Two developers will soon be pitching a project that would transform almost 17 acres of land along the banks of Newark Bay into a sprawling complex that includes four buildings, new parks, and public waterfront amenities.
Late last year, Bayonne’s city council voted to approve the Bayview Redevelopment Plan. The scheme created new zoning regulations for property at 175 Avenue A that was previously home to an A&P supermarket, which closed in 2012 and later met the wrecking ball.
The land is owned by a company called Bayview JV LLC and the endeavor to redevelop the property is a joint venture between Branchburg-based Larken Associates and Gallium Real Estate. The scale of the project is undeniably bold; the current proposal envisions a total of 1,100 units alongside approximately 55,000 square feet of retail space spread throughout four modern buildings.
Of the four new structures, two would rise eight stories while the other duo would top out at 12 floors. An existing one-story retail property home to a Planet Fitness facility would remain under the plans, which have been drawn up by Newark-based architecture firm Minno Wasko.
The proposed Bayview development calls for the construction of the two eight-story buildings along the western portion of the property. The first would sport 182 residences, 6,585 square feet of retail space, and three floors of parking containing 296 spaces.
The second eight-story facility would contain 200 units, 7,235 square feet of retail, and 283 garage parking spaces. Both structures would feature interior courtyards and be separated by a triangle-shaped park spanning just under half an acre along the interior of the Bayview complex.
The eastern section of the land would include the two 12-story mixed-use buildings. The northern structure would consist of 415 residential units, 2,750 square feet of retail space, and five floors of parking totaling 456 spaces, while the southern building would have 303 units, 4,780 square feet of commercial space, and a 9,000-square-foot ground-floor restaurant.
The southernmost building along the waterfront would also feature a 9,575-square-foot rooftop restaurant that includes outdoor seating. A total of 396 garage parking spaces are included in that portion, with 70 being set aside for non-residents.
The apartments at Bayview will range from studios to three-bedroom units and the exteriors of the new structures will utilize gray brick and metal panels. The taller buildings will have some fiber cement components and an existing Planet Fitness outpost would get a façade overhaul under the plan that includes the installation of new stone panels.
Several streets need to be constructed by the developers to facilitate the project, an undertaking that would create 163 surface parking spaces for the public along the new roadways. Various community amenities in the proposal include the construction of a new public waterfront walkway, an amphitheater facility on the north side of the property, a waterfront pier along the southern area, a “beach” section, and a playground.
Each building within the project exceeds the parking requirements set forth in the Bayview Redevelopment Plan and the application states that no variances from existing regulations are being requested. Paperwork submitted to the city indicates that many of the public amenities including the waterfront park would be constructed as part of the initial portion of the project, which will be built in phases if it moves forward.
Bayonne’s planning board is currently scheduled to hear the Bayview application during their August 10 meeting, which is being held in person inside the Municipal Council Chambers at 630 Avenue C. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
