A two-tower residential project will soon rise on vacant land near the Garfield Avenue Hudson Bergen Light Rail, as a Brooklyn-based developer is set to break ground on a 170-unit rental building that will overlook Berry Lane Park.
We were the first to report on approvals granted last year that were looking to revitalize a block-long stretch of Jersey City’s Lafayette neighborhood. The development, dubbed Parkview Apartments, combines a whopping nine adjacent properties at 87-99 Van Horne Street and 72-78 Woodward Street.
Brooklyn-based Wallabout Realty acquired all the properties for $4.6 million back in 2016 and began planning the development, which is set to break ground soon. Jersey City-based land development design firm Dresdner Robin served as engineer on the project, while the complex was designed by Ocean Township, N.J.-based Monteforte Architectural Studio.
The resulting Parkview Apartments will consist of two 89-foot buildings that will rise seven stories each over a two-floor parking structure that includes 123 spaces. The towers, which will each sport their own lobby, feature unique architecture with reflective glass and are angled toward Berry Lane Park, a 17-acre green space that opened in 2016.
The complex will include 170 rental units broken down as 65 one-bedroom, 95 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom apartments. 18 units will be set aside for those with moderate incomes and during the approvals process, Wallabout Realty contributed $324,000 to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Perks at the Parkview Apartments include a common amenity deck to be built between the two structures. In addition, each of the towers will have rooftop spaces that include a lawn area, a paver plaza, and covered seating sections.
Infrastructure improvements as part of the work comprise an extension of Woodward Street, which will create new parking spaces for visitors, plus the construction of an entirely new road to connect Woodward Street and Van Horne Street. New sidewalks and improved pedestrian access to the Light Rail station will also be built.
“This project modernizes an entire city block, bringing infrastructure and community improvements to the area surrounding the Garfield Avenue Light Rail station,” said Joseph Mele, director of civil engineering at Dresdner Robin. “Our firm has worked closely with the developer and community stakeholders to ensure that this project becomes a worthy complement to nearby Berry Lane Park and the city’s overall growth.”
The imminent groundbreaking of Parkview Apartments is big news for the area, as it will become the largest project to move forward in the direct vicinity of Berry Lane Park. 20 acres of vacant land owned by PPG Industries are nearby and a few proposals have emerged in the neighborhood, but vertical construction can go a long way towards inspiring confidence.
Wallabout Realty says they hope to complete construction on Parkview Apartments by the end of 2021.
