One of the most unique communities along the Hudson River could be getting its long-awaited final portion. Officials are set to consider a multi-building townhome extension at Port Liberté in Jersey City.
Jersey City’s Planning Board will hear an application for 200 Chapel Avenue during its July 14 meeting. The plan emerges shortly after the completion of a 400-unit development next door that rose on one of the last vacant properties in the master-planned community.
Port Liberté, situated south of the Liberty State Park and featuring several canal-like waterways, currently consists of about 800 townhomes plus the recently completed development. The final phase encompasses the entirety of the remaining vacant land, which spans about ten acres.
The parcel, south of Liberty National Golf Club, has long been planned to feature townhouses similar to Port Liberté’s first phases. Bridgewater-based Pulte Homes is now hoping to see the neighborhood’s completion with their 19-building proposal.
To be called Liberty Watch, the proposed density will be significantly lower than the 512 units allowable at the site. According to testimony from an earlier meeting, Pulte downsized the project to create a more aesthetically pleasing development while also adhering to NJDEP flood hazard requirements and stormwater rules.
The 168 total townhomes in the proposed plan will each feature three bedrooms and all 19 structures at the development would rise four stories and 55 feet. The largest building would span 16 connected townhomes, and new roads would be created on the property to access the residences.
Each home would sport two parking spaces proposed per unit, one within an internal garage and one on a deeded driveway space. A total of 336 spaces would be created for the residential units to go 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 the development’s entrance plus add a playground within the community.
The landscape plan for the development includes a total of 197 new trees, 1,702 shrubs, plus perennials and grasses throughout the site. Work to construct the project will raise the current grading at the site by about three feet on average to mitigate flooding concerns.
Pulte is scheduled to present two applications related to the final phase of Port Liberté. The first is looking to amend the existing Caven Point Redevelopment Plan to combine the final three phases of the master plan into one, while the second is related to the development plus a request for an interim use sales trailer for a period of three years.
Pulte is not asking for any variances from existing zoning and will be presenting their application at tonight’s meeting, which begins at 5:30 pm inside the Boardroom at the Holloway Building within the City Hall Annex at 4 Jackson Square.
