Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Six Mega-Towers to Begin Construction in Jersey City

Boom times appear to have returned to the greater New York City area, as a surge in non-super luxury construction is finally beginning. Development in Jersey City has been relatively dormant since the recession, but two major projects are about to break ground, and promise to jump-start the next wave of construction – especially as the six new buildings will be among the tallest in all of New Jersey.

Closest to Manhattan, Urban Ready Living Harborside is ready to begin construction. The $291 million development is expected to create approximately 700 construction jobs and will consist of three residential towers, each soaring roughly 70 stories. To some degree, their design seems to mimic 56 Leonard Street, though the ‘Jenga-effect’ is not quite as dramatic.

The new skyscrapers will anchor a section of Downtown Jersey City that is seeking more new residents, and the contribution to the city’s skyline will be significant. At 700 feet, URL’s triplets will become the most prominent residential towers in the neighborhood.

Developers Mack-Cali and Ironstate are already set to begin construction on the first phase of the project: a 69-story tower with 763 apartment units built above a parking pedestal.

More surprising is the announcement that the 'Journal Squared' towers are also moving forward. The development, which will also consist of three buildings, will be a visual anchor for the neighborhood, which lacks anything remotely close to the project’s size.

Journal Squared is a 2.3 million square-foot high-rise development designed by Handel Architects that will be the linchpin in the redevelopment of Journal Square.

Above a base of retail and parking, three residential towers will include 1,840 residential apartments.

The first skyscraper to begin construction will rise 54 floors, and the second and third buildings will rise 60 and 70 stories. Kushner Real Estate has planned a ground-breaking ceremony for early December.

The developer envisions that the Journal Square neighborhood will, one day, rival Downtown Jersey City.

In terms of height, this is about to happen, as the tallest of the new buildings will surpass the 781-foot tall 30 Hudson Street.

Like Urban Ready Living, the skyscrapers look to Manhattan for inspiration, while offering a wider and vastly more affordable take on 432 Park Avenue.

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