New Brunswick Rising

[tbal]

Note: There are at least two other (taller) towers on their way to New Bruns. - one is the Gateway which has the green light to start construction next summer (2008), which will be 330 ft tall; the other is the NJ Stem Cell Research Tower, which is still in the planning stages and will be 16 stories tall. Both will be adjacent to the NJ Transit NE Corridor rail line.

In addition, emporis.com lists two more towers planned for construction near the one discussed in the article below, in place of one of the theaters (one of the towers is supposed to have a new performing arts theater within)

(And for those interested, about a month or so ago, I posted photos of the construction site discussed in the below article in the "New Brunswick" thread).
___________________________________________

City downtown to gain new high-rise

By: Stephanie Wynalek / Metro Editor

Posted: 9/19/07

Residences in downtown New Brunswick are on the rise - literally.

Soon to join the landscape of Rockoff Hall, the Heldrich and the upcoming Gateway project is the high-rise New Brunswick Arts Building, to be constructed at the corner of George and New streets.

Currently, the construction site is home to only a large hole, but a 14-story, 150-foot residential tower will rise out of it. When finished, the New Brunswick Arts Building will contain 104 apartments and 3,285 square feet of retail space.

"The motivation for this particular project was to provide additional new retail and housing opportunities for the people of New Brunswick," said city spokesman Bill Bray. "At the same time, it will provide the added benefit of additional revenue to pay for public services and improve the aesthetics of the streetscape."

The developer for the project is Pennrose Properties, also involved with several other New Brunswick high-rises, including Rockoff Hall.

The original concept for the arts building called for artist-style lofts but was later redesigned, Bray said. Twenty percent of the apartments will be set aside for low to moderate-income residents.

"New Brunswick's population is expanding, so we build at all income levels," Bray said. "While a lot of our high-end retail gets a lot of attention, the city also does a considerable amount of low to moderate-income housing."

New Brunswick residents had mixed reactions to the plan for the new high-rise.

"I think it's an excellent idea," said the Rev. Zola T. Finney. "It will be an opportunity for people who are low-income to have really nice housing, which is needed. There's been a lot of things done for the upper end, so this is something positive."

Reese Gillespie, who also lives in the downtown area, gave a different perspective.

"The plan for the new building is good - it's nice. But most of the people that come and live in those, they're not from around here, and they've got money," Gillespie said. "The people who live here, they just watch the city build these places and they're still struggling trying to find somewhere to stay. They don't have the funds that most of these new places are charging."

Still others are ambivalent.

"It doesn't really matter to me," said Brian Person, a New Brunswick resident. "It might make the street look nicer though."

Bray also emphasized the effect the location of the building will have on residents.

"By putting it at a downtown intersection, it encourages people to rely upon mass transit. So people who might not necessarily want to have a car can live here where they don't need one."

Construction for the project has been delayed due to groundwater contamination issues stemming from a dry cleaning business, Town Cleaners, which was previously located on the site.

"If this project seems idle, it certainly is not," Bray said. "But the site has some contamination that will be cleaned up before we begin construction. That's why there's a big hole in the ground and the old foundations are still there."

Collectively, Bray said, the projects represent a turnaround for the city.

"New office, new residential, new retail and the Heldrich reinforces New Brunswick's position as a destination," he said.

Sandra Estrickik, a North Brunswick resident who works in New Brunswick, noted the overall evolution of the downtown area.

"I think it will be good for the economy here," she said. "The new building, when it's finished, will help make the environment nicer for doctors and businesspeople to work in too.

"I guess with the new high-rises the only way the city can go is up."
© Copyright 2007 The Daily Targum

[BrooklynRider]

The Washington DC / Philadelphia / New York / Boston megalopolis spreads.

[videoguy]

This is the last straw in making way for constructin of the 30 story Gateway Center tower on the corner of Easton & Somerset. "New Jersey Books" refused to submit to the New Brunswick Devco, but have accepted a new location around the corner on Easton Avenue (in a space currently used by Rutgers maintenence department), to be constructed over the next few months by New Brunswick Devco. As soon as the new location is built, the store will move and the current block of buildings on the construction site will be demolished to make way for construction of the city's signature tower.

From todays Rutgers Daily Targum:

N.J. Books finally begins move to Easton Ave.


Stephanie Wynalek / Metro Editor10/12/07

New Jersey Books, long situated in a small space near the corner of Somerset Street and College Avenue, is upgrading. At least that's how owner Ed Mueller feels now that an 18,000-square foot new store is in the works.

Demolition of an old University maintenance garage, which is currently standing at the store's new site at 39 Easton Ave., is set to begin within the next 30 days.

"We expect to apply for and receive site plan approval by the end of the year," said Christopher Paladino, the president of New Brunswick Development Corporation. "We're on schedule."

The relocation is in preparation for the highly anticipated Gateway Project, which will be constructed on the site where the bookstore currently stands, in addition to several other small businesses.

"There's a reasonable amount of what you can ask for and what you get," Mueller said. "You have to figure out what's best for everybody, and I feel like we've reached a good understanding."

Mueller said he expects the construction of the new store to span until next year.

"I guess they're going to do demolition first. Then they do groundwork," he said. "They expect to start actual construction around Dec.1. They're supposed to be working on it like July, August of next year and be finished next fall."

"I don't know about the timeline, I do know construction is going to start almost immediately following demolition of the maintenance garage," said city spokesman Bill Bray. "There will be a little break between the two during the winter, because construction can sometimes be difficult during the winter if the weather's bad."

Bray added that the move is scheduled to accommodate Mueller's business.

"I can tell you the new New Jersey Books store will open prior to any demolition of the old store, the idea being to close down one operation and open up the next seamlessly," he said. "When we move will depend on when the new building gets done," Mueller said.

Bray said the new site was selected due to its close proximity to the store's previous location.

"Mr. Mueller felt this area was a great area to be in due to its closeness to students living both on campus and off campus," he said. "And the difference between the new site and the old one is insignificant in terms of where his customer base is."

Bray said that the garage site has long been seen as a hole in a retail streetscape on Easton Avenue. "This allows us to fix that by removing the blank wall that is the garage and filling in a gap along the street with the new store," he said.

Mueller agreed.

"I think it's a good new site, because it's still where all the student activity is," he said. "Everything's really within a couple blocks, so the new site isn't out of the way, and it's on a main street. You can't put a business away from where everybody else is because it makes it harder for customers to go there. It's still the hub area and that's very important to me."

Mueller said he feels the employees are satisfied with the move. He believes the space will provide for better working conditions with more employees in the new store.

"There'll be water fountains and a couple bathrooms instead of just one little tiny one. We'll be able to give better service, and it'll be nice to work in. Before, I think everyone felt like we were trapped in this little area," Mueller said.

With regards to students buying textbooks, Mueller said the new store provides more counter area for purchasing books and less crowding.

But, Mueller admits the store won't actually be as big as it may seem. Although the store is 18,000 square feet, a loading dock area and a few staircases will detract from the amount of usable space.

"That's not to say it isn't going to be a nice store. But you just can't imagine the total number as all usable space," he said.

Both Mueller and Bray feel the close proximity of the Gateway, which will house a new University bookstore, and Mueller's new store will be good for customers.

"I can't speak to what New Jersey Books feels, but obviously having a center where you have different retailers selling the same type of items is great because that just provides more options for the consumers," Bray said.

[JCMAN320]

NJ leaders break ground on stem cell research facility

by Kitta MacPherson Tuesday October 23, 2007, 7:28 PM

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, joined by relatives of the late "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve, state legislators, scientists, patient activists and university leaders, today broke ground at the site of the future, multi-million-dollar stem cell research center at a dirt lot in New Brunswick.

The state Economic Development Authority approved $9.1 million in June for design and pre-development costs of the facility, to be called The Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey -Christopher Reeve Pavilion, a $150 million research institute expected to take about three years to build. The center will occupy five floors of a 16-story University Research Tower to be built by Rutgers University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in the city's downtown on Little Albany Street. The institute will also run satellite facilities in four other locations including Newark and Camden.

Corzine, a staunch supporter of embryonic stem cell research, described his excitement at the prospect of the state hosting such an advanced scientific facility with such promise for curing and treating some of mankind's most hopeless maladies. "This may be one of the most exciting moments since I've been Governor," he said. "This is about humanity writ large."

He described Reeve, a Princeton native who became one of the country's most visible and memorable stem cell activists after an accident left him paralyzed, as an "heroic New Jerseyan. He was truly a Superman."

In what was perhaps the event's emotional high point, Benjamin Reeve, a Massachusetts attorney and younger brother of the late star who bears a striking likeness to him, took the microphone. He spoke of his brother's struggle with his disability and his wish that he could switch places with opponents of stem cell research, if only for a moment, so they could see things from his perspective. And he spoke of how moved he was that the people of New Jersey wanted to fulfill his brother's dream by building a place that could give rise to cures for maladies like spinal cord injuries.

"We appreciate that you 'get it," Reeve said. And, referring to the slogan of both his family and the Summit-based Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is "Move Forward," he added: "This is exactly what we mean. This is forward."

Many speakers urged passage of the $450 million bond referendum up for public vote Nov. 6. The money would fund the salaries of the scientists that will conduct the pathbreaking work.

Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, did not find the speeches nor the ceremony uplifting. She is opposed to the bond issue on the grounds that it will support research on embryonic stem cells which she says is immoral.

[tbal]

Very good news to hear. And wow, that happened quick. The last article I read about this tower seemed to suggest that construction was years away. Well, I guess it wasn't-

This is one of three buildings of 14+ stories that will be U/C in New Bruns come Summer 2008. Man, that tiny little city is BOOMING (there is also that 9-story medical office building under construction along French Street).

[investordude]

I'd find it easier to celebrate the stem cell building if it wasn't necessary solely to comply with Bush's moronic order blocking the use of federal facilities for this. As in California, my sense is we'd be better off spending that money actually curing disease than addressing idealogical workarounds for a bad president. But hopefully this problem will go away in 2009, and we'll just have an expanded medical lab that we can use to the fullest.

[tbal]

The Stem Cell site is still being used as a parking lot, but there is new signage around the site declaring it as the future site of the Stem Cell Research Institute (with a nice rendering of the tower too). If I had to guess, I'd say it will probably break ground by Spring or Summer of this year.

Anyway, the Rutgers School of Nursing buildings have made decent progress in the last few months:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g245/jcwalkingman/11908014.jpg?t=1200977221

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g245/jcwalkingman/11908013.jpg?t=1200977262

And the French Street midrise office building is nearing completion (and is a really SWEET addition to this area IMO):

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g245/jcwalkingman/11908010.jpg?t=1200977294

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g245/jcwalkingman/11908009.jpg?t=1200977317

...And a few last notes:

1. It looks like NJ Books might be moving just across the street from its current site rather than to 39 Easton. Two small buildings across the street were demo'd a few months ago, and there is a large new foundation for one building taking up the two lots there. Meanwhile, there are no signs at all of imminent demolition work at 39 Easton Ave, and demo work was to have taken place (or at least been well underway) there by now.

2. The New Brunswick Arts Building site remains vacant of any heavy equipment, so I have a feeling that this site won't see any activity until at least the Spring or Summer.

3. Surrounding the Gateway site are fresh markings for underground utility locations. I think the last thing I read about this project was that it would be U/C by the Summer. I have no doubt in my mind that this will go through as scheduled. Since it's funded in part by a government entity (as is construction of the Stem Cell Institute), I can't see any reason why they wouldn't go ahead with it at this point (and also considering how much trouble the city has gone through to acquire all the buildings currently occupying the site).

[JCMAN320]

Rutgers to lead research efforts to heal soldiers

by Wayne Woolley/The Star-Ledger Thursday April 17, 2008, 1:30 PM

Rutgers University will be a top recipient of an $85 million Pentagon grant to find ways to help severely wounded troops regrow skin, bones, nerves, muscles and blood vessels, Army Surgeon General Eric Schoomaker announced today.

The Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine will include efforts from some of the nation's top research institutions including Harvard University and the Mayo Clinic. One group of researchers will be led by Rutgers and a second by Wake Forest University.

Joachim Kohn, a biochemist who has led pioneering research in medical implants, will lead the Rutgers team. Kohn is hoping to achieve medical breakthroughs within the next five years that will help to repair the kinds of massive trauma caused by bomb blasts in Iraq.

"To alleviate the pain and suffering of these very severely injured people requires a truly national effort and it requires the synergy of a very diverse group of expertise," Kohn said in an interview before the Pentagon announcement.

The researchers will focus their efforts on regenerative medicine, a relatively new field that relies on man-made materials and biologically grown materials to help the body repair, replace and restore damaged tissues and organs. The researchers will also use stem cells as part of their effort, although Kohn said the studies do not require embryonic stem cells, a practice that has become controversial.

The creation of the regenerative medicine institute marks one of the broadest Pentagon efforts to use private and public research institutions to solve medical problems from the ongoing wars.

"This is the first time this has happened on this kind of a scale," said George Muschler, an orthopedic surgeon and biomedical engineer at the Cleveland Clinic. "Wars throughout history have encouraged people in medicine to make advances. This is one of those opportunities."

Kohn said getting the Pentagon to fund the initial research will lead to breakthroughs that would not have been possible otherwise because private industry tends not to pour much money into finding treatments for trauma and instead focuses on broader treatments for common ailments.

"We are right now at a critical moment," Kohn said. "The investment of $85 million will have a noticeable impact on the rate in which tissue regeneration products will hit the market."

In the end, he said, new medical products and treatments discovered by the Pentagon project will benefit everyone.

"We have enough car crashes or God forbid a major terrorist attack with people with severe burns," he said. "These are the kinds of inventions that will come in handy."

[tbal]

Hot off the press, the cover story of yesterday's Daily Targum:

--------------------

Project set to break ground after store relocates



Chris Zawistowski
Staff Writer
Print this article (http://javascript<b></b>:window.print();) Share this article (http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php)

Published: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Updated: Thursday, February 19, 2009

http://dailytargum.com/polopoly_fs/1.1487284!image/1902905482.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_260/1902905482.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:Site.openWin('/polopoly_fs/1.1487284!image/1902905482.jpg', 700, 613))The Daily Targum
New Jersey Books, whose former residence was located at the corner of Somerset Street and Easton Avenue pictured above, will be moving to a new location at 39 Easton Ave. come March.


Ground breaking on the Gateway Project will begin sometime during the spring, said Jean Holtz, vice president of communications for the New Brunswick Development Corporation.

The parking authority has acquired all the property, all the relocation issues have been settled and demolition will begin in the next couple months, Holtz said.

She said DEVCO worked hard to relocate the stores affected by the construction, including New Jersey Books.

“With New Jersey Books, there was a lot of discontentment in the beginning but Ed Mueller’s new store is on Easton Avenue,” Holtz said. “It’s four times as large as the store he was in and it is brand new, and he should be in there this month.”

The project is anticipated to finish by the end of 2011 after about 30 months of construction, Holtz said.

Everything with the project is still on time since the negotiations with NJ Books were included in the original schedule, she said.

“We knew how long the construction was and we knew we couldn’t start demolition until they were moved,” Holtz said.

The reason why it seems like it is taking such a long time to begin construction on the Gateway Center is because they needed to delay it for 18 months until they could build owner Mueller a new store and move him in, she said.

Now that NJ Books is nearly relocated, building can begin on the project, Holtz said.

NJ Books Manager Joe Barbanti referred all questions to Vice President Tom Ebert, who was unavailable at press time.

Signs outside of the Somerset Street store state the store is moving to 39 Easton Ave. on or about March 1, 2009.

Holtz said there are many benefits to the new building, including a Barnes and Noble bookstore that will feature a large community room where book readings and other events can take place.

“The cache of having a Barnes and Noble will help us to develop better retail for the students and people who live here,” Holtz said.

The building will connect College Avenue to the platform of the New Brunswick Train Station, Holtz said, and will contain about 200 condominiums, which will be affordable for middle-income residents.

“They are not affordable housing for lower-income people, nor are they maxed out,” Holtz said. “DEVCO, as a non-profit entity, will own them and keep the price well within the reach of middle income owners.”

Students had mixed reactions about the Gateway Project and what it will mean for students and city residents.

“People who live off campus can live in those places so it’ll still be University housing officially. But it’s weird that it’s happening [with] tuition going up,” said Lijo John, an Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy junior.

School of Arts and Sciences senior Rose Arackathara said she thinks the Gateway Project will ultimately help the city, but is worried it may have adverse affects for residents who can’t afford the housing.

“I’m just concerned about the cost of it and what that means to New Brunswick and Rutgers,” Arackathara said.

—Heather Brookhart contributed to this article.

[JCMAN320]

Project to bridge New Brunswick train station to Rutgers University clears legal hurdle

By Brian Whitley/The Star-Ledger
October 22, 2009, 6:51PM

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/new-brunswick-gatewayjpg-0106bafed040b3cd_medium.jpg
Nawal Qarooni/The Star-Ledger
A 2007 photo of models of the new Gateway project in New Brunswick. The project will connect the train station with Rutgers University's College Ave. campus.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- The $150 million Gateway development project, which will bridge the downtown New Brunswick train station with the Rutgers University campus, cleared its last legal hurdle today.

With a vote from its board of governors, Rutgers ceded the title of an Easton Avenue property to the New Brunswick Development Corporation. That completes a three-way deal between the university, the city and a private bookstore currently located in the planned construction zone.

New Jersey Books, which supplies many Rutgers students, will move from Somerset Street to a new, larger building constructed by the development corporation at 39 Easton Ave. The property was previously the site of a Rutgers public safety garage, which the corporation demolished.

Once New Jersey Books relocates — which its owner, Ed Mueller, said would happen within a week — the last phase of demolition will begin. New construction is set to begin by early next year.

Ed Mueller, owner of New Jersey Books, said he’s pleased with the arrangement. Although Mueller will lose rental income from tenants at the Somerset property, his 18,000 square foot new store is several times larger than the old one.

"The project will help the city. New Brunswick has improved tremendously over the years," he said. "I certainly came out with a fair deal with my new store."

The Gateway project includes a larger home for the official Rutgers bookstore, Barnes and Noble, as well as the university’s press. It also involves 200 condominiums, retail stores, and a 650-space parking lot to be run by the New Brunswick Parking Authority.

About 3,000 direct and indirect construction jobs will result from the project, according to a joint statement released yesterday by Rutgers and the city of New Brunswick.

After breaking ground in June, the project should be completed by 2012, according to Rutgers.

[tbal]

From the Daily Targum:

Gateway moves toward completion

By Colleen Roache
Associate News Editor

Published: Monday, April 12, 2010
Updated: Monday, April 12, 2010

http://www.dailytargum.com/polopoly_fs/1.2220320!/image/942958286.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_240/942958286.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:Site.openWin('/polopoly_fs/1.2220320!/image/942958286.jpg', 469, 361))Bonnie Chan / Staff Photographer

Construction of the Gateway building, located on the corner of Albany Street and Easton Avenue, continues to move forward. The building will house a new location for the Rutgers University Press.

The New Brunswick Development Corporation, more commonly known as DEVCO, is moving toward completion of the new Gateway project.

The building, to be located at the corner of Albany Street and Easton Avenue, will include a new parking deck scheduled to open next summer as well as a Barnes & Noble bookstore and a new site for the Rutgers University Press.

The redevelopment project will bring more than 600 new hourly parking spaces to New Brunswick, which will help make it easier to get around for those who shop in or commute to and from the city, said Mitch Karon, executive director of the New Brunswick Parking Authority.

“On that side of Albany Street, there’s very little parking,” he said. “This will help alleviate the need of people having to drive around looking for a parking space.”

City Spokesman Bill Bray agreed, saying the project will help decrease traffic around the city.

Bray also said the Gateway project will bring additional revenue and jobs to the city, as new retail space and accommodations for shoppers will increase business and help the many merchants already on Easton Avenue.
“With all of that additional economic activity, there’s a multiplier effect in that if the businesses in New Brunswick have more customers, they’re generating more money, they’re generating more jobs,” he said. “Those jobs are filled by New Brunswick residents.”

The additional jobs could benefit students at the University who may need employment, Bray said.

The Gateway project will bring in an estimated $1 million in new revenue for the city, a figure 10 times what the building has generated prior to redevelopment, he said. Such funds will help cover the cost of public services, like police and fire protection, garbage collection and pothole repair, he said.

The project will benefit the people of New Brunswick without costing them, as DEVCO has used $12.3 million in state and federal funds — not tax dollars — to support it, Bray said. Otherwise, property taxes in the city would increase 50 percent.

“We’re able to generate more revenue to cover costs without having to dip into the pockets of taxpayers,” he said.
New housing units in the building will also bring a set of permanent residents to the community, Bray said.

In the long term, the building will accrue traditional property taxes, which will also spur economic development in the city, he said.

“It’s just going to be a really dynamic place,” Bray said.

Marlie Wasserman, director of the Rutgers University ress, now in its 76th year of existence, said the move from its current location on Livingston campus would benefit the company.

“It will give us increased visibility at the University,” she said. “It will also allow us to participate fully in the cultural life of the University and the community. … We’re looking forward to it.”

The location will give authors a public space for book readings at Barnes and Noble and in the company’s conference room, Wasserman said. She hopes both faculty and community members will attend the events.

The more modern, larger facility for Barnes & Noble bookstores will house a café and include a wider array of selections for purchase.

John Cusick, general manager of Barnes & Noble bookstores, could not be reached for comment.

[scrollhectic]

Last updated: April 26, 2010 09:40am
Mayor Unveils $114M Redevelopment Plan



By Paul Bubny (http://www.globest.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.author.contact.view?client_id=globest&story_id=184634&title=Mayor%20Unveils%20%24114M%20Redevelopment%20 Plan&author=Paul%20Bubny&address=http%3A//www.globest.com/news/1648%5F1648/newjersey/184634%2D1.html&summary=NEW%20BRUNSWICK%2C%20NJ%2DThe%20625%2C000% 2Dsquare%2Dfoot%20New%20Brunswick%20Wellness%20Pla za%20would%20be%20a%20partnership%20of%20the%20cit y%20and%20Robert%20Wood%20Johnson%20University%20H ospital.)



http://www.globest.com/newspics/nej_new-brunswick-wellness-plaza.jpg
Wellness Plaza
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ-A $114-million proposal to build a hospital-run health and wellness center was unveiled Thursday evening by Mayor James Cahill in his annual state of the city address, according to published reports. The proposed New Brunswick Wellness Plaza would also include a supermarket, a 1,200-space parking facility and 80 loft-style apartments, including 16 affordable housing units.
A partnership among the city, the New Brunswick Development Corp., the New Brunswick Parking Authority and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the 625,000-square-foot project would occupy a 1.6-acre site between Joyce Kilmer Avenue and an extended Kirkpatrick Street adjacent to the Ferren Mall on French Street. Cahill said the project would be located within the city’s transit village zone and would offer walkway access to the nearby train station, published reports say.

The hospital would run the health facility, to be known as the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Fitness and Wellness Center. The first floor would include a 45,000-square-foot grocery store, a footprint that Cahill reportedly said "will allow this supermarket to offer a wider variety of food choices than the 15,000- to 25,000-square-foot size typically found in urban areas." A spokesman for Cahill was unable to provide GlobeSt.com with a copy of the mayor’s prepared speech by deadline.

Also on the first floor of the facility would be an aquatic center, featuring a competition-sized swimming pool and two smaller therapeutic pools that could be used for exercise classes or hospital physical therapy sessions. The main pool would also be made available free of charge to the city’s public schools for swimming lessons during physical education classes. The remainder of the facility would occupy the 12-story project’s second floor and offer exercise equipment and classes, occupational and physical therapy, community health education classes and lectures and meeting space for use by community groups, according to the New Brunswick Home News Tribune.

The project would require the city to acquire properties within its proposed footprint. According to the Home News, these would include two private residences, the former Gallen Furniture Plaza, law office and office space currently used by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Cahill reportedly said the parking authority would begin acquiring the needed properties immediately and that preliminary discussions with some property owners have been positive.

The parking authority would own all of the structure except for the housing component, which would be owned by the development corporation, also known as Devco. Christopher J. Paladino, Devco’s president, told the Home News that the parking authority would issue general obligation bonds for much of its portion of the project, while Devco would utilize state and federal tax credits to finance the construction.

The project is expected to go before the city’s planning board this summer. Construction would begin the following spring, with an estimated completion date of September 2012.
In his annual speech, given at the newly completed New Brunswick High School, Cahill also reportedly charted progress on the city’s other redevelopment and revitalization projects. "There is no doubt that the New Brunswick of today, by any standard of measurement, has far exceeded any expectation of our city's visionaries from the beginning of our revitalization," he said.

[tbal]

I personally don't see how they think they will be able to push through property acquisition, environmental approval, and the rest of the permiting process in just one year with this project...but time will tell.

What I'd really like to know though is what the status of the Arts Building approved for the site across from Rockoff Hall is...the site had some environmental issues but last time I passed by it looked like no progress has been made in at least 2 years...of course, that was a private venture, unlike the other projects that we are reading about (in which a government agency has at least a minority stake).

[Nexis4Jersey]

Any updates on New Brunswick? Any large scale projects planned , i know theres a light rail line in the works....but nothing else..

[tbal]

The relatively massive Gateway Tower is rising next to the New Brunswick train station. This is a mixed-use residential/commercial/retail building. The structure consists of a precast concrete parking deck and facade, and steel skeleton for the residential tower/commercial/retail space.

Hmmm...maybe I will try to swing by there tomorrow for some photos since I'm in Central NJ for a few days.

[mariab]

^Getting taller every day. Can see it from Easton Ave in Somerset. Is 1 Spring St fully open yet? I see lights in a few of the apartments but street level entrance looks deserted.

[tbal]

I thought 1 Spring was completed and ready for occupancy at least 3 years ago (?)

[mariab]

May very well be, but there doesn't seem to be many residents occupying it. Was by there a couple weeks ago & still the deserted looking entrance on Spring with paper covering the windows. Maybe they're having trouble filling all the units? Last year I was speaking with someone who was familiar with it who said the top floor units were going for around 450k. At night whenever I go past there not many of the units are lit up, & this is basically 7-8pm.

[mariab]

Good selling point.


NEW BRUNSWICK — Residents in the city's tallest building now have a new place to play, high atop the building's parking deck.
http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20091113&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=911130345&Ref=AR&MaxW=318&Border=0 (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=CN&Date=20091113&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=911130345&Ref=AR)
Purchase this Photo (javascript:void(null);)

The roof atop One Spring Street's parking deck has been transformed into a promenade with about 4,000 square feet of live plants and landscaping, a mini-playground, a cookout area with grills and even a mini-dog park. (MARK R. SULLIVAN / MyCentralJersey)





The 10,000-square-foot roof atop One Spring Street's parking deck has been transformed into a promenade with about 4,000 square feet of live plants and landscaping, a mini-playground, a cookout area with grills and even a mini-dog park.
Salvatore Salsa of Jersey Landscape Construction (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building#), which installed the roof, said these types of amenities are common in the high-rises of New York City.
"This thing is so common in New York City, but you think it's funny in New Brunswick," said Salsa, who designed the promenade along with designer (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building#) Alex Oros.
Wasseem Boraie, vice president of Boraie Development, LLC, said One Spring Street's promenade, like the tower itself, represents the advent of upscale (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building#) high-rise living in the city's downtown. The promenade was designed in consultation with the building's residents, he said.
"We incorporated all the different aspects the residents wanted," he said.
Boraie said the top of the parking deck is about 80 feet high. From that height, residents can see church spires and the colors of fall on one side, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and other downtown buildings on the other.
The promenade juts out from the soaring glass-paneled tower, and connects to an indoor swimming pool and gym.
Architect Peter Brassar of Costas Kondylis Design LLC said the promenade provides a park-like atmosphere without the intrusion of traffic passing by. But he said it also provides an aesthetically pleasing (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building#) visual to residents looking down on the rooftop.
"The people living here, what would they be looking down on if this wasn't here?" he said.
Rooftop vegetation is becoming a popular trend. Roofs that are completely covered with vegetation can make the building cooler, provide insulation, and contain stormwater runoff.
The roof on the One Spring Street parking deck will assist with stormwater runoff, but Brassar said the promenade was developed to be an amenity, not for environmental (http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building#) reasons.
The promenade includes about 1,000 square feet of Live Roof succulent plants, Salsa said. Live Roof sells preplanted squares of inch-high succulents. The rest of the plants are a mix of spruce trees, shrubs, perennials and other plants. The vegetation will require a visit a couple of times a month for upkeep, but will otherise be self-sustaining, he said.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091113/NEWS/911130345/Garden-takes-root-atop-New-Brunswick-s-tallest-building

[STT757]

i know theres a light rail line in the works....but nothing else..

The only place I've ever seen a New Brunswick Light Rail referenced was on a NJ Transit 2025 wish list map, that map was just an academic exercise in order to generate discussion on where transit priorities could go in 20 years or so. There's never been any money spent on any plans or enviromental impact statements for the majority of those 2025 wish list items. Even when there is money spent on draft planning, enviromental and public scoping that's not an indication that construction is imminent.

Some sort of transit system in New Brunswick would be awesome, especially something to bridge the various campuses on either side of the Raritan as well as something to connect downtown to the Route 18, Route 1, Route 27 and I-287 corridors. However I've never seen any plans other than a reference on the 2025 wish list map. And I'm not sure what mode it would take, New Brunswick is very compact and includes lots of grades which would make a standard Light Rail system such as the HBLRT difficult to construct.

I was in New Brunswick last night, the development is very encouraging. However their transportation priorities right now should be completing the Route 18 corridor improvement project, it's great in Downtown New Brunswick. However it's still only two lanes between East Brunswick Turnpike Exit and Route 1, huge bottleneck. They should really rebuild the Turnpike interchange to better feed traffic flowing towards Route 18 East Brunswick, Route 1 and downtown New Brunswick.

[Don31]

The only place I've ever seen a New Brunswick Light Rail referenced was on a NJ Transit 2025 wish list map, that map was just an academic exercise in order to generate discussion on where transit priorities could go in 20 years or so. There's never been any money spent on any plans or enviromental impact statements for the majority of those 2025 wish list items. Even when there is money spent on draft planning, enviromental and public scoping that's not an indication that construction is imminent.

Some sort of transit system in New Brunswick would be awesome, especially something to bridge the various campuses on either side of the Raritan as well as something to connect downtown to the Route 18, Route 1, Route 27 and I-287 corridors. However I've never seen any plans other than a reference on the 2025 wish list map. And I'm not sure what mode it would take, New Brunswick is very compact and includes lots of grades which would make a standard Light Rail system such as the HBLRT difficult to construct.

I was in New Brunswick last night, the development is very encouraging. However their transportation priorities right now should be completing the Route 18 corridor improvement project, it's great in Downtown New Brunswick. However it's still only two lanes between East Brunswick Turnpike Exit and Route 1, huge bottleneck. They should really rebuild the Turnpike interchange to better feed traffic flowing towards Route 18 East Brunswick, Route 1 and downtown New Brunswick.

I was going to post pretty much the same thing, there are no concrete plans for a light rail in New Brunswick. As you stated, the area's development pattern is too compact and constructibility would be a big issue (as well as financing).

[Nexis4Jersey]

The only place I've ever seen a New Brunswick Light Rail referenced was on a NJ Transit 2025 wish list map, that map was just an academic exercise in order to generate discussion on where transit priorities could go in 20 years or so. There's never been any money spent on any plans or enviromental impact statements for the majority of those 2025 wish list items. Even when there is money spent on draft planning, enviromental and public scoping that's not an indication that construction is imminent.

Some sort of transit system in New Brunswick would be awesome, especially something to bridge the various campuses on either side of the Raritan as well as something to connect downtown to the Route 18, Route 1, Route 27 and I-287 corridors. However I've never seen any plans other than a reference on the 2025 wish list map. And I'm not sure what mode it would take, New Brunswick is very compact and includes lots of grades which would make a standard Light Rail system such as the HBLRT difficult to construct.

I was in New Brunswick last night, the development is very encouraging. However their transportation priorities right now should be completing the Route 18 corridor improvement project, it's great in Downtown New Brunswick. However it's still only two lanes between East Brunswick Turnpike Exit and Route 1, huge bottleneck. They should really rebuild the Turnpike interchange to better feed traffic flowing towards Route 18 East Brunswick, Route 1 and downtown New Brunswick.

My south Bound Brook friend (whos an OME) said its in the works and a private company is doing it......It would connect Bound Brook to New Brunswick and then later to South Amboy. This Light Rail would be like a hybrid of a streetcar aswell , so it can easily snake through NB. So it would be a Tram-Train like the riverline , somewhat HBLRT.

[block944]

May very well be, but there doesn't seem to be many residents occupying it. Was by there a couple weeks ago & still the deserted looking entrance on Spring with paper covering the windows. Maybe they're having trouble filling all the units? Last year I was speaking with someone who was familiar with it who said the top floor units were going for around 450k. At night whenever I go past there not many of the units are lit up, & this is basically 7-8pm.


It opened years ago and properties are already in foreclosure and values for homes on the market are falling, check out zillow: http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/New-Brunswick-NJ/39967_rid/40.496688,-74.44279,40.494241,-74.44824_rect/16_zm/0_mmm/

I know someone that bought 2 units during the presale (around 450k) and are now underwater and can't sell. Top floor is for around 800k with no takers...


The scary part is if you tick off recently sold nothing shows up :X

The article you posted is from 2009 as well

[block944]

If you REALLY want a bargain check out the townhomes in South Bound Brook you need to scroll down the list at the bottom : http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/South-Bound-Brook-NJ/13908_rid/40.559479,-74.51892,40.554588,-74.52982_rect/15_zm/1_rs/1_fr/

I get goose bumps as I ALMOST bought one in 2006 for 400k and they are now going for 270 to 290 with still no takers. For the money you get a garage and 3 bedrooms a crappy school district and train station in a walking distance. Not bad

[Nexis4Jersey]

If you REALLY want a bargain check out the townhomes in South Bound Brook you need to scroll down the list at the bottom : http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/South-Bound-Brook-NJ/13908_rid/40.559479,-74.51892,40.554588,-74.52982_rect/15_zm/1_rs/1_fr/

I get goose bumps as I ALMOST bought one in 2006 for 400k and they are now going for 270 to 290 with still no takers. For the money you get a garage and 3 bedrooms a crappy school district and train station in a walking distance. Not bad

What does south BB houses , have to do with New Brunswick?

[Don31]

My south Bound Brook friend (whos an OME) said its in the works and a private company is doing it......It would connect Bound Brook to New Brunswick and then later to South Amboy. This Light Rail would be like a hybrid of a streetcar aswell , so it can easily snake through NB. So it would be a Tram-Train like the riverline , somewhat HBLRT.

Are you referring to the BRT that NJT was studying PRELIMINARILY? That looked at two corridors - Route 27 and Route 18, not Easton Avenue to BB (compare the three during the peak hour sometime). How does anything to BB make sense? The vast majority of the traffic into NB comes from the north and east, not from the west. And a private company?? In this economic climate??? Even if that were true they would need a whole slew of state and county approvals. BTW, what is an "OME"??

[Nexis4Jersey]

Are you referring to the BRT that NJT was studying PRELIMINARILY? That looked at two corridors - Route 27 and Route 18, not Easton Avenue to BB (compare the three during the peak hour sometime). How does anything to BB make sense? The vast majority of the traffic into NB comes from the north and east, not from the west. And a private company?? In this economic climate??? Even if that were true they would need a whole slew of state and county approvals. BTW, what is an "OME"??

Idk , he just told me it was being studied by a private company. BB is the Railway JCT of Central Jersey , the Raritan Valley line meets with the Future West Trenton and Flemington lines. The line would run form BB / SBB along Easton Ave to Downtown then snake its way to the Cook / Douglas Campus of Rutgers , then a few proposals have it going east to South River and South Amboy. The BRT is still on the table for 18 , but seems unlikely for 27. Yes the vast Majority of traffic comes form the North and East but i do see that changing to the West in the future. As for the private company , there are many in the US who would love to build lines or systems but the red tape gets in the way hopefully this won't be the case here.

[mariab]

It opened years ago and properties are already in foreclosure and values for homes on the market are falling, check out zillow: http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/New-Brunswick-NJ/39967_rid/40.496688,-74.44279,40.494241,-74.44824_rect/16_zm/0_mmm/

I know someone that bought 2 units during the presale (around 450k) and are now underwater and can't sell. Top floor is for around 800k with no takers...


The scary part is if you tick off recently sold nothing shows up :X

The article you posted is from 2009 as well

That is scary as well as disappointing. I thought those would move very well. Reasonable walking distance to business and theatre districts as well as RWJ, plus restaurants galore.

As far as light rail, New Brunswick may want to do a self-contained project. I fear they may get scared off by anything bigger outside city limits. Streetcar or tram-train would be a better idea. Jeez, even adding more bus routes wouldn't hurt.

Are they still going ahead with the marina, or did the environmentalists win this one? That was supposed to bring a lot of cruisers up the river for restaurants & theatre during better weather. Not sure if it went thru or not. They were even dredging a couple years ago then it stopped.

[Nexis4Jersey]

That is scary as well as disappointing. I thought those would move very well. Reasonable walking distance to business and theatre districts as well as RWJ, plus restaurants galore.

As far as light rail, New Brunswick may want to do a self-contained project. I fear they may get scared off by anything bigger outside city limits. Streetcar or tram-train would be a better idea. Jeez, even adding more bus routes wouldn't hurt.

Are they still going ahead with the marina, or did the environmentalists win this one? That was supposed to bring a lot of cruisers up the river for restaurants & theatre during better weather. Not sure if it went thru or not. They were even dredging a couple years ago then it stopped.

A Marina would be nice , that river is dead....it could use some boat traffic. Screw the Environmentalists.....they should shut up for a moment. Just Imagine what a Marina could do to NB? The only problem is the North Jersey Coast line bridge doesn't open much... As for the Light Rail , it would be a Tram - Train......It would run in the middle of Easton Avenue in Light Rail format , then turn into a Streetcar and split in New Brunswick , the proposes for after NB have it acting like a train and built along old PRR ROW to South Amboy. The Proposed New Brunswick Light Rail line would connect to at least 10 bus lines , and the Raritan Valley line , West Trenton , Northeast Corridor , MOM lines , and North Jersey Coast line , so it would act like a connector and also serve the busy hwy 18 corridor. On a side note do think NB will become the Next Jersey City in terms of Skylines later this decade?

[tbal]

NB the next JC? HAH! Keep dreaming.

NB does have many important assets that other cities in Central Jersey lack, including proximity to Metropark/Piscataway, Rutgers University, and Route 18 & the train station, but this doesn't compare to what is offered by some other cities in the state.

There are many other cities in NJ poised for much greater growth (and already with engineering/architectural work underway for taller/larger buildings than anything that is likely to be built at this point in NB: Newark, Elizabeth, & Harrison).

Just to catch up to Newark, NB would have to build at least 10 skyscrapers, which, at the current pace of construction would take at least until the year 2150. :D

[Nexis4Jersey]

Well Newark is dead in my opinion , nothing in the format of skyscrapers will come out of that city for a long time. Newark , Elizabeth , and Harrison have height restrictions due to EWR. So New Brunswick , Jersey City and Paterson are the only cities in the state in my opinion that will continue to have high rise booms.....or will have high rise booms. What about New Brunswick being half of what JC is?

[ASchwarz]

Hackensack is another city that would probably see more highrises than New Brunswick. Hackensack is just a few miles west of Manhattan, has an upgraded train line (and probably eventually light rail), and already has quite a few residential highrises.

I definitely don't think Newark is dead. Newark is in better shape than some other NJ cities, and its core is slowly revitalizing. They will get some highrise residential around the performing arts center.

But the biggest concentration of new highrise construction in NJ over the next 20 years will almost certainly be concentrated from Fort Lee to Bayonne, along or near the Hudson. This is pretty much common sense, IMO, because the Gold Coast is essentially an extension of Manhattan.

[mariab]

A Marina would be nice , that river is dead....it could use some boat traffic. Screw the Environmentalists.....they should shut up for a moment. Just Imagine what a Marina could do to NB? The only problem is the North Jersey Coast line bridge doesn't open much... As for the Light Rail , it would be a Tram - Train......It would run in the middle of Easton Avenue in Light Rail format , then turn into a Streetcar and split in New Brunswick , the proposes for after NB have it acting like a train and built along old PRR ROW to South Amboy. The Proposed New Brunswick Light Rail line would connect to at least 10 bus lines , and the Raritan Valley line , West Trenton , Northeast Corridor , MOM lines , and North Jersey Coast line , so it would act like a connector and also serve the busy hwy 18 corridor. On a side note do think NB will become the Next Jersey City in terms of Skylines later this decade?

Not later this decade. Maybe by 2025, but then again, as NB grows, so does JC & every other city. But in NB as far as downtown goes, there's nowhere to go but up. The Riverview condos replaced the projects, so those are staying, the townhomes built throughout the city for the people from the projects aren't going anywhere.The whole city including outskirts is 4.5 square miles. Check out this quick NB profile: http://www.idcide.com/citydata/nj/new-brunswick.htm

They're going to have to start knocking down a lot of old properties. There's one at the NW corner of the courthouse at Kirkpatrick & Paterson Sts that is filled inside & out with plants of all kinds. I was driving past one day when I thought I saw fake birds inside. Then they moved! NB could use a quarter of that block after the owner passes or vacates & sells. Just one example.

JC is lucky not only in terms of land area but its close proximity to that somewhat exciting city across the water ;) . Found an interesting profile as I was looking up stats on JC, too. http://www.idcide.com/citydata/nj/jersey-city.htm

The logistics of that light rail (although I like the connector part) on Easton Ave has me uneasy. There are no shoulders, & both directions get heavy car traffic during morn & eve rush. Light rail would cut way into that, not to mention those 2 blind hills between Foxwoods Rd & Franklin Blvd.

[tbal]

There isn't nearly enough job density in New Brunswick to support residential highrise construction like Jersey City has seen. There also isn't a high-capacity rapid transit system in New Brunswick (such as the PATH system that passes through Jersey City). These are critical elements that draw developers to build high-density housing. Until at least one of these happens, you won't see skyscrapers built in New Brunswick to the extent that you see them built in Newark and Jersey City.

btw Nexis - you're forgetting about the pending construction of a 44-story tower that may begin in a few months in Newark. This is almost twice the height of the Gateway tower which is the only highrise building currently under construction in New Brunswick. With the infrastructure that Newark has, the skyrocketing cost of living in Jersey City and Hoboken, and the transformation that is rapidly taking shape around the Pru Center (and other parts of Downtown), I think Newark is in a good position to grab developers' interest over the next decade (also keep in mind that we have 16+ million square feet of new office space coming online within the next five years at the WTC, and a ride from Newark to the WTC on the PATH will be one of the shortest possible commutes to the jobs there).

And mariab - I agree with you about the premise of running a lightrail line down Easton Ave. I doubt its doable (given the behavior of drunken college students crossing that street late at night lol), but they would definitely have to convert Easton to a one-way street if they were to go ahead with the idea. I always pictured the lightrail running down George Street though; when I was at Rutgers the proposition of using George Street (instead of College Ave) as a bus traffic route (with a new bus hub somewhere along George) seemed like a step toward a lightrail line; I'm not sure if this idea is still being floated, but a few weeks ago I noticed that new curbing/sidewalks were installed by the Rutgers Student Center/College Ave Gym so it doesn't look like College Ave will become a pedestrian plaza anytime soon.

[66nexus]

Well Newark is dead in my opinion , nothing in the format of skyscrapers will come out of that city for a long time. Newark , Elizabeth , and Harrison have height restrictions due to EWR. So New Brunswick , Jersey City and Paterson are the only cities in the state in my opinion that will continue to have high rise booms.....or will have high rise booms. What about New Brunswick being half of what JC is?


You know, I've often wondered about Newark's supposed height limitations and I've asked around, no one seems to know anything about it (combined w/ the fact that Grant was going to build a tower where the Rock currently is that was slated to be the tallest).

I think Newark's zoning laws are outdated, and some of them were updated after the arena was completed. That doesn't mean one should expect a Goldman Sachs or anything, but something taller than 744/1180 is entirely plausible.

I don't think Paterson is going to get any significant concentrations of tall buildings soon. NB maybe, but then 'tall' becomes a relative term.

PS: I think Edison, Woodbridge, Piscataway, NB should merge w/ NB as the obvious downtown.

[Marv95]

You know, I've often wondered about Newark's supposed height limitations and I've asked around, no one seems to know anything about it (combined w/ the fact that Grant was going to build a tower where the Rock currently is that was slated to be the tallest).

I think Newark's zoning laws are outdated, and some of them were updated after the arena was completed. That doesn't mean one should expect a Goldman Sachs or anything, but something taller than 744/1180 is entirely plausible.

Like DC, the airport is close by. Well, close enough. They ain't getting anything higher than 50 stories/the planned One Theatre Square.

But I didn't realize the new Gateway tower would be "small".

[Newarkguy]

There are no height restrictions (that I heard of) in downtown Newark. Except along the path of EWR's twin north/south runways at extreme eastern end of the east ward/Ironbound over the factories And new import/export auto lots. And the south end of Newark's Weequahic section along the Hillside border. where the southwest runway approach pases over. Downtown Newark is almost 3 miles northwest of EWR. However NB has a head start over Newark in new res high rises already.

[66nexus]

Like DC, the airport is close by. Well, close enough. They ain't getting anything higher than 50 stories/the planned One Theatre Square.

But I didn't realize the new Gateway tower would be "small".

I think that would be cool considering the GS is 42 stories.

It would be nice if the Gateway building was a little taller, but since it won't have a height challenge in the city it'll look taller and loom over the city. (The J&J hq could be seen for miles)


There are no height restrictions (that I heard of) in downtown Newark. Except along the path of EWR's twin north/south runways at extreme eastern end of the east ward/Ironbound over the factories And new import/export auto lots. And the south end of Newark's Weequahic section along the Hillside border. where the southwest runway approach pases over. Downtown Newark is almost 3 miles northwest of EWR. However NB has a head start over Newark in new res high rises already.

True as downtown is not directly in the flight path.

As far as NB, like JC its got a lot of new construction, but space isn't its strong suit and could get completely built out rather quickly.

[tbal]

The only new construction in NB right now is the Gateway tower, which, to get construction started, took over $36 million in tax credits ($27.1 million in NJ Transit village incentives and another $19 million in federal incentives) and significant leasing commitments from Rutgers University. Keep in mind it is being built by a quasi- government agency (DEVCO) too. The tower portion of the complex was reduced from 24 floors to 16 (33%) in the final design.

Also, the Stem Cell Institute is on indefinite hold, even though the city "broke ground" on it several years ago.

I will give NB this though: due to the injection of student housing in the center of Downtown (Rockoff Hall), George Street has definitely seen a significant turnaround with alot of fine restaurants/bars opening up in the past few years.

[Newarkguy]

So much for 30 stories. It would be embarrassing to Newark if tiny NB had a taller tower than Newark!:)

[JCMAN320]

Its not embarassing enough that Jersey City has the tallest buildings in NJ. ;) Just kidding you bro.

[66nexus]

Nah JC's plenty big enough having those size towers lol

[Newarkguy]

Its not embarassing enough that Jersey City has the tallest buildings in NJ. ;) Just kidding you bro. Funny. Only in New Jersey will you find America's 3rd oldest major City, Newark, to also be the second smallest in land area. Jersey city is the smallest major US city in land area. Next to America's largest Metropolis. At least both cities are larger than Buffalo,NY. Buffalo went from 510,000 in the 1950's to 230,000 today!!

[mariab]

And mariab - I agree with you about the premise of running a lightrail line down Easton Ave. I doubt its doable (given the behavior of drunken college students crossing that street late at night lol), but they would definitely have to convert Easton to a one-way street if they were to go ahead with the idea. I always pictured the lightrail running down George Street though; when I was at Rutgers the proposition of using George Street (instead of College Ave) as a bus traffic route (with a new bus hub somewhere along George) seemed like a step toward a lightrail line; I'm not sure if this idea is still being floated, but a few weeks ago I noticed that new curbing/sidewalks were installed by the Rutgers Student Center/College Ave Gym so it doesn't look like College Ave will become a pedestrian plaza anytime soon.

Holy smokes, not even George or Albany are one-ways. All the merchants would rise up & veto it. Where would the opposite way run? College Ave? I see lots of buses on George St. so that's really a start for a light rail, but they still must allow car traffic. Too much business from theatre/restaurant district people.

[66nexus]

Funny. Only in New Jersey will you find America's 3rd oldest major City, Newark, to also be the second smallest in land area. Jersey city is the smallest major US city in land area. Next to America's largest Metropolis. At least both cities are larger than Buffalo,NY. Buffalo went from 510,000 in the 1950's to 230,000 today!!

Did it shrink to 230k already? Last est. I thought was around 270k or so, but it was still dropping. I didn't know it went that far though

[block944]

That is scary as well as disappointing. I thought those would move very well. Reasonable walking distance to business and theatre districts as well as RWJ, plus restaurants galore.

As far as light rail, New Brunswick may want to do a self-contained project. I fear they may get scared off by anything bigger outside city limits. Streetcar or tram-train would be a better idea. Jeez, even adding more bus routes wouldn't hurt.

Are they still going ahead with the marina, or did the environmentalists win this one? That was supposed to bring a lot of cruisers up the river for restaurants & theatre during better weather. Not sure if it went thru or not. They were even dredging a couple years ago then it stopped.


NOPE.

Travel back in time and you will see people paid 500+ for condos in 2006 that now are selling for 320 ish and on zillow the prices are falling fast. Community fees are around 500 a month and no good school districts in the area meaning private school which is more headaches not to mention horrible traffic and no grocery stores you can walk to meaning you have to park in their garage and haul your food over... I did that for a year in Newark at 1180 and when it rained or snow it was NOT fun and Good luck finding parking when guests come.. No thnx for the money they paid(500 can get you a full house in franklin!).



http://php.app.com/websr1a07/results.php?pageNum_Recordset1=0&totalRows_Recordset1=131&county=Middlesex&muniprop=New+Brunswick&deed_yr=%25&location_num=1&location_st=SPRING+ST&grantorname=&granteename=&classcd=%25&sale_rpt=%3E%3D0&max1=%3C%3D1000000000&tfm_order=DESC&tfm_orderby=deeddt



Unlike newark , new brunswick isn't doomed but is due for a painful price correction as the city does have wealth, strong colleges, hospitals, companies and nearby towns aren't the hood


http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/New-Brunswick-NJ/39967_rid/40.496688,-74.44279,40.494241,-74.44824_rect/16_zm/0_mmm/

[STT757]

A Trader Joes or better yet a Whole Foods would go a long way towards establishing a professional community in New Brunswick.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Hackensack is another city that would probably see more highrises than New Brunswick. Hackensack is just a few miles west of Manhattan, has an upgraded train line (and probably eventually light rail), and already has quite a few residential highrises.

I definitely don't think Newark is dead. Newark is in better shape than some other NJ cities, and its core is slowly revitalizing. They will get some highrise residential around the performing arts center.

But the biggest concentration of new highrise construction in NJ over the next 20 years will almost certainly be concentrated from Fort Lee to Bayonne, along or near the Hudson. This is pretty much common sense, IMO, because the Gold Coast is essentially an extension of Manhattan.

Hackensack has height restrictions on most of the land that should be built on....due to Teteboro and the area where all the high rises have been built is kinda off....there proposed light Rail line will connect that area to the core of the city but its still off. Newark really needs to step it up some more , as for Fort Lee do they have anymore room? As for the NJ Gold Coast , we need to adress the North - South Congestion issue ie JFK boulevard....the PATH should build an EL over that street.


Not later this decade. Maybe by 2025, but then again, as NB grows, so does JC & every other city. But in NB as far as downtown goes, there's nowhere to go but up. The Riverview condos replaced the projects, so those are staying, the townhomes built throughout the city for the people from the projects aren't going anywhere.The whole city including outskirts is 4.5 square miles. Check out this quick NB profile: http://www.idcide.com/citydata/nj/new-brunswick.htm

They're going to have to start knocking down a lot of old properties. There's one at the NW corner of the courthouse at Kirkpatrick & Paterson Sts that is filled inside & out with plants of all kinds. I was driving past one day when I thought I saw fake birds inside. Then they moved! NB could use a quarter of that block after the owner passes or vacates & sells. Just one example.

JC is lucky not only in terms of land area but its close proximity to that somewhat exciting city across the water ;) . Found an interesting profile as I was looking up stats on JC, too. http://www.idcide.com/citydata/nj/jersey-city.htm

The logistics of that light rail (although I like the connector part) on Easton Ave has me uneasy. There are no shoulders, & both directions get heavy car traffic during morn & eve rush. Light rail would cut way into that, not to mention those 2 blind hills between Foxwoods Rd & Franklin Blvd.

Urban Jersey is on the brink of exploding.....the question is how fast and in what format? Will it be like Asia and super Dense or like Philly will a dense core and fill ins everywhere else. While NJ's cities are dense there are a lot of open spaces. I think Paterson , Elizabeth , Harrison and New Brunswick will rise up this decade like JC did over the past decade. JC got lucky because of NYC , but Paterson , Elizabeth , NB and Harrison will get lucky on all the younger Generations of New Jerseyites moving back into the Urban Environment.


You know, I've often wondered about Newark's supposed height limitations and I've asked around, no one seems to know anything about it (combined w/ the fact that Grant was going to build a tower where the Rock currently is that was slated to be the tallest).

I think Newark's zoning laws are outdated, and some of them were updated after the arena was completed. That doesn't mean one should expect a Goldman Sachs or anything, but something taller than 744/1180 is entirely plausible.

I don't think Paterson is going to get any significant concentrations of tall buildings soon. NB maybe, but then 'tall' becomes a relative term.

PS: I think Edison, Woodbridge, Piscataway, NB should merge w/ NB as the obvious downtown.

Woodbridge itself is enormous , its composed of 10-12 smaller villages i guess you could call them? So merging into NB wouldn't make any sense , i think all the Brunswick's should merge.... Edison is fine the way it is....



I think that would be cool considering the GS is 42 stories.

It would be nice if the Gateway building was a little taller, but since it won't have a height challenge in the city it'll look taller and loom over the city. (The J&J hq could be seen for miles)

True as downtown is not directly in the flight path.

As far as NB, like JC its got a lot of new construction, but space isn't its strong suit and could get completely built out rather quickly.

What about all the companies located in NB , doesn't that give it an edge....? Boston's Downtown isn't in the Flight path and the FAA opposed one of there Supertalls or high rises , i think they had to down size.


So much for 30 stories. It would be embarrassing to Newark if tiny NB had a taller tower than Newark!:)

Could you imagine that happening.....well it has happened in other regions like DC and Miami.....

[66nexus]

NOPE.


Unlike newark , new brunswick isn't doomed but is due for a painful price correction as the city does have wealth, strong colleges, hospitals, companies and nearby towns aren't the hood



Newark has many of those things you mention. However, a strong poverty-populace doesn't help the cause.

[66nexus]

Urban Jersey is on the brink of exploding.....the question is how fast and in what format? Will it be like Asia and super Dense or like Philly will a dense core and fill ins everywhere else. While NJ's cities are dense there are a lot of open spaces. I think Paterson , Elizabeth , Harrison and New Brunswick will rise up this decade like JC did over the past decade. JC got lucky because of NYC , but Paterson , Elizabeth , NB and Harrison will get lucky on all the younger Generations of New Jerseyites moving back into the Urban Environment.



Woodbridge itself is enormous , its composed of 10-12 smaller villages i guess you could call them? So merging into NB wouldn't make any sense , i think all the Brunswick's should merge.... Edison is fine the way it is....

.

I based my wanting Edison/Woodbridge/NB to merge based on geographical location and population numbers. NB is further inland along the Raritan river and Woodbridge has coastline along Raritan bay which could serve as a port.

Those 3 combined would make the 2nd or 3rd largest city in the state (and albeit the lowest crime one), and would have the largest land area of all of NJ's largest cities. (even though it would still be a part of the NY-Newark urban area)

And yes, Woodbridge comprises of: Fords/Colonia/Iselin/Avenel (but in the case of a merger most cities have their own little districts anyway)

[JCMAN320]

Hackensack has height restrictions on most of the land that should be built on....due to Teteboro and the area where all the high rises have been built is kinda off....there proposed light Rail line will connect that area to the core of the city but its still off. Newark really needs to step it up some more , as for Fort Lee do they have anymore room? As for the NJ Gold Coast , we need to adress the North - South Congestion issue ie JFK boulevard....the PATH should build an EL over that street.



Urban Jersey is on the brink of exploding.....the question is how fast and in what format? Will it be like Asia and super Dense or like Philly will a dense core and fill ins everywhere else. While NJ's cities are dense there are a lot of open spaces. I think Paterson , Elizabeth , Harrison and New Brunswick will rise up this decade like JC did over the past decade. JC got lucky because of NYC , but Paterson , Elizabeth , NB and Harrison will get lucky on all the younger Generations of New Jerseyites moving back into the Urban Environment.



Woodbridge itself is enormous , its composed of 10-12 smaller villages i guess you could call them? So merging into NB wouldn't make any sense , i think all the Brunswick's should merge.... Edison is fine the way it is....




What about all the companies located in NB , doesn't that give it an edge....? Boston's Downtown isn't in the Flight path and the FAA opposed one of there Supertalls or high rises , i think they had to down size.



Could you imagine that happening.....well it has happened in other regions like DC and Miami.....

Nexis Jersey City is fortunate for its geographic location; which has ALWAYS been a draw (this is nothing new) you act as if Jersey City has nothing else going for it. Forgive me if I am miss reading you when you use the term LUCKY but it comes across as a very jealous tone as if its a fluke that JC got all the development and ammenities it has gotten and continues to get. Wtf does Paterson have that makes it better than JC? Elizabeth? The only two cities that have as much going for it in terms of location, infrastructure, institutions, ammenities, and potential are New Brunswick and Newark/Harrison. Again I apologize if I am miss reading you.

[stache]

I can see Elizabeth getting bigger.

[Don31]

And yes, Woodbridge comprises of: Fords/Colonia/Iselin/Avenel (but in the case of a merger most cities have their own little districts anyway)

Don't forget the village of Woodbridge itself, as well as Sewaren, Hopelawn, Keasby, and Port Reading :)

[Nexis4Jersey]

Nexis Jersey City is fortunate for its geographic location; which has ALWAYS been a draw (this is nothing new) you act as if Jersey City has nothing else going for it. Forgive me if I am miss reading you when you use the term LUCKY but it comes across as a very jealous tone as if its a fluke that JC got all the development and ammenities it has gotten and continues to get. Wtf does Paterson have that makes it better than JC? Elizabeth? The only two cities that have as much going for it in terms of location, infrastructure, institutions, ammenities, and potential are New Brunswick and Newark/Harrison. Again I apologize if I am miss reading you.

Jersey City is my favorite city , next to NYC so no i'm jealous of it. I think the NJ Gold Coast and JC are going to hit a major Infastrature snag later this decade.....there is no North - South Rail line and congestion is growing. If this is not addressed and the area continue to grows like it is today , it will reach a point where its the Quality of life starts dropping and the area will start to suffer. As for Paterson , Elizabeth , Newark , Harrison , and NB they long term plans addressing that issue of congestion and Quality of life. Jersey City didn't seem to grow all that much this past decade , neither did Hoboken or Bayonne , infact they shrunk....Newark , NB , Elizabeth , Harrison all grew and by alot.......idk what is going on in the other cities , but it might have to do while the rising cost of living in JC...and the NJ Gold Coast. Elizabeth , and Paterson are in my mind starting to bloom like JC did 20 years ago.......there late bloomers but they'll get there...

[Newarkguy]

Don't forget the village of Woodbridge itself, as well as Sewaren, Hopelawn, Keasby, and Port Reading :)
I find it interesting how people talk about Woodbridge having sections and districts. Maps and NJ state road signs mention "colonia","Fords" ,"sewaren" and so on. But when it comes to Newark, no one wants to mention...."Weequahic",Dayton,Clinton Hill, Ivy Hill,or Fairmount, even Vailsburg is only mentioned in a southbound parkway sign. OH IM SORRY! those are the black areas, so I guess they don't count. OF course we ALL know about the white and Hispanic Portuguese Ironbound and North Newark, with its Woodside,Forest Hill and Roseville/silver lake area. Of course if Newark were restored to its original area comprising all Essex County, The City would go instantly overnight from Black and poor to cosmopolitan and wealthy overall. The Newark core and Irvington would compose a small percentage of the new larger city.

[ASchwarz]

Nexis, the height restructions in Hackensack have nothing to do with prospects for highrises.

If/when new highrises are built, they wouldn't be above 400 ft. anyways, so it wouldn't come into play. Hackensack isn't Manhattan, or even Brooklyn/Queens/Jersey City.

The Prospect Ave. corridor and downtown Hackensack are already zoned to allow highrises. If the economy cooperates, I think you will see new highrises in the coming years, probably in the 20-floor range, though ranging from maybe 10-30 floors (and pretty much all residential).

[66nexus]

I find it interesting how people talk about Woodbridge having sections and districts. Maps and NJ state road signs mention "colonia","Fords" ,"sewaren" and so on. But when it comes to Newark, no one wants to mention...."Weequahic",Dayton,Clinton Hill, Ivy Hill,or Fairmount, even Vailsburg is only mentioned in a southbound parkway sign. OH IM SORRY! those are the black areas, so I guess they don't count. OF course we ALL know about the white and Hispanic Portuguese Ironbound and North Newark, with its Woodside,Forest Hill and Roseville/silver lake area. Of course if Newark were restored to its original area comprising all Essex County, The City would go instantly overnight from Black and poor to cosmopolitan and wealthy overall. The Newark core and Irvington would compose a small percentage of the new larger city.

Maybe b/c I'm smack on top of the area I hear folks mention Weeq/Vails all the time. But true, don't hear it too much outside the area:confused:

It's funny, b/c while not a huge section of it by any means, Weeq's definitely got some decent tree-lined streets.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Nexis, the height restructions in Hackensack have nothing to do with prospects for highrises.

If/when new highrises are built, they wouldn't be above 400 ft. anyways, so it wouldn't come into play. Hackensack isn't Manhattan, or even Brooklyn/Queens/Jersey City.

The Prospect Ave. corridor and downtown Hackensack are already zoned to allow highrises. If the economy cooperates, I think you will see new highrises in the coming years, probably in the 20-floor range, though ranging from maybe 10-30 floors (and pretty much all residential).

There hasn't been a new High Rise in Hackensack in about 20 years , theyve built it to far off the main corridor in my opinion.

[66nexus]

Don't forget the village of Woodbridge itself, as well as Sewaren, Hopelawn, Keasby, and Port Reading :)

True ;)

[Newarkguy]

I can see Elizabeth getting bigger. Just as Newark originally had all of present Essex to itself, Elizabeth had all the territory in Union county. When Newark and "Elizabethtown" were founded, the entire region was Essex County. Leaders of Newark and Elizabethtown (as it was then called) set a boundary from a tree carved with an "N" and an "E" on Dividend hill, in today's Weequahic park.
The line ran southwestward towards today's Watchung area. All of today's Union County broke from Essex after a fradulent election to determine which town got the county seat/courthouse went Newark's way. Hillside,Union,Springfield,summit and Providence was in Newark, Everything else south of the line was Elizabeth's.Union county should go back to Elizabeth. Essex back to Newark. then Consolidate both counties as boroughs of a greater city of "Newark Elizabeth".

[Newarkguy]

Maybe b/c I'm smack on top of the area I hear folks mention Weeq/Vails all the time. But true, don't hear it too much outside the area:confused:

It's funny, b/c while not a huge section of it by any means, Weeq's definitely got some decent tree-lined streets.

Yes, if youre a local, you know the areas. But to suburban New Jerseans who only go by the NYC controlled news reports on Newark, the whole city is crap and "just Newark" NJ turnpike does not even recognize the city! most people driving between exit 13a and 15w/e never know they have spent the last 20 minutes driving in Newark. They see the distant Newark skyline and think the city is "over There" past the airport. While weequahic is not gigantic, its bigger than Roselle park,Dunellen,Harrison. Vailsburg has more area than Weehawken , or Hasbrouck Heights. But population wise weequahic rivals most urban suburbs in NJ. Exit 54 on I 78 completely ignores Newark's Weequahic section. Its officially the Irvington and Hillside exit......despite the fact that you are entering Weequahic,newark.

[brianac]

Final Design Completed For $150M New Brunswick Gateway Transit Village

January 25, 2011

By Carolina Worrell (enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.com)

A final design has been completed for the construction of the $150 million New Brunswick Gateway Transit Village, a 632,000-sq-ft mixed-use building located at the intersection of Somerset Street and Easton Avenue in downtown New Brunswick, New Jersey that will link the campus of Rutgers University as well as the larger community to the local train station.

http://newyork.construction.com/images/2011/01/0125_GatewayTransitVillage.jpgRendering courtesy of Meltzer/Mandl Architects, PC

Meltzer/Mandl Architects of New York designed the transit village and completed the final documents for construction on the project which first broke ground in January 2010, on behalf of the development team including New Brunswick Development Corporation and Pennrose Properties.

Gateway Transit Village required careful and detailed preparations to be made to insure that the various levels would be built in a way that provided the right access for pedestrians and vehicles on its steep location, a 23-ft difference in grade. The transit village will include a pedestrian bridge featuring a large, iconic clock to illuminate the walkway between the building and the Rutgers campus, more than 120,000 sq ft of commercial space, a 657-vehicle parking garage, 58,000 sq ft of destination retail, and a 14-stoy residential tower that will sit atop a 10-story parking structure and contain192 residences. The residential tower will also be wrapped by offices and a series of street-level commercial spaces including those occupied by the Barnes & Noble College Bookstore for Rutgers, and offices for the New Brunswick Parking Authority and the Rutgers University Press.

“This new building will help bring renewed life to a site that is vital to New Brunswick, but has been under-utilized for far too many years,” said David G. Carpenter, partner and executive vice president at Meltzer/Mandl.

The building will be comprised of a series of discrete structural systems, including pre-case concrete for the parking structure and a steel frame for the residential tower and commercial spaces. The façade will have a series of prefabricated and thin brick panels, along with stone liners and steel channels.

“Pre-cast concrete parking garages are not typically designed to support taller and more complex structures above them; they are usually stand-alone buildings,” said David J. Stuart, project manager for Meltzer/Mendl. “In our case, we are retrofitting the entire complex so that the structure and building systems for each component work together.”

Government financing for the project is being provided by the New Jersey Housing Mortgage & Finance Agency, the New Jersey Department of Transportation/Liberty Corridor Program and tax credits through New Jersey’s Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program. Construction on the New Brunswick Gateway Transit Village is expected to be completed by January 2012.

http://newyork.construction.com/new_york_construction_news/2011/0125_GatewayTransitVillage.asp

[mariab]

Best rendering I've seen. The way things are going I wouldn't be surprised if they finished ahead of schedule.

[brianac]

^^

http://www.meltzermandl.com/images/home07.jpg

http://www.meltzermandl.com/

[Newarkguy]

Nice.

[JCMAN320]

Way to go New Brunswick! I passed the site last month and its very impressive. This will make a great presence on the street and in the skyline. Its amazing this city that was given up for dead at one point is now surging. Jersey City, New Brunswick, Hoboken, Englewood, Rahway, etc.. can all turn around but Newark ans Camden remain stunted; its crazy!

[NYatKNIGHT]

I'm glad New Brunswick is building, very glad, but...nice? Sorry, I'm not seeing it. Especially right next to those beautiful old colonial buildings. No better than the rest of the crap they've built since the 70's (except for J & J).

[Newarkguy]

I guess they could have put greek colums between windows on the lower parking deck to blend somewhat. It does ignore the architecture around it.

[SlumYorkCity]

Greek columns? That would only make it look worse. To me it's not even about blending in (I like modern - old contrasts..but done right). This just completely overwhelms the beautiful buildings beside it, it's fat too.

[block944]

^^

http://www.meltzermandl.com/images/home07.jpg

http://www.meltzermandl.com/


That is so weird to see, I use to live on Guilden and ate at italian place on the right hand corner of this building all the time... probably the first time in my life I'm experiencing nostalgia

[mariab]

Passed by today, looking good. Forgot my camera because of so many damn errands. No construction happening though I guess due to temps. 1 Spring St had electrical contractor trucks in front, as well as PSE&G. Paper no longer covering windows plus I saw a bunch of wires hanging. George St. reopened but jeez, I thought NY was running out of places to put snow!

[lammius]

Boy is that fugly. The biggest problem is the massing. It is a fat block. It's going to make that corner of Somerset Street look weird, and the New Brunswick skyline will appear pretty strange from afar too. I'm all for new development and New Brunswick's renaissance, but this building is u-g-l-y.

[mariab]

Probably because of the multifunctionality of it, especially with the attached parking garage, they were thinking more "functional" than "aesthetic".

[tbal]

The original design was far better than the final one; it was originally planned as a taller, more slender tower; and then it basically got butchered. It pays no respect at all to the smaller buildings nearby; there should have been more setbacks (both vertical and horizontal). It's going to stand out like a sore thumb IMO.

[Newarkguy]

They should have cut the length/width of the tower and added to the height. Oh well, typical jersey(stub block) "skyscraper".

[block944]

No it looks just like the new rutgers dorm as well as the helrich and the other tower next to the parking garage. Its the new NB.

[skyline1241]

This is the last straw in making way for constructin of the 30 story Gateway Center tower on the corner of Easton & Somerset. "New Jersey Books" refused to submit to the New Brunswick Devco, but have accepted a new location around the corner on Easton Avenue (in a space currently used by Rutgers maintenence department), to be constructed over the next few months by New Brunswick Devco. As soon as the new location is built, the store will move and the current block of buildings on the construction site will be demolished to make way for construction of the city's signature tower.

From todays Rutgers Daily Targum:

N.J. Books finally begins move to Easton Ave.


Stephanie Wynalek / Metro Editor10/12/07

New Jersey Books, long situated in a small space near the corner of Somerset Street and College Avenue, is upgrading. At least that's how owner Ed Mueller feels now that an 18,000-square foot new store is in the works.

Demolition of an old University maintenance garage, which is currently standing at the store's new site at 39 Easton Ave., is set to begin within the next 30 days.

"We expect to apply for and receive site plan approval by the end of the year," said Christopher Paladino, the president of New Brunswick Development Corporation. "We're on schedule."

The relocation is in preparation for the highly anticipated Gateway Project, which will be constructed on the site where the bookstore currently stands, in addition to several other small businesses.

"There's a reasonable amount of what you can ask for and what you get," Mueller said. "You have to figure out what's best for everybody, and I feel like we've reached a good understanding."

Mueller said he expects the construction of the new store to span until next year.

"I guess they're going to do demolition first. Then they do groundwork," he said. "They expect to start actual construction around Dec.1. They're supposed to be working on it like July, August of next year and be finished next fall."

"I don't know about the timeline, I do know construction is going to start almost immediately following demolition of the maintenance garage," said city spokesman Bill Bray. "There will be a little break between the two during the winter, because construction can sometimes be difficult during the winter if the weather's bad."

Bray added that the move is scheduled to accommodate Mueller's business.

"I can tell you the new New Jersey Books store will open prior to any demolition of the old store, the idea being to close down one operation and open up the next seamlessly," he said. "When we move will depend on when the new building gets done," Mueller said.

Bray said the new site was selected due to its close proximity to the store's previous location.

"Mr. Mueller felt this area was a great area to be in due to its closeness to students living both on campus and off campus," he said. "And the difference between the new site and the old one is insignificant in terms of where his customer base is."

Bray said that the garage site has long been seen as a hole in a retail streetscape on Easton Avenue. "This allows us to fix that by removing the blank wall that is the garage and filling in a gap along the street with the new store," he said.

Mueller agreed.

"I think it's a good new site, because it's still where all the student activity is," he said. "Everything's really within a couple blocks, so the new site isn't out of the way, and it's on a main street. You can't put a business away from where everybody else is because it makes it harder for customers to go there. It's still the hub area and that's very important to me."

Mueller said he feels the employees are satisfied with the move. He believes the space will provide for better working conditions with more employees in the new store.

"There'll be water fountains and a couple bathrooms instead of just one little tiny one. We'll be able to give better service, and it'll be nice to work in. Before, I think everyone felt like we were trapped in this little area," Mueller said.

With regards to students buying textbooks, Mueller said the new store provides more counter area for purchasing books and less crowding.

But, Mueller admits the store won't actually be as big as it may seem. Although the store is 18,000 square feet, a loading dock area and a few staircases will detract from the amount of usable space.

"That's not to say it isn't going to be a nice store. But you just can't imagine the total number as all usable space," he said.

Both Mueller and Bray feel the close proximity of the Gateway, which will house a new University bookstore, and Mueller's new store will be good for customers.

"I can't speak to what New Jersey Books feels, but obviously having a center where you have different retailers selling the same type of items is great because that just provides more options for the consumers," Bray said.

I also think so.

__________________
Watch The Eagle Online Free (http://watchonlinemoviez.net)

[block944]

In New Brunswick, a Mixed-Use Project Is Bustling

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/02/13/realestate/njzo/njzo-articleLarge.jpg Aaron Houston for The New York Times
MIXED-USE The Gateway Transit Village, rising beside the New Brunswick train station, will have apartments and offices.

By ANTOINETTE MARTIN

Published: February 11, 2011



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IN this sluggish real estate market, how is it possible that a major mixed-use project with 150 rental units and 42 condominiums can actually be proceeding?

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“Stubborn determination, and extreme cooperation,” said Christopher Paladino, the president of the New Brunswick Development Corporation. His public/private company, known as Devco (http://www.devco.org/), was founded 35 years ago at the behest of the local pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, which had pledged to leave the struggling downtown area unless all parties joined in trying to save it.
In the years since its inception Devco has spurred and overseen construction of four public buildings (including the Middlesex County courthouse), four mixed-use developments (including the Heldrich Hotel), four school buildings (including New Brunswick High School), and two apartment towers in the downtown area. It has also renovated three theaters and a convent.
The current Devco project is Gateway Transit Village, a tower rising beside the New Brunswick train station and across College Avenue from the Rutgers University (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/rutgers_the_state_university/index.html?inline=nyt-org) campus.
The 624,000-square-foot building will have a public parking structure at the core of its first 10 stories; that core is to be wrapped in commercial and office space. A glass residential tower 14 stories tall will sit atop the parking structure.
A skywalk over College Avenue will connect the Gateway building with the entrance to the campus and the westbound platform of the train station. When complete, the 270-foot-long bridge will have LED lighting and digital signs providing real-time train information, as well as seating areas with live plantings.
“Despite the housing market doldrums, in the middle of winter,” Mr. Paladino said, “we have managed to get seven stories of the parking structure up, and the walkway, also, ahead of schedule.” He said the garage and the commercial space, including a new Rutgers University Barnes & Noble bookstore and five levels of offices, would open in September.
As for the residences — 10 floors of rentals and 4 levels of penthouse condos — they are scheduled to be complete by April 2012.
The construction is going quickly, he said, because there are few competing projects moving forward right now. “Everyone in the construction industry is wanting to work,” Mr. Paladino said. “We have hundreds of workers ready to go all the time and suppliers ready to ship.
“The great thing here is that we are moving ahead of the curve,” he continued.
Like all Devco’s projects, this one involved creative packaging of public and private funds to make it happen, and this time it had to be accomplished during a financing drought.
Many private developers have complained bitterly over the last couple of years that lenders have become closefisted about condos. But Devco obtained a $10 million construction mortgage for the condos at Gateway; it will close on the loan, from a consortium of New Jersey-based banks, next month, Mr. Paladino said.
For the rental apartment construction, a $63 million financing package was assembled with loans from two banks, equity financing from two construction partners, and the selling of federal and state tax credits.
In early 2009, Gateway was the first project to be designated as eligible for the new Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program (http://www.njeda.com/web/Aspx_pg/Templates/Npic_Text.aspx?Doc_Id=888&menuid=1295&topid=718&levelid=6&midid=1175). Under the program, credits are issued against income taxes that would be owed by businesses locating in newly built offices within a mile of a transit center; the credits can be used to attract tenants, or else be sold as commodities.
In Gateway’s case, Mr. Paladino said, the sale of the tax credits helped subsidize the setting aside of 38 rental units as “affordable,” meaning that rents in those units are tailored for people earning a percentage of the area’s median income to be determined by the state.
The federal tax credits were awarded through a program that supports development in new and emerging markets.
The way things are going, though, that description may not apply to the downtown area for much longer. In late January, a seven-year-old rental building on Route 18 was sold to John Hancock Life Insurance for $112 million by its group of developers. In the announcement of the sale, the brokerage CB Richard Ellis said that the building brought an attractive price because it is set amid a “burgeoning 24/7 downtown.”
“Burgeoning” does seem a fitting description. Once the Gateway building is complete and fully open, Devco has set plans to move forward with a project a block away: Wellness Plaza, a 585,000-square-foot 12-story building to go up next to the Ferren Mall.
The building will house a full-service grocery store for the growing population in the area, as well as the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness and Wellness Center and offices for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a partner in the project. An arrangement is already in place with the city for all of New Brunswick’s sixth-grade public school students to get swimming instruction at the fitness center pools.
Ground-breaking for the Wellness Center is planned for September 2012.

[tbal]

Once the Gateway building is complete and fully open, Devco has set plans to move forward with a project a block away: Wellness Plaza, a 585,000-square-foot 12-story building to go up next to the Ferren Mall.

Excellent. But I really can't wait to see if the Cultural Center Office Tower breaks ground in the coming years.

[zzzzpeterson]

What do people think about the condo's in the new gateway? History (spring st) says to hold off on purchasing them, but I'm not so sure with these. Are they worth purchasing right out of the gate

[mariab]

If you're commuting by train I'd say yes. Other than that too early to tell. I'll ask a couple of relatives who live in NB.

[tbal]

If you really like New Brunswick, and you plan to stay there a long time, make it your home, and you take the train often, yes, I'd say it is a great idea to buy there. If you're not crazy about NB and you're looking for an investment, it would be terrible decision to buy there (the vast majority of the units are to be subsidized rentals, which, although great for the community, is terrible for property value).

[mariab]

Critics fault tax abatement agreements

Municipal officials, who get most of the payments in lieu of taxes, defend the practice

9:20 PM, Mar. 27, 2011 |


http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20110327&Category=NJNEWS&ArtNo=110327003&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0 New Brunswick skyline looking north from George Street. One Spring Street (center) with the new Gateway Transit Center loacted behind it. The Highlands complex located lower right of photograph. / STAFF PHOTO: MARK R. SULLIVAN

<H5>SERGIO BICHAO (sbichao@njpressmedia.com)
STAFF WRITER </H5>

<H3>LONG-TERM ABATEMENTS</H3>To qualify for a tax abatement a property must be in a zone the local governing body has declared as being "in need of redevelopment.'' Only the taxes on a building, or improvement, can be abated; property owners must still pay full taxes on the land the project sits on. The final amount the property owner pays is either based on 2 percent of a developer's cost to build or 15 percent of gross revenue of a residential property's rental income. Abatements can last 15 to 30 years.

State Comptroller Matthew Boxer's report on tax abatements found 20 municipalities that had "significant use of development abatements.'' They are Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Bayonne, Bridgeton, Camden, Collingswood, Harrison, Hoboken, Gloucester, Jersey City, Long Branch, Millville, Newark, New Brunswick, Paterson, Rahway, South Bound Brook, Vineland, Union City and Trenton.


Downtown New Brunswick was not always slick high-rises and polished streetscapes. There was a time when the dreary views were enough to make pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson want to move out of the city of its founding.
Alarmed at the prospect of losing a major local employer, city officials in the 1960s promised to reconstruct the decaying urban center. In the end, not only did the company stay, but it built a new office tower in 1983, securing a 15-year deal to abate its property taxes.

Today, the company is the city's largest taxpayer, pumping $4.8 million a year into municipal coffers. City officials believe that neither the Johnson & Johnson project nor many of the other commercial and residential developments dotting the city skyline would have been possible without similar tax deals.

The annual "payments in lieu of taxes,'' or PILOTs, are negotiated between developers and about 200 municipalities throughout the state. The deals exempt property owners from paying the traditional property taxes collected by municipalities, school districts and counties. Twenty communities have granted tax exemptions to developments totaling more than 5 percent of local taxable value. One of those communities, Jersey City, exempts $2 billion of property value, losing about $120 million in property taxes.

PILOTs are supposed to attract developers to blighted neighborhoods and vacant lots. They are supposed to attract projects that reverse urban decay and create jobs. In New Jersey, with its highest-in-the-nation property taxes, a tax reduction by as much as a third is a lucrative incentive for any builder.

But a report published last year by the office of state Comptroller A. Matthew Boxer said municipalities often are too quick to award the PILOTs, resulting in schools and counties losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in tax revenue in a time when the state is unable to maintain past levels of local aid.

Oversight of these agreements, meanwhile, is nonexistent, and a full listing of PILOT agreements and information about them is unavailable or hard to find, the report says, because the Department of Community Affairs doesn't have the staff to closely review PILOT documents filed my municipalities.

(Page 2 of 5)


<H3>Some success</H3>A review of several current and former PILOT agreements in the state shows that the tax abatements have been successful in attracting development to blighted or polluted land, resulting in permanent jobs across Central Jersey, environmental remediation in the formerly industrial South Bound Brook and new services for lower-income residents, such New Brunswick's first new supermarket in years.

Some of these municipalities voluntarily share a portion of the payments with their school districts. But the school districts still receive far less than what they would under traditional taxes. In some cases, the justification for awarding the PILOTs was based on nothing more than anecdotal evidence or local planning officials' beliefs that if they do not offer a tax incentive, developers will find another place that will.

"None of these projects would have come to Woodbridge if we didn't offer tax abatements,'' said Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac, the former state treasurer under Gov. James E. McGreevey.

While average taxpayers pay one tax bill that gets divided among the municipality, school board, the county and sometimes a fire district, a PILOT is paid almost entirely to the municipality. PILOTs initiated since 2005 have been required to pay 5 percent to the county government.

"We are actually getting more because it's being paid directly to us. That money all comes directly to the town,'' said Donald Kazar, the business administrator for South Bound Brook, which collects almost $900,000 a year from the tax-abated Canal Crossing townhouses built by national housing developer K. Hovnanian.

The borough of about 4,500 people also is looking at a new 90-unit condo development on a former tax-exempt school property that would boost PILOT payments to $1.4 million next year. Under traditional tax rates, the borough would have received just 28 percent of the taxes paid.

Boxer's report says PILOTs encourage municipalities to promote development without regard for the burden that a higher population of student would place on local schools. The New Jersey School Boards Association, a lobby group for local school board officials, says PILOT payments should be shared equally among all local entities.

(Page 3 of 5)


<H3>Tax help</H3>But municipal officials say it is unfair to look at PILOTs as a loss for schools when in many cases the PILOTs are helping to reduce the municipal portion of the tax bill.

"Without those PILOT payments, the average homeowner would pay approximately $1,300 more in property taxes,'' New Brunswick city spokesman Bill Bray said.

New Brunswick this year will collect $8.4 million in PILOTs from two dozen projects. The school district, which receives a bulk of state aid as a district in a low-income community, would otherwise be entitled to 43 percent of the total payment.

Current PILOT-paying New Brunswick properties sit on sites that previously paid a total of less than $820,000 a year in taxes.

The Highlands residences near Route 18 were built on a parking lot. The Highlands pay $144,000 in regular taxes on the value of the land and an additional $722,000 annual PILOT payment for the new residences.

The neoclassical Skyline Tower once was a tax-exempt 13-story county administration building. The apartments now are contributing to the $3 million in PILOT payments the city receives from condo developments, Bray said.

The city's Heldrich hotel is paying a $700,000-a-year PILOT, replacing a property that had paid $81,000.

Once the abatements expire, the properties begin paying regular taxes to the county and school district. The PILOT for the Hyatt hotel on Albany Street in New Brunswick expired in 1997. Last year the owners paid $986,000 in property taxes.

Bray said the deals have brought in hotels and jobs and boosted spending on the city's dining and entertainment venues.

Woodbridge's McCormac said township taxpayers would have to pay $100 more in property taxes if not for the $2.4 million in PILOT revenue generated by six commercial properties in his township.

The projects include the Marriott hotel, which will pay $273,000 this year, a Kona Grill restaurant paying $27,000 and a ProLogis warehouse complex paying $795,000. FedEx pays $605,000 on its facilities while Wakefern, which supplies ShopRite supermarkets, landed a $377,000 PILOT a few years ago to stay in Woodbridge.

(Page 4 of 5)



"There is not one dime of extra cost for the schools or our budget associated with these projects,'' McCormac said.

Sayreville is collecting more than $1.6 million from three energy companies: Atlantic Energy Partners, AES Red Oak and Florida Power & Light.

"They are not bringing kids,'' Sayreville Chief Financial Officer Wayne A. Kronowski said about the facilities.
<H3>Critics' concerns</H3>Critics of tax abatement deals have questioned whether abatements are necessary at all to attract development, or even if the development itself is necessary or desirable. The comptroller's report calls it "inappropriate or nonremedial development.'' The South Jersey township of Gloucester, for example, awarded abatements to three separate Wawa convenience stores, within two to four miles of each other, even though the area within a five-mile radius already was served by 20 such Wawa stores.

Woodbridge does not seem like a town that would have to try hard to woo developers. The New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Interstate 287, Routes 1, 9 and 440, and major rail lines, with three commuter stations, all criss-cross the township, connecting it to all points of the state.

Yet officials believed it was necessary to offer a 30-year abatement worth $26 million to Forest City Ratner, a multibillion-dollar developer, to build a strip mall next Woodbridge Center mall, which is paying $7 million a year in property taxes. A Wegmans supermarket and strip mall on the other side of Woodbridge Center also has no PILOT, paying $1.6 million a year in regular property taxes.

The hotel and restaurant paying PILOTs to Woodbridge opened on an already highly developed stretch of Route 1. Across from the Marriott is another strip mall paying more than $1 million in regular property taxes.

But McCormac insists the Forest strip mall, near where Routes 1 and 9 merge, is "hard to reach'' from either highway. In fact, DeVry moved out of that same location in the mid-1990s, opting for a location in North Brunswick with "highway exposure (and) high visibility,'' the school's president said at the time.

(Page 5 of 5)



"We aren't throwing (PILOTs) around with reckless abandon. We aren't overly willing to give them a PILOT,'' Kronowski said. "The dilemma is: Let's say they decide to mothball the whole plant or tear it down, how much do we get in taxes them? Zero.''

Bray said the reason a city such as New Brunswick uses so many PILOTs is "because other communities don't have the same unique issues New Brunswick faces.'' The top dealers of tax abatements are poorer urban communities such as Asbury Park and Camden that face much the same issues.

"You don't have a 100-acre farm in New Brunswick you can swoop in and deal with one old farmer who wants to sell. Oftentimes a redeveloper needs to negotiate with multiple property owners. Often they are buying property with existing tenants,'' he said.

Cleaning up polluted property also is expensive. South Bound Brook's Canal Crossing was built on land contaminated with asbestos.

"They spent $5 million doing cleanup,'' Kazar said about the developers. "The tax abatement was an incentive in order to sell these units and make it feasible.''

"Urban locations will always be at an disadvantage because they are going to have different costs someone working on a virgin site won't have,'' Bray said. "And that is going to exist until the rest of the state is built out.''




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http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110327/NJNEWS/110327003/-1/sportsfront/Critics-fault-tax-abatement-agreements?odyssey=nav%7chead

[mariab]

What do people think about the condo's in the new gateway? History (spring st) says to hold off on purchasing them, but I'm not so sure with these. Are they worth purchasing right out of the gate

Relative sent me these links. She said they'll go on sale this summer, & to contact DEVCO for more info. www.devco.org (http://www.devco.org/)

New Brunswick's $150M Gateway project includes 38 affordable units

Published: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 6:41 PM Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 6:52 PM

NEW BRUNSWICK -- New Brunswick’s $150 million Gateway project downtown will include 38 affordable housing units, officials said.
The new building, wedged between the train station and the edge of Rutgers University, will be the city’s tallest, with 22 stories. It’s set to open in the fall of 2012 and will feature a mix of retail and residential housing.
The city set aside the apartments for low and moderate-income residents after it received $27 million in tax credits last week from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit program, said Bill Bray, city spokesman. The city council approved a resolution Wednesday night to create the affordable rentals, Bray said.
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/new-brunswick-gateway-rutgersjpg-449b5d308de6fbe0_large.jpgColin Archer/ For The Star LedgerThe entrance to the Rutgers Campus at the corner of College Ave and Somerset Street, where the new Gateway project is planned.A total of 192 residential units, including 42 condos, and 112 rental apartments, priced at market rates, will be available, said Chris Paladino, director of Devco, the city’s redevelopment agency.
Prices for an affordable one-bedroom, sized at 800 square-feet, will range from $900 to $1,500, he said. An affordable two-bedroom, at 1,100 square-feet, will go for between $1,100 and $1,800.
Market-rate apartments will cost between $1,600 and $1,900 for a one-bedroom and between $2,300 and $2,800 for a two-bedroom, he said. They will be sized the same as the affordable apartments. But, "the affordables will not have the premium views," Paladino said.
Condos will go on sale this summer. Prices for one-bedrooms will cost between $248,000 and $294,000. Two-bedrooms will cost between $390,000 and $490,000. They will be located on the building’s top two floors, he said.
Since 1990, New Brunswick has built 220 affordable units for sale; 500 family rental units; 600 senior rental units; and has given grants to roughly 1,000 homeowners to renovate their homes, said Glenn Patterson, the city’s planning director.

anticipated completion: 2011
location: Somerset Street and Easton Avenue, adjacent to
the Northeast Corridor train line
size: 623,893 sq. ft on a 1.2 acre parcel, 298 ft. in height
occupancy: 200 residential units (222,123 sq. ft., 15 stories), destination retail
including new University book store, premier restaurants and shops,
656-space parking structure on nine levels
developer: Devco / Keating Urban Partners
architect: Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects
investment: $150 million

[mariab]

^See article.

127181271712716

[Newarkguy]

Its rising pretty fast.

[Nexis4Jersey]

When did this building start again?

[mariab]

I don't remember exactly. I do remember last year during nice weather, the whole block was one big pit. There had been asbestos issues with at least one of the original buildings there. So it's been pretty fast.

[Newarkguy]

Pontiac Bonneville! In the foreground lol.kidding (I like Pontiacs) but the car helps you get a perspective of how huge this tower is at a distance from said car.

[mariab]

New Brunswick Gateway redevelopment project is topped off; mayor touts job creation



10:57 PM, Apr. 18, 2011



http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20110418&Category=NJNEWS&ArtNo=104180376&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0 Purchase Image (javascript:void(null);)

<H6>The last piece of steel is hoisted atop the Gateway Transit Village Redevelopment Project in New Brunswick on Monday. City officials are touting the hundreds of jobs they say are resulting from the construction and presence of the $142 million project. / STAFF PHOTOS: KEITH MUCCILLI



KEN SERRANO (kserrano@njpressmedia.com)
STAFF WRITER



http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20110418&Category=NJNEWS&ArtNo=104180376&Ref=V2&MaxW=300&Border=0 Zoom (javascript:void(null);)
Chris Longo of Hillsborough, vice president of UA Local 9 for plumbers and pipe fitters, signs the topping-off beam after a ceremony Monday at the Gateway building.



NEW BRUNSWICK — The steel frame of New Brunswick's newest and tallest building gradually has risen over the city in the past year and a half, putting its stamp on the changing skyline.
City officials said the $142 million project, once complete, also will leave its mark on the local economy.
On Monday, the last piece of steel was hoisted to the top, signaling the "topping off" of the steel construction of the 630,000-square-foot Gateway Transit Village Redevelopment Project.
City and labor officials marked the occasion by underscoring the 325 jobs created by the construction of the project and the 350 permanent full-time jobs they said will flow from it. The project will include the 46,000-square-foot Barnes & Noble Superstore and Rutgers University Bookstore, a Brother Jimmy's BBQ restaurant and 57,000 square feet of additional commercial space as well as condos and apartments.
The economic climate has hampered commercial real estate in Central Jersey. But the growth of the city will take care of filling the new space, Mayor Jim Cahill said.
"We're behind the live-where-you-work concept," Cahill said. "People are not only coming here to work, they're coming here to live and put down roots."
Chris Paladino, president of New Brunswick Development Corp., said the project is nine months ahead of schedule.
"We've had enough labor and material; we've taken advantage of the fact that the economy is slow," Paladino said.
The project began in October 2009.
The first of 192 residential units, 30 of them for low- and moderate-income residents, are expected to open in January, Paladino said. The bookstore will open in time for the start of school in September 2012.
Prices of the 725-square-foot one-bedroom condos will start at $250,000, and the 1,280-square-feet two-bedroom units will top off at $440,000, Paladino said.
The building will have 22 floors, though a two-story facade covering equipment will make it appear taller.
The project has drawn $58 million in federal stimulus money, said Jean Holtz, a spokeswoman for Devco.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority awarded the Gateway project a more than $20 million tax credit under its Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program.
The project also has received a $14 million Local Aid Infrastructure grant from the state Department of Transportation to help fund parking and access improvements to the train station. A 657-space parking garage is planned.



Ken Serrano: 732-565-7212; kserrano@njpressmedia.com


</H6>

[Newarkguy]

Way to go New Brunswick.

[Nexis4Jersey]

I took alot of shots in New Brunswick yesterday , there was alot going up and alot that recently opened.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5670895749_9b806a0eb1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5670895749/)
DSCN1441 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5670895749/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5671463434_91303e027a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671463434/)
DSCN1440 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671463434/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5670888049_ba91f452ae_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5670888049/)
DSCN1399 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5670888049/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5671458080_c9e9289b3f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671458080/)
DSCN1411 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671458080/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5671457632_7cc7561548_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671457632/)
DSCN1409 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671457632/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5671455602_3e1563ebaf_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671455602/)
DSCN1397 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671455602/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5671449852_40fd9997b1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671449852/)
DSCN1362 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671449852/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5143/5671440038_49b532042d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671440038/)
DSCN1314 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5671440038/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

[mariab]

Good shots Nexis, looks like you did a lot of walking. Or biking. In the 2nd pic from the bottom taken from the Albany St. Bridge, right underneath where you were standing, there are homeless people living there. I'd read an article a couple of years ago about that. Then one day I was coming off the 18 North ramp for the bridge, & I saw them there. This was about a year ago, but I think they are still there.

The did a good job restoring Boyd Park. There's a festival there, I think every spring or summer. The Raritan River Festival.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Good shots Nexis, looks like you did a lot of walking. Or biking. In the 2nd pic from the bottom taken from the Albany St. Bridge, right underneath where you were standing, there are homeless people living there. I'd read an article a couple of years ago about that. Then one day I was coming off the 18 North ramp for the bridge, & I saw them there. This was about a year ago, but I think they are still there.

The did a good job restoring Boyd Park. There's a festival there, I think every spring or summer. The Raritan River Festival.

Yea i did , i still want to go back and do the residential areas and Highland park. I did most of Downtown , and the Albany Street Bridge. The Homeless people didn't bother me or ask for anything....they seem to be well taken care of. I took a few shots yesterday from the train.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2724/5698303058_4c2e792835_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5698303058/)
DSCN1677 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5698303058/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5697729705_f066ca7054_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5697729705/)
DSCN1678 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5697729705/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

[brunfuss]

is it just me, or is this new building not as tall as the other condo built a few years back?

[stache]

Other condo is listed at emporis as being 256 feet, and the Gateway is listed at 298 feet.

[tbal]

Other condo is listed at emporis as being 256 feet, and the Gateway is listed at 298 feet.

I'm pretty sure that emporis is wrong on this one. I believe 298 feet was the originally-proposed height with 24 stories of apartments ontop of the base (I think that was originally supposed to be 8 floors?). It's 14 stories ontop of a 10 story base...

[stache]

You could very well be right. I didn't do a great deal of searching about this.

[brunfuss]

is it just me, or is this new building not as tall as the other condo built a few years back?

i drive through New Brunswick every week, this new building is not yet taller, and it looks like it has been topped out. kind of a bummer.

[mariab]

1 Spring may be on slightly higher ground, because it sure looks taller to me. I also don't know if my eyes are playing with me, but the Middlesex County Courthouse looks shorter than it did before it was re-clad. Remember the old facade white masonry with black windows? Just seemed to tower over everything until the new J&J world headquarters went up. The new facade is nice but for some reason it just looks shorter.

Btw according to those local history books on nearby towns you see in the bigger book stores, I think that theatre I remember seeing when we were driving in on the Albany St Bridge showing naughty movies was originally the RKO, built in 1932, or '36. Albany & Nielson Sts. Torn down in 1978 to make way for J&J.

[mariab]

Ha. Good one.

Controversial Bar Name Keeps Owner From Hiring Staff

By Lisa Johnson Mandell (http://jobs.aol.com/articles/bloggers/lisa-johnson-mandell/), Posted Jun 29th 2011 @ 3:50AM

The name is not obscene, it doesn't infringe on any copyright, and it doesn't conflict with anyone's civil liberties. And yet, the bar owner who thought up the moniker is having trouble getting a liquor license, which is keeping him from earning a salary (http://jobs.aol.com/salaries) of his own, let alone employing a good-size staff in New Brunswick, N.J.

The name is not obscene, it doesn't infringe on any copyright, and it doesn't conflict with anyone's civil liberties. And yet, the bar owner who thought up the moniker is having trouble getting a liquor license, which is keeping him from earning a salary (http://jobs.aol.com/salaries) of his own, let alone employing a good-size staff in New Brunswick, N.J.

Of course, if mispronounced, the name in question, "Buck Foston's" could sound terrible. And let's face it, that's what bar-owner Larry Blatterfein is counting on. He's a lifelong New York Yankees fan who has no love for their major rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Herald (http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/28/Man-wants-to-name-bar-Buck-Fostons/UPI-74351309283313/) reports that he's hoping the name will "engender an emotional response."
Blatterfein claims that New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill, a dyed-in-the-wool Red Sox fan, is attempting to prevent the name by withholding a liquor license. Without a liquor license, a bar can hardly function.
UPI reports (http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/28/Man-wants-to-name-bar-Buck-Fostons/UPI-74351309283313/#ixzz1QbPMU0Tw) that Blatterfein has been able to hire at least one person on the bar's behalf -- a big name constitutional lawyer (http://jobs.aol.com/jobs-by-title/attorney-jobs) who will help him defend his rights to name his bar whatever he chooses, as long as it meets decency standards and doesn't infringe on anyone's rights, if it comes to that. As usual, at least the attorneys (http://jobs.aol.com/jobs-by-title/attorney-jobs) will profit.


Of course, if mispronounced, the name in question, "Buck Foston's" could sound terrible. And let's face it, that's what bar-owner Larry Blatterfein is counting on. He's a lifelong New York Yankees fan who has no love for their major rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Herald (http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/28/Man-wants-to-name-bar-Buck-Fostons/UPI-74351309283313/) reports that he's hoping the name will "engender an emotional response."
Blatterfein claims that New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill, a dyed-in-the-wool Red Sox fan, is attempting to prevent the name by withholding a liquor license. Without a liquor license, a bar can hardly function.
UPI reports (http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/28/Man-wants-to-name-bar-Buck-Fostons/UPI-74351309283313/#ixzz1QbPMU0Tw) that Blatterfein has been able to hire at least one person on the bar's behalf -- a big name constitutional lawyer (http://jobs.aol.com/jobs-by-title/attorney-jobs) who will help him defend his rights to name his bar whatever he chooses, as long as it meets decency standards and doesn't infringe on anyone's rights, if it comes to that. As usual, at least the attorneys (http://jobs.aol.com/jobs-by-title/attorney-jobs) will profit.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/06/29/controversial-bar-name-keeps-owner-from-hiring-staff/?ncid=txtlnkuscare00000002

[Newarkguy]

This is an example of government tiranny. That someone in power in 2011 can deny you a business license ,simply because of a personal dislike over you or your establishment name. I don't endorse the profanity intended, but "BUCK"and FOSTONS are real words. He has a constitutional right to name his business. The Mayor MUST know he's on shaky ground,hoping Blatterfein goes broke and sells off, before he wins his case.

[mariab]

Lynch will get re-elected before Blatterfein loses his case, although I'm sure Cahill secretly enjoys dragging the guy through the bureaucracy before the dust settles.

[Don31]

Interesting name nonetheless

[mariab]

New Brunswick Sunday afternoon. Sun was unbelievably in & out.

Looking down Albany St toward Rte 18
& Highland Park beyond
13923

Corner of Commercial & local 18 south(Burnett St)
Turn Around, Don't Drown!
13924


Corner of Commercial & local 18southbound
looking north
13925

On Nielson St looking down
Redmond toward 18
13926

Looking north up the Raritan. Just past the sapling treeline
is Rte 18 North
13927

Raritan River & Boyd Park
looking south toward Rte 1 (Goodkind Bridge in distance)

13928

[mariab]

Raritan River & Boyd Park looking north towrd Albany St Bridge
Mustard colored partially submerged bldg on the left toward the background is the
Rutgers Boathouse
13929

[66nexus]

Man I forgot how much that river could swell. I thought when they built the rt18 overpass connect that they put barriers up? (not sure)
The crazy thing is that during the drought that river was pretty low.

Good pics.

[seikialice88]

I personally don't see how they think they will be able to push through property acquisition, environmental approval, and the rest of the permiting process in just one year with this project...but time will tell.

What I'd really like to know though is what the status of the Arts Building approved for the site across from Rockoff Hall is...the site had some environmental issues but last time I passed by it looked like no progress has been made in at least 2 years...of course, that was a private venture, unlike the other projects that we are reading about (in which a government agency has at least a minority stake).
I also think so.
__________________
Watch The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Online Free (http://fullmoviesonlinefree.net/)

[Nexis4Jersey]

The Gateway building garage has cars in it and 2 new buildings / garages are going up across the tracks. They look between 8-12 stories tall..

[tbal]

One of those buildings (the one just across French Street) is the Health & Wellness Center (being built by a partnership that includes RWJ); it's supposed to be 12 stories I believe, and contain a huge fitness center, a Fresh Grocer supermarket, and parking for 1200 cars.

The other building down the street is another Rutgers building I believe; not sure how tall it will be but I believe it will be part of the Nursing School.

Clean-up work actually did re-start at the Arts Building site. Last time I saw it (early December), there was equipment actively working there. I'm not sure when construction is anticipated to start, but the Arts Building is supposed to be 14 stories.

[mariab]

They renamed it. Parking deck already open, & a somewhat tasteful three-section billboard setup blocking the boringness of the deck, currently advertising St. Peter's Hospital.


Posted by: cahncomm | January 12, 2012

THE VUE GRAND OPENS TO THE PUBLIC WITH LUXURY CONDOMINUM AND RENTAL RESIDENCES


The City’s Tallest Residential Tower is Located Adjacent to Downtown New Brunswick’s Train Station
http://cahncomm.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/vue-building-hr-small2.jpg?w=180&h=300 (http://cahncomm.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/vue-building-hr-small2.jpg)NEW BRUNSWICK, January 11, 2012 – The Vue (http://www.thevuenj.com/) has officially grand opened to the public with a unique mix of Penthouse condominium and luxury rental residences in the heart of New Brunswick, NJ’s burgeoning downtown district.
Ideally located on Somerset Street and Easton Avenue with direct walkway access to New Brunswick’s train station, which offers express service into Manhattan and Philadelphia, the 23-story building is the City’s tallest, offering impressive views of the Raritan River and New Brunswick skyline. The first eight stories consist of 57,000 square-feet of retail space including a full-scale Barnes & Noble to also serve as the bookstore for Rutgers University and a Brother Jimmy’s BBQ restaurant, 57,500 square feet of commercial space and a 657-vehicle parking garage, according to New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO) and Pennrose Properties (http://www.pennrose.com/), the partnership developing The Vue.
Situated on top of the retail component is a 14-story residential tower that houses 150 upscale rental residences and 42 Penthouse condominiums that occupy the top three floors. Initial occupancy for the residential homes is expected in February.

“The Vue is a gateway to New Brunswick,” says Christopher J. Paladino, President of DEVCO. “New Brunswick is a sophisticated urban destination and The Vue brings an iconic new building to the City featuring exceptional homes, first-class amenities, and a convenient location encouraging the use of public transportation.”
“This is a true transit-oriented development,” adds Timothy Henkel, Senior Vice President of Pennrose Properties, LLC. “We will appeal to both current New Brunswick residents looking to upgrade their lifestyle as well as those from surrounding areas who are attracted to the City’s pedestrian-friendly, convenient, downtown lifestyle.”

The Vue has debuted with two professionally-decorated model residences. One home displays the luxury finishes and appointments of the condominiums, while the second model illustrates those of the rental residences.
One- and two-bedroom condominium homes at The Vue range in size from 773 to 1,216 square feet of living space and are initially priced from $277,000. The well-appointed residences feature hardwood flooring throughout the living and dining room, recessed lighting, and open gourmet kitchens complete with custom cabinetry, granite countertops and backsplashes, and state-of-the-art, stainless steel GE Energy Star appliance packages. Master baths are adorned with silvery gray granite countertops and marble flooring, elegant arctic white title shower surrounds, custom café vanities with polished chrome fixtures and glass-enclosed showers. Each home also includes a washer and dryer.

The Vue also offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom rental homes with myriad upscale features, including hardwood flooring in living and dining rooms, gourmet kitchens with grey oak cabinetry, quartz countertops and stainless steel GE Energy Star appliances; luxurious master baths and in-home washer and dryers. Monthly rents for these residences begin from $1,800.
“The rare offering of both condominium and rental residences opens this community up to consumers with a wide range of lifestyle needs, all of whom will appreciate the exceptional value found here in terms of upscale finishes, superb amenities and services and an ultra convenient location,” notes Jacqueline Urgo, President of The Marketing Directors, Inc (http://www.themarketingdirectorsinc.com/)., exclusive sales and leasing agent for The Vue.
“Resort-like amenities include an attended, custom designed lobby; fully-equipped fitness center and residents-only lounge featuring a billiards table, flat screen televisions, WiFi business bar and a separate catering kitchen and conference room. The Vue has also partnered with Verizon’s Virtual Concierge service to provide residents with additional services such as dining and building event reservations, and the ability to manage local venders (i.e. drycleaner, florist, housekeeping service, etc.) remotely. Residents will also appreciate the convenience of direct access to the New Brunswick Train Station and on-site parking garage, as well as a location next to Rutgers University and all the entertainment and cultural delights of New Brunswick.”

Designed by Manhattan-based Meltzer/Mandl Architects, PC, the building’s exterior is notable for its multi-toned red brick and white façade and distinguishing exterior
“R-U-T-G-E-R-S” clock above the street level entrance to the Barnes & Noble College Bookstore. Additional retail and commercial space already secured at the building include offices for the New Brunswick Parking Authority and Starbucks, while the 62,000 square-foot RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center along with The Fresh Grocer, a full-service supermarket, are currently under construction across the street and slated to open fall 2012.
For additional information on The Vue, please call 732-828-0111 or visit www.TheVuenj.com (http://www.thevuenj.com/). The building is located at 110 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ. The onsite sales and leasing office is open Monday thru Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am to 6:00pm.

http://cahnroundup.com/2012/01/12/the-vue-grand-opens-to-the-public-with-luxury-condominum-and-rental-residences/

[tbal]

What happened to the affordable housing component? Are they just not advertising it here? Or did Pennrose/DEVCO lie to officials in order to get tax subsidies for project components they didn't include? $1,800/month for a one bedroom is certainly not affordable housing...

[mariab]

I was wondering that too, especially since Devco is one of the developers, & has on their board David Harris, who's been vocal about affordable housing in the past. Maybe they're highlighting the big stuff to attract the big fish, especially with those amenities. They wouldn't pull affordable housing from a single project; there would be hell to pay. Highlighted an archive article with Harris quoted, the rest is linked.

Private company's redevelopment of New Brunswick could be model for Atlantic City revamp
Published: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 3:15 PM Updated: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 7:07 PM
http://media.nj.com/star-ledger/photo/-234afb8de31a68ae_small.jpgNEW BRUNSWICK (http://www.nj.com/new-brunswick) — In 1976 when the people of Atlantic City danced in the streets to celebrate the passage of legalized gambling, many in downtown New Brunswick dared not even venture outside.Despite the presence of Rutgers University and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick was a gritty wasteland, home to dive bars, greasy spoons and predators where, as one former resident recalled: "You walked in pairs, if you walked at all."
That same year, New Brunswick and Atlantic City both made a massive commitment to redevelopment.
Atlantic City embraced casinos and assumed the ripple effect would raise the quality of life for everyone in the moldering resort city. New Brunswick instead created a private development corporation and hired world-renowned architect I.M. Pei.
Atlantic City is again on the skids, and Gov. Chris Christie is determined that a state takeover of the casino district is the only way to save one of New Jersey’s largest cash cows.
It is a drastic plan, and the inspiration for a rebirth of "Las Vegas East" comes not from Nevada or even Miami Beach. It comes from New Brunswick.
While Atlantic City was mismanaging its casino windfall, state officials said, New Brunswick built 7 million square feet of downtown space, generating nearly $1.6 billion in redevelopment investment.
And while Atlantic City lost population but never its reputation as "unclean and unsafe," New Brunswick grew, cut its overall crime rate by half and is now in the most ambitious building phase in its history.
"New Brunswick is the most successful revitalization model in New Jersey. Redevelopment there has been done with intelligence and independently of government," said Jon Hanson, chairman of the governor’s commission that recommended taking over Atlantic City. "I absolutely believe following that model may be Atlantic City’s best hope."
New Brunswick officials warn that neither the state nor Atlantic City officials and casino owners may be willing to make the concessions necessary to follow the New Brunswick model.
Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerThis is a recent photo of New Brunswick taken from the approximate site of the Albany Street Bridge, looking up Albany Street towards the train station.
"You need a clear vision, commitment to a common goal, safe streets and a stable institution that can inspire trust in investors," said Christopher Paladino, president of the New Brunswick Development Corporation. "Atlantic City doesn’t seem to have any of that right now."
He also questioned whether the New Brunswick success could be duplicated by a public commission. A private corporation, he noted, is not bound by the dictates of public hearings, bid advertising and political change.
"The plan that Christie conceives may not survive the next governor or change in the Legislature," Paladino said. "Our master plan is above politics, and also capable of instantly adapting as market conditions change."
Stability in New Brunswick depends on a unique partnership developed 35 years ago. Johnson & Johnson announced it would only stay in this Central Jersey city if everyone — private and public entities — came to the table prepared to work for a common goal.

IN THE BEGINNING
The late Richard B. Sellars, then J&J chief executive, founded Devco, the nonprofit, tax-exempt redevelopment corporation. He hired Pei to design not only J&J’s new world headquarters, but a downtown to match. The architect "drew a bunch of concentric circles," Paladino said, designating an arts district with theaters, a medical campus, academic buildings and a grand hotel.
Since 1976, Devco has built or renovated three theaters, office buildings, Rutgers student housing, government buildings, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, residential housing and a convent.
Currently in the works are a 632,000-square-foot "transit village" adjacent to the train station and $165 million research tower. Devco now owns 2 million square feet of space in the city, including the Middlesex County courthouse, according to Devco records.
Unlike redevelopment in Newark and Camden, the Devco model didn’t try to revitalize multiple neighborhoods with individual projects, but instead concentrated on a small, extremely dense corridor within approximately 10 blocks of the New Brunswick train station.
In that downtown district, Devco leveraged grants and promoted interdependent mixed-use projects, officials said.
Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerThis is a recent photo of New Brunswick. It shows the train station and was taken from what now is the Ferren Mall. To the right is the "Golden Triangle."

"The one thing we haven’t done really well is retail," said Paladino, 50, former in-house counsel to Gov. Jim Florio. "You can get a top-notch meal in downtown New Brunswick, great theater and first-class medical treatment, but you can’t buy a decent pair of jeans."
Paladino knows New Brunswick. He grew up in its suburbs and "the downtown was the center of my admittedly limited universe. We came downtown to go to the doctors, buy school shoes and go to church."
But then came the 1960s. New Brunswick escaped riots but not white flight. Rutgers and its 45,000 students stayed, but there was a disconnect between the city, corporations and colleges.
The first major Devco project undertaken was the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Albany Street. The $6 million investment was modest by today’s standards, but "banks wouldn’t touch us because of New Brunswick’s reputation," Paladino said.
Instead, J&J underwrote the initial loan, and momentum began to build. A key component currently missing in Atlantic City, Paladino said, was that "all stakeholders" were involved, including J&J, Rutgers, city and county government, two hospitals, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Rutgers Medical School.
One of the champions behind Devco was John Lynch, New Brunswick mayor from 1979 to 1991.
Lynch was a key figure in obtaining state and federal grants to underwrite New Brunswick’s turnaround. He was equally famous for his vitriol against anyone who opposed his plans.

Also a former state senator who pleaded guilty in 2006 to fraud and income tax evasion involving political contracts not connected to New Brunswick, Lynch did not return phone calls.
Progress in New Brunswick periodically stalled. When Paladino came on board, no office space had been built in several years.
"So we reinvented ourselves," said Paladino. "We honed things and focused on connectivity," between different projects, Paladino said. "We capitalized on our assets, which Atlantic City hasn’t done. Have they forgotten the beach down there?"
Devco is not above criticism. Traffic and parking have been nightmarish for decades,(Amen) as has ongoing construction.
Some residents objected that the agency razed historical buildings and ignored the poorer residents of New Brunswick, who were pushed out of downtown when the welfare office was moved and several low-income housing buildings were condemned and demolished.

"I cringe when people talk about brick and mortar being enough to make a city. What about its people?" said David Harris Jr., executive director of the Greater New Brunswick Day Care Council. "The most egregious thing that happened from the ’70s until now is the upheaval and removal of poor minorities who were anywhere near the central business district.
"We may have revitalized the city for business, but we haven’t solved its problems," Harris said.
Paladino responds that Devco built two schools and affordable housing, and that the facilities of the Wellness Center about to begin construction will be open to all 50,000 city residents at a reduced rate.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/redeveloped_new_brunswick_is_i.html

[Nexis4Jersey]

The Parking Garage South of the tracks is almost completed , and the Gateway building appears to be open for Business...and I couldn't make it out clearly , but there appears to be 2 more sites under Construction.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6862311472_8003246647_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6862311472/)
DSCN2859 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6862311472/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6862311514_5fc8a8d13d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6862311514/)
DSCN2860 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6862311514/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/7008426779_60c71bfdd1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7008426779/)
DSCN2861 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7008426779/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

[tbal]

City zoning board approves new apartment complex

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/dailytargum.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ca/6ca7bf2c-7313-11e1-94ff-0019bb30f31a/4f6961f81863a.preview-300.jpg (http://wirednewyork.com/news/city-zoning-board-approves-new-apartment-complex/article_115be950-7312-11e1-9771-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=image&photo=0)Keith Freeman / Senior Staff Photographer
The New Brunswick City Planning Board discusses plans for the new 16-story apartment building that would be on Somerset and Condict streets yesterday at city hall.

Posted: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 12:00 am
City zoning board approves new apartment complex (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/dailytargum.com/news/city-zoning-board-approves-new-apartment-complex/article_115be950-7312-11e1-9771-0019bb30f31a.html) By Giancarlo Chaux / Metro Editor DailyTargum.com | 0 comments (http://wirednewyork.com/news/city-zoning-board-approves-new-apartment-complex/article_115be950-7312-11e1-9771-0019bb30f31a.html#user-comment-area)
The City of New Brunswick plans to build a new addition at the expense of eight homes on Somerset and Condict streets, despite the concerns of city residents.

The city’s planning board approved a decision last night to demolish four homes on each street to make room for 238 apartments, 237 parking spaces, a health club and 8,800 square feet of retail space. Construction is set to begin within the first three months of next year and will take 18 months to complete, said Sam Boraie, vice president of Boraie Development LLC.

The eight homes that would be knocked down are owned by Osman and Magda Boraie of Milltown and would make space for a 16-story apartment building with a secure parking garage.

A large concern among residents that attended the meeting was that the additional 237-space parking garage would contribute to traffic in the community.

Charles Olivo, a traffic engineer for the city of New Brunswick, said the city completed a traffic study to determine how the additional residents would affect the traffic flows in several intersections.

The most important intersection studied was Easton Avenue and Condict Street, and based on the study, the additional traffic would not dramatically affect the traffic pattern, he said.

Olivo said apartment tenants would also use local public transportation, decreasing vehicular traffic. The building will also be environmentally friendly with “green-roof technology,” he said.

Olivo said the complex would also encourage bike riding as a way of transportation by offering bike storage, which will further decrease traffic.
“Residents will be well-served by public transportation,” he said. “[And] the [vehicular] volume will increase minimally as a result of this project.”

But Olivo does not expect any increased traffic to be a large problem.
Apartment pricing also concerned residents.

John McDonough, a city land use planner, said the structure would be a luxury upscale building for young professionals.
“It is catering to a high-end market considering all the amenities. This site will be self-sufficient in terms of parking,” he said. “It will be a private secure garage.”

Charlie Kratovil, a community organizer, said a two-bedroom apartment would cost about $2,400 a month, while a one-bedroom apartment for about $1,800, and a month studio would cost about $1,400.

“Every tenant is expected to be qualified to pay the rent,” said Thomas Kelso, lawyer for the building application. “It’s always a possibility that students can live there. ... You got to have the money to pay the rent.”

New Brunswick resident David Spevack said the apartments would not cater to families because of the lack of bedrooms and the size of the units.

Jadwiga Karanievski, a New Brunswick resident, said the residents were poorly notified of the plans for the building and disapproves of the city’s plans.

“It is a 16-story building next to three-story residential homes. … How does that make sense? It’s literally a wall that divides the entire block,” Karanievski said. “It is strictly for the benefit of the developers. How will this benefit residents?”

Boraie Development LLC has developed in the city in the past. The company constructed One Spring Street, a 23-story apartment complex, in 2005 at the corner of Spring Street and Paterson Street.

[mariab]

Gateway (now The Vue) parking garage is open, but when I drove west on Somerset toward Easton about a week ago all I saw inside was steel studs, wire & I-beams. There is a giant clock over the door on the Somerset St side with the Rutgers letters in place of the numbers. On Easton Ave in front of the garage, there is a 3-panel billboard advertising St. Peter's Hospital. You can see part of it in your second pic on the left side of the building.

^NB is waking from its long slumber. This one was sort of slipped in without any prior notice. At least I hadn't seen anything in the paper or mycentraljersey about it. It's sure in an odd place on Easton & doesn't really fit.




The most important intersection studied was Easton Avenue and Condict Street, and based on the study, the additional traffic would not dramatically affect the traffic pattern, he said.

A 16-story on Easton between Hamilton & Somerset, especially when college is in? I'm barely going over 15 now in that area.

[tbal]

A 16-story on Easton between Hamilton & Somerset, especially when college is in? I'm barely going over 15 now in that area.

The traffic engineer is paid by the developer, I believe, so I'd expect them to say something favorable to the developer's interests :rolleyes:

I'd seen renderings of this project emblazoned on the Boraie site for months now, but they showed two different designs. Sounds like they actually went with the more unique 'L' shaped design instead of the plain 'wall' design (which appears to be an 18-story design). You can see the designs at this link: http://www.boraie.com/somerset.html.

[Nexis4Jersey]

They need to build a Cross Middlesex County LRT to connect all the towns and cities with NB to offset the increased congestion...

[brunfuss]

Any news on the NB Cultural Center Tower?

I'm guessing the Stem Cell REsearch tower is on hold or not happening?

[brunfuss]

Any news on the NB Cultural Center Tower?

I'm guessing the Stem Cell REsearch tower is on hold or not happening?

[tbal]

The Stem Cell Tower isn't happening as far as I know. Seems like the phrase "breaking ground" doesn't mean what it used to mean - it's become more of a way for desperate politicians to trick the electorate into thinking economic development is underway when in fact it isn't. Although I liked alot of Corzine's policies (and JC Mayor Healy's policies), looks like Corzine jumped the gun on the Stem Cell Research Tower groundbreaking just as JC Mayor Healy made it look like JSQ's City Center Towers would be built when there was no firm commitment from the developer. It was a nice photo-op several years ago, but the site still stands empty today.

As far as the Cultural Center Tower is concerned, I haven't heard anything but my guess is that the city's next major focus is on redevelopment of the Ferren Mall site after the Health & Wellness building is complete (currently under construction just southeast of the train station). I remember reading years ago that it was in DEVCO's master plan to put up a mixed-use building with a significant office component on the Ferren parcel after demolishing the mall.

Aside from DEVCO's redevelopment efforts, it looks like construction at the Arts Building site (across George Street from Rockoff Hall) started back in Feb according to this post: http://wap.rivals.com/message2.asp?SID=988&mid=153191141&fid=2330&tid=153191141&Team=166. Anyone live near the site that can post some photos? It was originally supposed to be a 14-story building.

[mariab]

Anyone live near the site that can post some photos? Possibly this Sunday.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Some moar NB photos from Yesterday...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7220/7031078085_5e216afb19_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7031078085/)
DSCN3074 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7031078085/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/6884980742_c3437f6355_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980742/)
DSCN3076 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980742/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/6884980778_b765d718db_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980778/)
DSCN3077 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980778/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6884980812_ca495d0666_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980812/)
DSCN3078 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/6884980812/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7031078237_2e9d27b767_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7031078237/)
DSCN3079 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/7031078237/) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/), on Flickr

[mariab]

Very cool pics Nexis, especially the last one. Couldn't make it there Sunday & I don't see myself there during daylight for at least two weeks.

[mariab]

Unexpectedly able to make it there during the last part of the day. Not much going on at that Arts Center. All that wood makes it look rickety, but space is starting to fill up at ground level at The Vue (formerly Gateway). Barnes & Noble opens this summer! The top three are the Arts Center, (the middle pic is looking north on George toward New St) the next two are an apartment building being demolished at the corner of Morris & Nielsen, bottom left is the Wellness Center on Paterson, & the last is the Vue looking west on Somerset.

15165151661516715168151691517115172

[tbal]

Wow! Great pictures mariab! New Bruns has definitely come a long way in the past 10 years. I'm wondering if DEVCO will aim to acquire the C-Town site once the new Fresh Grocer is in place by the train station. That's a big piece of land and it would be relatively easy to demo the supermarket building....it's adjacent to this hub they've created where Rockoff/Hieldrich are and where the Arts Building is now U/C.

It looks like that eyesore of a building is finally being demo'ed too - I thought that would never disappear. Seems like New Bruns is trying to outpace Morristown in the race to become NJ's most desirable urban oasis.

[mariab]

Thx tbal. C-Town is now Bravo Supermarket. Don't know how long ago that happened. I'll have to ask one of my NB relatives what's going up at the Morris/Nielsen corner.

I agree NB is only on its way up & I'm glad to see it. Especially downtown, though I'd like to see little improvements throughout the rest of the city also. Between The Vue and 1 Spring it will attract a lot of people back to NB, or pleasantly surprised newbies.

[mariab]

No word yet on what's going up at Morris & Neilson, Here's link to the RW Wellness center, with slideshow renderings. I get flyers from them periodically.

http://www.rwjfitnessnewbrunswick.com/?s=take-a-tour/visual-tour

[tbal]

I passed through New Bruns on the train on Friday and noticed that the building across the street from Rockoff is topping off. Does anyone know of any of the details as to rent projections or retail tenants? I think I might go to NB to get some photos next weekend - the structure of the RWJ Wellness Center looks like it has made significant progress too.

[tbal]

Here's a photo I snapped yesterday of the 'Arts Building' on my way through New Bruns...sorry for the poor quality (had to use a camera phone for this one...). It's looking like it's almost topped off. The building on the right is Rockoff Hall. That area sure looks a hell of alot better than it did just a few years ago!

15566


Below is a photo of the RWJ Health & Wellness Center, taken from across the NE Corridor (next to University Center Apartments). This project looks to be nearing completion (I believe the target has been September). Note: the lot in the foreground is where the Stem Cell Research Tower is/was supposed to be built.

15567


I think that if New Bruns can get a few more buildings in the 8-10+ story range built, perhaps expanding the new enclave around the George/New Street intersection further East, the redevelopment will start to draw alot more residents and become a self-sustaining process without much more help from DEVCO. The fundamentals are there - it's an urban oasis with close proximity to several major job centers (Metropark, Piscataway, Princeton, the Route 1 Corridor, not to mention New Brunswick itself). The Boraie building that will rise on the other side of the NE Corridor will definitely help expand the breadth of the city to give it more of a 'big city' feel.

[mariab]

That area sure looks a hell of alot better than it did just a few years ago!

Definitely. Though I still look for the 'One Hour Martinizing' I've always seen since I was a kid. I'm also glad to see the Arts project hasn't stalled. None of my NB relatives know what's going up in place of that kooky apartment building (now all gone) at the corner of Morris & Neilsen, but I have a feeling it'll be residential and I'll post as soon as I find out. Thanks for the pics.

[Don31]

Definitely. Though I still look for the 'One Hour Martinizing' I've always seen since I was a kid. I'm also glad to see the Arts project hasn't stalled. None of my NB relatives know what's going up in place of that kooky apartment building (now all gone) at the corner of Morris & Neilsen, but I have a feeling it'll be residential and I'll post as soon as I find out. Thanks for the pics.

Does anybody remember what the block occupied by J&J looked like before J&J? It was pretty bad.

[mariab]

I remember coming in on the Albany Street bridge when I was a kid, and seeing an x-rated movie theatre. I remember my mother saying it was a shame because there used to be some really nice shops along there too, probably when she was young, but I don't remember which ones. I think that theatre used to be the Rialto, or RKO, something with an R. A few months ago on this thread I posted something but I don't remember exactly when.

[tbal]

Definitely. Though I still look for the 'One Hour Martinizing' I've always seen since I was a kid. I'm also glad to see the Arts project hasn't stalled. None of my NB relatives know what's going up in place of that kooky apartment building (now all gone) at the corner of Morris & Neilsen, but I have a feeling it'll be residential and I'll post as soon as I find out. Thanks for the pics.

Great! keep us posted. I didn't even realize that building is now completely gone - that's really really good to hear. What an eyesore that was.

I remember seeing a proposal way back around 2003 or 2004 by Matrix (one of the partners building the Panasonic headquarters in Newark) for a residential building with internal parking just down New Street from the Arts building, along Nielsen (I believe they called it the 'Metropolitan'). I wonder if they've re-activated the development of those plans. If so, that would fill in a huge gap in the streetscape down there. I have a feeling that DEVCO already has plans in the works for the Bravo site that will start to come to life after the Fresh Grocer opens near the train station. That entire block only contains a few single-story structures and a ton of open land; should be relatively easy to redevelop (especially with all the other new high-density buildings in place).

btw - one article I read awhile back about the Health & Wellness center alluded to the redevelopment of the Ferren Mall. That should be one heck of a development (actually, way way back I remember DEVCO being quoted as saying that the Ferren site would host a signature mixed-use retail/office/residential tower).

EDIT: Just found some info via NJ Future. The current plan is apparently to raze the Ferren Mall, extend Easton Ave through to merge into Spring Street, create a few new small retail buildings to the East of the extended Easton Ave and create three new towers ranging from 11-23 stories: 1 with alot of retail, 1 office, and 1 residential. It's obviously a great site with the train station literally a few steps away across the street...

[mariab]

I remember seeing a proposal way back around 2003 or 2004 by Matrix (one of the partners building the Panasonic headquarters in Newark) for a residential building with internal parking just down New Street from the Arts building, along Nielsen (I believe they called it the 'Metropolitan').

That's got to be the Morris/Neilsen project. It sounds like they are because why would they have spent the money to raze the old without go-ahead for the new, so this sounds promising.


I have a feeling that DEVCO already has plans in the works for the Bravo site that will start to come to life after the Fresh Grocer opens near the train station. That entire block only contains a few single-story structures and a ton of open land; should be relatively easy to redevelop (especially with all the other new high-density buildings in place).

Yeah not much going on in that spot. There is (or was) a Social Security office there which can be easily relocated, but sadly there's nothing worth landmarking.



EDIT: Just found some info via NJ Future. The current plan is apparently to raze the Ferren Mall, extend Easton Ave through to merge into Spring Street, create a few new small retail buildings to the East of the extended Easton Ave and create three new towers ranging from 11-23 stories: 1 with alot of retail, 1 office, and 1 residential. It's obviously a great site with the train station literally a few steps away across the street...

Wwwwwhhhaaaa??? That is a monumental project! Is that approved? It sounds promising but it will also tangle things up down there for years. Is it definite?

[tbal]

Any news out of New Brunswick? Does anyone know when demolition is supposed to begin where the new Boraie building will go? I know there's also that new academic building that Rutgers wants to build on College Ave (or is it Easton now?).

Check out the DEVCO facebook page for some photos of progress on the Barnes & Noble (which opened today) and the Health & Wellness Center (which they have at least one cool - but older - aerial photo of).

[mariab]

No idea about the College Ave project, but on Easton there's an empty grass lot with a construction fence around it. No signs erected yet.

[tbal]

If you're talking about the empty lots with the retaining walls closer to Somerset, those have been there for quite some time - I imagine the city will eventually use eminent domain to take the buildings across from Corner Tavern and merge the property with those empty lots to create another large mid- to hi- rise building sometime in the next 5 years or so.

Once the Boraie building is up, that basically will open the door to morphing that entire block to midrise use.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Any Skyscrapers planned for New Brunswick?

[mariab]

If you're talking about the empty lots with the retaining walls closer to Somerset, those have been there for quite some time - I imagine the city will eventually use eminent domain to take the buildings across from Corner Tavern and merge the property with those empty lots to create another large mid- to hi- rise building sometime in the next 5 years or so.

Once the Boraie building is up, that basically will open the door to morphing that entire block to midrise use.

You really think they'll take the whole block? If they do they're basically expanding the downtown to the other side of the tracks. I haven't seen any closure of nearby buildings yet for the Boraie building. No idea what the holdup is. Acquisitions maybe. I parked in that sardine can of a parking lot next to the empty lot & browsed at NJ Books. I was ready to snap a pic of the other side of the street when my batteries died. Next time.

Btw there is a storefront open at the corner of Albany & Spring for enrollment in the Wellness Center. Couldn't stop but was easy to see.

[tbal]

All of the parcels for the Boraie building have already been acquired by the Boraie family...I guess they're just waiting on financing now & finalizing the design/getting permits for demo/etc.

[mariab]

Busy bees. The Wellness center ribbon cutting is Friday, with different types of health screenings available, and Sat & Sun are the Grand Opening Days with lots of things going on, including autographs on Sat by the NY Giants (doesn't specify who), health screenings, health & wellness info from RWJ, physical activities and demos, snacks from the Fresh Grocer and massages by Massage Envy.

The Arts building is complete but I'm not sure if it's open yet. Haven't been in NB except for a pass-thru for weeks now, but should be soon and I'll take pics.

Btw the Corner Tavern is closed and has a 'For Rent' sign in the window. Too bad. Whenever there was a funeral up at Boylan a few of my cousins would walk there for drinks afterwards. No indication that there are any plans to demolish.

[tbal]

Thanks for the update mariab! I haven't been there since around New Year's Day, but I'm glad to hear about the grand openings and surprised (but not too surprised) by the closing of Corner Tavern (that place was usually empty on Friday/Saturday nights whenever I dropped in). It seems like DEVCO hasn't been maintaining their website but my understanding is that the Wellness building was the first phase of a multi-phase project that will replace the Ferren Mall and parking deck. Several years ago I read that the intention was to replace these with a massive commercial office tower or mixed-use residential building with an office component (it was said that it would be designed as an iconic centerpiece for Downtown). I think it goes without saying that financing is still relatively tight though and a substantial amount of the project cost for the first phase came from tax credits and other incentives from the state, so it might be a few years before the next phase kicks off. Plus it seems that the Rutgers/DEVCO dorm/classroom/retail building where the Grease Trucks currently are located is DEVCO's highest priority right now in terms of where they're devoting resources.

[tbal]

I believe DEVCO or a JV between DEVCO & Pennrose owned the building. I wonder if they sold it to raise capital for the new on-campus Rutgers mixed-used building (?).

Rutgers’ Rockoff Hall Acquired by McKinneyBy Antoinette Martin (http://wirednewyork.com/authors/antoinette-martin-87.html) | New Jersey



http://cdn.globest.com/media/newspics/232/rockoff.jpg Rockoff Hall, Rutgers University



NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ-McKinney Properties, a national student housing owner and operator, has acquired Rockoff Hall, a 674-bed high-rise student housing complex beside Rutgers University.

Located in downtown New Brunswick, Rockoff Hall is within walking distance of the College Avenue and Cook Douglas campuses and adjacent to the Bloustein School of Public Policy and Planning.

McKinney Properties acquired the student residence as an institutional joint venture with Virtus Real Estate Capital. Investor’s Bank provided a $44.1 million fixed-rate five-year mortgage.

Rockoff Hall was built in 2006 and is affiliated with Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey. At the time of construction, the tower was hailed as introducing luxury student housing to the Rutgers campus.

Pittsburgh-based McKinney Properties strategically targets student-housing properties within walking distance of larger college campuses and in supply-constrained apartment markets, seeking to add value.

The company has more than 5,000 student housing beds in its portfolio, along with 1,500 multi-family units, in ten states and Washington, D.C.


Related Topics: Mid-Atlantic (http://wirednewyork.com/regions/midatlantic.html)

Link: http://www.globest.com/news/12_539/newjersey/student_housing/Rutgers-Rockoff-student-housing-McKinney-329999.html

[Don31]

the Bloustein School of Public Policy and Planning.



Where I went to Grad School! :)

[mariab]

What have you recently heard about the grease truck lot? Devco has their hands in a lot of NB pies. So the Rockoff deal is just a change of hands?

[tbal]

I believe so. My understanding of DEVCO is that it is a privately-held organization that the city of New Brunswick recognizes as an aid to development. So it looks like Rockoff is just being passed from one private entity to another (though a different type of entity).

[mariab]

From the corner of Kirkpatrick & Paterson looking NE toward Albany St
16922


From same corner looking west up Paterson
16923


Arts building looking up New St toward corner of George
16924


Next two are Arts looking down George toward New St

1692516926

[tbal]

Great photos mariab! The Wellness Center is a nice addition to downtown - I'm glad they built it where they did. I wonder if DEVCO is working up plans to acquire and redevelop the Bravo supermarket site now that it has brought the Fresh Grocer in...they could really make the area around Rockoff a true center of gravity if they built a large mixed-use building there.

[mariab]

Yes they can, and I noticed on the New St side of the building there is a sign adv. "Luxury Apartments" in that building.

[towerpower123]

Awesome! Thanks to Rutgers, New Brunswick is looking like a real city, rather than just an overbuilt suburb! Keep it up.

[mariab]

Weichert Commercial markets redevelopment site in New Brunswick

Feb 20, 2013

http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20130220&Category=NJBIZ&ArtNo=302200021&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0&Weichert-Commercial-markets-redevelopment-site-New-Brunswick

Mark Calabro / PHOTO COURTESY OF WEICHERT COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE



http://cmsimg.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CN&Date=20130220&Category=NJBIZ&ArtNo=302200021&Ref=V1&MaxW=300&Border=0&Weichert-Commercial-markets-redevelopment-site-New-BrunswickJames Sousa / PHOTO COURTESY OF WEICHERT COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE


NEW BRUNSWICK — John G. Udell, President, has announced Weichert Commercial Brokerage, Inc. has been appointed as the exclusive agent to market a redevelopment site in the city’s downtown. Senior Vice Presidents, Mark S. Calabro and James Sousa are handling the marketing of this property.
The redevelopment site, The Pinnacle, encompasses more than 3acres in the middle of the 5+ acre New Redmond Redevelopment Area. It is located on New Street in New Brunswick, within three blocks of the Northeast corridor rail system. The property is zoned mixed use — residential, medical and professional office. With its proximity to Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the site offers an excellent opportunity for a corporate headquarters or a large-space single tenant looking for presence in a well located and growing city.
“We are extremely pleased to handle the marketing of this exciting project,” stated Mark S. Calabro., “This location in the hub of one of the major cities in central New Jersey offers many possibilities.”
For more information, contact Mark S. Calabro or James Sousa at 973-267-7778.
Weichert Commercial Brokerage, Inc. is a leading commercial brokerage company with offices throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Weichert Commercial consistently delivers the highest quality real estate services through its office, industrial, retail, investment, tenant representation and commercial land brokerage divisions. Weichert Commercial is a proud member of the CORE network, a national network of select commercial real estate companies providing a full line of commercial real estate services to its member clients. During the past 10years, NJ Biz Magazine has ranked Weichert Commercial in the top commercial real estate companies in NJ and CoStar Group, Inc. has ranked it in the Top Power Brokers in New Jersey since 2002. For more information about Weichert Commercial Brokerage, call 973-267-7778 or visit www.weichertcommercial.com (http://www.weichertcommercial.com/).

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130220/NJBIZ/302200021/Weichert-Commercial-markets-redevelopment-site-New-Brunswick?nclick_check=1

[tbal]

A marketing piece for Weichert of course, but thanks for posting ;-) So I guess the Pinnacle residential tower plans have been scrapped? I'd much rather see an office building go up there myself...plus New Brunswick needs more competitive Class A space to foster further residential development.

[mariab]

^Nt sure if they scrapped it, so much as expanded on it. Where exactly is this supposed to be anyway? I can't see where they'll put it.

[tbal]

It's supposed to go in somewhere near the Wellness Center building I believe...

[tbal]

According to the article below (which is about Matrix's plans to build spec industrial buildings in South Jersey), it is mentioned that they are seeking an Urban Transit Tax Hub Credit to build a 380-unit building in New Brunswick:

"It is also awaiting word on funding for the state’s Urban Transit Hub tax credit program to determine whether it can go ahead this summer with a 380-unit residential project in New Brunswick."

This appears to be a completely separate project from Boraie Development's 200-unit building across from Robert Wood Johnson near the Rutgers campus. I know Matrix put out a proposal about 10 years ago for a building called the Metropolitan that would have been something like 10 stories of residential wrapped around a hidden, multi-level parking structure. That building was proposed for what is currently a parking lot behind some office buildings on George Street, near the new building "The George" (formerly New Brunswick Arts Building) that just was completed across the street from Rockoff Hall. Alternatively, this Matrix proposal might be for the Pinnacle site which is further south and (I believe) near the new Wellness Building. In any case, seems like New Bruns is certainly heating up.

Link: http://www.globest.com/news/12_567/newjersey/industrial/speculative-building-matrix-development-exit8A-331351.html

[mariab]

Good but I don't know where on New St, southeast of Livingston Ave, that they can fit any more developement. Maybe on the other side of Livingston.

[tbal]

The Metropolitan will be built across Neilson Street from the Highlands at Plaza Square in the parking lot behind the office buildings fronting on George Street. Looks like the project is a joint venture between Matrix, Ironstate, and Roseland, and the Highlands was the first phase of the two-phase project. Check out this article from the NY Times from way back in 2001:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/21/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-new-brunswick-to-get-two-new-rental-buildings.html

[mariab]

No way! That's going to be a big project. And I hope they have ample parking factored in because downtown's notorious for crappy parking options. If these three cooks in the kitchen can't get it off the ground, shame on them.

[mariab]

The Melody closed in the early 2000s, the Court is still there, and recently was renovated (I thought at first they were closing). The appliance store may have been Gabowitz or Derby (both located elsewhere). On the other side of the tracks, Corner Tavern Scarlet Pub, and Old Queens are still there, The Old still getting busted for serving underaged. Surprised they're still in business.

[Don31]

The Melody closed in the early 2000s, the Court is still there, and recently was renovated (I thought at first they were closing). The appliance store may have been Gabowitz or Derby (both located elsewhere). On the other side of the tracks, Corner Tavern Scarlet Pub, and Old Queens are still there, The Old still getting busted for serving underaged. Surprised they're still in business.

Wow, this brings back lots of memories! Thanks Maria!

[tbal]

Along with two projects in Jersey City, the $295 million complex set to be built at the southwest corner of Hamilton Street & College Avenue was approved for $33 million in urban transit hub tax credit financing. According to the second link below, DEVCO was seeking a $52 million tax credit, but it's possible that the partnership with Rutgers & others either decided to scale down the plans or found another way to finance it.

Link: http://www.njbiz.com/article/20130409/NJBIZ01/130409790/EDA-approves-$99-million-for-trio-of-residential-Urban-Transit-Hub-projects

Link 2: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/rutgers_redevelopment_clears_l.html

[tbal]

According to the article below, the 10-story Matrix/Roseland/Ironstate building set to rise on Neilson Street received approval for a 30-year tax abatement last week and should be starting construction soon after more than 12 years on the drawing boards.

Side note: with 393 units, I believe this would be the third- or fourth- largest building under construction in the entire state of New Jersey if either or both 70 Columbus & the first Harborside tower go U/C soon (otherwise this will be #2, right behind JC's 18Park):

http://newbrunswick.patch.com/articles/city-grants-tax-exemption-to-matrix-project

[tbal]

I was looking at real estate in New Bruns when I came across a series of real estate sales on 3/20, 4/5 and 4/8 for several contiguous pieces of property on Somerset and Condict streets. According to NJ tax records, the property was previously owned by members of the Boraie family. It seems like either the property is being merged into one entity or is being sold to another developer. Has anyone heard of any updates on this building? I think it's one of the most significant proposals for the city as it will help spread large-format urban architecture west of the train station.

[tbal]

According to the (very informative) article linked to below, Boraie was aiming to start construction in the first quarter of this year, and the exterior design changed quite a bit. I think this may become the ugliest building built in New Brunswick since redevelopment began - looks sort of like a public housing project merged with a warehouse.

Original Design:
17296

New Design (courtesy of newbrunswicktoday.com):
17297

Gotta love how developers always pull the bait-and-switch on planning boards and the community by initially throwing a flashy, beautiful design infront of them to get them excited and win project approval and then come back a few months later for amendments to the approved plan with what they usually term "minor deviations" from the original design.

btw - the project is being named "Somerset Mews" according to the article.

http://newbrunswicktoday.com/article/powerful-developer-closes-city-tax-break-new-highrise

[mariab]

As far as post 164, I haven't heard anything. Isn't that the same property as the Boraie project, the one between Condict and Somerset? The second rendering needs work. Some glass would be nice in those insets around the base. Never thought I'd say that, but since we're not going for classic, might as well even things out.

Btw do you know - and this is near the NB/Somerset border - what is going up at the corner of Hamilton St and Franklin Blvd? There used to be a beautiful old brick Colonial office building at that corner, mostly banks as far back as I can remember (BofA the last), and now there's some officey-looking one-story shell there, but no one knows yet. Hopefully not yet another unnecessary strip mall. That whole area is saturated with them.

[tbal]

As far as the lots between Somerset and Condict in New Bruns are concerned, Osman and Magda Boraie owned the properties until recently - perhaps they were all merged into an LLC of the development entity on the dates I listed.

I passed by the site you mention near Somerset a few months back when they were pouring foundations, and I was also wondering what was going on there.

Do you know if heavy construction has started yet at the Upper Lot site on Neilsen? I've heard that Matrix/Roseland/Ironstate did some site work a few months back.

[mariab]

May possibly go past this Sunday, I'll let you know.

[tbal]

According to NJ Biz, a joint venture between DEVCO and Rutgers has been granted $350 million in bond financing to make the new academic/office/dorm building complex a reality. The design posted by DEVCO looks like a big step up for architecture in New Brunswick, and the buildings appear to top out at 15 or 16 stories, so this project should do alot to help spread large-format architecture west of the train station (along with the Boraie project that will be under construction a few blocks away).

Rendering courtesy of DEVCO:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g245/jcwalkingman/705695_548672748495243_1107700080_o_zps90baa610.jp g (http://s58.photobucket.com/user/jcwalkingman/media/705695_548672748495243_1107700080_o_zps90baa610.jp g.html)

NJBiz article: http://www.njbiz.com/article/20130516/NJBIZ01/130519865/EDA-votes-to-help-New-Brunswick-Camden-projects

[mariab]

Good news. Where exactly will this be? I went past the New St project a few days ago and there is a foundation. May go past tomorrow & if I do I'll take pics.

[brunfuss]

The original drawings of the Vue looked very promising too......

[mariab]

17331173321733317334

[tbal]

Wow! Thanks for the photos mariab! I thought they had started construction but didn't know they were that far along...good to see this building finally becoming a reality and stretching the downtown further away from the train station. New Brunswick is really beginning to develop into a true city now with this project, the Boraie building, and the new College Ave. buildings above.

I wonder if DEVCO has any plans in the works for the former C-Town lot now that Fresh Grocer is in place. That's quite a big piece of land ripe for redevelopment.

[mariab]

It is ripe, but if people can only afford to shop at C-Town, they're not going to go to Fresh Grocer. They'll probably find somewhere else cheap to shop. Not that that should make a difference whether to redevelop, just an observation.

[tbal]

I have a feeling the city will get a more mainstream supermarket like Shoprite or Stop & Shop to open up on one of those former industrial sites closer to the Jersey Ave train station and once that is in place, then maybe they'll condemn C-Town (which I think now is actually a Bravo supermarket) and build another midrise building there. But I'm sure it's at least a few years away considering that DEVCO is already sucking tons of money from the NJEDA and focusing on what may be its largest project ever at College Ave & Hamilton St.

[tbal]

The original drawings of the Vue looked very promising too......

Hahaha...I totally agree. What a disgrace that building turned out to be. It is what it is (unfortunately)...maybe a permanent reminder of the Great Recession.

[montycench]

Hahaha...I totally agree. What a disgrace that building turned out to be. It is what it is (unfortunately)...maybe a permanent reminder of the Great Recession.

It certainly did not turn out as good as it could have but I would not call the Vue a disgrace. Sure it's kind of ugly but I think it has activated the street pretty well in that area. The BBQ restaurant is a big draw and whenever it's nice out I see people using the tables outside the Rutgers bookstore. Not only that but in the Rutgers dorm across the way, street level retail space, which sat empty for years leased out quickly once construction on the Vue got under way.

[mariab]

It certainly won't win any architectural awards, but it's good for the city. They can't all look like 390 George, but the city and private developers won't spend the kind of money that gets you buildings like they have in NYC. They just won't. But as long as there is a building boom that's bringing it back to life, and bringing people there to live or visit, that's a good thing.


Btw Shop Rite has consistently better prices than Stop & Shop by a long shot.

[brunfuss]

It certainly did not turn out as good as it could have but I would not call the Vue a disgrace. Sure it's kind of ugly but I think it has activated the street pretty well in that area. The BBQ restaurant is a big draw and whenever it's nice out I see people using the tables outside the Rutgers bookstore. Not only that but in the Rutgers dorm across the way, street level retail space, which sat empty for years leased out quickly once construction on the Vue got under way.

guess i'd always dreamed that by 2013 New Brunswick's skyline would be looking like White Plains, NY's skyline.

i'm glad the Vue was built, it's just so ugly and blocky. From all the angles I view it, it still only looks like the second tallest building in NB