Reply With QuotePossibly this Sunday.Anyone live near the site that can post some photos?
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?S...91141&Team=166. Anyone live near the site that can post some photos? It was originally supposed to be a 14-story building.
Last edited by tbal; March 24th, 2012 at 06:29 PM.
Possibly this Sunday.Anyone live near the site that can post some photos?
Some moar NB photos from Yesterday...
DSCN3074 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr
DSCN3076 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr
DSCN3077 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr
DSCN3078 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr
DSCN3079 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr
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.
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.
Last edited by mariab; April 3rd, 2012 at 11:10 PM.
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.
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.
Last edited by mariab; April 4th, 2012 at 11:12 PM.
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.co...ur/visual-tour
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.
"Arts Building" And Health & Wellness Center Update
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!
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.
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.
Last edited by tbal; June 7th, 2012 at 10:06 AM.
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.That area sure looks a hell of alot better than it did just a few years ago!
Does anybody remember what the block occupied by J&J looked like before J&J? It was pretty bad.Originally Posted by 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.
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...
Last edited by tbal; June 7th, 2012 at 11:57 PM.
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 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').
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.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).
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?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...
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