Jersey City Rising

[ianmac47]

Could they be something that will eventually be buried in the ground as part of the foundation, or perhaps used in the construction of the foundation and then removed? I saw them and yes, I have no idea what they are for.

[ianmac47]

Construction Map, using Google.

Still working on it, but here is a preview:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...9825&z=15&om=1

[MarbRes]

There's been no work on the Monaco site in the parking lot of the Doubletree for about a week. Crews pounded in some pilings and left a stack of steel shoring behind. Interestingly, the Doubletree's website (http://www.doubletree.com/en/dt/hote...tyhocn=EWRWTDT) simply says: "Our parking lot is under construction through May 25." So it seems like work may be done for now.

BTW I believe the steel panels stacked on the site are shoring for the excavation. As the site is dug out the panels are installed between the pilings that have been pounded in. Given this site is on landfill and the water level is so high, the shoring must be put in or the hole will simply collapse in on itself.

[tbal]

A look at the progress at 77 Hudson Street....

The base of the second tower crane has been installed. Looking westward toward the other tower crane:



Work in the past week has focused in part on beginning construction of the parking garage:



The second floor of the east (condo) tower is going up:



A look down Greene Street from the Trump Plaza site. The large building to the far left is 30 Montgomery, which was part of a $106M purchase and supposedly to be demolished to make way for JC's version of NYC's Time Warner Center mega-complex. The small building to the right of it was supposedly recently sold for $10M, more than twice what the city was willing to pay when it wanted to purchase it for the purpose of demolishing it to make room for widening the stretch of Greene Street next to 101 Hudson. Behind the tower crane is the Liberty View Towers west tower, completed in 2003:



A quick look at Trump Plaza, as the 53rd floor slab cast is constructed:



Another perspective, looking West:



And lastly, exterior work at the Athena tower is nearing completion:

[TimmyG]

SQUARE KEY
Monday, June 04, 2007 By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Developer acquires final piece

The future of Journal Square is about two months away.
The limited liability entity redeveloping a key block of Journal Square now owns every lot on the block, and new owner Lowell Harwood hopes to complete demolition of the remaining buildings at the heart of Journal Square by August.
Harwood said he hopes to break ground next year on a two tower, $400 million mixed-use development that many hope will revitalize the Jersey City neighborhood.
The developer already had purchased a number of adjacent properties, but now Harwood holds the final piece of the puzzle - a 1.5-acre block adjacent to the Journal Square Transportation Center that was snapped up by MEPT Journal Square Urban Renewal, which is partly owned by Harwood, at a closing in April.
Harwood refused to disclose the sales price, but CoStar Comp, an on-line newsletter, stated the transaction amounted to a $28 million sale; an official familiar with the negotiations said the figure was somewhat higher.
Harwood had already purchased the lion's share of the properties on the block from companies tied to Ralph Tawil Jr., a landlord who racked up nearly $4 million in code violation fines during his nearly two decades on the square.
In March 2006, Tawil agreed to a settlement figure of $1.1 million and to sell his holdings to Harwood.
MEPT Journal Square had also already purchased 12 Journal Square (formerly KFC), 14 Journal Square (formerly Wendy's), and 15-16 Journal (McDonald's, Song's Hallmark, HT Wireless, and a dentist's office.)
No date was given as to when McDonald's, Song's Hallmark, HT Wireless and the dentist's office would have to vacate. The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency is working on relocating the 15-16 Journal Square tenants, officials said.
Besides the McDonald's building still on the block are the Three Brothers Pizza and a parking lot owned by Central Parking. Harwood said he expects all the buildings to be demolished by August.

[macmini]

Harwood said he hopes to break ground next year on a two tower, $400 million mixed-use development that many hope will revitalize the Jersey City neighborhood.

It's great news that Harwood now owns all the property but, if their going to demolish every thing by August. Then why are they hoping to start construction some time next year.

[tbal]

Good question, macmini - I was wondering that myself. My guess is that they need more time to negotiate contracts with developers, get the final plans put together by engineers and architects, and get all the permits necessary for construction to begin. I could be wrong about this, but I believe the city must evaluate the site after demolition of all the buildings is completed, and from what I understand, the city is very slow with carrying out its business. I am just hoping that, by this time next year, we see a ton of activity at the site. That would be awesome.

In any case, redevelopment of the Square is bound to happen anyway with every lot on the waterfront quickly being snatched up and developed.

[ianmac47]

So 111 First is pretty much leveled now. How long do we think before they break ground on the new tower?

[tbal]

At the press conference back in March, they said it would take 12-14 months to get the permits, so I'm guessing next May or June.

[JoeSas]

Does anyone have an update on the blight study/next steps for the block between Newark and Christopher Columbus west of the PATH train? On Steve Fulop's website it says it has been completed adn there are some 'next steps' but I haven't heard anything. www.stevenfulop.com

[investordude]

The news in the times makes it seems like all the decision get to be made by New York. Given that is the case, I'd imagine people are going to spend the revenue from congestion pricing in New York - since those are the people the need to please for passage.

Is that fair? It seems to me Jersey City could get screwed. I especially think Jersey City should at least get money for a light rail connection between Journal Square and the Beacon redevelopment area.

[ianmac47]

Ultimately the Port Authority will probably be taking a large cut of that money, especially since in some cases their bridges and tunnels will be collecting the fees. This could ultimately benefit PATH service and improvements.

Meanwhile, New Jersey is getting screwed by the WTC redevelopment. When the first WTC was built, NJ got a PATH connection to <STRIKE>New York</STRIKE> Newark. This time around we're getting-- well, not much since the MTA keeps shrinking the WTC subway station (and more importantly, reducing internal connections between the PATH and the subways). Ultimately I think Jersey City will benefit from the increased office space in lower Manhattan. Mid-town rents might be very high, but thats more a benefit for LIC than for us, given the proximity. With all the downtown business that will be generated when the WTC is completed, Jersey City's office market will probably benefit through proximity. But still, I think a bi-state agency like the Port Authority should be giving something back to NJ since they making such a huge investment in lower Manhattan.

[nafco]

Is that fair? It seems to me Jersey City could get screwed. I especially think Jersey City should at least get money for a light rail connection between Journal Square and the Beacon redevelopment area.

I totally agree. JC needs more light rail of some kind on the west side or even middle of the city running north-south. Not to mention that JSQ would become a much larger hub of transportation and benefit economically if it had transit running with the PATH and buses that could also connect with the area north and south of it.

[andfluff]

Meanwhile, New Jersey is getting screwed by the WTC redevelopment. When the first WTC was built, NJ got a PATH connection to New York.

The PATH connection was around a lot longer than the first WTC. It was built by in 1909 by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad and went to Hudson Terminal. All the Port Authority did was build a new, bigger terminal.

-AndFluff

[ianmac47]

I meant Newark.