Municipalities boom with development

4 North Jersey towns see revitalization

In recent years, an abundance of new development and construction has brought vitality and commerce to several North Jersey towns.

With the addition of luxury residential buildings, an uptick in commercial spaces, repurposing historic buildings, creating entertainment destinations and even giving transportation stations and public parks a face-lift, these towns have revitalized their local communities. Here are four North Jersey municipalities that are booming with development in 2024.

Harrison

What was once a sea of commercial warehouses and open-air commuter parking lots has become a residential and social hub in Hudson County. Tucked into the bend of the Passaic River, just across from Newark, Harrison has seen a lot of growth in terms of new residential housing, restaurants, updated commuter resources and major entertainment attractions.

In 1997, the Harrison Town Council determined that 250 acres of former industrial space was an area that was in need of major redevelopment. The town adopted its first Waterfront Redevelopment Plan and updated its zoning ordinance the following year. The 2003 Waterfront Redevelopment Plan called for the creation of a “vibrant mixed-use, transit-oriented, pedestrian-scale development that will make Harrison a regional destination for years to come.” At the time, the Harrison Redevelopment Agency — formed in 1999 — had designated five redevelopers and executed redevelopment agreements for the majority of the redevelopment area. Then, the updated 2012 Waterfront Redevelopment Plan included the call for the continuing remediation of contaminated properties and implementation of flood control measures.

Overall, $287 million in public funds has been spent or committed to the redevelopment of the area, as well as more than $1 billion dollars in private investment spent or committed in the short term. This development has included the world-class Red Bulls soccer stadi

um completed in 2010, a 1,440-space parking garage adjacent to the Harrison PATH station opened in 2011, the $750 million Harrison Station mixed-use project, demolition and cleanup of former contaminated industrial sites, a 165room Hampton Inn hotel and major upgrades to the PATH station.

The town has also implemented a public waterfront walkway and park along the Passaic River with a flood control project — known as the South 1st Street levee/flood system — coordinated with the Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection. There has also been an surge in new residential living opportunities, increasing the town’s population by 43.6% from 2012 to 2022, census data shows.

Hackensack

Downtown Hackensack has been transformed in recent years through a variety of reconstruction and development projects.

In 2004, the Hackensack Main Street Business Alliance was created to address issues faced by the city’s business community, with the goal of improving the local economy and the business climate. Today, the organization acts as a resource for businesses by offering advice and support. Over time, the organization has helped increase traffic in the city’s downtown and supported the diverse mix of restaurants, shops and arts. The city has also dedicated resources to repurposing old, empty buildings. This includes converting a 170-year-old red Gothic church on State Street into the

Hackensack Performing Arts Center in 2017, a project that has drastically increased traffic throughout the area.

A major increase in residential buildings has also played a role in the revitalization in Hackensack. This includes buildings like The Brick, a 378-unit mixed-use building on Main Street; The Jefferson, a 377-unit complex on Kinderkamack Road near Route 4; and the Print House, a 653-unit riverfront complex at the site of The Record’s former headquarters on River Street. There is also The Devonshire on Main Street — a 10story former bank building and the tallest building in Hackensack — which was converted into 126 apartments. And there are several other recently completed and soon-to-be completed residential projects across the city.

Officials are also looking to redevelop the landmark Sears building on Main Street, with plans to create a mixed-use residential and commercial property that would preserve the building’s facade and the iconic 105-foot tower. There are also flood-control projects in the works, with city-based nonprofit Northern New Jersey Community Foundation looking to add rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs and other projects to the city to manage stormwater while also enhancing the appearance of the community.

Jersey City

Jersey City has experienced a slew of development, especially in its waterfront area. The state’s second-largest city saw an 11.9% increase in population from 2012 to 2022, signaling that it has experienced a revival in recent years.

In 2008, the City Council of Jersey City deemed Journal Square “to be an area in need of rehabilitation,” under the New Jersey Local Redevelopment and

Housing Law. After this, the city adopted the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan, which aimed to foster the redevelopment of Journal Square — Jersey City’s central business district, named for the Jersey Journal newspaper — in terms of transit-oriented housing, offices, and commercial and public open spaces within walking distance of Journal Square.

Over time, the Journal Square area expanded to encompass 233 acres in the heart of Jersey City. This includes the addition of several shopping districts that branch out from the square, as well as the creation of several new residential apartment properties like Journal Squared, a three-tower retail and residential complex with a combined total of 1,840 units; 3 Journal Square, a 13-story residential tower with 240 units; and 28 Cottage, a 22-story building with 166 units.

The city also has two redevelopment projects in the works. The Liberty State Park Revitalization Program will focus on bringing more recreational, arts and cultural improvements to the park. The plan also aims to improve the park’s landscape, not only to make it more visually appealing, but also to make it more resilient to flooding and climate change. The Bayfront Redevelopment Project, also underway, is set to convert a former brownfield adjacent to the Society Hill neighborhood into a 100-acre mixed-use housing development on the Hackensack River. Slated to create 6,000 to 8,000 units of residential apartments, 150,000 square feet of commercial space, a new light rail stop, a new elementary school and a new waterfront walkway, it will become one of the biggest mixed-income development in the tri-state area.

Bloomfield

Bloomfield has undergone a serious face-lift, with several projects completed and others underway. The suburb, which has been a New Jersey Transit Village since 2004, has focused much on redevelopment of Bloomfield Center and Bloomfield Station, among other parts of the town.

In one of the township’s main projects, development in Bloomfield Center — bordered by Glenwood Avenue, Lackawanna Place and Washington Street downtown — included a 450-car garage, a 244-unit upper-story apartment building with a fitness center and access to the parking garage, completed in 2015. The first floor of the building also includes 60,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by a Super Foodtown supermarket. The revitalization of this area also included the creation of Six Points at Bloomfield Station, a residential apartment building that opened in 2021. The facility consists of 176 units, a 314-car garage, an entrance with lounge areas and amenities like a fitness center and rooftop entertainment.

A similar project slated to open this year is The Royal at Bloomfield Station. This mixed-use development will consist of 199 for-rent apartments, 14 forpurchase townhomes, 8,000 square feet of retail space, a 312-car garage and other amenities.

The township is also in the process of revitalizing the historic Bloomfield train station, which was built in 1912. In July 2023, NJ Transit authorized $4.8 million for the design and construction of support services at the station, including rehabilitation of existing platforms and canopy structures, renewal of building grounds and retaining walls, renovation of the pedestrian tunnel, raising lowlevel platforms for increased accessibility and preservation of historic features of Bloomfield Station.

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