This will require a WTC-style retaining wall to keep the river out of the basement.
Solid 1 acre site right? Something like 150’ by 250’?
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Maybe? Many JC buildings are built without basements, with mechanicals and parking above street level in podiums. The Planning Board application doesn’t specify any soil removal, but that could be subject to change:
The overall site is 2.97 acres (~277’x390’), but that includes the site of future phases of this project. This tower will probably occupy only around 1/3 to 1/2 of the site.
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A total of 505 parking spaces would be included in the development, 329 of which would be inside a garage within the building. The remaining 176 would be located on a portion of the surface parking lot set to remain under the plans. Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects is listed as the architect of record on the company’s application
Anyone else bothered by the fact that they’re dedicating so much area to parking in a downtown area walking distance to tons of stores, a path stop, and the Hudson Bergen Light Rail? This space could’ve been much better utilized for additional housing or retail. At the very least, the surface parking lot should be done away with as they have no place in a city’s downtown.
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I generally agree, but the 179 surface parking spaces are temporary. Eventually that surface lot will hold another two towers with 1,325 units, a project called Harborside 9 (the two towers on the right of this image):
Also note that there are already over 400 surface spots on this lot. So the first phase of this project will add 680 apartments but only about 100 additional parking spots. Later, Harborside 9 will add another 1,300 apartments while keeping the number of spots about the same or possibly reducing them.
So overall this will be moving in the right direction, even if it will take a while.
Fortunately the zoning in that area does not require parking at all.
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Seems like they’re still just driving test piles? Or were they digging in that photo?
Were there any workers on site?
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The site was inactive when I walked by. But there was a utility crew on harborside place ripping up a section of road and digging right next to this site. Not sure if that was related to this project though. I would say most construction sites are still pretty active all over JC.
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Welcome to the forums by the way.
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On Mack-Cali’s Q1 earnings call last week, Roseland Residential Trust chariman Marshall Tycher said this one’s still in “pre-development” but that it is a “potential start” “in the next 12 months” along with Urby 2.
I went by the site today. No excavation or structural pile construction has started. The same 9 test piles are in place that were there at the end of March. No crew on site, but maybe they’ll be back on site after the lockdown is lifted
Hoping this one sees more progress sooon. The good news is they didn’t talk about canceling any projects in the conference call.
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Equipment has arrived at the Jersey City site of Harborside 8, a 708-foot-tall residential skyscraper on the Hudson River waterfront. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and developed by Mack Cali, the 68-story tower will be among the tallest structures in the city and the state of New Jersey upon topping out.
Recent photos show the machinery awaiting action on the plot, which is bound by 2nd Street to the north, Hudson Street to the west, Harborside Place to the south, and the 42-story 3 Second Street to the east. The asphalt parking lot will soon be ripped up and the earth drilled for testing. We will likely see more progress in the coming months.
Beginning with the podium, Harborside 8 will contain a multi-story parking superstructure designed to accommodate 505 parking spaces across the first eight floors and will also include an adjacent street-level parking lot. There will be a public outdoor plaza and ground-floor retail space divided into two storefronts spanning approximately 5,437 square feet along the Hudson River and 3,225 square feet facing Hudson Street. Above these are the residential amenities located on floors ten and 11, which include a swimming pool, a fitness center, a yoga studio, a children’s playroom, shared work spaces, a conservatory, shared and private dining areas, and a wine bar. The remainder of the floors will house the planned 680 units, with a breakdown of 206 studios, 266 one-bedrooms, 183 two-bedrooms, and 25 three-bedroom homes.
YIMBY last reported that Mack-Cali plans to commence construction on Harborside 8 sometime this year, with a completion date yet to be announced. The developer also plans to construct an adjacent dual-tower project called Harborside 9 directly to the north. It is still unclear when that will start and finish.
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Harborside 8, Mack-Cali’s new tower in Jersey City. Rendering by Elkus Manfredi Architects.
The scale of Harborside 8. Elevation via approved plan.
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The site looks the same as 3 months ago. No workers on site, the equipment on site is gone except for the pile driver. Looks like the above @YIMBY report was premature:
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I can see them starting in the fall or next year. Hopefully it’s just a temporary dormancy 
I remember the site of 75 Park Lane was a weedy lot for decades, with the steel columns sticking out of the dirt covered in grass, it looked just like this lol. I’m sure this won’t meet that fate though
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Wow I very much hope this starts soon. These towers look beautiful! 
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All those crates are full of cladding for harborside next door.
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Changed this one back to “Proposed” for now…it doesn’t seem like it was ever under construction. Just the test piles for geotechnical studies and then the materials storage for the Harborside renovation.
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Covid probably canceled this project for now. Mack Cali has been offloading properties and cutting costs.
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Actually from the recent press releases/news about them, they seem to be doubling down on the Hudson waterfront strategy. Their offloading is in their suburban portfolio. The timeline for this tower has almost definitely been pushed back, however.
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