JERSEY CITY | Journal Squared (537 Summit Ave) | 730 + 643 + 575 FT | 72 + 61 + 54 FLOORS

New York Under Construction
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Continuing the discussion from JERSEY CITY | Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan:

Construction Update: Journal Squared

BY: NIKOLAI FEDAK ON MARCH 6TH 2014 AT 12:00 PM

Journal Squared

Jersey City entering a new development boom, and one of the largest projects underway is ‘Journal Squared,’ which promises to help revitalize the Journal Square neighborhood. The project’s architects are HWKN and Handel, and Kushner Real Estate is developing the site.

Journal Squared

As the construction photos show, demolition on whatever used to exist is now complete, and excavation for the new towers is imminent; the trio of buildings will completely dominate the Journal Square skyline, which currently has no skyscrapers. The neighborhood is removed from the main cluster of waterfront high-rises in Jersey City, but it enjoys transit accessibility that compares with the city’s Downtown node.

Once Journal Squared gets underway, development is likely to ensconce surrounding blocks; the entirety of the project will have 1,840 units, which should be enough to provide a critical pedestrian mass. Journal Square has a wealth of opportunities, given its lack of density despite proximity to Manhattan, and Kushner’s mega-project should be enough to activate the neighborhood.

Journal Squared

Phase I of Journal Squared will result in a 54-story building; the other two towers will stand 60 and 70 floors, with full build-out likely before 2020. Ground-breaking was expected this past December, but there does not appear to be any excavation equipment on-site; nevertheless, the site is clear, and activity appears to be imminent.

Journal Squared – image via Handel Architects

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Construction has begun on three-tower residential building in Journal Square

By Jonathan Lin | The Jersey Journal
on August 12, 2014 at 8:31 AM

http://imgick.nj.com/home/njo-media/pgmain/img/jersey-journal/photo/2014/08/11/-0512982917358bdd.jpg
Image courtesy KRE Group.

Construction on “Journal Squared,” a massive three-tower project that will include the tallest residential building in New Jersey, has begun in Jersey City’s Journal Square.

The KRE Group project, which is located between Magnolia, Pavonia, and Summit Avenues, just east of the Port Authority transportation hub, will include a 54-story tower with 540 units; a 70-story tower with 700 units; and a 60-story tower with 600 units. The project received a 30-year tax abatement from the city last November.

Once completed, the 70-story tower is expected to be the tallest residential building in New Jersey, according to Hollwich Kushner’s website, surpassing the 55-story Trump Tower Residences in Downtown Jersey City, which opened in 2008.

The development’s phase I tower is expected to be complete by 2016, while the second phase will be finished five years after the first tower is built, said Jonathan Kushner, president of The KRE Group.

Kushner added that the final phase of the project will be completed approximately five years after the second phase, noting that market conditions can impact the timetable.

Last week, construction on the site was clearly active, with workers in hard hats walking around mountains of dirt and at least one crane moving a gigantic bundle of wooden planks.

[…]

http://imgick.nj.com/home/njo-media/pgmain/img/jersey-journal/photo/2014/08/11/-f0664d05f35af0f5.jpg
Image courtesy KRE Group.

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Pavonia and Summit Avenues in Jersey City began in early August 2014

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10 7 2014
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[1]: Wired New York Forum

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Groundbreaking: Journal Squared

BY: NIKOLAI FEDAK ON OCTOBER 21ST 2014 AT 6:30 AM


Journal Squared’s first phase, image by HWKN

While the development industry’s attention has been chiefly focused on Manhattan and Brooklyn, the real estate boom in Jersey City is just getting started. And now, it is finally extending to Journal Square; this morning, ground will be broken on Journal Squared, which will become the neighborhood’s first project to make a mark on the regional skyline.


Journal Squared, image by HWKN

A fresh set of renderings came attached to the news, illustrating the phasing of the project, and the eventual impact of the three-towered plan. The first building to rise will stand 53 stories tall, and contain 538 units; subsequent towers will be even larger and taller, standing up to 70 stories tall. At the street level, the skyscrapers will be rounded out by a retail base that promises to further jump-start Journal Square’s revitalization.

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Journal Squared, image by HWKN

Integrating attractive and pedestrian-friendly retail will be crucial to Journal Square’s evolution and success, and with the number of projects in the pipeline, critical mass for sustained momentum should not be difficult to achieve. Besides the first Journal Squared tower, progress is also imminent at 30 Journal Square, City Center Towers, and HAP’s 500 Summit Avenue – in addition to a host of smaller mid-rise buildings.

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Journal Squared, image by HWKN

Given the density of expected new development — with all major sites within a short walk of the PATH station — the neighborhood will likely see the most dramatic transformation of any in the New York region over the course of the next decade. By 2025, there could be five 50+ story buildings, a statistic that surpasses the current skylines of both Brooklyn and Queens.


Journal Squared, image by HWKN

Kushner Real Estate Group is developing Journal Squared, and HWKN and Handel are the project’s architects. Completion of the first phase is expected in early 2016, and the eventual build-out will total 2.3 million square feet.

Oct 16, 2014

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11 11 2014

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Jersey City by local1256, on Flickr

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Pic by me

Little hard to see but its the tower u/c to the right of WTC1, in the foreground closes to the frame of reference.

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20160202_133811 by Christopher Estevez, on Flickr

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The view from the top of the tower. One of the components that is. More towers to come in later phases.


Credit: thenewjournalsquare

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I took these pics a couple weeks ago as they were taking down the last piece of the tower crane. I drove by yesterday and all the pieces where the crane were and top floors are all filled in. It looks pretty good in the right lighting. I think once the other 2 towers are complete the complex will look pretty cool.

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Pretty nice photos!

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Thanks!

You guys have all posted some great updates lately so I want to help contribute too.

Cheers!

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Kind of looks like a fatter and shorter 432 park ave.

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Credit: urbanvsmodernism

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Credit: journalsquared

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Taken today. I walked around to the other side and still no sign of them starting the 2nd tower. Although they did appear to be cleaning things up on the east side of the building so maybe they are prepping now.

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Drove past the site today (sorry no pics). The east side of the site where the middle-height tower will be was under excavation with lots of dirt being moved around. This is obviously good news but I had assumed the middle (tallest) tower would be next.

They still may be waiting to start the actual tower until sales start this winter, but maybe they are getting things ready so that when sales are good they can start on phase 2 immediately. Also maybe they are getting scared of the competition with kushner’s huge upgrades to 3 more towers across the station, and are pushing things faster now? Hope so.

Ill try to get pics soon.

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So i assumed all the dirt was from excavation. Maybe those piles have been there a while but i dont remember seeing them about a month ago, but there is no hole or excavation as of yet. There are some excavation equipment on site though. Anyway, here are some pics of whats going on as of today.

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9/3

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From 9/28

This time they were definitely moving around a lot of dirt and clearing some of the junk out of the way. Seems like they are prepping for phase 2. It would be smart to start the second tower before kushner starts any of his projects across the station. Not sure how sales are expected to go for the first tower.

Kushners towers at 1 js and jersey journal site were not active yet as of yesterday.

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11/7

They were still just moving around piles of dirt today with no excavation for the next tower yet. But the current tower is almost finished. They have taken down the construction elevator and are finalizing the facade to cover that up, and have started to place glass on parts of the podium. Sales signage is up on the eastern and southern sides.

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