BAYONNE, NJ, December 22, 2006 – The Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority (BLRA) and Kaplan Companies held a public forum on Tuesday, December 19 at the Henry E. Harris School to discuss potential redevelopment plans for the former Chevron Texaco property located at Avenue A and First Street.

The BLRA has conditionally designated Kaplan Companies as the developer for this site. Working with the BLRA, Kaplan Companies is creating plans for a mixed-use waterfront community.

With an audience of more than 50 citizens, representatives from Kaplan Companies presented their plans. David Minno, project Architect and Urban Designer, provided a presentation of the current draft plan being proposed for the site.

Mayor Joseph V. Doria, Jr. and Councilman Theodore Connolly were in attendance and each welcomed Kaplan Companies to Bayonne. “I was encouraged by the turnout for this presentation. It is important to the BLRA to have public input,” said Jesse Ann Ransom, Planning Project Manager for the BLRA.

Following a presentation on parking and traffic flow by Todd Helmer of Hass and Associates, the attendees participated in breakout sessions concerning:

• Urban Design and Architecture
• Public Space/Community Facilities
• Commercial and Retail Services
• Circulation

“We received a tremendous amount of useful information from the participants. I look forward to the next public forum,” added Ransom.

Kaplan Companies will work with Chevron Texaco to remediate portions of the 76-acre parcel that wraps under the base of the Bayonne Bridge at Avenue A and First Street. The plan calls for the development of a mixed-use community featuring housing units, retail and office space. Kaplan plans to construct stacked townhouses, multi-family condominiums and multi-family rentals in buildings between five- and seven-stories tall. In addition, Kaplan Companies plans to construct parking decks, a marina, a public fishing pier, park space and a public walkway wrapping the waterfront.

A follow-up public forum will be scheduled in early 2007. For more information on the plans, please visit www.KaplanAtBayonne.com

About The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor
Since the U.S. Army transferred complete ownership of the former military base in 2002, the BLRA has raised more than $50 million in government grants and interim lease payments to make infrastructure improvements needed to attract development. These improvements include new bulkheads along the base’s south side and environmental remediation that was completed last year, ahead of schedule. Other projects include the installation of a new sewer system and planning for a new electrical grid and new roads.

Redevelopment of The Peninsula is organized around the creation of six different, yet integrated districts.

In 2004, Cape Liberty Cruise Port opened, marking the first tangible step in the transformation of the 430-acre site. It resulted in 51 cruise ship calls in its first season and created 300 jobs. Since then, the Cruise Port has grown to become the third-ranking passenger port on the East Coast (after New York and Miami).

Early this year, the BLRA approved plans for development of another district, Harbor Station North, by Fidelco, which will consist of mid-rise housing, retail space, and park space adjacent to the 45th Street light rail station.

The approval of redeveloper agreements with Trammel Crow Residential and Bayonne Bay Developers for portions of Bayonne Bay begins the transformation of the third district into a vibrant mixed-use waterfront community.

Conditional agreements with Boraie Development for a portion of the Landing District and Taylor Real Estate for portions of the Landing and Loft Districts signify progress in other districts as well.

The Landing will have a water transit docking facility surrounded by a commercial and entertainment area as well as a residential section with mid-rise housing. The Loft District will be converted to hip loft-style housing units adjacent to the ferry landing with views of lower New York Harbor, the Verrazano Bridge and the golf course.

For more information about The Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority, visit www.bayonnenj.org/blra.


 

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