Bayonne, NJ, February 6, 2007 – The dream of transforming The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor into a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront community came much closer to becoming a reality in 2006. Architectural plans for large sections of the 430-acre former military base were approved and developers selected, while the infrastructure was readied for groundbreaking expected in 2007.

The year began with several events that paved the way for future development of The Peninsula. In December 2005, the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority (BLRA) was granted a Waterfront Development and Water Quality Certificate from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and environmental remediation was completed, on budget and ahead of schedule. Then, barely two months into 2006, soil remediation was finished. The BLRA could spend the remainder of the year focused on plans to develop The Peninsula and events to allow the public to enjoy it.

Early in the year, the BLRA entered into a 35-year, $140 million agreement allowing Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. (RCL) to berth cruise ships at Cape Liberty Cruise Port on The Peninsula. The port, which opened in 2004, now ranks third among passenger ports on the East Coast (after New York and Miami).

During the remainder of 2006 redevelopment deals were struck with developers for four other districts. Specifically, the BLRA approved a $21 million deal with Fidelco Bayonne Reality to develop Harbor Station North into a residential neighborhood adjacent to the 45th Street light rail station. Bayonne Bay Developers and Trammel Crow Residential were approved to develop the Bayonne Bay district into a mixed-use waterfront community in a deal expected to total close to $109 million.

Boraie Development was selected to develop the Landing District, which will have a water transit docking facility, a hotel plus a commercial and entertainment area, and a residential section. Taylor Real Estate was also approved as a developer for the Loft District, which will consist of loft-style housing units with views of lower New York Harbor, the Verrazano Bridge and the golf course.

2006 was also the first year that The Peninsula was open to the public, and the BLRA held events to celebrate these openings.

On September 23, the public was invited to walk the first mile of the greenway opened on The Peninsula. One month later, Harbor View Park opened on the northeastern tip. The two-acre landscaped park is also the site of the 100-foot tall monument, “The Struggle Against World Terrorism,” which honors the victims of the September 11 and the 1993 World Trade Center attacks. This monument, designed by renowned Russian artist Zurab Tsereteli, was a gift from the Russian people. It was unveiled at a dedication ceremony on September 11 featuring President Clinton and other dignitaries.

Veterans of the Korean War were also honored on The Peninsula with a memorial dedicated to the memory of eight local residents killed in the Korean War. The monument erected in their memory was dedicated in a ceremony held on Veteran’s Day.

The waterway surrounding The Peninsula was bustling with activity in 2006. In addition to Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas and Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation and Journey, Cape Liberty Cruise Port hosted the inaugural run of Freedom of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship and the Queen Mary 2, the second largest cruise ship. The dry dock facility on The Peninsula hosted the US Navy Ships Mendonca, Gordon and Pililaau. The USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum arrived for dry dock repair work in December followed by the submarine, the Growler.

Throughout 2006, the BLRA also enjoyed recognition for its accomplishments in transforming the former military base into The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor. In November, the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded the 2006 Smart Growth Award to the BLRA. Executive Director Nancy Kist shared the success story of The Peninsula’s transformation at the Association of Defense Committees annual conference and at a conference on the Future of Fort Monmouth at Monmouth University. Meanwhile, BLRA Planning Project Manager, Jesse Ann Ransom, talked about the nuances of converting a military base to a civilian community at a workshop at the Institute for Urban Design in New York.

In 2007, ground will be broken for developments on The Peninsula, while more space will be opened for the citizens of Bayonne and surrounding communities to enjoy.

For more information, visit www.bayonnenj.org/blra.




 

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