The Bayonne Planning Board has approved a multi-family mixed-use residential and commercial building on the corner of Avenue C and West 54th Street.
Site plans show the building will be a taller structure than the surrounding uptown neighborhood, generally defined by two- and three-story residential and commercial buildings.
The applicant, known as Da Noi Residence, LLC, was granted final site plan approval for 1099-1105 Avenue C and 66-68 West 54th Street at the October 11 meeting of the Bayonne Planning Board. The company is owned 50 percent by Luis Gomez of Jersey City, New Jersey and 50 percent of Angel Rivas of Astoria, New York.
The current redevelopment area consists of three lots on Avenue C, consisting of a mixed-use residential and commercial building home to Irv’s Liquors at 1099 Avenue C, a residential building at 1101 Avenue C, and the Da Noi restaurant at 1105 Avenue C. It also includes two homes at 66 and 68 West 54th Street.
The site was designated as an area in need of redevelopment by both the Planning Board in February of 2020 and the City Council in July of 2020, after a redevelopment study was conducted. The redevelopment plan was subsequently approved by the Planning Board in December of 2020 and the City Council in March of 2021 after some postponement due to debate of whether to require ground floor commercial space.
These planning approvals paved the way for the redeveloper to seek final site plan approval in 2022 amid the pause on most major redevelopment pending the completion of an impact study, although the approvals were granted prior to when the pause was enacted. First appearing on the board’s September agenda, the final site plan application was carried at the request of the redeveloper and presented by attorney Michael Miceli in October.
“This is a site that needs to be rejuvenated,” Miceli said. “It’s showing it’s age. And this application is proposing to do exactly that.”
Mixed-use residential and commercial low-rise
The site plan fully complies with the regulations established by the redevelopment plan. That means this was an as-of-right application, meaning the board had little room to do anything other than approve it.
“This is an as-of-right site plan legally entitled to relief under settled New Jersey law,” Miceli said.
Project architect Hayk Arustamyan testified that the redevelopment area, which he said is a 15-minute walk from the 45th Street Station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, will be razed for the redevelopment.
“The site is currently improved by various two, three, and one-story mixed residential commercial buildings,” Arustamyan said. “All of them will be demolished to pave way for this new development.”
The plans envision a six-story mixed-use residential and commercial redevelopment with 47 residential units and 1,695 square feet of ground floor community-oriented retail space. Of the 47 residential units, there will be four studio units, 18 one-bedroom units, and 25 two-bedroom units.
The studio units will be approximately 573 square feet, the one bedroom units will be approximately 750 square feet minimum and larger, and the two-bedroom units will be approximately 1,000 square feet minimum and larger. The building will feature five levels of living space over commercial space and parking on the ground floor.
The lobby and trash compactor room will also be present on the ground floor. The second through fifth floor will be home to 11 units, and the sixth floor will house three penthouse unit, a multi-purpose room, and an exercise room.
A total of seven units on the second floor, and including the penthouse units, will have private terraces, altogether totaling 2,950 square feet. All units will have a Juliet balcony and exterior windows, and there will be a 950 square foot common terrace on the roof for use by all residents.
According to the environmental impact statement as part of application for the redevelopment, the estimated population of the building will be approximately 97 persons, with a higher distribution to the 18 to 34 age brackets. The estimated public-school age population will be 11 students.
Planned amenities and parking provided
In addition to the commercial and residential units, there will also be various amenities and 59 off-street parking spaces included in the building. Planned amenities in addition to the rooftop amenities, outdoor terraces, green roof area, exercise center, and multi-purpose room, will include lighting, bicycle storage, associated streetscape improvements, and other improvements and such contemplated by the redeveloper.
A total of 4,885 square feet of open space will provided in the building, between the private and common terraces. There will also be a 6,640 square foot green roof.
A total of 59 parking spaces are required, 56 for residents and three for the commercial space, with that exact number being provided on the ground floor. There will be 28 parking spaces on the lower floor of the garage, and 31 on the upper floor.
Two handicap spaces will be located on the ground floor of parking, and one on the second floor. There will be 10 electric vehicles parking spaces on both floors, and room for 30 bikes.
“We think our plan has struck a good balance between the use of space to provide nice living unit and experience,” Arustamyan said.
The aesthetics of the building’s exterior are meant to mimic the roofs of neighboring homes, with 360 degree attractive architecture from every angle. The façade will be covered in shades of oranges, grays, and whites to break up the mass of the structure.
“We picked out those gabled roofs and we brought them to the base,” Arustamyan said. “So when you walk along the street, you kind of see the mimicking of the private houses.”
Security cameras will be installed around the building. Garbage and recycling will be sent to a compactor through a chute in a trash room on each floor, where it will compacted, stored in the compactor room on the ground floor, and then brought to the curb on collection days.
Storm water collection and street tree improvements
Project engineer Kenneth Sisk described the new storm water improvements that will capture more runoff than the current site. Instead of the current sites, which largely consist of impervious coverage, storm water on the site will now be funneled through roof drains to a detention tank underneath the building which will connect to the main sewer on 54th Street.
“The green roof is going to capture a lot of runoff as far as rain,” Sisk said.
Sisk also noted that there will be seven new street trees as part of the project, with four on 54th Street and three on Avenue C. Of the seven trees, six will be autumn flowering cherry trees and one will be a yellow wood tree, particularly the street tree closest to the adjoining property on Avenue C.
The streets and sidewalks around the building will be repaved, with pavers in the driveway to the garage and near the entrance. In addition, planters will “dress up the corridor,” Sisk said.
Tree grates can be provided around the street trees, although an alternate made of composite porous was proposed. Sisk said these actually collect water but keep out trash and things like cigarette butts.
Commissioner Thomas Maiorano asked if there will be any loss of street parking. Sisk said that the curb cut on 54th Street will remain largely the same, and that there might be a gain of on-street parking.
Resident Minire Paljevic asked what the distance is from her building at 1097 Avenue C. She also questioned if there will be any issues during construction, such as the building shaking.
Arustamyan replied that there will be a 10 foot set back between the redevelopment and 1097 Avenue C, and that will not be the case regarding construction. He said: “No, If everything is done right, this should not be an issue.”
Resident Mike Morris asked if there was flooding issues. Sisk said not that he’s aware of.
“The top of hills are at Avenue B, and that comes down to Avenue C and there’s a lot of overlap there,” Sisk said. “So I doubt there’s any flooding.”
In response to Morris’s questions about lights, Sisk said there will be 11 lights. Morris also applauded the use of the composite alternative to tree grates.
Board unanimously approves application
Project planner Matt Flynn testified that the application met all requirements of the redevelopment plan. He said: “This is a good project… It’s compliant with all requirements. Its approval is warranted.”
Following Flynn’s testimony, the board then shifted to the public comment portion where residents can make statements not pertaining to any testimony in favor or against the project. Morris again took the podium, this time to call for the passage of the project.
“I believe this is an excellent project that should be approved by the board unanimously,” Morris said.
No others spoke during the public comment portion. In his closing statement, Miceli called the proposal a “really nice project,” and asked for the board to approve the application.
“It blends well with the neighborhood,” Miceli said. “It takes some old rundown sites and makes it look nicer. Beyond that, it complies with all the redevelopment plan requirements.
Chairwoman Karen Fiermonte praised the project. She said: “I agree with some of the comments that were shared by Mr. Morris. I do think it is a much needed improvement for the area… I do think it is a welcome addition.”
The board members present then voted unanimously to approve the redevelopment application, including Chairwoman Fiermonte, and Commissioners Maiorano, George Becker, City Councilman At-Large Loyad Booker, Jack Beiro, and Ahmed Lack. While some applications such as this are being approved by the board amid the pause on most major redevelopment pending the completion of an impact study, the city is mainly focusing on preparing for the industrial redevelopment of Constable Hook.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
