Jones Lang LaSalle
Transit Village may add 20-255 more units
Meadowlands Commission to hold public hearing on increases to height, number of residences
By Michael D. Mullins
LIVE BY THE TRAIN – The changes would allow the developer to include another 20 units of market-rate housing and another 225 to 235 affordable housing units on site.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission will hold a public hearing April 11 on five proposed changes to the Secaucus Transit Village Redevelopment Plan, including increasing the existing number of allowable market-rate residential units from 1,935 to 1,955, and a four-story height increase for some of the buildings. In addition, they are seeking to allow 225 to 235 affordable housing units at the site, which would be separate from the 1,955 unit limit. Thus, all totaled, the number of units in the 237-acre redevelopment area could increase to 2,190.
Why the change?
The redevelopment plan for the entire 237-acre Transit Village site was passed by the NJMC in 2004. It contains three zones. The largest, the Riverfront Landing Zone along the waterfront, originally was to include 1,700 units of housing. A zone closer to the train station includes another 150 units, and a third zone does not contain housing. The total original number of units was 1,850.
A development company called Fraternity Meadows has been named the developer of the 1,700 units by the water. Last January, they made an agreement with the town of Secaucus to pay a $5 million developer's impact fee and they got to increase the number of units in that zone to 1,785. The 20 additional market-rate units are to be added to that zone. The newly added market-rate units would compensate for the fact that the town, in order to comply with recently adjusted state affordable housing guidelines, may require the developer to build 225 to 235 more affordable units in the Riverfront Landing Zone. Mayor Dennis Elwell and NJMC Public Information Officer Chris Gale both said that the increase keeps the project financially viable so that the developer can provide on-site affordable housing. Gale said, "These measures ensure that teachers, hospital workers, and others who require affordable housing can live in the community they serve, and in addition, be able to live in a transit-oriented area among market rate units, ensuring a community that represents the entirety of Secaucus." Another change that will be part of the hearing will be a proposal to designate 735 of the market-rate units in the Riverfront Landing Zone as senior citizen housing.
The back story
In April of 2004, the NJMC adopted a Secaucus Transit Village Redevelopment Plan for 237 acres of property near the Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer train station. The Secaucus Transit Village is part of a statewide initiative aimed at reducing the amount of cars on the road by building communities that are centered on train stations. Fraternity Meadows already owned some of the land. The company, a subsidiary of the Atlantic Realty Development Corporation (ADRC), had purchased 60 acres of vacant property from Gallo Construction Materials six months earlier. ADRC has been developing properties through the country, including sites in North Brunswick and Rahway. The company is owned by a number of individuals, including David Halpern and Gene Heller, former president of Hartz Mountain Industries. The original plan overall called for a total of up to 1,850 units of both market-rate and affordable housing, and some retail stores.
Proposed changes
The NJMC is a state agency that controls zoning for 89.4 percent of Secaucus' land because the town is in the Meadowlands district. The public hearing will be held on April 11 at 10 a.m. at the NJMC headquarters in Kearny. There are five main changes being considered: · Increasing the maximum number of allowed market-rate units in the Riverfront Landing Zone to a maximum of 1,805. · Settling on 735 as the minimum number of "active adult" units. By definition, an "active adult unit" is housing designated for residents 55 or older. · Excluding those units from a yearly limitation on the number of occupancy certificates. The reason for this, according to Gale, is that the financial impact of active adult units is very positive for the municipality, so it would be beneficial for those to come onto the tax rolls first. · In order to incorporate these changes, Fraternity Meadows is asking to increase the allowable height for dwelling units from 8 to 12 stories, with the overall building height not to exceed 15 stories including parking. · Adding affordable housing on-site rather than off-site, and not having to count that number in the 1,805 maximum in the riverfront landing zone. That number could include another 225 to 235 affordable housing units.
What next
Following the April 11 hearing and comments from residents, the NJMC will then consult the Meadowlands Mayors' Committee. If there are no objections by any mayor, the issue will return to the NJMC board for a vote. If the changes are approved, construction can commence.
Residents' concerns
On previous occasions, concerns were raised about the impact of the Secaucus Transit Village on school overcrowding and on the Police Department. Following Tuesday's Town Hall meeting, the mayor addressed concerns that had been raised at prior meetings. Regarding the school system, the mayor cited the fact that in the contract, "[735] units are age-restricted, and they will have no children in them." The mayor also said that the majority of the others are high-end units that will not be like the three-bedrooms one would find in Harmon Cove, but rather, one and two-bedrooms geared toward singles and couples. The mayor added that many of the high-end units will enter the market at or around $1 million apiece. Similar rental units will be offered at a price range of $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Elwell said tax revenue created by these units will provide for any necessary increases in police. Elwell added, "[This] type of housing doesn't ruin a community; it adds to it." He went on to say, "The same people who are out there screaming about the Transit Village, are the same people who were out there screaming about Harmon Cove being built, and look at that today."
Where it stands
Currently, the project is in its site preparation phase. The hope is that by the end of this year, 400 units will have been completed. At that time, the contract calls for what is referred to as a "circuit breaker," in which the governing bodies will sit down with Fraternity Meadows and the NJMC to review the impact the development has had on the community thus far. The "circuit breaker" is not intended to change the plan, rather to monitor it, insuring that the contract is being upheld and that there are no negative effects on the Secaucus community. There is no specific timetable for the completion of the project, which in large part is determined by the market and how many units can be sold per year. The mayor estimates the project should be completely finished in five to 10 years.
©The Hudson Reporter 2006
Transit Village may add 20-255 more units
Meadowlands Commission to hold public hearing on increases to height, number of residences
By Michael D. Mullins
LIVE BY THE TRAIN – The changes would allow the developer to include another 20 units of market-rate housing and another 225 to 235 affordable housing units on site.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission will hold a public hearing April 11 on five proposed changes to the Secaucus Transit Village Redevelopment Plan, including increasing the existing number of allowable market-rate residential units from 1,935 to 1,955, and a four-story height increase for some of the buildings. In addition, they are seeking to allow 225 to 235 affordable housing units at the site, which would be separate from the 1,955 unit limit. Thus, all totaled, the number of units in the 237-acre redevelopment area could increase to 2,190.
Why the change?
The redevelopment plan for the entire 237-acre Transit Village site was passed by the NJMC in 2004. It contains three zones. The largest, the Riverfront Landing Zone along the waterfront, originally was to include 1,700 units of housing. A zone closer to the train station includes another 150 units, and a third zone does not contain housing. The total original number of units was 1,850.
A development company called Fraternity Meadows has been named the developer of the 1,700 units by the water. Last January, they made an agreement with the town of Secaucus to pay a $5 million developer's impact fee and they got to increase the number of units in that zone to 1,785. The 20 additional market-rate units are to be added to that zone. The newly added market-rate units would compensate for the fact that the town, in order to comply with recently adjusted state affordable housing guidelines, may require the developer to build 225 to 235 more affordable units in the Riverfront Landing Zone. Mayor Dennis Elwell and NJMC Public Information Officer Chris Gale both said that the increase keeps the project financially viable so that the developer can provide on-site affordable housing. Gale said, "These measures ensure that teachers, hospital workers, and others who require affordable housing can live in the community they serve, and in addition, be able to live in a transit-oriented area among market rate units, ensuring a community that represents the entirety of Secaucus." Another change that will be part of the hearing will be a proposal to designate 735 of the market-rate units in the Riverfront Landing Zone as senior citizen housing.
The back story
In April of 2004, the NJMC adopted a Secaucus Transit Village Redevelopment Plan for 237 acres of property near the Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer train station. The Secaucus Transit Village is part of a statewide initiative aimed at reducing the amount of cars on the road by building communities that are centered on train stations. Fraternity Meadows already owned some of the land. The company, a subsidiary of the Atlantic Realty Development Corporation (ADRC), had purchased 60 acres of vacant property from Gallo Construction Materials six months earlier. ADRC has been developing properties through the country, including sites in North Brunswick and Rahway. The company is owned by a number of individuals, including David Halpern and Gene Heller, former president of Hartz Mountain Industries. The original plan overall called for a total of up to 1,850 units of both market-rate and affordable housing, and some retail stores.
Proposed changes
The NJMC is a state agency that controls zoning for 89.4 percent of Secaucus' land because the town is in the Meadowlands district. The public hearing will be held on April 11 at 10 a.m. at the NJMC headquarters in Kearny. There are five main changes being considered: · Increasing the maximum number of allowed market-rate units in the Riverfront Landing Zone to a maximum of 1,805. · Settling on 735 as the minimum number of "active adult" units. By definition, an "active adult unit" is housing designated for residents 55 or older. · Excluding those units from a yearly limitation on the number of occupancy certificates. The reason for this, according to Gale, is that the financial impact of active adult units is very positive for the municipality, so it would be beneficial for those to come onto the tax rolls first. · In order to incorporate these changes, Fraternity Meadows is asking to increase the allowable height for dwelling units from 8 to 12 stories, with the overall building height not to exceed 15 stories including parking. · Adding affordable housing on-site rather than off-site, and not having to count that number in the 1,805 maximum in the riverfront landing zone. That number could include another 225 to 235 affordable housing units.
What next
Following the April 11 hearing and comments from residents, the NJMC will then consult the Meadowlands Mayors' Committee. If there are no objections by any mayor, the issue will return to the NJMC board for a vote. If the changes are approved, construction can commence.
Residents' concerns
On previous occasions, concerns were raised about the impact of the Secaucus Transit Village on school overcrowding and on the Police Department. Following Tuesday's Town Hall meeting, the mayor addressed concerns that had been raised at prior meetings. Regarding the school system, the mayor cited the fact that in the contract, "[735] units are age-restricted, and they will have no children in them." The mayor also said that the majority of the others are high-end units that will not be like the three-bedrooms one would find in Harmon Cove, but rather, one and two-bedrooms geared toward singles and couples. The mayor added that many of the high-end units will enter the market at or around $1 million apiece. Similar rental units will be offered at a price range of $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Elwell said tax revenue created by these units will provide for any necessary increases in police. Elwell added, "[This] type of housing doesn't ruin a community; it adds to it." He went on to say, "The same people who are out there screaming about the Transit Village, are the same people who were out there screaming about Harmon Cove being built, and look at that today."
Where it stands
Currently, the project is in its site preparation phase. The hope is that by the end of this year, 400 units will have been completed. At that time, the contract calls for what is referred to as a "circuit breaker," in which the governing bodies will sit down with Fraternity Meadows and the NJMC to review the impact the development has had on the community thus far. The "circuit breaker" is not intended to change the plan, rather to monitor it, insuring that the contract is being upheld and that there are no negative effects on the Secaucus community. There is no specific timetable for the completion of the project, which in large part is determined by the market and how many units can be sold per year. The mayor estimates the project should be completely finished in five to 10 years.
©The Hudson Reporter 2006
posted by Jones Lang LaSalle NJ News Blog at 2:26 PM
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