The Port Imperial Waterfront along the Hudson River in New Jersey is attracting those who prefer to like … [+]
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At times in its long history, the New Jersey waterfront setting of Port Imperial, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, has been highly sought after for very different reasons. In the early 20th century, the port’s key location along the river, so close to the city center, made it a prime location for manufacturing plants and busy rail lines.
But like much of the waterfront surrounding Manhattan, as well as riverfronts in the US, Port Imperial’s waterfront has been transformed in recent decades from a gloomy, gray district with chimneys into a attractive sustainable lifestyle haven.
Its emerging status as one of New Jersey’s most enviable master-planned communities owes much to its unique and coveted location. That location offers residents multiple means of transportation to Manhattan, as well as a waterfront esplanade and park that have quickly become gathering places for the growing populations of West New York and Weehawken, the two boroughs on either side of Port Imperial.
Over the last three decades, developers have seized on opportunities to create new homes to meet demand from newcomers to this once-gritty industrial precinct. And make no mistake, the demand has been significant. West New York grew from 49,708 to 52,912 residents between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, and Weehawken from 12,554 to 17,197 during the same period. Other factors have contributed to these growth trajectories, but the transformation of Port Imperial has been a major catalyst.
burning trails
Among those developers, who combined to create more than 4,600 residential units, 1,600 structured passenger parking spaces and approximately 100,000 square feet of retail space, one pioneer has been Veris Residential. Its leaders saw in Port Imperial an opportunity to forge new connected communities designed expressly for environmentally concerned residents who want to support sustainable development. In the 1990s, he went to work on extensive environmental remediation, later investing more than $100 million in infrastructure and off-site improvements.
“Port Imperial provided a unique opportunity to build a series of new integrated waterfront neighborhoods from the ground up,” says James Stover of the Veris Residential development team.
“As developers, we recognized the location’s universal appeal and other key advantages – a short ferry ride to midtown Manhattan, the nation’s largest central business district with a wide variety of other global attractions – and its potential to become a transit-oriented destination with strong community amenities.”
Over the last 15 years, Veris Residential has created 15 Port Imperial buildings. In 2019, the developer opened a pair of new hotels, followed last year by the opening of The Capstone at Port Imperial, a 360-unit LEED-certified luxury apartment complex in Western New York that uses eco-friendly niceties. such as electric vehicle charging, motion-activated lighting and LED lighting.
More recently, Weehawken’s 313-unit RiverHouse 9 built on Port Imperial’s reputation for sustainability. Like The Capstone, this LEED-certified luxury building offers electric vehicle charging and LED lighting. In addition, it offers a planted green roof.
Several other developers have followed the path opened by Veris Residential. For example, Landsea Homes featured Avora in Port Imperial at Weekawken. Lennar Urban featured the Henley on Hudson and 1200 Avenue condominium properties at Port Imperial in Weehawken. And earlier this year, K. Hovnanian unveiled his newest condominium development, Nine on the Hudson, in West New York.
willing partners
Also contributing to the livability of the submarket was careful planning that fostered the creation of excellent transit amenities and the development of a variety of public access services.
Travelers benefit from an eight-minute ferry ride to midtown Manhattan from the NY Waterway Port Imperial Terminal. The terminal also offers service to Jersey City and Hoboken via the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, with connections to the PATH train. Port Imperial also has a NJ Transit bus stop.
Back in Port Imperial, residents can take advantage of the Weehawken Waterfront Park and Recreation Center, featuring a newly opened swimming pool, softball fields, tennis courts and a concession building. Not far away, the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway features small parks and playgrounds.
“We were fortunate to have willing public partners, the Townships of Weehawken and West New York, who have trusted our vision over the years,” says Stover, citing the company’s mission to “support properties, people and the planet.
“The neighborhood is now 30 years in the making and is poised for even more positive community growth.”
Source: www.forbes.com