JERSEY CITY, NJ — Land-use consultancy Dresdner Robin has completed the first phase of environmental remediation at The Cove project in Jersey City, a joint venture between Argent Ventures and H&R REIT. The 18-acre site along Aetna St. and Jersey Ave. represents one of the largest development sites near downtown Jersey City. The project is adjacent to Liberty State Park with clear views of both downtown Jersey City and Manhattan. Construction for a two-tower, mixed-use site is expected to commence in 2022.
Dresdner Robin is providing environmental, civil engineering, surveying, and planning services on the project, and has remained closely involved with the development for over a decade. Environmental remediation of Phase One properties is now complete, at an estimated cost of $10 million. The next phase of activity includes a series of land-use permits that are expected to be submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
The Cove is a joint effort between Argent, the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) and the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (JCMUA) to mitigate combined sewer overflows, provide tidal flood resiliency for a large portion of downtown Jersey City, conduct environmental remediation activities, and to build a two-acre public park and other infrastructure.
The site currently consists of vacant brownfields and is bisected by a tidal ditch that receives a combined sewer outfall. Significant public infrastructure improvements will enable the construction of a live-work-play, mixed-use campus featuring residential, retail and life sciences laboratory components.
“This is not a typical redevelopment project; as a matter of fact, there is nothing typical about this project. It is without question the most complicated remedial project that I have been involved with,” said Douglas Neumann, director of environmental services at Dresdner Robin. “In addition to working closely with the NJDEP and EPA on the remediation front, Dresdner Robin is also working with the JCMUA as it pertains to the Mill Creek Combined Sewer Outfall – in the middle of the project area.”