Canal Crossing, Jersey City
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Canal Crossing is a New Urbanism project on the eastern side of Jersey City, New Jersey between Jackson Hill in Greenville/Bergen-Lafayette and Liberty State Park. The approximately 111-acre (45 ha) area, previously designated for industrial and distribution uses has been re-zoned for transit-oriented residential and commercial use and the construction of a neighborhood characterized as a sustainable community. The name is inspired by the Morris Canal, which once traversed the district in a general north and south alignment.[1][2][3] The brownfield site must first undergo remediation of toxic waste, much of it left by PPG Industries[4][5][6][7][8] The redevelopment plans call for 7,000 housing units,[8] mainly "mid-rise" buildings (with heights limited to five stories),[9] and a greenway along the former canal, directly south of the 17-acre (6.9 ha) Berry Lane Park. [10][11][12]
Two branches of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) system create the northern and eastern borders of Canal Crossing. A new station at Caven Point Avenue is proposed on the line between Bayonne and Hoboken Terminal along its eastern perimeter between current stations [1] at Richard Street and Liberty State Park. The triangular shape area is bounded by Garfield Avenue on the west, and is accessible from the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike at its southern tip.[13]
In October 2010, the city received notification of a $2.3 million TIGER grant for continued work on the project.[8][14][15] The funding was jeopardized by potential cuts being made in the House of Representatives,[16] but was later allocated.[17] A synopsis of the grant stated:
Planning and design efforts will address modifications to infrastructure, subdivision of properties, zoning changes, and connections to the light rail stop and bike paths at Canal Crossing, a 111-acre redevelopment site in Jersey City surrounded by predominately minority households with high unemployment and poverty rates. Revitalization of this area has been hampered by outdated infrastructure, large tracts of contaminated former industrial lands, and a road system that fails to sufficiently link up with the local regional rail network. The project focus will be to create a residential, mixed-use, transit-oriented development with access to open space amenities in a community with a significant low-income population. The process will also develop a formal legal framework to ensure that redevelopment is equitable.[18]
PPG sued the United States for cleanup costs, arguing that the government's wartime control over the plant during both world wars exposed it to partial liability for the cleanup. The district court held in 2018 that the government's general wartime control of the plant was insufficient to create liability in the absence of a direct connection between the government and waste disposal activities.[19]
PPG has sued the Jersey City Redevelopment Authority stating that its redevelopment plans are hindered by that of the agency.[20]
In September 2019 it was announced that the Critierian Group would convert a warehouse in the district to the state's largest film studio.[21][22][23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]40°42′24″N 74°04′07″W / 40.7068°N 74.0685°W
- ^ a b "Proposed Draft Canal Crossing Redevelopment Plan". Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. August 25, 2008. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ "Canal Crossing". www.jerseycitynj.gov. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ "Proposed Canal Crossing Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ McDonald, Terrence T. (March 6, 2011). "More than 50,000 tons of soil removed from chromium site in Jersey City". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ Navarro, Miyera (April 5, 2011). "Better Cleanup Planned at Former Chrome Plant". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Frohling, John B. (April 15, 2009). "Morris Canal Associates/Proposed Settlement Agreement Between PPG and the City of Jersey City" (PDF). www.state.nj.us/Frohling Assoc, LLC. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ Murray, Brian T. (June 12, 2009). "N.J. delays decision on setting stricter limits on carcinogen chromium". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ a b c Arrue, Karina L. (October 21, 2010). "Jersey City is only New Jersey recipient of $2.3 million in federal grant money to fund planning for 7,000-unit development on 111-acre (45 ha) wasteland currently being cleaned of toxins". Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ Morgan, Earl (January 20, 2009). "5-story limit kept for Canal Crossing". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- ^ Clark, Amy Sara (January 28, 2009). "Jersey City Council passes Morris Canal Redevelopment Plan amendment". Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ "Berry Lane Park: Project Overview". Archived from the original on June 27, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ Hortillosa, Summer Dawn (August 21, 2012). "Contaminated Land in Ward F Transforming into a Green Oasis: Berry Lane Park". The Jersey City Independent. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
- ^ Canal Crossing maps[permanent dead link]
- ^ "HUD and DOT award $2.3 million to create sustainable livable community in Jersey City" (PDF). Department of Housing and Urban Development. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ Kaulessar, Ricardo (October 20, 2010). "HUD official comes to Jersey city to announce major funding". Hudson Reporter. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
- ^ "Lautenberg: Republican cuts may hurt Secaucus rail bridge, Jersey City 111-acre redevelopment, Hudson Co. traffic improvements". Hudson Reporter. February 25, 2011. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ Whiton, Jon (March 10, 2011). "Federal money for Jersey City projects is allocated despite GOP attempts to keep the money". www.jerseycityindependent.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ "TIGER II Planning Grant Recipients with a Bicycle or Pedestrian Component" (PDF). League of American Bicylists. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ "District of New Jersey Finds the Government Not Liable for Remediation Costs Associated with Former Chromite Defense Site". MGKF Litigation Blog. December 4, 2018. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ Fry, Chris (July 29, 2019). "PPG Industries Sues Jersey City over Canal Crossing Site". Jersey Digs. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ Lubetkin, Steve (April 5, 2019). "Simi Capital, Criterion Group Acquire 135K SF Industrial in Jersey City, NJ". GlobeSt. Archived from the original on August 3, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ Zeitlinger, Ron (September 12, 2019). "Lights, camera, action! Largest production studio in state planned in Jersey City". NJ.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ "135,000-Square Foot Movie, TV Studio Coming to Jersey City". CBS New York. September 12, 2019. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.