The state Department of Environmental Protection has approved a key permit for a planned waterfront restaurant pavilion in Carteret, in the latest step toward creating a new destination along the Arthur Kill. — Rendering by DMR Architects/Courtesy: Carteret
By Joshua Burd
Carteret will seek bids to build a new waterfront restaurant pavilion after receiving a key approval from state regulators, in the latest step toward revitalizing a stretch of historically contaminated industrial parcels along the Arthur Kill.
According to the borough, the state Department of Environmental Protection has approved a Water Framework Directive In-Water Permit and a Water Quality Certificate authorizing a 70- by 46-foot, 3,220-square foot venue that will operate from spring through fall. Plans also call for a gangway on the borough’s Veteran’s Pier that would span six by 25 feet.
Coinciding with the pavilion, which has been designed by DMR Architects, is a 25-foot cooking trailer under construction by Maryland-based Mobile Kitchens USA, the borough said. The mobile kitchen will be based in Carteret Park near the gazebo.
“We want to thank NJDEP and Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette for the approval to move forward with our waterfront restaurant pavilion,” Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman said. “Great things continue to happen for our wonderful waterfront increasing its appeal as a destination for residents and visitors. The approval of this restaurant pavilion follows the receipt of our first ferry boat, the Theodore Roosevelt, which soon will offer recreational opportunities, as well as ferry service. The pavilion will be a welcomed addition to the many popular waterfront events the borough frequently presents, including our Independence Day Festival, Latin Fest and weekly summer concert series.”
Recreational features within the borough’s Waterfront Park also include a marina, a mini golf course, a putting green, a volleyball court, an exercise trail and a bocce court, according to a news release. The municipality, meantime, is expanding its northern and southern piers, while other plans include a movie studio and hotel with rooftop amenities, restaurants and retail adjacent to the forthcoming Carteret Intermodal Transportation Building.
As Reiman noted, the projects are part of a long-running effort to return Carteret’s waterfront to the public, following the creation of a so-called chemical coastline starting in 1890s by companies that took down colonial mansions to build sprawling manufacturing plants. The mayor, who has been in office for more than two decades, has spearheaded efforts to reclaim the once-contaminated parcels with damages from the likes of DuPont and U.S. Metals.
