From left: James Caulfield, principal of developer Fields Grade; Elizabeth Freilich of Blumberg & Freilich Equities, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Anay Verma, a 10-year-old fifth grader from PS #16 who was serving as “Mayor for the Day;” Jersey City Ward B Councilwomen Mira Prinz-Arey; and Robert Caulfield, principal of Fields Grade, recently joined for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at The Agnes, a new luxury apartment building at 132 Yale Ave. on Jersey City’s west side. — Courtesy: Fields Grade
By Joshua Burd
A development team has marked the opening of 145 new apartments on Jersey City’s west side, where the first residents have move in and many more are on the way.
The partners, Fields Grade and Blumberg & Freilich Equities, have leased nearly 80 percent of the available units at 132 Yale Ave. after opening the property to renters less than four months ago. The firms are working with The Marketing Directors to attract residents to the property — known as The Agnes — and to a neighborhood that local leaders have long sought to revitalize.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop took note of the momentum during a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Projects like The Agnes take time and for a long time there was nothing happening on the west side of Jersey City,” Fulop said. “These buildings weren’t happening. There wasn’t a lot of interest from the development community. We’re really focused on changing that and are proud of what we’ve been able to do.”
He also pointed to an ongoing, master-planned development on land owned by New Jersey City University and the recently launched Bayfront project on the opposite side of Route 440, which will be one of the largest mixed-income communities in the Northeast.
“Developers like Fields Grade that have been invested in downtown predominately prior to The Agnes are looking into this area and investing in projects in other parts of the city,” Fulop added. “The only way to get change into a community is to work with the private sector and incentivize people in a proper way to attract small business, create a more walkable community and offer all the things that are important for young people to want to be in the city. Congratulations to everyone. We’re excited about The Agnes and look forward to more investments on the west side of Jersey City.”
The five-story property includes 10,000 square feet of amenity space, plus a focus on connecting to the city’s cultural fabric and arts community.
“The Agnes and its leasing success are further proof of the need and demand for new residential options west of the city’s waterfront and established downtown neighborhoods,” said Rob Caulfield, a principal at Fields Grade. “Mayor Fulop and his administration have done an admirable job encouraging new development in these emerging communities. We’re proud to have invested in this location and are delighted to see the public responding so enthusiastically.”
Developers launch leasing at 145-unit rental building in Jersey City
