The Arts & Powerhouse Building at 130 Bay St. in Jersey City — Courtesy: Kushner/KABR Group
By Joshua Burd
Kushner and KABR Group have unveiled a project that has brought 135,000 square feet of new commercial and retail space to downtown Jersey City, all while restoring and revitalizing a 112-year-old warehouse built by the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.
Located at 130 Bay St., the six-story landmark has undergone a $30 million renovation that preserves its industrial heritage, including its façade and large windows, while creating modern features and amenities meant to attract a wide range of users. Its owners are now marketing the building to tenants seeking loft-style office, retail and other flexible commercial spaces in the heart of the city’s Powerhouse Arts District, offering open layouts, up to 27-foot ceiling heights and access to a 10,000-square-foot rooftop amenity deck with panoramic views of Manhattan.
CBRE Vice Chairman David Opper and First Vice President Conor Dolan are spearheading the leasing efforts for office space at the newly branded Arts & Powerhouse Building. Newmark Senior Director Andrew Connolly is the property’s retail broker.
“The A&P Building brings a level of character and authenticity rarely seen in Jersey City’s office (and) commercial market,” said Adam Altman, managing member of KABR Group. “With its industrial bones, loft-style layouts and a setting that reflects the neighborhood’s creative roots, it offers an experience more akin to Manhattan’s Meatpacking or Flatiron districts.”
The building has already attracted several tenants to its roughly 30,000 square feet of pure ground-floor retail space, including Rumble Boxing, Daily Provisions, Spear Physical Therapy and One Medical, an Amazon company, according to KABR and Kushner. Its remaining commercial spaces, which Altman said are flexible, range from 4,000 to 100,000 square feet.
“It’s the only one in Jersey City that is not a cookie-cutter office building that has real scale,” said Altman, whose firm is a longtime developer in the neighborhood and the city, as is Kushner. “(So) we’re very proud to make that part of our portfolio. And we think it’s additive to the fabric of Jersey City. It’s unique — it’s not just an anonymous glass tower.”
Kushner and KABR revealed the space last week during a special launch event at the property, which is steps from new apartment buildings, restaurants, shops and nightlife offerings. Across the street, the planned 550-seat Provost Square Performing Arts Theater will serve as the permanent home of The New Jersey Symphony, further enhancing the area’s cultural appeal.
Tenants, meantime, have easy access to Hoboken, Midtown Manhattan and the World Trade Center via the nearby Grove Street, Newport and Exchange Place PATH stations. They’re also within walking distance of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and a short drive from the Holland Tunnel, Newark Liberty International Airport and the New Jersey Turnpike.
The developers touted those features at the Feb. 27 event while hosting a solo exhibit by acclaimed artist Daniella Portillo, whose paintings explore themes of space, time and memory, with a focus on urban and natural environments. They did so in conjunction with the Long Meadow Art Residency, which was established in 2021 and provides artists with a home, studio space, supplies, a vehicle and support from an engaged board and past residents.
All told, Kushner and KABR Group have dedicated $250,000 to showcase works by Jersey City-based artists, they said, ensuring the building reflects the neighborhood’s creative energy.
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Arts & Powerhouse Building to support Daniella Portillo, amplifying her artistic journey,” LMAR cofounders and presidents David Feldman and Jennifer Herman Feldman said. “This collaboration, backed by LMAR’s creative resources and the opportunity to showcase her work, reflects our shared commitment to empowering artists.”
