A rendering of PRC Group’s planned multifamily development at Avenue E and 25th Street in Bayonne, which calls for 162 apartments. — Courtesy: PRC Group/Feinberg & Associates
By Joshua Burd
A developer has won a key local approval in Bayonne for a two-building, 162-unit apartment project near one of the city’s light rail stops.
The Bayonne planning board last week approved the project by PRC Group, which calls for developing two parcels at Avenue E and 25th Street. The firm still requires other permits and approvals to complete the entitlement process, but an executive said clearing the planning board was among the biggest hurdles for the project.
“The city of Bayonne really sees what development means to improving a community,” said Greg Lentine, vice president of sales and marketing for PRC Group, which is based in West Long Branch. He also pointed to the city’s history and diverse cultures “that have blended there, but still maintain their own identity to make this a really good, strong community.”
Plans call for a mix of units ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, Lentine said. One of the buildings would require PRC to raze a former Roman Catholic church at 317 Avenue E, which has been desacralized but would still require additional approvals, while the other site is a lot across the street.
Lentine said he expects development of the first phase to begin next spring if all goes smoothly. PRC would first build 67 units on the empty lot, followed by a 95-unit building at the site of the church as part of the second phase.
Each phase would take about 18 months, he said. When complete, he expects the complex to benefit from the movement of renters from New York City, Jersey City and Hoboken, who are seeking a better value as prices rise in those locations.
“We already do see them coming into Bayonne,” Lentine said. “And Bayonne is a little bit different than you would see in Jersey City. This is more of a residential feel than a city feel. It’s a very walkable and comfortable community.”
Designed by Feinberg & Associates, the buildings would join a growing list of projects by developers who see Bayonne as a new frontier for multifamily construction. The city has a half-dozen projects that are underway or on the verge of breaking ground, including a recently launched, 220-unit project by Woodmont Properties and Baker Residential.
Woodmont, Baker break ground on 220-unit luxury rental project in Bayonne
