Located at 25 Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City, Haus25 was slated to welcome its first residents as soon as late April. — Courtesy: Veris Residential Inc.
By Joshua Burd
Veris Residential Inc. has unveiled a new 56-story, 750-unit apartment tower in Jersey City with what it says is a focus on water efficiency, green energy and other sustainability features.
The real estate investment trust, which is based in the city, said leasing is now underway for the property at 25 Christopher Columbus Drive. And it’s marking the company’s first completed project since the former Mack-Cali Realty Corp. and Roseland Residential Trust rebranded last December, with an emphasis on environmentally and socially conscious buildings.
To that end, the tower now known as Haus25 is designed to be one of the most water-efficient luxury high-rises of its kind, Veris Residential said, while boasting 24 electric vehicle charging stations and a host of other energy-efficient design features.
“As we endeavor to redefine the home living experience, Haus25 is the quintessential example of how Veris Residential is outfitting our properties with best-in-class environmentally friendly design features that meet the lifestyle preferences of residents, while cultivating a true sense of community to enhance their social experience and quality of life,” Veris Residential CEO Mahbod Nia said. “As the first multifamily property to launch leasing since our rebrand, Haus25 encapsulates our vision and ambitions for the future — to create immersive, responsible, holistically inspired spaces that align with goals for health, wellness and sustainable living.”
Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the building features interiors by Fogarty Finger and outdoor space landscape architecture by Melillo Bauer Carman, according to a news release. The structure rises 600 feet in Jersey City’s Paulus Hook section, comprising a mix of high-end studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments atop a new public school that Veris Residential built at the base of the tower.
The REIT said Monday that it has already leased nearly 20 percent of Haus25, which is designed to achieve silver certification on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scale. Its water efficiency features include the implementation of so-called SOURCE hydropanels, which use solar power to extract net-zero water from the air and distribute it to drinking fountains on the outdoor roof deck. Additionally, the property has internal WaterSense-labeled fixtures, including toilets and showerheads to optimize water flow, along with outside at-curb bioretention swales to collect water that would otherwise become runoff, allowing it to percolate into the soil.
Residents can charge their electric vehicles in the building’s on-site parking garage, while the property features 375 spaces for bicycles, the developer said. Veris Residential also cited energy-efficient design features such as combined heat and power units that convert natural gas into electricity and heat and provide on-site energy generation, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 34 automobiles each year.
The company, meantime, has partnered with Logical Buildings to provide residents with access to an app that shares real-time data on energy usage and carbon footprint, while the 100 percent smoke-free building has enhanced indoor air quality measures, including MERV 13 filters.
The REIT on Monday also detailed more than 37,000 square feet of gardens and outdoor amenities, including an upscale pool, an outdoor fitness area and entertainment spaces equipped with fire pits, grilling stations, cabanas and games. Indoors, residents have access to a co-working area with conference rooms, a fully equipped fitness center, a sky terrace for private dining and a makerspace.
