“After 15 years, his vision to transform this long-forsaken industrial town into a bedroom community for single, young professionals is finally taking shape,” writes Ronda Kaysen. Hopes for redevelopment center on the town’s commuter rail station.
Despite facing numerous redevelopment obstacles over the last 15 years, including delays due to September 11th, the economic crisis, and a million dollar tax dispute, developers and Harrison mayor Raymond McDonough remain steadfastly hopeful that the town will be the next best alternative for New York City commuters priced out of more traditional and trendier housing markets nearby.
The main catalyst for the town's redevelopment is a $256 million upgrade of its PATH commuter rail station, slated to start this year. "The jewel here is the train station. That's your raw material," says developer Jeffrey J. Milanaik. The town, thus, expects to see an increase in ridership in the next 10 years, from two million riders in 2011 to 2.4 million riders in 2022.
"We're creating a neighborhood from whole cloth and trying to give it a sense of place," says developer David Barry.
Aside from building new, and comparatively affordable rental housing with average rents priced at $1,863 (at least $1,000 less than in the competing communities of Jersey City and Hoboken), developers are also breaking ground on the 138-room Element Hotel, a 50,000-square-foot research and technology center for Panasonic, and thousands of square feet in retail space, reports Kaysen.
FULL STORY: Just Outside the City, and Building Bedrooms
Port Authority Recommends Cutting PATH Service
The Port Authority released a controversial report over the weekend that recommends cutting overnight and weekend service for Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) service. So far, the governors of New York and New Jersey support the plan.
Hoboken-Jersey City Bikeway Opens
The new lane will let riders travel between the two cities in a protected bikeway designed to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
Jersey City, Hoboken in Bikeshare Spat
Two New Jersey cities square off when one accuses the other of abusing public resources—this familiar story is given novel form by bikeshare and public bike racks.
Redesigning Streets for Livability: A Global View
An excerpt from the introduction of the recent book, “Streets For All: 50 Strategies for Shaping Resilient Cities,” edited by Vinayak Bharne and Shyam Khandekar.
Bend Eliminates Parking Minimums
The city is complying with an Oregon state mandate that some cities have challenged in court.
Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb
The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.
How To Prevent ‘Green Gentrification:’ Lessons from the BeltLine
For one author, the key is focusing on affordable housing from the start.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
El Paso Freeway Cap Linked to Road Expansion
A deck reconnecting neighborhoods divided by the interstate is part of a controversial freeway expansion proposal.
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