HACKENSACK – A county project to provide affordable housing for people new to public service and medicine and to upgrade the Hackensack bus terminal is moving forward.
The planned development at 133 River St. will replace the former Bergen County Probation Building, now a vacant lot, and the current NJ Transit bus terminal, one of the busiest terminals in the state.
The project was moving forward after the city planning agency reviewed it Wednesday.
“We all know how difficult it is to afford housing when someone is just starting their career. This development will provide housing for newly hired local public safety workers, such as firefighters and police officers,” Jim Tedesco, the county executive, said Wednesday evening.
“This building will provide much-needed housing for veterans, provide housing for those who may never have been able to afford living in this exciting city, and improve pedestrian and traffic safety in the midst of a city experiencing a true renaissance,” he said . .
Who will live in the planned Hackensack building in Bergen County?
A rendering of a mixed-use development planned by Bergen County for 133 River St. in Hackensack.
A five-story mixed-use development will provide the county with two floors of office space, two street-level retail spaces for lease, a two-story health and wellness center and a parking garage for county employees and apartment residents. and visitors. County officials said they hope to see public parking available for people visiting downtown Hackensack.
A 15-storey residential tower with 168 units will have a separate entrance at street level for tenants. It will feature a rooftop garden terrace, outdoor activity area, pergolas with seating, a sundeck, putting green and an outdoor dining and lounge area. Indoor amenities include a golf simulator, coworking space, library, wellness area, games room, garden room and lounge.
The apartments – a mix of studios and one- and two-bedrooms – will become rentals for people starting out as police officers, firefighters, social workers, nurses and teachers, or embarking on other careers in public service and medicine. Ten of the 168 units will be reserved for veterans, two of which will be for disabled veterans.
“We all know that these types of professions face serious recruitment challenges, but by providing housing that is affordable in the early stages of their careers we hope to get more people interested in pursuing these types of jobs and staying in Hackensack and Bergen County,” Tedesco said.
Tenants would stay in the building for the first few years of their careers and move into market-rate housing as their salaries increase, district administrator Thomas Duch said.
The tenants would have to meet certain requirements and would be chosen through a lottery system, he said.
“The goal is to give them a year or two in this type of housing to strengthen their financial position and progress in their careers,” Duch said. “We expect there will be high demand.”
Plans to build a covered Hackensack bus terminal
A rendering of a mixed-use development planned by Bergen County for 133 River St. in Hackensack.
The planned bus station will be covered and include a waiting room, bathrooms and a small area for prepared food and coffee.
“The days of waiting outside in freezing or boiling temperatures will be over,” Tedesco said.
The new terminal will also be equipped to accommodate electric buses and, by its design, will limit idling of buses currently waiting outside and around the existing terminal.
A planned traffic pattern is designed to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety in the area and eliminate bus traffic northbound on Moore Street from the entrance to the new bus station and westbound on Mercer Street.
County and city officials have been working on plans for the project for years. The old probation building at 133 River St. flooded more than a decade ago during Superstorm Sandy and was eventually condemned and demolished. The bus depot, one of the busiest terminals in the state, is just south of that vacant building. The city, which owns the bus depot, will sell the property to the county as part of the redevelopment agreement.
The location is close to several other large, recent developments. Across River Street is the Print House, a sprawling 696-unit project nearing completion. Ivy and Green, a 389-unit project, is about two blocks away.
The county hopes to break ground by the end of this year, with construction taking about 18 months to two years, Duch said. The project will be financed through the Bergen County Improvement Authority and bond issuance and will be repaid in part by people renting the apartments and a long-term agreement with NJ Transit.
“It’s extremely helpful,” said Albert Dib, Hackensack’s redevelopment director. “It provides housing that people want at a price they can afford, and the transit component will ensure that downtown Hackensack becomes a transit hub for commuters coming and going from New York City.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County to build affordable housing and bus station in Hackensack
