The Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment continued their hearing of controversial proposal to build the Albion Hotel at 201 Newark Ave. near the Downtown Pedestrian Plaza at last night’s meeting, with a vote nowhere in sight yet.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County
The applicant, 201 Newark Ave Property, LLC – which is owned by Landmark Hospitality – is seeking variances to convert the existing Historic Bank, previously used as a Capital One branch, into a nine-story, 72-room hotel with a restaurant and 36 parking spaces.
At the third meeting to hear testimony on the matter since October, Albion Hotel attorney Charles Harrington said he had nothing to add at this time.
“I want to reserve cross-examination,” he noted.
Attorney Anne Studholme, who is representing the Saffron building and some local homeowners associations, said she had to excuse her experts until January. Instead, she called on resident Radu Manolescu.
“The building’s height will be a beacon visible from a great distance. That’s just to say how out of character it would be,” he said.
Manolescu also complained that excessive shadows cast by the proposed building would be unwanted by residents since it would interfere with natural sunlight.
Hetal Patel said she bought a place downtown after moving to Jersey City five years ago and said this project could potentially completely ruin her investment.
“Why would I want to invest my money in Jersey City? Some developers can just come along and say you know what? Zoning ordinances are optional and they’re going to build up something next to me?” she asked.
“It does not belong in this neighborhood. It is taller, it is longer, it is wider, it is deeper than anything that needs to be there.
Harsimus Cove Neighborhood Association Vice President Gabriel Feliu and has been on the Saffron’s Homeowner Association Board since 2015. He wanted to show the governing body slides that were ultimately submitted as exhibits.
Feliu argued that as currently zoned, commercial uses are supposed to serve the neighborhood in that district.
“It’s not the other way around … I appreciate development when it’s done correctly and sustainable. Development needs to be mindful and careful and take a sustainable approach,” he asserted.
“Jersey City has really crossed this threshold. It used to be a city in need of development. Now we’re more of a destination where developers are looking to develop … This is not like living in a basement apartment, which is what it would become without the reflective light.”
Additionally, Feliu claimed that the nearby Maxwell Alley is too narrow to have more traffic pass through on a regular basis.
“Trucks would be backing in and out of this dangerous corner,” he noted.
Feliu also didn’t want them to block the view.
“Businesses are transient. Businesses open, businesses close, businesses transform. These spaces can easily be repurposed for self-serving needs. What isn’t going to change is the permanence of this structure. It will forever … mar our downtown plan, and skyline, and urban fabric.”
He also claimed it would generate an intolerable amount of noise.
“This is very clearly going to be a Beacon event space in downtown. That rooftop… will be blasting sounds and noise at every event. That sound is going to be emanating for blocks and blocks and blocks.”
Feliu argued it would set a bad precedent.
“It’s going to be used for every developer should this one be approved,” indicating that one developer’s opinion cannot outweigh the community’s.
He further stated that 333 residents have signed a petition opposing the project, to which Board Counsel Vince LaPaglia said the board does not accept and/or consider petitions.
“The law says this is not ok,” Feliu concluded to applause.
“It seems an inappropriate scale,” Ellen Quinn said, also indicating that traffic is very heavy near there.
Quinn explained she counted pedestrians passing the intersection on Wednesday, December 4th, to which LaPaglia said she is not an expert qualified to testify on such a thing.
“I’m counting: I don’t think it takes an engineering degree,” Quinn argued.
She said she counted 552 pedestrians between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Then from roughly 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., she counted more than 700 pedestrians.
“It’s not an expert report,” Harrington said.
“It’s a citizen’s report,” Quinn replied.
“It’s a citizen’s observations,” Harrington argued.
Shortly thereafter, the meeting adjourned, with the project set to be heard again at the zoning board’s January 9th meeting.