Two-Acre Development Coming To Hoboken/Jersey City Border: 'The Boundary'

HOBOKEN, NJ — The growing neighborhood near the Hoboken/Jersey City border will expand further now that the Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a final site plan late last month for "The Boundary."

The Boundary’s 500,000 square feet will include 192 units of market-rate housing, a park on top of a parking structure, commercial and medical office space, retail, and restaurants. It will include buildings in both Hoboken and Jersey City.

The Sept. 28 Zoning Board vote was the final approval that property owner JDA Group LLC needed to begin constructing the proposed two-acre development.

The addresses will be 50 Harrison St. in Hoboken and 2 Hoboken Ave. in Jersey City.

Jersey City had already granted final site plan approval for 192 market-rate apartments at 2 Hoboken Ave. in 2020. The new, 13-story, glass-facade building will include nine floors of residential over four stories of parking, plus 11,500 square feet of retail.

There are no plans for residential units on the Hoboken side, a spokesperson confirmed.

The Hoboken side will include the expansion of the Mission 50 coworking building (formerly known as the Hoboken Business Center) at 50 Harrison St., a walk of a few blocks from the Second Street Light Rail station.

“Southwest Hoboken can now reach its potential, evolving from its industrial roots into a strongly positioned residential and business neighborhood that will flourish,” said Greg Dell’Aquila, CEO of JDA Group. “During its manufacturing and warehousing heyday through the 1960s, Southwest Hoboken was a very vibrant area."

Dell'Aquila added, "Our evolution for the community will not only bring families back as residents, but also businesses that will transform Southeast Hoboken. It will become a medical campus, office center, and community with top-level amenities.”

Removing 'Barriers' Separating The Area

The Boundary project sits near several entrances to Hoboken, noted a company spokesperson. But there are "barriers" separating the area from the rest of the neighborhoods.

"Its geographic boundaries and physical barriers – from train lines to busy thoroughfares – effectively separate the neighborhood from the Hoboken street grid," noted a press release, adding that the barriers "limit pedestrian traffic, and keep the neighborhood from establishing a strong identity. To address this, The Boundary will establish a through street to connect it to the Hoboken street grid."

Vision For The Neighborhood

“Our vision for The Boundary is to be the core of the neighborhood, creating a walkable environment with adjacent and incorporated parks, much-needed retail space, doctors’ offices,
corporate and entrepreneurial workspaces, and other community needs,” said Dell’Aquila. “We’re creating a sense of place that complements the entire surrounding neighborhood, Hoboken, and Jersey City.”

The Boundary design embraces a “vertical neighborhood” concept to maximize the potential of the site. In addition to a new medical office building, The Boundary will introduce approximately 40,000-square-feet of destination retail space that will bring restaurants, boutiques, grocery, and entertainment concepts to a neighborhood with limited shopping and dining options.

Water Retention And A Park On The Roof

The boundary includes sidewalk bump-outs to manage rainwater, and under-street water detention systems. The development will also include landscaped roofs.

And there will be a first: An elevated green park atop the proposed parking structure.

Improved streets and sidewalks will make the area more accessible and desirable for pedestrians and cyclists, says the release.

JDA Group has partnered with award-winning firms, including Erdy McHenry Architecture, landscape architect Roofmeadow, and marketing agency QuallsBenson, to establish The Boundary’s plan.

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