Jersey City Council Adopts Central Avenue Redevelopment Plan

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Heights is on its way to a revitalized Central Avenue. The Jersey City Municipal Council unanimously adopted the Central Avenue Redevelopment Plan at Wednesday night's meeting.

The Central Avenue Redevelopment Plan seeks to revitalize the commercial corridor by using the existing parking lot and city-owned parcels. The plan has been two years in the making and was heavily supported by the Heights' late Councilman Michael Yun.

The plan extends from Central Avenue to the west, Griffith Street to the south, and Cambridge Avenue to the east. Parking and open space were major focuses of the project and the plan adds a parking deck with 400 parking stalls available to the public as well as 10,000 square feet of open space to create a plaza dedicated to the memory of the late Councilman Michael Yun.

Language in the plans also calls for the preservation of the Heights neighborhood visual appeal and sets a limit of five stories for new buildings and consistency with existing building façades.

Several speakers at Wednesday night's meeting hailed the project as a win for the Heights and urged councilors to adopt it. The Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation has been an avid supporter of the plan and had a hand in its facility through the council.

Alexa Lima, the Executive Director of the Central Avenue SID, read a letter to the council during Wednesday's meeting. The letter reads in part:

"Our organization expresses our overall and ongoing support for this project. This redevelopment plan is a transformative project for our main thoroughfare, and it is critical to have it succeed as per the vision created by numerous stakeholders at community meetings during the past two years. We thank the Division of City Planning for allowing us the opportunity to partner with them on this project. SID Trustees overwhelming applaud City Planning staff time, effort, and large number of resources invested to engage the community on this project and build a community driven plan."

As each of the councilors cast their vote, some took time to express thanks and words of affirmation. Heights Councilman Yousef Saleh thanked all parties involved in bringing the project to fruition and noted that the late Councilman Yun would be proud.

"I'm really just bringing the football to the touchdown line," Saleh said, noting that it was Yun's vision and advocacy that powered the plan.

Councilman at-large Daniel Rivera also used his vote to pay a quick tribute to Yun.

"Michael Yun is looking down from heaven saying thank you to all of us," Rivera said.

The full plan can be viewed online.