Sunday, July 31, 2011 Reviving a Tired Town

By ANTOINETTE MARTIN said, “it’s possible you’ve never heard ium building called the River Park at

of Harrison.” Which is why “we are Harrison, at the edge of the sprawling HARRISON - STARTING leasing next launching a major branding effort — redevelopment area, set beside the month beside the PATH station here: not just for Harrison Station, but for the river. Built by the Roseland Property 275 new rental units with an attended entire area.” Company and Millennium Homes, it lobby, a fitness center, an outdoor pool Employing the slogan “Connect sold out quickly. But by the time a sec- and volleyball court, a residents’ Here,” Harrison Station will be mar- ond building opened the following lounge, and garage parking — all keted for its exceptional transit access: year, the condominium market was tak- within walking distance of a major- steps from the PATH and from a new ing a dive. The second building eventu- league soccer stadium. parking garage; 2 to 3 minutes from ally sold out, with the help of a year- Wait a minute. Did we just say Harri- Newark, 10 minutes from Jersey City, free-mortgage offer. son? 15 from Hoboken, and less than half an Last year, a 25,000-seat stadium for Once an industrial center down on its hour from Manhattan or Newark Lib- the New York Red Bulls professional luck, Harrison in Hudson County is erty International Airport. The site is soccer team was completed across now a locus of planned redevelopment off Interstate 280 and has quick access Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard from the on a huge scale. The town hugs the to the Turnpike. PATH station, and a four-story parking as it slices south to form Mr. Barry and Gregory Russo, an- deck went up at Harrison Station — the eastern border of Newark’s down- other principal of Ironstate, spoke of available for soccer event parking, but town and curves west to make the their hopes that the new rentals, par- also establishing the first amenity for northern border of its Ironbound sec- tially built over retail space, will help residents of the apartments about to tion. establish an identity and sense of place open. It is true that much of the work in the for the overall project — and perhaps “Our plan was always to start up with 200-acre redevelopment area remains encourage other developers to move rentals,” said Mr. Barry of his com- on hold, as developers try to sit out a forward. pany’s development, which is set on a sluggish economic period. But near the Back in 2002, a $1 billion plan to 27-acre parcel south of Interstate 280 PATH station, there is concerted activ- transform a huge parcel of then-mostly- and west of Frank E. Rodgers Boule- ity. Even David Barry, the president of contaminated property into a bustling vard. the Ironstate Development Company, mixed-use village called Harrison Met- Condos are still in the blueprints for which is building the residential com- roCentre was announced by the Ad- Harrison Station, he said, but only if plex (along with a partner, the Pegasus vance Realty Group, the lead devel- the market warrants it after a couple Group), concedes that the imminent oper, and county and state officials more phases of construction are com- opening of what is being called Harri- bringing public bond financing and a plete. Early next year, Mr. Russo son Station may come as news to preapproved package of tax breaks. added, construction will start on a 136- many, despite eight years of ground- Environmental cleaning and infra- unit hotel to be built around and atop work. structure work began the next year, but the parking garage. “If you’re a person setting out to look proceeded very slowly because of site After that, two more rental buildings for a cool new apartment that you can difficulties. In 2007, the first housing are on the agenda. commute from in this area,” Mr. Barry project opened: an 86-unit condomin- The first group of apartments, avail- able for occupancy after Labor Day, ing the work, recently bought two small includes studios, one- and two-bedroom pieces of the Harrison Station site to units with high ceilings, oversized win- create a connecting pedestrian walkway dows, premium kitchen appliances and and a small plaza. in-unit washer/dryers. A sleek glass-and-steel covered pavil- According to the Marketing Direc- ion for passengers has been designed to tors, the agency handling the leasing, replace the station’s cantilevered roofs, monthly rates for studios range from which do not cover the entire platform. $1,200 to $1,500; for one-bedrooms, Mr. Barry described the Harrison Sta- $1,600 to $1,900; and for two- tion apartment buildings as being de- bedrooms, $2,100 to $2,400. signed to look “modern and exciting, At least at first, there will be no fee while still respecting the industrial past for use of any amenities, according to of the neighborhood.” Mr. Russo. Mr. Barry said negotiations The area will be in transition for were under way to try to get several years, he noted, and the redevelopment restaurants and convenience stores as plan does not aim to eradicate that in- tenants of the retail space built into the dustrial past. On the other hand, his street level of the building near Frank company and Pegasus have been at E. Rodgers. work with paintbrushes and plywood to The hotel has been designed to in- help present the neighborhood’s nicest clude a retail concourse as well. possible face as leasing begins. The Meanwhile, an old brick warehouse rusty trestle bridge for the PATH, for directly across Frank E. Rodgers from example, is now coated in shades of Harrison Station is scheduled for demo- aqua and green. Broken windows in lition in November, said Jeff Milanaik, some empty buildings on surrounding the president of Heller Industrial Parks, streets are being covered and painted the owner. The plan is to redevelop that with cheerful colors as well. site with retail, office and residential “We are not trying to pretend that space, he said. Harrison is something it is not,” Mr. The nearby PATH station, which Barry said. “It is a truly well-connected opened 98 years ago, is to receive a formerly industrial area, and we’ll be $173 million makeover for its centen- addressing that head-on.” nial. Mr. Russo reported that the Port Authority, which will be commission-