HOW CAN NEWARK BEST SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE IRONBOUND RIVERFRONT? WEST EAST IRONBOUND Opportunities Trade-Offs 1 CREATE OPEN SPACE 1 IT’S A BALANCE! for the passive, active, and More Trails means Less educational uses, including a Development? trail 2 WHAT SHOULD NEWARK 2 IMPROVE ACCESS from INVEST IN? neighborhood – Public realm? – Open space development 2. FOSTER DEVELOPMENT and maintenance? – Residential and commercial – Public programs? – Grow neighborhood to the river – Incentives for development? 38 IRONBOUND IRONBOUND The Ironbound is a densely populated, dynamic mixed- The Ironbound is a use community. It is a regional destination for its Spanish, vibrant & active Portuguese, and Brazilian neighborhood. restaurants. Because the Ironbound has The Riverfront can also become a destination for build on its successes immigration, it is known for its distinct cultural flavor, seen in its while continuing its civic associations, festivals, and tradition of a diverse, local businesses. mixed-income The built environment of the population. Ironbound is marked by its industrial history, when people often lived very near to the factories where they worked. IRONBOUND RIVERFRONT At the River, between Newark Penn Station and the Jackson Street bridge, the riverfront is either used We propose that the for parking or is vacant and fenced. Ironbound Riverfront East of Jackson Street Bridge, be a primarily there is an open green space that leads down to a decayed bank, recreational as well as fenced vacant land. riverfront. Across the river in Harrison, the new Red Bulls stadium is under construction. It should support some opportunities Across the difficult-to-cross Raymond Boulevard, one finds for continued gas stations, car washes, and development and more parking lots. There are also promoting density many small-scale homes. A bit beyond that is Ferry Street, the near Penn Station. commercial main street of the neighborhood. 39 WEST IRONBOUND EXISTING CONDITIONS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UNDERSERVED BY PARKS + STRONG COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS + SIGNIFICANT UNDERUTILIZED PLANNING CONTEXT LANDS ALONG RIVERFRONT +RAYMOND IS GATEWAY TO NEWARK, BUT BARRIER TO RIVER +AMBITIOUS PLANS IN HARRISON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW CURRENT ZONING IS PRIMARILY INDUSTRIAL WITH FEW REQUIREMENTS. ZONING 40 PERSPECTIVE WEST IRONBOUND A. Expand to Jefferson Street on riverfront 17 PRO Creates medium-sized park New Parks while preserving land for significant future development Much of the riverfront PRO land between the Jackson Street Bridge and Pros- pect Street is in public ownership and is currently CON Space is currently not designated for park devel- visible from neighborhood due to opment. But this area also topography and street grid holds great development CON potential. REQUIRED CITY ACTION Park Maintenance Consider: Development $56,000/year 3.2 acres $4.8 million How much park can we afford? What size park provides a B. Expand to all public land on riverfront useful public space without PRO Capture majority of West Iron- being oversized? bound riverfront for park PRO CON Access to space depends greatly on future of Jersey Triangle CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Park Maintenance Development $80,500/year 4.6 acres $6.9 million C. Expand to all public riverfront + eastern half of Jersey tri- PRO Maximizes recreational op- portunities PRO Other Ideas? CON Limits waterfront development potential CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Acquisition Park Maintenance .56 acres Development $91,000/year $500,000 5.2 acres $7.8 million 41 WEST IRONBOUND A. Low Existing 18 PRO Preserves low-rise character of Density neighborhood. PRO In the main, the current zoning for most uses in this area sets no height limitations. While the Ironbound is known as a CON Low density fails to leverage predominantly low-rise value of Northeast Corridor. neighborhood, allowing CON some areas of greater density can provide both an incentive for develop- ment to grow the neighbor- hood to the riverfront as B. Mostly low with high near Penn Station and medium on well as provide revenue Raymond Boulevard frontage to maintain open space, PRO Maintains low-rise neighbor- especially near major hood character with denser areas in transportation hubs like strategic locations. Penn Station. PRO Consider: How should the City set CON Limits future development the rules to encourage potential in Ironbound core. beneficial new develop- CON ment while maintaining the important qualities REQUIRED CITY ACTION of the neighborhood? Zoning– Density controls C. Mostly low with high near Penn Station and medium between Raymond Boulevard and Market Street PRO Maintains low-rise neighbor- hood character with denser areas in strategic locations. PRO Other Ideas? CON Limits future development potential in Ironbound core. CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Zoning– Density controls 42 WEST IRONBOUND A. Mixed-use / Existing 19 PRO Allows flexibility for future Zoning/Use development PRO The Ironbound is known for its mixed and inter- spersed uses: houses next to factories next to stores. CON Does not support any Consider: particular vision for the area CON Should this type of devel- opment be encouraged to continue? Should the City set a goal of creating more homog- B. Mixed-use with required ground-floor retail enous residential PRO Supports neighborhood development in the future, character of ground-floor retail. perhaps with an inclusion- PRO ary requirement? Or, should only certain ground floor uses be required to encourage an CON Potentially burdens future active and lively public development. CON realm? REQUIRED CITY ACTION Zoning– Use controls C. Predominately residential with mixed use near Penn Station PRO Encourages dynamic public realm PRO Leverages value of Northeast Corridor PRO Existing land use Other Ideas? CON Use requirements constrain development; competes with Ferry REQUIRED CITY ACTION Street Zoning– CON Use controls D. Mixed-used with inclusionary requirement for housing PRO Supports a mixed-income community. PRO CON Potentially burdens future development, depending on market. CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Zoning– Use controls 43 WEST IRONBOUND A. Existing/no requirement 20 PRO Preserves maximum flexibility Public Access for future development. PRO In this area, the street grid for the most part ends at Raymond Boulevard and does not carry one to the riverfront. CON Does not secure continuous Consider: parallel access. CON What type of perpendicular access should be required across private land? Likewise, between Jersey B. Minimal public access requirements Street and Penn Station, PRO Allows public to reach the what width and type of river. PRO easement will provide an adequate pedestrian connection between the Ironbound and Downtown? CON Does not create continuous riverfront trail. CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Easement Trail Maintenance Zoning - Acquisition Development Public Access Requirement C. Maximum public access requirement PRO Ensures parallel access and frequent perpendicular access. PRO CON Places certain design burdens Other Ideas? on future development. CON REQUIRED CITY ACTION Easement Trail Maintenance Zoning - Acquisition Development Public Access Requirement 44 EAST IRONBOUND EXISTING CONDITIONS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UNDERSERVED BY PARKS + STRONG COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS + SIGNIFICANT UNDERUTILIZED LANDS ALONG RIVERFRONT PLANNING CONTEXT +RAYMOND IS GATEWAY TO NEWARK, BUT BARRIER TO RIVER +AMBITIOUS PLANS IN HARRISON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW CURRENT ZONING IS A MIX OF EXCLUSIVELY INDUSTRIAL ZONES WITH OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL ZONES. A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA IS ZONE I-1, NEWARK’S MOST PERMISSIVE ZONE. ZONING PERSPECTIVE 45 EAST IRONBOUND A. Limited Open Space Expansion 21 PRO Less required acquisition and Park Space development expense. PRO____________________________ In a neighborhood starved for open space (with less than .5 acre per 1000 residents), past plans spon- CON Provides limited room for sored by community-based additional recreation facilities. organizations have identi- CON fied riverfront land that is vacant or used primarily for vehicles as opportuni- REQUIRED CITY ACTION Acquisition Park Maintenance ties for creating open space 4.4 acres Development $77,000/year for active recreation. These $6.6 million 4.4 acres spaces are adjacent to the $6.6 million site of the planned Newark Riverfront Park, and would B. Maximum Open Space Expansion require public investment PRO Accommodates more for acquisition and park recreational facilities development. Consider: CON More public investment Should the City commit to required for acquisition and a limited or maximum open development and greater space expansion on the maintenance burden eastern part of the Iron- CON bound riverfront? REQUIRED CITY ACTION Acquisition Park Maintenance 10.3 acres Development $180,250/year 15.4 million 10.3 acres 15.4 million Other Ideas? 46 EAST IRONBOUND A. No change / Mixed use 22 PRO Supports the mixed character Land Use of the Ironbound. PRO Allows for industrially-related The Ironbound is known jobs to be developed near working for its mixed and inter- people. spersed uses: houses next PRO to factories next to stores. Consider: CON Industrial uses can create nuisances for residents. Should this type of devel- CON opment be encouraged to continue? Or should the City - set a goal of creating more homogenous residential B. Residential with commercial corridors development in the future? PRO Supports growth of strong residential community. PRO Allows landowners to realize