With opening of final tower, Jersey City’s Journal Squared development is complete
Credit: Mean Genius
The final tower of Jersey City’s massive three-building complex Journal Squared opened last week, marking the completion of the transformative development. City officials joined Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Group and National Real Estate Advisors to celebrate the opening of the 60-story tower at 615 Pavonia Avenue; the two other high-rise rentals have already opened. The $900 million, 2.3 million-square-foot Journal Squared development first broke ground in 2014 and includes more than 1,800 luxury apartments.
“We’re incredibly proud of the community we’ve built here and the role it has played in revitalizing Journal Square,” Jonathan Kushner, president of KRE Group, said.
“Journal Squared has drawn thousands of residents who embrace the neighborhood’s unique character and culture while enjoying an unparalleled lifestyle. As we celebrate the completion of the final tower, we look forward to continuing to enhance this vibrant community.”
Designed by Hollwich Kushner Architects (HWKN) and Handel Architects, Journal Squared has opened in phases, with the first building opening in 2017 and the second tower opening in early 2021.
The development includes 1,840 rental apartments and over 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. It also features 36,000 square feet of street-level retail space, seamlessly integrated into Magnolia Landing plaza, which contains the neighborhood’s first supermarket.
The plaza offers diverse food options and hosts events such as farmers’ markets, live performances, and cultural gatherings to foster a sense of community.
The final tower offers an impressive set of amenities, including a performance lounge with bleacher seating, a sound-proof recording studio, a karaoke lounge, a boxing gym, and a sky lounge with a wet bar and expansive views. Additional spaces, such as a lobby cafe and lounge, further elevate the resident experience.
These amenities join existing shared spaces located in the other two towers, including a fitness center, yoga studio, indoor bouldering wall, library, multiple co-working lounges and conference rooms, private screening rooms, and a digital game lounge.
The development also features a 24-hour attended lobby, package concierge, indoor parking, monthly events, and pet-friendly services.
Journal Squared is situated directly above the Journal Square Transportation Center, offering residents direct access to public transit, including PATH trains, NJ Transit, and bus lines, establishing it as one of the best-connected residential communities in the area.
“It really took a special developer to actually see what was possible here at the time. We had all of this transportation infrastructure, but the reality of 2012, 2013, is that all of the development was on the waterfront,” Mayor Steven Fulop said. “People were a little cautious about venturing away. And then to think about this big building and the amount of capital they were willing to invest here, it was really something transformational for the state of New Jersey.”
Fulop continued: “Then you fast forward 10 years and you drive around these streets in Journal Square, I am very proud, and I think all of you should be proud, because there isn’t a place in the United States of America with this much development in three square blocks.”
It was one of the first major residential projects planned for the neighborhood, which has seen a boom in development in recent years. Work on the third and final tower broke ground in October 2021.
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