63-Story Towers And Target Store: Kushner Breaks Ground On One Journal Square, Jersey City

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Kushner development company broke ground last week on the long-awaited $1 billion One Journal Square project, which will put two 64-story glass towers and a Target store in the center of Jersey City.

The mixed-use development, to be built near the Journal Square bus/PATH station, is expected to be completed by 2026.

The buildout will add more than 2 million square feet of residential, retail, amenities, parking, and open space in the heart of the Journal Square neighborhood, which already contains county offices, the court house, and a mix of old housing and new developments.

The project will include 1,723 rental residences, 45,000 square feet of upscale amenities, and 40,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space that has been pre-leased by Target.

The project will include a new sprawling public plaza at its base facing John F. Kennedy Boulevard, featuring green space and seating areas.

'Crown Jewel Of This Resurgent Neighborhood'

At the groundbreaking, Mayor Steven Fulop said, “When you look at what’s happening in Journal Square, you’d be hard pressed to find another city in the country that can point to the amount of development in this two-block radius."

He also said on social media that a Target will open on the ground floor, "a terrific anchor + huge help for residents in the area on many fronts as we add retail options in walking distance."

He added, “This project is bar none the most significant project we have in Jersey City ... it's 900 units in the first phase, it's 64 stories tall, and we’re already close to 100 feet above the flood plain level so you talk about the size of this building and what it’s doing to the skyline is really significant."

“We are thrilled to begin the physical build-out of what we believe will be the crown jewel of
this resurgent neighborhood,” said Laurent Morali, CEO of Kushner.

“One Journal Square will offer an unparalleled lifestyle experience for residents through thoughtful design, upscale finishes and appointments, state-of-the-art amenities enhanced with furnishings by RH, and a well-connected location brimming with culture and diversity,” said Nicole Kushner Meyer, president of Kushner.

Pools And A Bowling Alley

Amenities will include an Olympic-size indoor pool, cold plunge pool and whirlpool spa, sauna and steam rooms, bowling alley, golf simulator, multiple lounges, co-working space, chef’s kitchen and a kids' club.

Health and wellness will be fostered by a fitness center, yoga/multipurpose room, spin cycle suite, full-size indoor basketball court, rock climbing wall and squash court.

Outdoor spaces will include two landscaped rooftop terraces and an outdoor lounge pool with a hot tub.

Arts All Around

At One Journal Square’s groundbreaking, the developer announced a collaboration with the JCArts program to showcase an installation created by local high school students with a mission to promote mental health awareness within the classroom and workplace.

The series of 36 black and white portraits, which are now displayed along the One Journal Square property, is in support of the Inside Out Project, a participatory platform launched by French artist JR that helps individuals and communities make a statement and raise awareness.

Meanwhile, the world-renowned Parisian art museum, Centre De Pompidou, will open a museum in Journal Square directly adjacent to where One Journal Square is rising. The Pompidou x Jersey City will be the institution’s only satellite in North America, joining other locations in Shanghai, Brussels, and Malaga.

Kushner is a real estate development and management firm headquartered in New York City.