Hoboken Terminal, Hoboken, NJ. Image by user King of Hearts, licensed by CC BY-SA 4.0
NJ TOD News
50 Apartments and Retail Space Could Come to a McGinley Square Corner
Jared Kofsky, Jersey Digs, July 22, 2019
Developer Storms 99, LLC plans to construct a new mixed-use building in Jersey City’s McGinley Square. When complete, the project will comprise 50 apartments, ground-floor retail space, and five parking spaces for car-share vehicles. The developer has filed an application with the Jersey City Planning Board for Preliminary and Final Site Plan approval for the proposed six-story complex at 99 Storms Avenue and 253 Monticello Avenue.
Preliminary Monarch Settlement in Place for Hoboken, Council to Vote On Deal Next Month
John Heinis, Hudson County View, July 22, 2019
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s administration negotiated a preliminary settlement deal with the Applied Development Company for the Monarch Project. The settlement would transfer the Monarch development site to the City in exchange for the redevelopment of the Department of Public Works garage site. Applied Development would provide a full renovation of the garage in addition to new retail space and a transit-oriented building with rental housing. The settlement will be presented to the City Council in August for approval.
NJ Passes Law Establishing Gateway Development Commission
Staff, TAPInto Scotch Plains/Fanwood, July 23, 2019
On Monday, Governor Murphy signed legislation that establishes an independent, bi-state Gateway Development Commission (GDC). The legislation works in parallel to New York’s legislative counterpart. The seven-member commission will be responsible for facilitating the completion of all Gateway Program Projects. The body will also have powers to manage interagency coordination efforts and to obtain and apportion funds as needed.
Jersey City Rental Community Boosts Transportation Options With Lyft
Linda Lindner, NJ Biz, July 23, 2019
The Enclave, a rental community in Jersey City, has entered into a partnership with Lyft to make the rideshare company the community’s official transportation partner. Community residents will be able to take advantage of The Enclave’s designated pick-up area, a nearby Citi Bike station, and a complementary shuttle service to and from the Hoboken PATH station. Users of the Lyft app can reserve Citi Bikes when they are paying members of the bikeshare service.
Developer Buys Jersey City Unleashed Site, Plans High-Rise
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs, July 24, 2019
Pegasus Partners has purchased multiple land parcels near Jersey City’s border with Hoboken for a development project. The parcels, currently home to a pet resort and spa facility, are located within the Jersey Avenue Light Rail Redevelopment Plan area. Pegasus Partners has requested that Jersey City amend the Light Rail Plan and relax height and density limits for the project in exchange for affordable housing requirements. Construction is planned to begin in early 2020.
Regional and National TOD News
Lyft Will Add NYC Subway and Bus Directions to Its App
Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, July 19, 2019
Lyft plans to add New York City subway and bus directions to its app in an aim to be a multi-modal, one-stop shop for urban transportation. Lyft’s app update will show users nearby subway station, bus stops, docks for Citi Bike, and commuter rail options. The new feature will be implemented over the course of the next several weeks and will be completed by the end of September.
Bellevue Takes Steps Toward Transit Oriented Development
Evan Pappas, Bellevue Reporter, July 22, 2019
Bellevue City Council has approved the East Main Consolidated Guiding Principles for transit-focused development. The guiding principles will be used in the development of land use codes with the aim of bringing TOD to life along 112th Avenue Southeast from Main Street to Southeast 6th Street. The East Main area will be the future site of an East Link light rail station.
Rochester Welcomes New Form of Transportation to Town
Beret Leone, Fox 47, July 22, 2019
Rochester, Minnesota approved a 16-week pilot program that will bring approximately 100 Lime electric scooters to the downtown. The City will collect and analyze ridership data from the pilot to decide if Lime is a good long-term solution for the “Med City’s” transportation needs. The electric scooter pilot program will run from August 1 to November 30.
Caltrain $25 Billion Plan Will Make Commuter Rail System More Like BART
KPIX5 News, CBS SF Bay Area, July 22, 2019
Caltrain has revealed a $25 billion plan designed to make the commuter rail service similar to Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART). During peak travel times, Caltrain will run eight trains in both directions every hour and a bullet train every 15 minutes. The transit agency anticipates that service will increase from 65,000 riders per day to 180,000 riders per day by 2040. Caltrain is presently working on electrification of the train system with full implementation expected by 2022.
Planned Edgewood Apartments Signal that Building Boom Near MARTA Isn’t Slowing
Josh Green, Curbed Atlanta, July 23, 2019
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has seemingly turned Edgewood’s La France Street into a transit-oriented development through the redevelopment of Edgewood’s underused parking lots. MARTA’s redevelopment efforts have resulted in hundreds of new residences along La France Street. The Ardent Companies is planning a 105-unit building for the last sizeable segment in the La France Corridor, adding to the push of new housing options within walking distance of the Edgewood-Candler Park Station.
750 Apartments and Coworking Space Planned for Large Parcel Along I-695
Andrew Glambrone, Curbed Washington DC, July 24, 2019
Oxford Properties Group, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and Greystar have formed a partnership for the development of a 7.3-acre mixed-use project bordering both sides of I-695 in Washington, D.C. Located between South Capitol Street and New Jersey Avenue SE, the project will comprise approximately 750 rental units and 42,000 feet of co-working space within two, 13-story buildings. The development parcel sits at the center of numerous well-known D.C. communities and within walking distance of the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station and the Capitol South Metro station.
International TOD News
Toronto’s Mega-Development Boom Is Reshaping Downtown
Patrick Sisson, Curbed, July 19, 2019
Oxford Properties Group has recently proposed a $3.5 billion ($2.7 billion US) mega-development in downtown Toronto. The Union Park Project, one of the largest in the city’s history, will comprise office towers and apartments, a landscaped public parkland, and retail space to fill a market gap. In addition to the two-acre park, which will be built atop a covered rail line, the project will create a new pedestrian pathway linking the business district with the waterfront. The project will cap the Union Station Rail Corridor between Blue Jays Way and the John Street Bridge.
Lothian Buses Introduces Contactless Payment System with £4 Daily Price Cap
Kevin O’Sullivan, FutureScot, July 24, 2019
The Lothian Region introduced a contactless payment system that can read cards and accept mobile payments on its fleet of city buses. Riders can get unlimited daily travel in Edinburgh for a cost capped at £4 or can buy an adult single ticket for £1.70. The council-owned company has stated that daily capping is only available on Lothian City services, the Skylink and “service 43 buses” initially and will be expanded in the future.
Rome Tests Recycling Bottles for Transit Cash
Associated Press, New York Post, July 24, 2019
Rome has rolled out three test machines around metro stations for a one-year pilot program that allows passengers to drop plastic water bottles into the machines in exchange for transit fare cash. Riders will earn five cents per water bottle towards their public transportation tickets through a scan on their phone. Rome’s transportation authority, ATAC, has stated that the money is deposited into passengers’ accounts in partner apps to be redeemed for public transportation.