Reaction was mixed to initial redevelopment plans for the soon-to-be-former Jersey City Medical Center site last week. A proposal to turn one part of the building into affordable housing for senior citizens was presented at a Tuesday night meeting of the West Bergen Lincoln Park Neighborhood Coalition. Attendees also discussed what could be done with other parts of the structure.
A new Jersey City Medical Center is currently being constructed at Jersey Avenue and Grand Street and is slated to open in 2004.
Charles Catrillo, director of economic development with the city’s Housing, Economic Development and Commerce Department, delivered what he called preliminary plans for the center. Speaking with Catrillo was Alfred Pierri of the RPM Developmental Group, which is seeking to become the designated redeveloper for the East Hall building by the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. In a brief outline, Pierri outlined the proposed conversion of the East Hall, which faces Cornelison Avenue.
"Our plan is to redevelop the East Hall into 120 units of affordable housing for seniors," said Pierri, adding that cost for the units would be gauged at 50 percent of the median income for Hudson County.
Both Catrillo and Pierri said the interior of the East Hall would need extensive work.
"The inside of the hall looks like early Berlin after World War II," said Catrillo. "The inside is just rubble."
Pierri said the proposed 17-story building would be one-bedroom units, approximately 750 square feet in size.
"There would be social services in the facility," said Pierri, adding there would be facilities to ensure medical care for potential residents.
"There will be a nurse and doctor on-site," said Pierri. "There will also be information available for people to link to other information sources regarding medical information."
Also included in the proposed senior housing project will be a common room for all residents.
The effort to be named developer for the East Hall is the RPM Development Group’s second foray into Jersey City, according to Pierri. The Group is currently constructing 69 units of affordable housing on Bostwick Avenue.
"It is the site of a former dye factory, and we have done the remedial work required for the project," said Pierri.
"The East Hall is in such bad shape," said JCRA chairman E. Junior Maldonado. "This is the third time we’ve had someone try to redevelop the East Hall. If we can’t get someone to redevelop the building, we may look at razing it."
Maldonado added that RPM Development Group had made a presentation to the JCRA board last week.
"We liked what we saw," said Maldonado. "The project looks good."
The JCRA’s decision to name RPM Development Group as the developer for the East Hall of the Jersey City Medical Center will be made at the agency’s meeting on Thursday.
New building up in 2004
Catrillo stressed the need for the city move quickly on the redevelopment of the Jersey City Medical Center site. Work on the new Medical Center is scheduled for completion in February 2004, according to Catrillo.
"If the old buildings are allowed to go dark," said Catrillo. "They will become crack houses and shooting galleries."
In a brief overview, Catrillo said plans for developing the rest of the Medical Center complex were in the very early stages. However, Catrillo stated that the city had been in communication with a number of developers who have looked at the building.
"One architect, Maurice Kutt, from Oklahoma, looked at Murdoch Hall and said it resembled a luxury liner," Catrillo said.
Murdoch Hall, like much of the Jersey City Medical Center, was built with federal money under the administration of Mayor Frank Hague beginning in 1932. The design for the facilities is art deco and the Medical Center is on the state and federal list of historical landmarks.
"It is really one of the most fabulous buildings I have ever seen," said Kutt from his office in Norman, Okla., last week. "The columns in the building are made with fluted marble. The building needs to be preserved."
Kutt said nothing was set in stone regarding his firm’s taking over the redevelopment of Murdoch Hall, but he speculated that the first two floors of the hall could be used as retail or office space. The remaining floors of the building could be utilized as a hotel with between 650 and 700 suites.
Catrillo stated the three main buildings of the Medical Center were in good shape and could be utilized as luxury high rise apartments.
"The Pollack and Margaret Hague hospitals do not have good interiors," said Catrillo. "The interior walls can be removed, however, and the building can be made into apartments."
Catrillo went onto state the other buildings in the complex could be used as residential dwellings, convention centers and parking facilities, depending on how the city planned to act.
Need quick action
Speaking as a member of the West Bergen Lincoln Park Neighborhood Coalition, Bergen Avenue businessman Wayne Anderson objected to Catrillo’s call for quick action on the Medical Center redevelopment.
"What we need is a redevelopment plan that is integrated into the community," said Anderson. "We are asking that no individual architect or developer be appointed to the project until a comprehensive plan is worked out."
Specifically, Anderson said he would like to see the old Medical Center redeveloped with more employment-generating businesses. Anderson suggested a number of stores could be built in the complex of buildings, including a supermarket, which he said the neighborhood needs.
Catrillo responded that efforts to tell developers what to build in a particular location often do not work out and that the market decides what will be successful. Catrillo further added that the formulation of the plan that Anderson suggested would take too long and the abandoned Medical Center would begin to deteriorate.
Anderson continued to insist that a more varied use for the complex would be best for the community and that the city should begin a comprehensive redevelopment plan immediately.
"I would like to see the plan done by 2004 when the hospital closes," said Anderson. "If the city puts this on the front burner, it will get done. If it doesn’t, it will not be done in time."