Bayonne may see more retail outlets on Route 440 if a plan considered by the City Council and Planning Board moves forward.
A City Council special meeting was called on Nov. 5 following a caucus session to consider a resolution authorizing reconsideration of the redevelopment plan for the 6.4-acre tract in the southern section of the Bayonne Crossings Shopping Center.
“It’s the remaining chunk of” of the property housing the shopping center, said city spokesman Joseph Ryan. “It’s been used for rock crushing.”
The property is owned by the Alessi Organization, according to the city.
The project would be small in scale and would likely include a Quick Chek convenience store, an Auto Zone outlet, possibly a gas station, and another retail business or two.
The new shopping center would be separate from the Bayonne Crossings strip mall that includes a Wal-Mart, Lowe’s home improvement store, and Longhorn steakhouse.
“This was the last piece of it, what was privately owned,” city planner Sue Mack said.
The Alessi Organization would develop the project themselves, Ryan said.
Access to and from the proposed development would be from the eastern side of Route 440 and from East 22nd Street. There would be no entry to the new strip mall from the existing one.
“There would be no direct access into the shopping center,” Mack said. “This would be a stand-alone in front.”
Mack has already spoken to the state Department of Transportation about a “right in” and “right out” for the shopping center.
“The municipality’s point of view would be tax ratables, jobs, and a cleaner kind of business there.” – Joe Ryan
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Mack said she reviewed the 2009 plan for the area for changes that would allow the gas station, something that was not part of the plan of five years ago. Now that portion of the proposal would be a go.
“There’s no impediment to having a gas station,” Mack said. “The prohibition no longer exists.”
The city originally approved the Bayonne Crossings plans in 2005, and the center was one of the few in the state completed during the recession.
“The municipality’s point of view would be tax ratables, jobs, and a cleaner kind of business there,” Ryan said.
On Nov. 19, Mack said the next steps were for the plans to be sent to the Planning Board, and then to the City Council for a first reading. A public hearing would then be held on Dec. 10. The plans could then be adopted by the City Council after a second reading.
The approval would likely take effect 20 days after the second reading, unless the time period was waived, according to Mack.
The project would then go to the January or February Planning Board meeting for site approval, she said.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.