Hartz Mountain cuts ribbon for luxury residential development
Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. and Roseland Management Property Company executives, along with local officials, held a special ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon for the new 116-unit luxury residential development Osprey Cove, which opened last month in Secaucus.
Located at 45 Meadowlands Parkway, Osprey Cove has views of the Hackensack River and sits on the shore of the 13,000 acre Meadowlands estuary preserve. The development is 32 percent occupied, and has pre-leased 57 of the 116 apartments, which range in price from $1,565 to $2,850. It includes studios and one and two-bedroom apartments. The building includes amenities such as a fitness center, on-site parking, free wi-fi, and a resident lounge with billiards and HDTVs.
“This represents a watershed moment as a developer and in partnership with Roseland,” said Emanuel Stern, president and CEO of Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. “I think it will be an asset to the town.” Stern credited Managing Partner Carl Goldberg of Roseland Property Company with being instrumental in helping the company learn the residential market.
“This is the first tangible benefit of the strategic partnership between Hartz and Roseland Properties,” said Goldberg. “We are proud to be entrusted with the management.”
Osprey Cove has LEED silver certification, which buildings receive for taking measures in sustainable design. The building was made with recycled materials “where possible” according to a press statement, has motion-detector lighting in all common areas and elevators, and energy efficient appliances.
Hartz Mountain Industries contributed toward the upgrading of Snipes Park, which sits adjacent to the development. The park has a new children’s playground, benches, running, and biking trails.
“It is a great example of what redevelopment means for the community,” said Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
Before the redevelopment, the property held outlet stores, and it once held a Loews theater.
Meadowlands Commission to hold hearing on firehouse expansion
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) will hold a public hearing on Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. at their headquarters in Lyndhurst on the variance application for the Washington Hook and Ladder firehouse expansion project.
The municipality has filed an application for relief from three zoning regulations. These include allowing the installation of two garage doors for fire truck use on the front of the building along County Avenue, increasing the maximum building coverage on the property from 40 to 50 percent, and addressing the lack of parking proposed on the premises.
The variances do not apply to moving a built-in grill pit or planting new trees, as was previously reported. Those were suggestions made as part of revisions to the expansion plans, according to NJMC.
The last time Secaucus applied for a variance from the NJMC was in 2001, according to NJMC records. Mayor Michael Gonnelli complained last month that Secaucus was being treated unfairly and had become a target of the commission because Gonnelli has complained about Secaucus’ share of the tax burden it pays to the NJMC (see previous stories on this issue).
The NJMC, a state agency, has jurisdiction over 88 percent of Secaucus, as well as over several other towns in the Meadowlands area.
See our letters page for one resident’s view on the firehouse issue.
Summer Spelling Bee at the library for kids 8 to 12 years old
A Summer Spelling Bee for kids between the ages of 8 to 12 will be held at the Secaucus Public Library on Aug. 20 starting at 11 a.m. Spelling Bee hosts include the library, Don Evanson, and the Rotary Club. Educational prizes for first, second and third place provided by Bhikhubhai Patel include passes to the Liberty Science Center, Turtle Back Zoo and Field Station: Dinosaurs. Recognition awards will be provided by the Rotary Club. Pre-registration, no later than 4 p.m. Aug. 17 is required. To register, call: (201) 330-2085 or email: Youth Services Librarian Lanora Melillo at splyouths@gmail.com.