Area 5 West Developer to Move a Step Closer to Approval Monday
Officials will continue to scrutinize the mixed-use site plan Monday for the western half of Redevelopment Area 5, including its commercial space, hotel, residential and parking. We want to know how you feel about the hearings so far.
The Fort Lee Planning Board will hold the third of four scheduled special meetings Monday on Tucker Development Corporation’s site plan for the roughly eight-acre West parcel of Redevelopment Area 5, otherwise known as “Hudson Lights at Fort Lee.”
Tucker is seeking final approval of its plan for more than 165,000 square feet of retail space—enough for about 20 stores and a few restaurants—a 175-room hotel, about 477 residential units and parking for an estimated 1,200 cars.
The previous two meetings—one on April 23, and another on May 7—have largely focused on signage and traffic, respectively.
Tucker has estimated that the “Hudson Lights” project would add 560 to 1,200 “car trips” during peak weekday hours and as many as 1,500 such trips during Saturday peak hours.
The sign variances requested by the developer would go a long way toward attracting high-end retailers, the developer contends.
The mixed-used development would be “appropriate in dignity, scope and accommodating the esthetics of the town,” said Tucker attorney Francis Giantomasi at the April 23 meeting.
“We think it is historically important for Fort Lee,” Giantomasi said.
Although the meeting on May 7 ended before people had the chance to question Tucker’s traffic expert, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich last week urged people to attend Monday’s meeting.
“On May 14, there will be a continued meeting on the Tucker development, which is more commonly referred to as the West parcel,” Sokolich said Thursday. “That’s the parcel that’s going to be the mixed used parcel—approximately 168,000 square feet of retail.”
Sokolich added, “We encourage you to invite as many people as possible; there will be continued testimony, continued presentation of that application.”
In March, the board approved Fort Lee Redevelopment Associates (FLRA)’s site plan for the East parcel of the long-vacant, 16-acre Redevelopment Area 5. The plan, which the board approved unanimously, includes two 47-story towers with 902 luxury residential units, a 1.7-acre public park, a restaurant and a small movie theater, among other amenities.
Taken together, the two plans—Tucker’s for the West parcel, and FLRA’s for the East—are estimated to be about a $1 billion investment in the 16 acres of land just south of the George Washington Bridge that Sokolich has repeatedly emphasized have been “vacant and fallow” for more than 45 years.
The borough has a documents repository on its website for both FLRA and Tucker.
The Fort Lee Planning Board meets Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Lee Community Center at 1355 Inwood Terrace.
Howard L. Pearl
10:11 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Instead of worrying about renaming Martha Washington Way to Park Place) or Ave., maybe we should rename Lemoine Avenue. We can call it the Midtown Tunnel because that may be the appropriate description for the potential traffic problems.
Jack B Goode
12:16 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
With all the pedestrian/traffic issues in Fort Lee, the only logical conclusion (in Bizzaroland) is to approve a project that will bring a significant increase in population and road traffic.
Mickey Miller
2:34 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
At this point all i can say is remember the names of the politicians and planning board members who pushed this project down our throats.In fact a large sign with all the members who voted yes should be placed on Lemoine Ave for all to see!
I can't see them objecting to this if they are truly proud of their yes vote
If they really want to know if the citizens of Fort Lee agree with building this project.....let's put it to a vote, the democratic way
Luca D.
3:18 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
When the governing body is made up of realtors, real estate lawyers, an owner of the New York Waterways and a mayor who has a half a million dollar investment in a local bank who finances these projects and whose brother owns a real estate company, where do you think their interests lie?
William Mays
6:33 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
What is it with these shock statements Luca?
Luca D.
11:15 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Realty is so painful for those on the public dole.
Keith Jensen
5:15 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
If anyone can come by the Republican Club meeting tomorrow, Tuesday at 7pm at the Fort Lee VFW Hall, I'd appreciate it as I am very interested what transpires at this meeting tonight from your perspective ijn case I don't make it there tonight. www.fortleegop.org
John Ford
5:39 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Build some thing it's been 40 years that lot has been empty.
Jack B Goode
8:02 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
"Tucker has estimated that the “Hudson Lights” project would add 560 to 1,200 “car trips” during peak weekday hours and as many as 1,500 such trips during Saturday peak hours".speaks for itself
Nili talis
7:38 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Get with the times people. This project sounds amazing and gets us young families excited for our vision of fort lees porential to become a reality. Let's break ground and bring some energy into fort lee!
William Mays
9:32 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I agree, this place smells of old people, someone needs to fix this place up and this development seems to be a good starting point. Not to mention the business it will bring to all of the businesses around here.
Mickey Miller
6:11 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
You just dis-respected a generation, probably the greatest generation this country ever had. Right now you are not smelling too good !
William Mays
7:43 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Uh oh, I'm in trouble aren't I? Oh noes, maybe I'll go to hell.
Mickey Miller
11:16 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Worse.....you'll go back to being you !