Hoboken / Manhattan Real Estate Blog

Developer gets approval for city’s first ’sustainable architecture’ project; will convert ‘Coconut Building’
By Tom Jennemann
Reporter staff writer

Developers and Mother Nature haven’t always been the best of friends. But in recent years, there has been a push by many in the development community to look for more environmentally sensitive ways to construct buildings. The movement, called “green architecture,” has now made its way to Hoboken after the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment recently approved developer Lawrence Bijou of the Teaneck-based Bijou Properties LLC to build 30 “green” loft-style units and 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail at the site of a vacant 80-year-old warehouse at the corner of 14th and Garden streets.

According to Bijou, it’s will be the first certified “green” building in Hoboken, and one of the first residential “green” buildings in New Jersey.

What does it mean to be green?

Green architecture is a method of design that minimizes the impact of building on the environment. Once thought of as an unconventional fringe form of development, green architecture is quickly gaining acceptance into the mainstream by both state and federal agencies, as well as by the public.

According to Bijou, for a building to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification, it must take several categories into consideration, including sustainability, materials, water management, energy efficiency, land use, and waste reduction.

The U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit based out of Washington D.C., is the nation’s leading organization representing the development community on environmental building matters, and it rates and certifies environmentally friendly buildings throughout the United States.

“I’m conservation-minded, and as a real estate developer, you’re always interested in what’s new out there,” Bijou said. “This is a movement that is quickly gaining in popularity, and I think this is a building that is going to be a real benefit to the citizens of Hoboken and will serve the community well.”

Bijou has assembled a project team specializing in this type of development, including the Manhattan-based ShoP Architects, PC as design architects and Buro Happold as the project engineers. The two firms will coordinate with local architect Dean Marchetto Architects, PC.

According to Bijou, his experts are still putting the final touches on the design, but should be ready to begin work in several months. Once construction begins, it will take about a year to complete.

Sustainability and materials

According to Bijou, green buildings are not only designed for a present use, but consider past and future uses as well. The theory is that it’s not a good idea to raze a building if it’s possible to recycle the one that’s already there.

Currently on the site is a five-story warehouse, which is commonly known by locals as the “Coconut Building.” The building has been vacant for over a decade. Bijou said that he doesn’t exactly know why it’s called the Coconut Building, but he pointed out that over the loading dock are the faded words “Coconut Desiccation.” He said that it is likely that at one point, coconuts arriving at the loading docks were processed and dried for packaging.

Instead of tearing down this historic vestige, which Bijou said would be a waste of materials, he plans to keep the building’s outer brick façade intact, gut the interior, and add two stories to the top of the building.

“The reuse of an existing building maintains the architectural integrity of the neighborhood, as well as reducing the environmental impacts associated with the production and transport of new building products,” said Bijou. He added that the new construction will include environmentally preferable materials that contain highly recycled content and are manufactured locally. When wood is used, it must be from certified forests.

Water efficiency

Some of the buildings’ most innovative features have to do with water conservation. The roof of the building will be planted with a grassy surface, which in addition to providing an urban landscape, said Bijou, will reduce peak runoff of storm water, dust associated with urban airflow, and glare and heat islands. In addition, solar hot water collectors on the roof will provide alternative means to meet domestic hot water needs.

There also will be rainwater collection bins that will be used for landscape irrigation.

Bijou added that there will be potable water use reduction through the installation of low flow plumbing fixtures.

Energy efficiency

According to Bijou, another important aspect of green design is the integration of energy-efficient mechanical systems and conservation methods. Green buildings are designed to reduce or eliminate the dependence on fossil fuels, he said.

According to the building’s plans, an underground geothermal system is being considered for the central plant. This means that ground loops will be installed below the below the building, which means that there isn’t a need for an inefficient rooftop cooling system.

Also, the development will be achieved through the installation of energy star-rated appliances in all residential units.

Bijou added that there will also be a “high performance building envelope” which will reduce the energy associated with heating and cooling. He said that this can be achieved through good, high quality insulation, tight construction, and special “low-emissivity” coatings on the building’s windows.

Survey ranks it 11th in the nation for sensational singles scene; NYC is 18th

Thursday, February 10, 2005

By Molly Bloom
Journal staff writer

Forget New York. Jersey City is the town that puts the “city” in “Sex in the City,” according to a recent survey by Sperling’s Best Places, a company that rates cities in various categories.

Jersey City is one of the best American cities for singles, ranked 11th, seven places ahead of New York City, according to the Sperling survey.

In the survey, which was commissioned by the AXE deodorant company, the best place to have a “good time” is Austin, Tex., which has the nation’s highest percentage of 18-to 24-year-olds with money to burn on dates and drinks.

Sperling’s “America’s Best and Worst Cities for Dating” survey used 24 criteria to come up with its list of 80 cities, including population density, percentage of singles, frequency of hooking up, number of dating venues such as coffee shops and bars, and number of intimate

apparel stores and flowers and jewelry bought as gifts, the company said.

“It seems that Downtown Jersey City has a pretty close-knit group of people,” said Michael Buzon, a bartender at L.I.T.M., a Downtown bar. “Every city’s got beautiful people and every city’s got ugly people. I’ve seen more brush-offs than I’ve seen people go home together.”

Hoboken, with its high concentration of young, single professionals, didn’t make the top 80, which surprised its mayor, David Roberts.

“From what I can observe, I don’t think it can get much better than Hoboken for singles,” said Roberts, who urged The Jersey Journal to note that he has been “happily married” for 20 years. “When I walk down the street, from the look of things, they’re all having a good time.”

Jersey City was the only city in the state to make the survey’s top 80.

Several customers interviewed yesterday at Dorrian’s, a bar in the Newport section of Jersey City, seemed surprised by the ranking.

“I was shocked,” said Joe Plessner, who was having a drink there after work last night.

Another patron, Sandy, who asked that her last name not be used, has been in town from Chicago for work for the past week.

“I’ve seen plenty of cute guys, but I’ve been tied down with work so I haven’t met any of them,” she said, adding diplomatically, “I think there are great people everywhere.”

Though Jersey City’s relatively high ranking as a singles Mecca may surprise some, demographic conditions in Hudson County are ripe for success.

With the county’s high population density - 13,046.6 people per square mile - and high percentage of singles - 56 percent of county residents over 15 are unmarried or separated, compared to 47 percent nationally, according to the 2000 Census - its relatively high ranking makes more sense.

“I’m glad folks are having fun and finding good company here in Jersey City,” said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy in a written statement.

“This city has a lot to offer with its diverse community, great waterfront development and scenery, and its proximity to New York City. There are definitely a lot of attractive things to find and look forward to here in Jersey City.”

His press secretary, Maria Pignataro, an attractive, 30-something brunette, wasn’t so sure.

“That survey’s crazy,” she said. “Listen, I’m single, and I don’t meet anyone here.”