From left: Lloyd Goldman and a rendering of 110 First Street
The newest dispute surrounding development of Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District comes in the form of a Lloyd Goldman-backed 500-unit high-end development that, in its latest incarnation, would not be required to include affordable housing inside, the Wall Street Journal reported. However, some City Council members and locals say they think this development will prove to be the final blow to a district where officials had promised to create a safe haven for artists through the inclusion of cheap lofts.
Negotiations are still on the table to keep the affordable housing option within the district, but a decision is still weeks away.
“We’re an artists’ district by name only,” Kevin Pollack, who lives in the area and is on the board of the Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association, told the Journal, “especially if we get rid of the affordable housing.”
But according to Goldman, there will be affordable housing development, albeit offsite. He said his tower at 110 First Street would bring new development to a vacant area, as well as new residents, construction jobs and tax revenues that boost the economy. Originally, he had agreed to create 50 units of affordable housing at 110 First Street, half on-site and half off. But now, city officials said, he will contribute $2.5 million to construct 25 cheaper units off-site in the Heights neighborhoods. [WSJ]
