It’s a first for Bayonne, and an indicator of in-state growth for a Garden State company catering to a unique cluster of residents occupying multifamily properties: pets.
Bay 151 is officially a “Bark Building,” offering pet-friendly amenities and services to enhance the life of not only the building’s human residents, but their furry friends, too, Kushner Real Estate Group announced May 9.
Pet amenity and service company Bark Buildings was founded in Jersey City in 2016. And while more than a dozen residential buildings there already offer the company’s enhanced pet packages, the designation for The KRE Group‘s collection of 413 luxury rental residences on the Bayonne peninsula marks the company’s first expansion in the Garden State. It has been focused on national growth, in places like Nashville, Austin, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
“We’re excited to expand the many the pet-friendly amenities we offer at Bay 151 by becoming Bayonne’s first ‘Bark Building,’” said The KRE Group Regional Leasing Manager Mary Cricco.
Currently, the property includes multiple dog runs and a dog-washing station.
“Bay 151 is attracting residents who want to live a well-connected, amenity-rich lifestyle on the Bayonne waterfront, and for many of them, the pet-friendly atmosphere is a big part of their decision to live here,” Cricco continued. “Bark Buildings will be a great addition to the community.”
Pop-up pet photo studios are part of the new Bark Buildings pet amenity program at Bay 151 in Bayonne. – ALYSSA KI
According to Bark Buildings Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Danit Zivan, the company was excited for the chance to enter nearby Bayonne after partnering with KRE in Jersey City.
“We’ve been working with them for two-and-a-half years and we are in all of their Jersey City buildings,” she said. “So naturally, when the opportunity to expand into Bayonne at a KRE Group-owned building came up, we jumped.”
Bay 151 includes more than 65,000 square feet of amenity space at its 16-acre location on the waterfront in Bayonne. As part of this expansion of pet services, KRE Group and Bark Buildings will add new signage including pet parenting tips and information on pet etiquette. A pet concierge is available to residents to offer up information on day care in the area, dog-walking providers, training or behavior advice, product recommendations and pet adoption assistance.
In addition to catering to “man’s best friend,” Bark Buildings at Bay 151 will also offer services for cats, and for dogs who aren’t into socializing.
A “Pet of the Month” program will launch soon, KRE said, with winners’ photos featured throughout the building. Bark Buildings will also host events, including pop-up photo studios, dog park takeovers, parties and more.
According to Zivan, the services don’t just benefit residents with pets. “In the end, this program benefits everyone because the residents are better pet owners, they’re happier and they’re more likely to stay if their pet is happy too,” she said.
Bay 151 launched pre-leasing for Phase 2 in November 2021, which added more than 200 units to the property. Monthly rents start from $1,960.
