Planning board approval clears way for 1.2M-square-foot project in Edgewater

A 1.2 million-square-foot development will transform an Edgewater site formerly owned by the Hess Oil Co., after the city’s Planning Board granted final approval for the project last week.

The plans from N.Y.-based The Maxal Group and partner Envirofinance Group for the 19-acre site at 615 River Road include the development of 1,200 apartments across three, 25-story towers in addition to 20,000 square feet of commercial space, according to a Dec. 13 announcement.

The project will also produce a 2-acre public park, a waterfront walkway that connects to the borough’s existing river walk, and ferry service to New York.

A 5-acre site is also being reserved for the potential construction of a new school.

In a statement, Maxal Group Managing Director Bruce Sturman said that the approval from the planning board cleared the way for his firm to begin the process of applying for building permits.

One-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will populate the three towers, with 180 units for affordable housing. The property will include 40,000 square feet of amenities.

Overall, the project’s design lends itself to creating the most open space, allowing for clear visual corridors to the Hudson River, and beyond to the New York City skyline, according to an announcement.

In an effort to alleviate traffic on River Road, the developers are proposing the construction of bus “super stops,” that would create loading lanes for north and south bound buses on the roadway.

“The 615 River Road project will be done with the same extraordinary attention to detail that can be found at our recent luxury residential project that we developed with Hartz Mountain Industries at 1500 Harbor Blvd. in Weehawken,” Sturman said.

New York-based architectural firm FXCollaborative is designing the three towers. Its projects include the NY Times Building.