The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Is Seeking Market Interest in a Jackson Hill Redevelopment Area Redevelopment Opportunity
- JCRA MISSION STATEMENT
The staff and Board of Commissioners of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (the “Agency”) are committed to stimulating responsible reinvestment in the City of Jersey City (the “City”) that enhances the quality of life in all neighborhoods and communities of the City. We believe that the strength and health of a great city is the economic, housing, and quality of life opportunities that the city provides to its residents. The Agency is committed to providing the residents of the City with the widest range of jobs, housing, and economic opportunities available to any city in the country today. We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for all the residents of the City by guiding responsible development and reinvestment in all neighborhoods and communities in the City.
- BACKGROUND
The Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan Area covers a 2.3-mile-long commercial corridor connecting McGinley Square to Greenville. The corridor is centered within the southern half of Jersey City, running along the Palisades’ ridge line. It is therefore a strategic corridor for the provision of neighborhood services, amenities, and employment. Near the center point of the MLK-Monticello corridor is “The Hub,” an area envisioned to be a mixed-use center where the commercial main street intersects with the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System at the MLK Drive Station. This center point at the light rail station has the potential to serve as a transit-oriented development center where the greatest housing, employment, and services opportunities can be located to benefit the surrounding neighborhoods and energize the nearby commercial streets.
The Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan seeks to revitalize this commercial corridor by leveraging the light rail station and The Hub development parcels, as well as the corridor’s central location in the southern half of the City. The plan preserves the many unique and historic structures along the corridor that establishes the mixed-use character and pedestrian orientation of this community. Where opportunities for infill development exist, the plan allows for graduated building height controls that incentivize private consolidation of underutilized parcels and permit additional housing and employment opportunity to help support the primarily walk-in businesses along Jersey City’s longest commercial corridor.
The Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan (hereinafter referred to as the “Area”) contains 83 acres, 609 individual parcels and roughly 35 blocks was developed to incorporate the Martin Luther King Drive, Monticello Avenue and parts of the Green Villa Redevelopment Plans into one, comprehensive yet succinct development guideline for the Area. The Area is centered on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Monticello Avenue from Fairmount Avenue at the north and McAdoo Avenue at the south incorporating parts of Communipaw Avenue and the area referred to as The Hub (hereinafter referred to as the “Corridor”). The land use of the corridor is mainly 3-story mixed use but also includes: one- and two-family residential, government uses, auto-oriented retail, grocery stores, auto repair, restaurant category 3, schools, houses of worship, and multi-family apartments at a variety of building heights.
The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency seeks qualified developers or redevelopment teams (“Respondents“) to respond to this Request for Expressions of Interest (“RFEI“) with submissions for conceptual redevelopment proposals and statements of their qualifications to redevelop properties within the City of Jersey City (the “City”) that are identified on the tax maps of the City as:
| Block |
Lot |
Street Address |
| 24903 |
20 |
115 Martin Luther King Dr. |
| 24903 |
19 |
121 Martin Luther King Dr. |
| 24903 |
21 |
186 Woodlawn Ave. |
| 24903 |
22 |
188 Woodlawn Ave. |
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(the “Redevelopment Site”). The Redevelopment Site is within the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Area.
The Agency is seeking submissions for conceptual redevelopment proposals for the Redevelopment Site that will allow for the development of the subject properties and the construction of a mixed-use development that complies with the objectives and requirements outlined in the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan.
The Agency seeks to identify Respondents with the ability and capacity to commence redevelopment of the area and construct a mixed-use development that complies with the objectives and requirements outlined in the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan on a portion of the Redevelopment Site. Respondents should demonstrate a broad background of real estate, development and financing experience, including successful past experience with similar private/public development ventures.
All submissions are prepared at the cost and expense of the prospective purchaser/developer who proposes a project in response to the RFEI. The Agency is not responsible for paying for any of the costs or expenses associated with the preparation of responsive submissions.
Proposals must include a proposed purchase price for the Redevelopment Site, and must reflect the current fair market value of the Redevelopment Site. Respondent should not rely on the information contained in this RFEI, but instead should conduct their own investigation and inquiry regarding the Redevelopment Site and independently assure themselves of the conditions and regulations affecting the Redevelopment Site, including but not limited to environmental conditions. The Agency will consider proposals that include financial incentives but the Agency does not guarantee that such financial incentives will be awarded. The following documents referenced in this section are attached to this RFEI for informational purposes only:
Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan (Appendix A)
- REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
The successful Respondent (the “Redeveloper”) will be required to make a request to be designated a Successor Redeveloper, and if so designated, to enter into a Redevelopment Agreement with the Agency.
The Redeveloper or its designee will be expected to execute a project labor agreement prior to or concurrent with the execution of the Redevelopment Agreement. The Redeveloper and its agents and/or contractors may be required to enter into other agreements if required by ordinance of the City or as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the Agency to implement the project, including but not limited to a purchase and sale agreement. Neither the Agency’s acceptance of a proposal nor the Agency’s conditional designation of successful Respondent as a Redeveloper will create any rights or obligations regarding such Respondent until the full execution of the Redevelopment Agreement. The Agency will have the option to terminate negotiation of a Redevelopment Agreement at any time without cause, including on the basis that the Agency is not satisfied with the progress of negotiations.
The successful Respondent shall have no cause of action or right to damages arising from the termination of negotiations with the Respondent prior to the Agency’s execution of a Redevelopment Agreement with the Respondent.
The Redevelopment Agreement is expected to follow the Agency’s form agreement, including but not limited to the following terms, among others, subject to negotiation in consultation with counsel and approval by the Agency’s Board of Commissioners:
(A) The Redeveloper shall adhere to a commencement date and completion date for the project, which the parties will establish in the Redevelopment Agreement.
(B) The Redeveloper will be responsible for any costs incurred by the Agency in negotiating or administering the Redevelopment Agreement, as well as any other costs associated with the project, including, but not limited to, legal fees, engineering fees, architectural fees, fees of professional consultants, etc. This requirement will be included in both a Funding Agreement prior to approval and execution of the Redevelopment Agreement and the Redevelopment Agreement itself. In addition, the Redeveloper will be responsible for paying annual administrative fees to the Agency in accordance with the Agency’s fee schedule established by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.
(C) As conditions precedent to transfer of the Redevelopment Site (or portion thereof), the Redevelopment Agreement will require that the Redeveloper has submitted to the Agency, and the Agency shall have approved, the following: a) engineering surveys; b) final development plans, including Redeveloper specifications and bids (if applicable); and c) the Redeveloper’s commitments for debt and equity capital in an amount sufficient to finance acquisition of the Redevelopment Site and redevelopment of the Redevelopment Site in accordance with the approved plans.
(D) The Redeveloper, upon transfer of the Redevelopment Site (or portion thereof), will pay all taxes and municipal charges (e.g., water and sewer) as and where applicable.
(E) The Redeveloper, upon transfer of the Redevelopment Site, will be responsible for securing the Redevelopment Site and maintaining reasonable and necessary security within the Redevelopment Site and the immediate surrounding area.
(F) The Redeveloper will be responsible for obtaining any and all necessary approvals, permits and licenses for the construction and lawful operation of the project. This also includes any government approvals of the City of Jersey City and the State of New Jersey.
(G) The Redeveloper will affirm that it has sufficient financial resources to undertake the project.
(H) During the construction of the project, the Redeveloper will be required to carry at least $5,000,000.00 in general liability insurance coverage and $2,000,000.00 in property damage liability insurance coverage, and replacement value in fire and casualty coverage, or such other insurances at such levels and from providers of such financial strength as are customary for similar projects in the surrounding area. The City and the Agency shall be named as Additional Insureds on such policies.
(I) The Redeveloper must comply with all City, State and Federal laws relating to access for persons with disabilities.
(J) The Redeveloper shall be responsible for obtaining all required land use approvals, including preliminary and final site plan approvals.
(K) Inspectors from the Agency may visit the Redevelopment Site unannounced on business days between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to inspect operations and determine whether Redeveloper is in compliance with the terms of the Redevelopment Agreement.
(L) The Redeveloper shall acknowledge and represent to the Agency that, except as may be expressly provided in the Redevelopment Agreement to the contrary, the Redeveloper has not and will not rely upon any representations or warranties of the Agency, its agents, servants or employees, either written or oral, express or implied, as to the Redevelopment Site’s value, use, conditions, quality, environmental condition, fitness for any particular use or any other representation whatsoever, it being agreed and understood that the Redeveloper would acquire the Site in its “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” condition, with all faults, including but not limited to any environmental concerns which may or may not be present within the Redevelopment Area. The Agency does not make any representations or warranties regarding the legal ability of the Redevelopment Site to be used for any particular use.
(M) The Redeveloper shall comply, and to the extent applicable, require the tenants to comply, with the requirements of the Living Wage Ordinance, Section 3-76 of the Jersey City Municipal Code concerning required wage, benefit and leave standards for building service workers. All leases executed by the Redeveloper, as landlords, shall set forth a requirement that such tenant is required to comply with Section 3-76 of the Jersey City Municipal Code.
(N) The Redeveloper shall enter into a labor peace agreement with a union for property service workers prior to the execution of a Redevelopment Agreement.
(O) Redeveloper shall be subject to certain transfer restrictions and shall agree to execute and record a Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions upon execution of the Redevelopment Agreement and acquisition of the Redevelopment Site (or portion thereof).
The Agency reserves the right to add, omit and/or amend the above terms prior to entry into the Redevelopment Agreement with the Redeveloper. Respondents, however, should assume that all of the above terms will be requirements of the Redevelopment Agreement for purposes of responding to this RFP.
- ABOUT THIS RFEI
The Agency issues this RFEI pursuant to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1, et seq. (the “Redevelopment Law”). Any successful Respondent is required to develop the Redevelopment Site in accordance with the Redevelopment Law and as set forth in a Redevelopment Agreement with the Agency.
All submissions are prepared at the cost and expense of the prospective purchaser/developer who proposes a project in response to the RFEI. The Agency is not responsible for paying any costs or expenses associated with the preparation of responsive submissions.
Respondent and its contractors and subcontractors must at all times comply with all applicable obligations pursuant to The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditure Reporting Act, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-1, et seq., and any local or municipal restrictions adopted in accordance with said Act, including but not necessarily limited to Ordinance No. 08-128 of the City of Jersey City, “Contractor Pay-To-Play Reform Ordinance,” adopted September 3, 2008 and Ordinance No. 09- 096 of the City of Jersey City, “Redevelopment Pay-To-Play Reform Ordinance,” adopted September 9, 2009.
This RFEI constitutes an invitation for responsive submissions to the Agency and does not represent an offer, obligation or agreement on the part of the Agency. The Agency reserves the right to protect the best interests of the Agency and the City, to waive any technical errors, to request clarification of any submission, to reject any submission (or any part thereof) for any reason whatsoever, or to reject all submissions for any reason whatsoever. The Agency reserves the right at any time to withdraw this RFEI or modify the schedule or requirements set forth herein.
The Agency reserves the right, if it is deemed to be in the public interest, to enter directly into negotiations with one or more Respondents, or to reissue a request for proposals in order to advance the planning and disposition process. This RFEI does not commit the Agency and/or the City to any disposition process or to enter into negotiations with any Respondent. While every effort has been made to provide accurate factual information within this RFEI regarding the Redevelopment Area, including the Redevelopment Site, the Agency is not bound by any of the statements or assumptions set forth herein.
Any successful Respondent is required to comply with requirements of the Law Against Discrimination, P.L. 1975, Ch. 127, N.J.A.C. 10:5-31, et seq., the Affirmative Action Rules, N.J.A.C. 17:27-1.1, et seq, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §2101, et seq.
Respondent and its contractors and subcontractors must at all times comply with all applicable obligations pursuant to The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditure Reporting Act, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-1, et seq., and any local or municipal restrictions adopted in accordance with said Act, including but not necessarily limited to Ordinance No. 08-128 of the City of Jersey City, “Contractor Pay-To-Play Reform Ordinance,” adopted September 3, 2008 and Ordinance No. 09-096 of the City of Jersey City, “Redevelopment Pay-To-Play Reform Ordinance,” adopted September 9, 2009.
This RFEI constitutes an invitation for responsive submissions to the Agency, and does not represent an offer, obligation or agreement on the part of the Agency. The Agency reserves the right to protect the best interests of the Agency and the City, to waive any technical errors, to reject any submission (or any part thereof) for any reason whatsoever, or to reject all submission for any reason whatsoever. The Agency reserves the right at any time to withdraw this RFEI or modify the schedule or requirements set forth herein.
Questions regarding this RFEI or the Redevelopment Site should be submitted via email to: Victoria Bonners at vbonners@jcnj.org with a copy to Timothy P. Smith, Esq. at tim.smith@klrw.law no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, September 19, 2025. Responses to questions will be posted on the Agency website on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Respondents should check the Agency’s website periodically for updates to this RFEI as well as any responses to questions (https://thejcra.org).
The Agency reserves the right, if it is deemed to be in the public interest, to enter directly into negotiations with one or more Respondents, or to issue a “request for proposals” in order to advance the planning and disposition process. This RFEI does not commit the Agency to any disposition process or to enter into negotiations with any Respondent. While every effort has been made to provide accurate factual information within this RFEI regarding the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Area, including the Redevelopment Site, the Agency is not bound by any of the statements or assumptions set forth herein.
The Agency does not make any representations or warranties regarding the condition of the Redevelopment Site, its suitability for any particular use, or the legal ability of the Redevelopment Site to be used for any particular use. Respondent should not rely on the information contained in this RFEI, but instead should conduct their own investigation and inquiry regarding the Redevelopment Site, and independently assure themselves of the environmental conditions and regulations affecting the Redevelopment Site.
- DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The Agency seeks development submissions which maximize the Redevelopment Site’s potential and benefit and complement the surrounding area. Specifically, the Agency seeks proposals for the Redevelopment Site which address one or more of the following:
- Creation of new employment opportunities,
- Creation of new development opportunities,
- Maximization of economic value to the Agency and the City,
- Redevelopment of the site in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Jackson Hill Plan, and
- Construction of a mixed-use development that complies with the objectives and requirements outlined in the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan.
If the proposed project includes a residential component, the Respondent should include either some affordable housing or some senior housing. Respondents should otherwise consider the Redevelopment Site a “blank slate.”
The Agency will consider a submission that includes financial incentives and a contribution of Agency-owned land, but the Agency does not guaranty that such financial incentives will be awarded or that the Agency will contribute Agency owned land.
VII. RFEI SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
General Requirements and Deadlines:
Respondent must supply three (3) paper copies and one (1) electronic copy (on CD, PDF or USB drive format preferred) of their submission. All submissions must be delivered no later than 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, 4 Jackson Square, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302. Submissions may be submitted in person or may be sent by U.S. certified mail return receipt requested, or by private courier service. The AGENCY shall not be responsible for the loss, non-delivery, or physical condition of submissions sent by mail or courier service. Emailed submissions will not be accepted.
All submissions will become the property of the Agency and will not be returned to the Respondent.
For further information, contact Victoria Bonners at vbonners@jcnj.org.
The following dates shall apply to the RFEI response process.
| Issuance of RFEI |
September 8, 2025 |
| RFEI Questions Due |
September 19, 2025 |
| Agency Responses to RFEI Questions Posted on Agency Website |
September 25, 2025 |
| RFEI Submission Due to the Agency |
October 7, 2025 |
Submissions Requirements:
- Development Team
Respondents should identify their development team (the “Development Team”).
For key Development Team members, identify the following:
- An overview of each Development Team member, describing general experience with details on years of operation, number of projects, range of urban and architectural project sizes and budgets, awards, prizes, citations, etc.
- Name, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of each Development Team member.
- Qualifications & Experience
Respondents must clearly demonstrate qualifications in completing the type of development contemplated in the Respondents’ submission and prior experience and success with such projects, including information about such projects. Local and/or regional experience should also be highlighted, particularly where local and New Jersey-based partners have been included. Respondents should include the following for each project identified:
- Project summary, including project name, address, size, total development cost, project team members (including project principals), and date of completion.
- Brief physical description (may include photograph, site plan, or rendering in appendices).
- A submission should include three municipal references, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses for municipal references directly involved with projects presented in qualifications section.
- Development Approach
Respondents are required to submit a site-specific development proposal for the Redevelopment Site.
- Concept Plan: Respondents must provide a concept plan and diagram and a narrative that describes the Respondent’s overall vision for the Redevelopment Site. All submissions should meet all the zoning and planning requirements of the Jackson Hill Redevelopment Plan, however, as previously stated the Agency will entertain concept plans that will require amendments to the existing Redevelopment Plan.
- Project Phasing Plan: Respondents must outline their implementation strategy, including a description of the phasing plan for the overall project.
- Government Responsibilities: The Respondent should specifically describe the expectations relating to the responsibilities and/or commitments the Respondent is expecting of the Agency and/or the City throughout the life of the proposed project.
- Financial Feasibility
Respondents should provide a preliminary project financial framework plan for the redevelopment proposal. The financial framework plan should consist of order-of-magnitude projections and a description of sources and uses, a hard and soft cost budget and an operating pro forma through project stabilization for each project component (retail, residential, office, parking, etc.). Sufficient preliminary information should be provided for the Agency to determine the proposed project’s financial underpinnings and ability to be self-sustaining. Respondents should indicate whether they anticipate the feasibility of their proposal will be dependent upon the contribution of Agency-owned land and/or financial incentives.
VIII. RFEI SELECTION PROCESS
Evaluation Process
The Agency will evaluate RFEI responses based on their completeness, feasibility, responsiveness to the RFEI requirements and redevelopment goals described herein, the strength of the development approach, innovation of the proposal, and the Respondent’s comparable past experience and capacity to successfully complete the proposed project.
The Agency will evaluate submissions based on the following key criteria:
- Development Team Qualifications, Comparable Experience and Capacity
- Vision and Quality of Development Approach
- Financial Feasibility and Capacity
- Implementation Strategy
The Agency reserves the right to:
- Select a short list of Respondents
- Enter into exclusive negotiations with selected Respondent with the intent of entering into a redevelopment agreement
- Request more detailed offers leading to final Respondent selection/negotiation
- Request additional information from any Respondent
- Issue a formal request for proposals, or
- Take no action
Legal Disclaimers:
- Respondents are responsible for ensuring that responses to this RFEI are compliant with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations and ordinances.
- Respondents acknowledge that the preparation and submission of responses is at their own risk and expense, and in no event may they seek reimbursement or contribution from the Agency.
- In an effort to foster the timely redevelopment of the Redevelopment Site, each Respondent acknowledges that by submitting a response to this RFEI, such Respondent waives its right to file or maintain, through itself or any other party with which it is affiliated, any action or proceeding challenging determinations made by the Agency pursuant to this RFEI.
- The successful Respondent must have sufficient monetary resources to provide for all predevelopment costs associated with the proposed project. The Agency will not provide any funding to pay for predevelopment costs including, but not limited to, architectural and engineering fees, legal fees, environmental reports or testing, financing and syndication costs, and surveys.
- Designation of a successful Respondent as redeveloper for the proposed project will not create any rights whatsoever in the successful Respondent until the execution by the Agency of a redevelopment agreement, if any.
- The Agency in its sole discretion will have the option to terminate negotiations at any time if not satisfied with the progress of negotiations.
- The Agency reserves the right to reject all submissions.
