(The following story by Ronald Leir appeared on the Jersey Journal website on October 16.)
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — NJ Transit may be chugging ahead with construction of its newest Light Rail station in Bayonne, but it’s hoping it won’t be derailed by some unsettled real estate issues.
Asher Lipman, owner of a vacant North Street lot once occupied by Pagano’s supermarket, where he got city approvals two years ago to build 74 condominium apartments and some retail space, says he signed an agreement with NJ Transit a year ago to lease his property to the agency as a temporary “staging area” for its heavy construction equipment for the Light Rail project.
“But eight months after they signed the contract, they reneged on the agreement,” Lipman said. Instead, Lipman said, the agency took a piece of his property where it plans to place cement columns to support a section of elevated track.
Taking that land will eliminate two of the 147 on-site parking spaces proposed for his condominium development, Lipman said. That reduction, he said, means “that I don’t conform to the city zoning requirements for the project.”
Lipman will ask the city Zoning Board of Adjustment to approve an amended development plan on Monday night.
Meanwhile, the agency has taken – and demolished – two West Eighth Street commercial properties – a Burger King and STS Tire & Auto Center – located on land owned by ALD Realty of Bayonne, but has yet to compensate the owners.
NJ Transit Executive Director Richard Sarles declined comment on all “pending land acquisitions” yesterday.