In with the new Newport

Friday, June 2, 2006

By PRASHANT GOPAL
STAFF WRITER

JERSEY CITY -- The main developer of the landmark Newport office, retail and residential complex announced Thursday that it is adding four more glass-and-steel towers.

And Richard LeFrak -- whose late father, Sam LeFrak, broke ground on the Newport City complex on June 4, 1986 -- also announced Thursday that the LeFrak Organization will subsequently build additional buildings to extend the development to the Hoboken line.

Newport, which is credited with starting Jersey City's revival 20 years ago, now consists of nine high-rise rental apartment buildings with 3,476 units and two condo buildings with 659 units. It also includes a 1.2 million-square-foot shopping mall, 5 million square feet of office space, outdoor shops, restaurants, parks, a swim club and fitness center, private schools, a Marriott Hotel and a marina. The development sits right outside the Newport/Pavonia PATH station.

The four buildings announced Thursday include The Ellipse, a 325-apartment tower with a glass-and-steel elliptical design; The Aqua, a 363-unit, 31-story apartment building; a 429-room Westin Hotel; and the 28-story, 220-unit Shore Club Condominiums at Newport North Tower (the south tower already is under construction).

The developer celebrated the 20th anniversary of Newport on Thursday with the groundbreaking of the hotel.

"They started a snowball running, and it started here in Newport," Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said during the ceremony.

Richard LeFrak said Thursday that by the time his company builds out the complex, there will be 9,000 residential units.

He was joined Thursday by a long list of dignitaries, including Governor Corzine, former Gov. Jim Florio and U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Richard LeFrak's son, Harrison T. LeFrak, 34, said he attended the groundbreaking 20 years ago and couldn't imagine at the time that abandoned rail terminals and river piers could be transformed into a bustling community, now home to more than 8,000 residents.

He said Newport has developed its own identity, so much so that residents of nearby developments also identify themselves as Newport residents.

Sonia Maldonado of the Newport Waterfront Association said she moved to the development from Manhattan nine years ago.

"It has the sophistication of Manhattan," Maldonado said.

"But it's laid back enough that it has a suburban feel."