Home Care In Riverton, NJ

Long-discussed transformation project along Raritan River will feature mix of housing, retail, entertainment and office

Updated

By

ROI-NJ Staff(Sayreville)

-

December 14, 2023

Renderings of the Riverton project in Sayreville. - Courtesy images

Riverton, the massive mixed-use project in Sayreville that has long been on the drawing board, took a major step forward Thursday when it was approved for an Aspire tax credit of up to $400 million by the board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The project, which is associated with more than $1 billion in private investment, is believed to be $2.5 billion in total. It would revitalize a 400-acre brownfield site along the Raritan River that was formally the site of the National Lead paint company and has been talked about for nearly two decades.

North American Properties announced it was taking over the site in the fall of 2017. Its LLC, Sayreville Seaport Associates Urban Renewal, is the applicant of the Riverton project.

The project is expected to include more than 1,300 units of housing (20% affordable) as well as more than 800,000 square feet of retail and entertainment, including the largest Bass Pro Shop in the country.

It also will feature additional public amenities, including a public Waterfront Promenade, to which Sayreville residents and the general public will have access. The walkway will feature Heroes Walk (exhibits and installations honoring Sayreville’s veterans), along with lighting, seating areas, gathering spaces, enhanced landscaping and an open-air amphitheater; on-site spaces for municipal offices; and two designated open-air performing arts venues.

Riverton also is expected to include numerous office projects, making it a true live-work-play destination.

Aspire is a place-based economic development program created under the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020 to support mixed-use, transit-oriented development with tax credits to commercial and residential real estate development projects that have financing gaps.

With the approval, the EDA board has approved a total of $694 million in Aspire awards for residential projects, which will create 1,800 housing units and $271 million for a commercial transformative project under the prior rules.

Gov. Phil Murphy obviously is thrilled.

“With today’s approval, Sayreville is poised to undergo a tremendous renaissance, which will bring new housing, jobs, retail and recreation that will benefit the entire community,” he said. “The Aspire program continues to drive critical investments that support economic growth in communities across New Jersey.”

EDA CEO Tim Sullivan said the project is an example of who Aspire can work for the state.

“Aspire’s flexible design had enabled us to support this long-anticipated project, which will transform a vast tract of land that had been rendered unusable many years ago, and, once rehabilitated, in ways that will reinvigorate Sayreville, create jobs for the local community, and improve quality of life for Riverton tenants and residents of nearby areas,” he said. “This is exactly the sort of thoughtful, impactful investment the legislature and Gov. Murphy hoped to attract when creating the Aspire program.”

SAYREVILLE – Chick-fil-A and QuickChek may be coming to the $2.5 billion Riverton project.

The two businesses are targeted for the Gateway Services portion of the planned 6.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development, which stretches along two miles of the Raritan River.

The proposed plan, scheduled for a hearing before the Sayreville Planning Board, calls for a 5,700-square-foot QuickChek with eight fuel pumps and 66 parking spaces.

Next to the QuickChek will be the 5,200-square-foot Chick-fil-A with a drive-thru.

The previous plan called for a 13,500-square-foot pharmacy at the location.

The Chick-fil-A will have about 78 seats and 62 parking spaces. The plan also calls for a two-aisle drive-thru.

When completed, Riverton, which Mayor Victoria Kirkpatrick called “the largest redevelopment project I know on the East Coast,” will include about 1.3 million square feet of retail and entertainment space, 2 million square feet of office and other commercial space and 2,000 residential units, which includes 300 affordable housing units.

The Planning Board previously granted preliminary and final major site plan approval for the first phase of the project, which includes Bass Pro Shops and the Gateway Services buildings.

Local:Sayreville scrutinizes multimillion dollar development board in wake of corruption charges

At that time, the design for the Gateway Services portion of the project included two restaurants with drive-thrus, a bank with a drive-thru, a pharmacy and a convenience store

The Gateway Services area was previously approved to have six buildings which has been revised to include five buildings, with the sixth building just to the west.

The amended plan includes three restaurants with drive-thrus at the first exit off the Garden State Parkway after crossing the Raritan River.

The amended plan also proposes a 3,950-square-foot bank with a drive-thru, instead of 6,000 square feet of retail space.

A public hearing is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Borough Hall.

Email: [email protected]

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

SAYREVILLE, NJ – Riverton, considered the largest and most complex brownfield redevelopment project in the history of New Jersey, served as the backdrop for state and federal officials to laud new efforts to remediate and redevelop underused contaminated properties.

State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, with Rep. Frank Pallone, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and other dignitaries, were on hand at Riverton to hail the relaunch of the state's Brownfield Development Area Program on Monday, Oct, 30.

Municipalities are encouraged to apply through April 30, 2024, to designate abandoned and blighted properties in their communities as a Brownfield Development Area (BDA). A BDA designation will kickstart a coordinated effort through the DEP to advance the investigation, remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites.

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“Relaunching of the BDA program is a renewal of DEP’s commitment to the redevelopment of brownfield sites that place a tremendous economic, environmental and public health burden on municipalities,” LaTourette said. “The BDA program is designed to encourage investment and to bring these properties back to their full potential.”

A brownfield is a current commercial or industrial site that is vacant or underused and which has or is suspected to have contamination. DEP’s innovative and voluntary BDA program partners with a municipality or redevelopment authority and its stakeholders to focus technical and financial resources on brownfield sites, with a vision for redevelopment and community revitalization.

“The relaunch of this program will help build on our progress across New Jersey to clean up and revitalize these contaminated sites so we can generate new jobs and economic opportunities," Pallone said.

Added U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, in a prepared statement: "The Sayreville Waterfront Brownfield Development Area (Riverton) is a prime example of how the BDA Program can help overcome the complex challenges of remediating and repurposing large-scale brownfields, by fostering economic growth, advancing environmental protection, and furthering environmental equity.”

Transforming brownfields begins with applying to the DEP for BDA designation. Once BDAs are selected, municipalities and redevelopment authorities are eligible for up to $5 million annually in Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF) grants, including remedial action matching grants providing up to 75 percent of the remedial action costs for all site end uses.

Additionally, DEP provides a single point of contact in the Office of Brownfield and Community Revitalization, who works closely with municipal officials, stakeholders, developers and Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRPs) to coordinate investigation, remediation and redevelopment plans.

Since its inception in 2003, the BDA program has provided nearly $200 million in HDSRF grants to 31 municipalities for environmental investigation and remediation, according to the DEP.

Riverton, which sits on the Raritan River at Exit 125 of the Garden State Parkway, was the ideal setting for the announcement. The $2.5 billion project is on the site of the former National Lead operation, once contaminated with heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), radiological contaminants and other pollutants.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided technical guidance on removal of PCBs from two Superfund sites on the property. Remediation work at the 418-acre site is nearly complete after 15 years, and construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2024 to transform the property into a $2.5 billion mixed-use redevelopment project, including 2,000 homes on the revitalized waterfront.

Riverton - which has received strong and widespread support from local, county and state officials - is anticipated to create a 6.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development with about 1.3 million square feet of retail and entertainment space, 2 million square feet of office and other commercial space and about 2,000 residential units, which includes 300 affordable housing units. (Learn more at ExperienceRiverton.com)

Coughlin, who represents Sayreville in the General Assembly and has previously toured the Riverton site to observe its sweeping transformation, said he is pleased to see the DEP's commitment to relaunch the successful Brownfield Development Area program.

"For far too long, we have allowed environmental cleanup to be separate and distinct from development,” Coughlin said. "The legacy of brownfields doesn’t have to be a chain link fence and stories about what might have been. Programs like this bring a renewed vision for communities, in partnership with the state's technical expertise, to safely turn the page toward the redevelopment and repurposing of some of the state's best real estate assets.

"As a result of the BDA Program, the Riverton project will redefine the future of the Sayreville community," he added.

The BDA Program works closely with municipal officials and redevelopers to incorporate climate adaptation and resilience elements such as raising site elevations, restoring or enhancing riparian and/or shoreline habitats and incorporating new green and/or gray stormwater management features.

To date, the BDA program has transformed more than 1,000 acres of blighted brownfields into productive reuses that have created stronger, fairer communities, while benefiting local, regional, state and global environments.

Overburdened communities have the highest density of brownfield sites, which present opportunities to provide new community assets to underserved communities that lack environmental and/or public health benefits.

Building success stories

The BDA Program helped create hundreds of acres of new open space, recreation and waterfront access to underserved communities including Camden, Elizabeth, Newark, Paterson, Jersey City, Perth Amboy and Trenton.

Repurposing of blighted brownfield sites have also resulted in thousands of new housing units within new mixed-use developments and transit-oriented developments areas in municipalities including Harrison, Orange, West Orange, Woodbridge, Rahway, Carteret, Haddon Township, Bayonne, Plainfield and Palmyra. Climate adaptation and resiliency elements have been placed in, or are planned for BDAs in Jersey City, Bayonne, Camden, Perth Amboy, Trenton and Sayreville BDA's Riverton development.

During the past 10 years just in Camden, more than 100 acres of new open space has been created on six former brownfield sites within or near BDAs, including the 62-acre Cramer Hill Waterfront Park, the 25-acre Gateway Park and the expansion of the 10-acre Whitman Park, TAPInto Camden has reported.

In Perth Amboy, redevelopment of brownfield sites in and near BDAs that were vacant for decades are projected to produce more than 6,000 new jobs and $20 million annually in new taxes in warehouses for major retailers. The Perth Amboy Redevelopment Authority has led the charge for brownfield redevelopment, steadily announcing new projects throughout the year. Vacant and blighted parcels that have sat empty for decades in Perth Amboy are now ripe for opportunity.

“Transforming a brownfield site from an environmental burden into a vibrant hub of opportunity through cleanup and strategic zoning is like turning the page in a city's story,” said Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-19th Dist), who attended the announcement and toured the site with Coughlin.

"Perth Amboy is proof of this," she added. "The revitalization of nearly 180 acres in my hometown led to the construction of three warehouses, creating jobs for hundreds of workers. The rooftop of one of those warehouses is covered in solar panels under the state’s community solar program, providing renewable energy to residents who cannot install solar panels on their own residences. We are proof that a fresh start can yield enormous benefits.”

SAYREVILLE – Construction of the long-awaited Bass Pro Shops is expected to begin before year's end at Riverton, the proposed $2.5 billion mixed-use development at the former National Lead site.

"Bass Pro Shops has told us it will be the largest, single-level Bass Pro Shop in the country," said Kevin Polston, project executive with North American Properties, the developer of the property.

"There will be a restaurant and they typically have a large aquarium, but we don't have the plans yet," said Mark Fetah, North American Properties' senior vice president of development. "They are still working internally with their design team to enrich the customer experience of the store to an even higher degree."

North American Properties expects to fast-track construction of the approximately 198,500-square-foot store by designing and building the footings and foundations, while Bass Pro designs the rest of the store, said Fetah, who has worked on Epcot Center, Euro Disneyland, 7 World Trade Center and Princeton Forrestal Village.

Construction is expected to take 20 to 22 months, Fetah said, adding that supply chain issues are adding six months to the time it would ordinarily take.

In addition, there is still some infrastructure work that needs to be done to provide utilities and on-site roadways to service the store, he said.

"Bass Pro is a very complicated, large building," Polston said. "They do a lot of specialty installations on the inside of the buildings. They study the geography of each area. They will find points of interest in Central New Jersey and the Raritan estuary to reference in their aquarium and wildlife diorama programs."

What is Riverton?

Located at the Chevalier Avenue exit off the Garden State Parkway just south of the Driscoll Bridge, the planned 6.5 million-square-foot mixed-use Riverton development, which stretches along two miles of the Raritan River, is proposed to include about 1.3 million square feet of retail and entertainment space, 2 million square feet of office and other commercial space and 2,000 residential units, which includes 300 affordable housing units.

Also see:Bridgewater Commons mall sold; new owner plans 'vibrant mixed-use destination'

Polston explained that the project is a lengthy process as North American Properties is building a "new town."

"First the property had to be cleaned up," he said. "Then we have to build everything you typically have in a town, including roads, domestic waters, sanitary and storm sewers, natural gas and electric."

"I definitely have an affinity for Sayreville," Fetah said. "We are transforming an industrial site that was the heart and soul of Sayreville for so many years.”

The current plan is to construct 1,500 apartment units and 500 townhomes, Polston said, adding that breakdown could change.

More:Director of leasing named for $2.5 billion Riverton project in Sayreville

The 400-plus acre site is broken into three parcels – A, B and C. Parcel C is the largest, about 312 acres with about 285 developable acres, where most of the building will take place.

In addition to Bass Pro Shops, the first phase of the project, approved by the Sayreville Planning Board in December 2019, includes the Gateway Retail District buildings and the first half of the village. That phase includes a hotel and conference center, amphitheater, movie theater, restaurants, shops and nearly 300 residential units.

“The village will be the heart of Riverton,” Fetah said.

The Gateway Retail District will have six buildings, some of which will have multiple tenants, along the southern part of the property, south of the intersection of Peter Fisher Boulevard and the Main Street Extension.

The tenants are expected to include a convenience store, quick-service restaurants and other commercial businesses, the developers said.

"We're in advanced lease negotiations for at least three or four of the retail establishments," Fetah said.

Because the buildings are smaller and much simpler to construct, it is likely they will be open before Bass Pro Shops, Polston said.

"We plan to start the first of the Gateway Retail District buildings early summer next year," Fetah said.

Last month, the Planning Board approved a subdivision of one section of Parcel C into four lots. One lot will house a municipal pump station and another a 30-megawatt JCP&L electrical substation, which will provide electric services to the development.

The board also approved changes to the footprint and exterior of the Bass Pro Shops building, he Fetah said.

A $1.3 million federal grant was awarded to study connectivity from Parcel C across Parcels B and A and ultimately to the train station and planned ferry in South Amboy, Polston said.

"The grant was awarded to SERA (Sayreville Economic and Redevelopment Agency), but we partnered with them in grant application and administration processes," Polston said. "We'll begin working on that this year."

The project also includes about 50 acres of open space, which is envisioned to have walking and biking paths, pocket parks and other public amenities along the waterfront. It will also include a heroes' walk, honoring local veterans.

Thirty-seven of the 55 acres in Parcel A were deeded to Middlesex County and the state Department of Environmental Protection for permanent open space, Polston said.

About four of the remaining acres are retained for a future jughandle connection to Route 35 and the balance is tidal lands retained by SERA as green space, he said.

North American Properties has secured a waterfront development permit from the DEP which facilitates the buildings on the western part of the village, Fetah said.

"This is the zone where we thought we would create the waterfront promenade, amphitheater and other amenities that would take advantage of that connection to the water," Polston said.

A visit to Riverton

During a recent visit to the site, workers were seen constructing a concrete wall to serve as a platform for the buildings that will overlook the promenade and waterfront.

"There's also the engineering and the architecture coordination and the process of gaining all the approvals," Fetah said. "After this year, we'll have destiny in our own hands. By the end of this year, we'll have all the complicated issues, such as easements, right of ways, offsite improvements and working with the existing utilities, under our belt. Then we'll work on the buildings. That's when the public will really see Riverton taking shape."

Environmental remediation has been completed on about two-thirds of Parcel C, clearing the site for development, Polston said.

More:Environment groups given OK to proceed with NL lawsuit

As part of the redevelopment agreement with Sayreville, North American Properties committed to on-site public amenities, facilities and payments, including an open-air amphitheater along the river and other public performing spaces, an onsite conference center and the waterfront walkway, Polston said.

North American Properties is also making contributions toward the new community center the borough is building as well as borough fire department facilities, Polston said.

Riverton is also conducting offsite improvement projects including roadway widening at Route 9 & 35 on Chevalier Avenue and extension of the existing municipal water main in Sayreville, Fetah said. The main roads on the site, stormwater management and sanitary sewer systems and domestic water distribution system will be dedicated to the borough.

Both Polston and Fetah agree that the project is unique.

"The idea of making a difference by taking this damaged property and creating something vibrant, new and part of the fabric of the community is a fulfilling exercise for me," Polston said. "I'm also working with a great team. Thousands of people will be involved in this project over time. It's a very unique opportunity and a very big challenge, but it is fun."

"Everything we are building here is for the long term," Fetah said. "On the architecture side, this is a wide-open palette. There will be an organic collection of buildings. We are also trying to use as many local service providers as we can. We enjoy a tremendous relationship with the union building trades on this project. The subcontractors and trades people working here are self-motivated and are inherently committed to delivering a quality product which will be a lasting hallmark of the Riverton development."

National Lead, which maintained a paint manufacturing operation at the site until 1982, owned the property from 1935 until 2005.

In 1996, the property was declared an area in need of redevelopment. Three years later, the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan was adopted by the borough.

In 2005, SERA acquired the property for redevelopment. O'Neill Properties was brought in by the redeveloper, Sayreville Seaport Associates, to develop the property, but they parted ways and in 2017 North American Properties took over as the developer.

Email: [email protected]

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

RIVERTON, NJ — Before founding Brewery Thirty-Three, the namesake number appeared throughout Tommy Cimino, Jr.'s life — on his childhood soccer and hockey jerseys and then on his fire department badge.

Brewery Thirty-Three has a temporary permit and recently began brewing in Riverton, with a grand opening to be announced, the business said Saturday on its Facebook page. The new brewery is working toward a license so it can open and hopes to have an update soon.

Tommy Cimino runs the business with Lisa Cimino — Brewery Thirty-Three's vice president who has received credit for upgrading Tommy's taste in beer.

Tommy Cimino, who grew up in Cinnaminson, has a unique background in the brewery industry. Before brewing craft beer, he was a firefighter and EMT paramedic. After graduating from Cinnaminson High School in 1989, he became a volunteer firefighter in the Cinnaminson Fire Department.

He transitioned to a full-time position in 1993 before transferring to the Mount Laurel Fire Department a decade later. He also worked for Virtua Hospital's Mobile Intensive Care Unit in Camden and the surrounding communities, according to Brewery Thirty-Three's website.

Find out what's happening in Cinnaminsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tommy Cimino retired from emergency services in 2015 after 26 years of active duty. At that time, small breweries began to boom throughout New Jersey. He took a chance in 2017 and applied for an assistant brewer's position at Zed's Beer in Marlton, helping brew craft beers that have earned gold, silver and bronze medals in national competitions.

Lisa Cimino — a Long Beach Island native — holds the role of director of business development at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Marlton. She recently earned her master's degree in health leadership from Western Governors University. She serves as vice president and taproom manager at Brewery Thirty-Three.

"Lisa is given full credit for exposing Tommy on his poor choice of beer the night they first met," the business's website says. "Tommy was guzzling a 'light' beer while she sipped on a dry stout. She very quickly converted his tastes to a broader spectrum of beer styles."

Brewery Thirty-Three is located at 601 Lippincott Ave., Riverton. Check out the brewery's website.