JCishome wrote:
I don't have any insider knowledge, but I'm fairly sure the paving was done as a stopgap until the planning for the new buildings was completed. That land is too valuable to stay a parking lot, but they had to get the chormium removed before they could move ahead.

JCishome wrote:
Most of the shareholders are holdovers from the conversion to co-op, and they're senior citizens or their descendants. I'm sure they'll be happy to cash in on their investments.

jcman420 wrote:
Well, it appears that the rumors/ speculation that the chromium removal project between the Gregory Towers would result in retail space being added on the Christopher Columbus Drive side of the lot were just that-- rumors and speculation.
Unfortunately, the project appears completed and the *entirety* of the lot, right up to the cast iron fence along Columbus, has been outfitted with freshly-painted parking spaces.
So, the monstrous catastrophe of city planning that is that sprawling parking lot appears to be here for good. What an utter waste.
I'm sure the investors in that new high-rise above the PATH station are thrilled that they will be asking tenants to pay through the nose for apartments with little-to-no retail directly near them and beautiful views of a sprawling parking lot.

Conformist wrote:
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moobycow wrote:
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Conformist wrote:
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jcman420 wrote:
Looks like they've made significant progress on the area between the two co-op towers near Columbus and Marin.

Anyone know what the current plan is for when the remediation is completed? Most importantly, will they open up that space between the towers to pedestrian foot traffic between Columbus and Montgomery?

No; before the chromium was discovered in soil testing, the plan was to build new towers along Columbus, Warren and Montgomery. Given the strength of the real estate market, I think that construction is likely to proceed once clean-up is complete. In any case, I don't see much value to putting a one-block street in there; it would still be blocked at the northern and southern ends.

I may be mis-remembering because I saw the plans so long ago (Tommy had them at Brightside), but I thought the plan was to open it up for pedestrians and have retail along the main streets and little pedestrian plaza with retail between Columbus and Montgomery.

My understanding was that the retail was to line the whole length of Columbus, without any break. The development map floating around certainly makes it look that way. But plans may not have been solidly set at any time.

moobycow wrote:
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Conformist wrote:
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jcman420 wrote:
Looks like they've made significant progress on the area between the two co-op towers near Columbus and Marin.

Anyone know what the current plan is for when the remediation is completed? Most importantly, will they open up that space between the towers to pedestrian foot traffic between Columbus and Montgomery?

No; before the chromium was discovered in soil testing, the plan was to build new towers along Columbus, Warren and Montgomery. Given the strength of the real estate market, I think that construction is likely to proceed once clean-up is complete. In any case, I don't see much value to putting a one-block street in there; it would still be blocked at the northern and southern ends.

I may be mis-remembering because I saw the plans so long ago (Tommy had them at Brightside), but I thought the plan was to open it up for pedestrians and have retail along the main streets and little pedestrian plaza with retail between Columbus and Montgomery.

Conformist wrote:
Quote:

jcman420 wrote:
Looks like they've made significant progress on the area between the two co-op towers near Columbus and Marin.

Anyone know what the current plan is for when the remediation is completed? Most importantly, will they open up that space between the towers to pedestrian foot traffic between Columbus and Montgomery?

No; before the chromium was discovered in soil testing, the plan was to build new towers along Columbus, Warren and Montgomery. Given the strength of the real estate market, I think that construction is likely to proceed once clean-up is complete. In any case, I don't see much value to putting a one-block street in there; it would still be blocked at the northern and southern ends.

jcman420 wrote:
Looks like they've made significant progress on the area between the two co-op towers near Columbus and Marin.

Anyone know what the current plan is for when the remediation is completed? Most importantly, will they open up that space between the towers to pedestrian foot traffic between Columbus and Montgomery?

jcman420 wrote:
Looks like they've made significant progress on the area between the two co-op towers near Columbus and Marin.

Anyone know what the current plan is for when the remediation is completed? Most importantly, will they open up that space between the towers to pedestrian foot traffic between Columbus and Montgomery?

moobycow wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
will they be building bright, shiny new towers after the chromium is cleaned up at the metropolis site?

Actually, I think they will be but they'll be squeezed in. Apparently there is room on site for two new towers and to ring most of the property with retail of some kind.

hero69 wrote:
will they be building bright, shiny new towers after the chromium is cleaned up at the metropolis site?

hero69 wrote:
will they be building bright, shiny new towers after the chromium is cleaned up at the metropolis site?

1964
PPG sells the Garfield Avenue plant. For many years prior to 1963, chromite ore processing residue was used as fill in construction projects.

Hexavalent chromium concentrations exceeding soil cleanup criteria have been detected in the soil beneath parking areas and recently demolished buildings. Hexavalent chromium has not been detected beneath the residential towers. One of five monitoring wells has detected total chromium concentrations in excess of groundwater quality standards.

After the Oct. 29 storm, officials discovered a ?small patch? of cancer-causing hexavalent chromium in the basement boiler room of Metropolis Towers? Building 2, said Brian McPeak, project manager for the cleanup.

An effort to remove chromium-laced soil from the Metropolis Towers site in Downtown Jersey City is expected to begin within weeks and last for a little more than a year

have agreed to participate in a process to clean up PPG?s 20 chromium sites in Hudson County. As part of their 2009 agreement, the participants established a five-year goal for cleaning up all PPG sites.