New Jersey developer’s Wynwood residences get approval

A New Jersey-based development company with more than 3,000 rental apartments in three states is planning to construct a midrise mixed-use residential project in the Wynwood Arts District.

The plan was considered April 12 by the Wynwood Development Review Committee, which approved the project with several conditions.

The owner-developer 26-60 NE 27th Street LLC of Hoboken, NJ, proposes a project called Wynwood Urby at 26-60 NE 27th St., 25 NE 26th St. and 61 NE 26th St. within the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District.

The company plans to redevelop this former industrial site between North Miami Avenue and the FEC Railway with an eight-story mixed-use project, including 289 multifamily units, about 17,238 square feet of ground floor commercial-retail including a restaurant, and parking for 197 vehicles and 106 bicycles.

The overall development is to have 371,632 square feet of floor space.

In a letter, attorney Steve Wernick, representing the owner-applicant, said the property comprises 56,385 square feet in land area, or about 1.29 acres.
The property has two frontages along Northeast 26th Street to the south and along Northeast 27th Street to the north.

“The property, known colloquially as the Art by God site, is currently improved with a large 1-story warehouse structure formerly operated as a nature-themed novelty shop, along with a 1-story accessory storage building. The remainder of the property is comprised of asphalt surface and fenced off from the surrounding streets,” Mr. Wernick wrote.

West of the site along Northeast 26th Street is a grouping of former industrial buildings that have been adapted as commercial/food and beverage establishments. To the immediate east of the site is the Nader gallery and the FEC Rail Corridor, which is anticipated to be the location of a future commuter rail station.

To the north is a Sunbelt equipment rental yard and future site of the eight-story Wynwood Station project.

Along Northeast 26th Street, the property is bisected by small commercial structures, currently occupied by the restaurant/bar DOMA.

Mr. Wernick told the committee the new development will basically be built around DOMA.

The developer intends to construct “a vibrant mixed-use project that brings conscientious design, art, lively social spaces and a dynamic ground floor bistro” to the evolving neighborhood, he said.

The residential program includes a mix of studios, 1-bedroom units, and 2-bedroom units on the 3rd story through 8th story of the building.
The 3rd story also includes a gym and yoga studio accompanied by a sizeable, landscaped terrace.

The roof deck includes additional amenities and limited accessory enclosed space to support an expansive pool deck, landscaped terrace and dog run.

The project will include a cross-block paseo on the east side of the site that will connect residents and visitors from Northeast 27th Street and Northeast 26th Street, breaking up what is currently a long block east of North Miami Avenue.

“Given the unique lot configuration on the south façade of the project, this is the most effective location for the crossblock paseo while also providing for a functional and viable residential program and ground floor commercial space,” Mr. Wernick wrote.

“The project’s ground floor has been thoughtfully designed to locate the café/bistro at the northeast corner of the building on Northeast 27th Street, which will help activate the paseo and physically widen its entry portal from 27th Street,” he wrote.

The architect of record is 5G Studio Collaborative LLC. Listed as design architect is Concrete Architects, an Amsterdam-based architecture and interiors firm.

Committee member Amanda Hertzler said, “This is an extremely thoughtful presentation. I think it does cover everything we’ve consistently asked of applicants, so I want to thank you for that.”

She added, “This exemplifies what I prefer to see on the ground floor level … diversity of the pedestrian experience is extremely important.

“I think it’s an excellent project. In regard to the massing, there’s a scale to it that I appreciate that aligns historically with what Wynwood has been, and where Wynwood is going,” said Ms. Hertzler.

Some of the conditions set by the committee vote include: add more art on ground floor on 27th Street; screen the lighting inside the garage from emanating out to the exterior through perforations; screen rooftop mechanical equipment; add some relief to ground floor retail frontage; finish off the first 10 feet in the garage entries; and vary the color or tone on the garage screening.

Since 2016, Urby has developed and continues to own and manage four properties with more than 3,000 units in New York City, Jersey City and Harrison, NJ, and Stamford, Conn.

Along with Miami, Urby has future developments underway in Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Newark, NJ.