Bayonne Planning Board approves South Cove amendment for hotel and two 29‑story residential towers

The Bayonne Planning Board voted to approve an amended site plan for the South Cove redevelopment, allowing a reconfigured mixed‑use development that includes an 8‑story hotel with a 19,639‑square‑foot banquet facility and two 29‑story residential towers totaling 696 units.

The amendment, presented by counsel Emily Weiner, seeks subdivision and amended preliminary and final site plan approval for a 20.8‑acre tract along Lafontay Way. Weiner told the board the application “seeks subdivision approval to adjust some internal lot lines, amended preliminary and final site plan approval, and any other variances or relief as may come up in the course of the hearing.” The board accepted professional testimony and a package of conditions from city consultants and the applicant.

Applicant witnesses described the numbers and site controls that shaped the board’s decision. Civil engineer Josh Stenger described the site operations and stormwater approach and said the proposed uses are permitted in the redevelopment plan. Architect Vincent Marchetto testified the two residential towers would total 696 units with a unit mix of 223 studios, 118 one‑bedrooms, 231 one‑bedroom dens and 125 two‑bedrooms and that the towers would use a podium/garage design with a large amenity deck above the garage. Traffic engineer Matthew Seckler summarized updated traffic and parking work, saying the site’s September parking counts showed a weekday/Saturday peak of 474 parked cars and that the property currently contains about 1,042 parking spaces; the project would provide 1,427 spaces post‑development, exceeding the redevelopment plan requirement of 1,319 spaces.

Seckler added that “this site is ideal for what we call internally captured trips,” noting shared‑parking principles and valet operations can reduce event parking demand. Board professionals and commissioners conditioned the approval on resolution compliance items — including recorded cross‑access and emergency‑access easements, final truck‑turning exhibits, verification of parking counts and phasing triggers for future traffic warrants — and made the applicant’s engineering and planning reports part of the resolution.

The board voted to approve the subdivision and amended site plan with those conditions; recorded votes were unanimous among commissioners present. The approval includes the applicant’s commitment to submit revised access easements and to satisfy outstanding conditions of the original general development plan as part of resolution compliance. The board noted additional reviews will be required at the permit stage and that some triggers (for signals or additional parking analysis) remain subject to future phase reviews.

The board closed the record after the mover and seconder incorporated the professionals’ reports and compliance language into the resolution; the applicant said it will proceed to the compliance and permitting steps required by the board’s resolution.