THE OPPORTUNITY
PS&S has been working with National Resources for over seven years on the land development and approvals for this mixed-use community along the Hudson River in Edgewater, NJ. PS&S services included site civil engineering, land planning, landscape architecture and geotechnical engineering for the development of the former Unilever campus. The plan comprises 12 buildings including residential, retail, municipal office and parking structures as well as continuous public access along the Hudson waterfront. National Resources engaged PS&S to design a 100-unit, six-story residential building fronting the waterfront with spectacular views looking north and south. The services included a full AE scope with architecture and interior design, structural engineering and MEPF engineering for the 110,000 sf building.
THE CHALLENGE
The primary challenge was to design within the site’s tight space parameters (required parking was particularly difficult to achieve) and to meet the town’s development guidelines and expectations. 2012's Hurricane Sandy hit midway through the design phase, causing delays while we awaited publication of new FEMA and Army Corps design guidelines that ultimately required design modifications to achieve compliance. The development also went from condo ownership to rental, requiring design adjustments in order to meet the desired price point.
THE PS&S SOLUTION
The ultimate design situated the building perpendicular to the river, affording unobstructed views north and south and across to the City. The five stories of apartments are elevated one level to afford residents covered parking and to help achieve the required parking count on this tight site. The first floor of the building, which houses all the common spaces, is raised to an elevation in keeping with the new FEMA flood guidelines. Creative grading solutions using ramping and retaining walls were employed to meet already determined existing grades prior to Hurricane Sandy. The project will be a showcase of Edgewater Harbor and the waterfront.
RELATED PROJECTS
WESMONT STATION
DISCIPLINES INVOLVED