Bijou Properties has taken the initial steps to convert a stretch of Hoboken, N.J. into Hudson County’s first green neighborhood.

The developer recently completed the installation of the region’s first green roof on the former Hostess Building at the corner of 14th Street and Park Avenue, which Bijou converted to two stories of retail space housing a New York Sports Club, a CVS Pharmacy and a bank, according to Lawrence Bijou, managing partner of the firm that bears his name.

The Extensive Roof System laid out over 20,000 s/f of space is an actual living roof compromised of low-growing sedum plants that do not require irrigation.

The roof is a part of the entire building system as opposed to a landscaped ornamental roof, and it meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council guidelines.

“This type of roof is designed to create an aesthetically-pleasing landscape while also controlling and preventing storm water runoff, reducing heat island effect, reducing CO 2 emissions and maintaining year-round ambient temperature, thereby reducing energy costs,” Bijou points out.

“It can also add 40 years or more to the life of an ordinary roof, thereby reducing landfill and maintenance costs.”

The completion of the Hostess Building will be followed by the upcoming introduction of Garden Street Lofts, a collection of 30 condominium residences which will represent the first residential Silver LEED Certified building along New Jersey’s Hudson River waterfront. Bijou is creating the complex in a historic, 80-year-old building at the intersection of Garden and 14th Streets, adjacent to the Hostess Building.

Construction is already underway on Garden Street Lofts, which is being built in accordance with U.S. Green Building Council guidelines for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings that incorporate responsible site development, energy efficient design and ecological and sustainable materials to create environmentally-sensitive urban living environments. “Now more than ever, homebuyers are conscious of the environment and have shown an increasing eagerness to live in buildings which are environmentally healthy, have low energy costs and complement their natural surroundings,” notes Bijou. “We share their concern and are creating a meaningful building that features a progressive urban design and green building practices to considerably minimize its impact on the environment.”

Garden Street Lofts will feature fresh air filtration systems, zero VOC paint and adhesives and finishes, and high ceilings and large windows which all combine to maximize light and the indoor environment.

The building will also have a living sedum-covered green roof that reduces heat island effect, insulates the building and absorbs storm-water runoff. Electricity will be purchased from wind-generated power and other alternative energy sources through the NJ Smart Energy Program.

Prices will initially begin in the $600,000’s for the one-, two- and three-bedroom homes at Garden Street Lofts which will range from 1,100 to 2,300 square feet of luxury living space. The building will also feature 8,300 s/f of ground-floor retail space.

The architectural firm Sharpies Holden Pasquarelli (SHoP) of Manhattan has created more than ten different loft-style condominium floorplans and six luxurious penthouses in Garden Street Lofts, which has been expanded to seven stories by a new addition.

The final component of this green neighborhood will be realized in the next 12-to-14 months when Bijou Properties breaks ground on a 12-story mixed use building at 1415 Park Avenue that will consist of 180 condominium residences, 30,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and 371 parking spaces.

The $100 million project–which will rise on the current site of the Park-on-Park garage and an adjacent empty lot–will be one of the first LEED Certified Gold mixed-use developments in the state of New Jersey.

The Gold LEED designation is one of the highest ratings provided by the U.S. Green Building Council, meaning the building will feature a considerable amount of components that lessen the impact on the surrounding landscape, infrastructure and neighborhood.

“As with Garden Street Lofts, this building will be developed in accordance with the Green Building Council’s standards,” Bijou indicates.

“It will feature a green roof which retains water, an interior piping system that filters natural air, and an energy conserving design that will reduce monthly bills and lessen the building’s impact on the city’s infrastructure.”

Designed by Hoboken-based Dean Marchetto Architects, the building will boast a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.

Source: www.findarticles.com