Bounded by the scenic Hudson to the east, Jersey City is lined with high-rise towers and waterfront parks offering views of Manhattan. To the west, the often-overlooked Hackensack features wetlands, industry, and degraded post-industrial sites. The Bayfront Redevelopment Master Plan aims to transform a formerly contaminated 100-acre site on the Hackensack River into a model of sustainable and equitable development. Upon completion, Bayfront will feature 8,000 residential units, 35% of which will be affordable, 340,000 square feet of commercial space, an intermodal transportation hub with light-rail and water-taxi service, 19 acres of public open space, and a publicly accessible waterfront. This project is set to be the largest mixed-income development in the Tri-State Area.
The interdisciplinary team led by Perkins Eastman, including SWA and Moffat & Nichol, aimed to ensure the master plan benefits not only future residents but also catalyzes the economic revitalization of Jersey City’s underserved west side, reconnecting diverse neighborhoods to the Hackensack Riverfront. The planning process involved extensive engagement with community groups, including the Bayfront Advisory Committee, and coordination with multiple city and state agencies.
The centerpiece is a half-mile waterfront park with two primary nodes, piers, docks for maritime activity, and newly created marshlands to absorb rising tides, improve water quality, and provide habitat. Two linear parks, built atop engineered caps isolating contaminated soil, connect upland neighborhoods to the riverfront. Central Park serves as the main access corridor, featuring a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Route 440, protected bikeways, trails, and recreational areas. Promenade Park offers more passive programming for the predominantly residential district. Both parks provide continuous green spaces while adhering to soil depth and loading limitations to protect the underlying cap system.
St Johns Riverfront Design Incentive Strategy
As part of a larger effort to establish its downtown as a center for business and culture during a period of unprecedented growth, the City of Jacksonville was in need of a design and investment strategy for its underused waterfront along both banks of the St. Johns River. The design team’s approach entails both a large-scale and a node-based strategy, identif...
OCT Bay
Located in Shenzhen, OCT Bay has a combined site area of approximately 1.25 square kilometers including equal parts new urban center and nature preserve. SWA provided both master planning and landscape architectural services for the entire site. As a new urban cultural and entertainment destination, OCT Bay provides urban amenities, entertainment components, p...
Wusong Riverfront
Kunshan, China, located near Shanghai, has experienced unprecedented population and business growth in recent years which has resulted in environmental degradation and the need for the city to reshape its identity. SWA’s proposal aims to create a new waterfront district providing businesses as well as residents with public amenities and viable open space. The ...
Guangzhou Shipyard Waterfront Park
On the west bank of the Pearl River, the historic Guangzhou Shipyard has been transformed into a waterfront park that reconnects residents with the water while honoring over a century of industrial heritage. Once a Qing Dynasty fortress, the site became a shipyard in 1914 and grew into an almost 50-hectare complex—one of the earliest and most renowned in China...