Construction is a familiar site to many strolling around Hoboken year-round. At 38 Jackson Street, a crane peeks out over the South End Hoboken project, with concrete, steel, and other materials hauled in and out of the seven-story structure. Apartments, restaurants, shops, a parking garage, and space for a supermarket are being built off of the location of the site of the former Chambord building, where two devastating fires destroyed the historic building and tragically killed two community members. Read on to learn about the history of the site, thoughts from former business owners affected by the fires, an inside look at the South End project coming in its place, and when construction is scheduled to be completed.
How Two Fires Destroyed The Chambord
The Chambord was an iconic part of Hoboken’s skyline until it was destroyed in 2022. It was originally built in 1900 and was a total of 200,000 square feet over five stories. It was previously the Davis Baking Powder Factory and the My-T Fine Pudding Factory, making it a key background player in Hoboken’s architectural and industrial history. The building has been a literal cornerstone of the development of the Southwestern corner of Hoboken: it faces the Southwest Resiliency Park.
In the early hours of a cold December morning in 2021, the warehouse on Jackson Street went up in flames. and The three-alarm fire lasted for hours, and sadly two people were found dead. The industrial building previously housed several local businesses, including CrossFit Hoboken, Casa Klado, Muneca Mullins Studios, and more. After authorities combed through the damage, the building was deemed uninhabitable and these businesses were forced to move or close.
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In January of 2022, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office deemed the fire accidental in a press release. Investigators say the fire sparked in a vape shop located in the back of the building, and that flammable materials in the shop contributed to the fire.
A nearby resident told The Hoboken Girl that she recounted seeing fireballs and the explosion shook the building. Another resident noted the explosion was so big he thought it was like a freight train going through his bedroom.
Months later in September of 2022, another fire tore through what remained of the building. The building already was in the process of being demolished following the fatal fire in 2021. A Nixle alert went out that night asking residents to avoid the southwest part of the city as firefighters went back to put out the raging fire. The cause of this fire is still unknown.
What’s Next For 38 Jackson Street
In April 2022, plans for the building site were approved, and in August 2022, asbestos mitigation trucks were spotted outside the building’s remains. The original plans included retail and restaurant spaces, and the addition of 123 apartments — with several apartments to be set aside for affordable housing units. The building will be expanded from five stories to nine, and a 250+ space parking garage will be added, per these plans.
At the time, Nick Petruzelli, the Managing Partner of the Taurasi Group, which is leading the project, told The Hoboken Girl, “To build something like this in Southwest Hoboken has been a dream of mine,” he said. “To have a grocery store, retail, restaurants, a place to hang out and be with our kids, I’m really excited.”
Hoboken councilman Ruben Ramos represents the 4th Ward, where the project is located. He told HG in summer 2022, “I’ve talked frequently with the building owner and property manager. It’s an exciting project for the neighborhood, with the retail possibilities and bringing a grocery store to Southwestern Hoboken.” He went on to say, “This project will make Southwestern Hoboken a destination, along with the expansion of the Southwestern Resiliency Park. We will make sure all the construction is done safely within all of the codes. We will protect both people working on the property and people who live nearby the property.”
In the meantime, other changes have taken place in the Southwestern corner of Hoboken. The City of Hoboken continues to expand Southwest Park and has acquired another lot that is in the process of becoming a resiliency park. The resiliency park will help mitigate flood water and is a part of the city’s larger flood mitigation plan. In September 2023, Hoboken received a $ 6 million grant from FEMA to continue the work.
The City has also added a farmers market to the Southwest Park, which launched in 2023. It will return starting June 6th, 2024, and take place on Thursdays from 3PM to 7PM until November 21st.
An Inside Look At The South End Project
Fast forward to May 2024, 38 Jackson Street is under construction to fulfill the plans to become a mixed-use development called South End Hoboken with an estimated completion date of September 2025. It topped out, or the construction placed the last beam at the top of the structure, at the start of May.
According to a website for the project, The Taurasi Group plans to build over 100 residential units, 50,000 square feet of commercial space, another 50,000 square feet of retail space, and over 300 parking spaces at 38 Jackson Street. The luxury residential property will have a mix of one- to five-bedroom units that will boast Instagram-worthy views of the New York City skyline and downtown Jersey City. Some amenities planned include a fitness center, a rooftop pool, grilling areas, and more. These units will be available in the second half of 2025, according to the Taurasi Group.
Managing partners of the Taurasi Group Gary Mezzatesta and Nick Petruzzelli spoke with The Hoboken Girl this May 2024 about current plans for the South End Hoboken project and gave us a tour of the current structure at 38 Jackson Street.
Nick revealed that the group is in talks with several commercial tenants, including restaurants, coffee shops, bagel shops, supermarkets, daycare facilities, and more for the project. No names were revealed, but they said it was a mix of local and regional brands.
The South End Hoboken project builds off the original structure that stood on Jackson Street for decades. Space for two restaurants sits on the first level of the north side of the building, right along Observer Highway, featuring columns from the original structure and 15-foot-high ceilings, giving it an industrial feel, a throwback to the building’s original life as a factory. In the middle of the building is a massive atrium, allowing retail spaces to provide open-air dining all year round thanks to a large window-like glass planned to enclose the space.
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Nick has lived in Hoboken for decades and watched the community change around him. It inspired him to reinvent the Chambord site and welcome more local amenities and services to the community.
“When we bought the property, I had the heartbeat of the community encouraging me because they know I’m a builder and I’ve been here 38 years. The vision I had for this was a lot of what input I got from the community,” Nick told The Hoboken Girl.
Gary said that the project will include 11 units of affordable housing. As for the tenants of the former Chambord building, he said “We are committed to considering former tenants who are interested in the new complex. They will be offered market rate subject to availability.” Both Nick and Gary say they’re looking forward to building a space for the community to gather for years to come.
Councilman Ruben Ramos is also thinking about the future when it comes to the building. “This is really going to be a lynchpin for development in southwest Hoboken,” he said. “It brings everything together, more activities for people from all over Hoboken. There will be new restaurants and a grocery store. There’s a lot of potential, and we’re excited about it.”
“This is what development is meant to do, figure out what’s missing in the community and bring it,” Ruben continued. “The HOP could expand and bring people to this part of Hoboken. We’re looking forward to more opportunities that come from the project.” He pointed to the construction of the Southwest Resiliency Park and the new farmers market in the neighborhood as other exciting developments.
Business Owners of Chambord
The HG team reached out to a few other former Chambord tenants to get their take and learn more about what they’ve been up to.
Marilyn Tomasso of Manhattan Neon shared this statement. “It’s been a difficult journey, but we are surviving the ordeal as well as possible. I truly preferred being in Hoboken but we are thankful to be in our beautiful space in Union City. I have nothing to say about the redevelopment as it doesn’t concern me. The facts surrounding the fire will always be of memorable concern.”
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One of the businesses that was displaced by the Chambord fire was Hoboken Crossfit. It is now located at 50 Marshall Street. Owner Jon Bevacqua shared his thoughts with HG. “Crossfit Hoboken is fortunate to find a new home and is excited to see 38 Jackson rejuvenate Southwest Hoboken. Our area of town is in need of a supermarket plus redevelopment. It’s going to take some patience as this project and Southwest Park are completed but will be worth the wait. The Taurasi Group has always delivered quality projects with their hands-on approach.”
We reached out to several other business owners from the former Chambord building who declined to comment.
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Proposed Plan Looks To Redevelop Hoboken Parking Garage Into Mixed-Use Apartment Building
A 40-year-old parking garage in downtown Hoboken could be transformed into a new apartment building. The City of Hoboken proposed plans to transform Municipal Parking Garage B at 28 2nd Street in Hoboken into a mixed-use building. The plan was unveiled during a virtual community meeting on January 7th, 2025, but has yet to be adopted by City Council. Here’s what we know so far about the proposed plan to revitalize one of Hoboken’s largest parking garages.
The Plan
The goal is to redevelop Garage B into a transit-oriented, mixed-use site. The City wants it to have a new, updated parking garage, ground-floor retail space, a school, and residential housing. According to the plan, “Garage B is the only garage that exists as a standalone building, without other buildings attached to or flanking the garage structure. Garage B is also located furthest south and is closest to the Hoboken Terminal. For these reasons, Garage B has fewer barriers to construction than the other Garages locations.”
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The housing portion of the new site would include a minimum of 20% affordable housing for low to moderate-income households. The remaining balance would be affordable for households that don’t make more than 120% of the regional median household income in the region. No market-rate housing is part of this redevelopment plan.
“The intent of workforce housing is to provide opportunities for working- and middle-class residents to live within the City of Hoboken,” said Marilyn Baer from the City of Hoboken. “These residents can include police and fire officers, teachers, municipal workers, nurses, and other essential workers.”
According to a recent study done by the City of Hoboken, the parking garage is in substantial need of repair. The garage would be getting a much-needed update and Hoboken says the new space will have the same or possibly more parking spaces for residents and visitors to use, along with modern technology to help make the parking process a breeze.
The Goals
This plan is part of Hoboken’s Redevelopment Plans, aiming to improve the City to make it safer for both residents and visitors. Some of the other goals for this site include maximizing the future building’s proximity to the Hoboken Terminal, increasing access to to NJ Transit, the PATH, the Light Rail, and ferry services. Project leaders aim for new construction to be compatible with the surrounding area. They also want to make sure ground floor space is spaced and utilized well to improve the pedestrian experience on Hudson Place and River Street.
This redevelopment plan also calls for pedestrian safety improvements in line with the City’s Vision Zero goals. It will also use stormwater mitigation strategies to help reduce local flooding.
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Again, this is still just a proposed plan. If it’s adopted by the City Council, the City of Hoboken plans to send out a Request for Proposals from developers for concept plans. From there, the City will provide for an additional public process ahead of a potential Redevelopment Agreement between Hoboken and a developer, according to Marilyn Baer.
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