Erin Lanahan 
A failed museum project in Journal Square is being transformed into affordable housing, according to plans announced by Jersey City. The previous Jersey City administration planned to build the Pompidou Museum at 808 Pavonia Avenue, and while millions were spent on planning for the museum, it never came to fruition. Now, Mayor James Solomon announced plans to convert that building into affordable housing units. Here’s what we know about the plans to turn the Pompidou Museum site into affordable housing in Journal Square.
Art walk rendering courtesy of KRE
The Failed Pompidou Museum Project
The Centre Pompidou, a center exhibiting a collection of modern and contemporary art in Paris, France, announced plans for The Pompidou Museum in Jersey City in 2021. The satellite museum was going to take over an abandoned historical building at 25 Journal Square. Fast forward to 2024, when the project was deemed no longer feasible. Funding was pulled, then former Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop pivoted plans by hitching the museum onto a real estate proposal at 808 Pavonia Avenue. Kushner Real Estate Group (KRE) proposed a 50-story tower at this site, so the museum would take up 100,000 square feet of the new building.
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Under the previous Jersey City administration, KRE received a 30-year tax abatement in exchange for the project, per Mayor Solomon’s office. Mayor Solomon previously opposed the plans while he served on City Council, telling Jersey Digs in 2024, “Given the rise in taxes, given the extraordinary needs before the city when it comes to affordable homes, better schools, more youth opportunity. I just don’t think this is the right direction to go in, while respecting the motives of those who are pushing for it.”
In February of 2026, Mayor Solomon shared that Jersey City reported a $250 million budget deficit. An audit found nearly $20 million was spent on consultants for the Pompidou museum project, including $7.5 million to a single architecture firm, yet nothing was ever built.
The Affordable Housing Plans
Mayor Solomon’s office is partnering with Kushner Real Estate Group (KRE) to add affordable housing to the space that was originally designated for the Pompidou Museum. The affordable housing will be part of KRE’s Artwalk Towers development that’s already under construction. It’s a two-tower project that’s directly across from the Journal Square PATH station. Construction on the first tower is already underway following KRE’s $175 million construction financing secured in late 2024.
“The previous administration left Jersey City with no financially responsible way to move forward with the Pompidou concept,” said Mayor James Solomon in a statement. “But we appreciate KRE’s willingness to partner with us on a new vision. They came to us with a proposal for pivoting from the museum to badly needed affordable housing. That kind of flexibility deserves recognition. It’s exactly the kind of partnership this city needs, and the type of work that will be a trademark of this administration.”
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“We’ve been building in Journal Square for over two decades, and we’re invested in this community’s future,” said Jonathan Kushner, President of KRE Group, in a statement. “We want what is best for the neighborhood and all of Jersey City and reimagining this project as affordable housing pushes forward our long-term dedication to building a better Jersey City.”
Details on the affordable housing, such as the planned affordable unit count and affordability levels, have yet to be released.
History of the Site
The 808 Pavonia Avenue project was approved in 2022, and the Pompidou facilities would have been an addition to the original plan, per Jersey Digs. The approved project has two towers with over 1,000 residential units. The original plan also included an ‘art walk’ connecting Pavonia and Van Reipen avenues. The project also had space for a 6,000+ square foot gallery space.
When the proposal was originally announced in July 2024, the Pompidou space would occupy 100,000 square feet in one of the towers, and the City would own the space for 30 years, per Jersey Digs. At a community meeting held on September 21st, Mayor Fulop spoke for over four hours explaining the project and answering residents’ questions, per the Jersey City Times. The town hall meeting was requested by Councilmen Rich Boggiano and Frank Gilmore and hosted by the Journal Square Community Association. In his remarks, Mayor Fulop clarified that the facility would be more of a cultural institution than a museum because of its educational and community resources and compared it to Liberty Science Center, per the Hudson County View.
Now, the plan includes a 49-story building with 595 residential units, per RE-NJ. The first phase is expected to be complete in 2028.
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