Tree is holiday beacon at old Med Center site

Originally appeared in the Jersey Journal on Tuesday, November 29, 2005

By KEN THORBOURNE

It's a gift to Jersey City from a developer tackling a huge renovation job.

Last night, community residents and elected officials joined representatives of Metrovest Equities - the New York company transforming the old Jersey City Medical Center buildings on Baldwin Avenue into 1,200-unit luxury apartment complex known as the Beacon - to light a 75-foot-high blue spruce on the great lawn off Montgomery Street. The 18,000-pound tree from Margaretville, N.Y., is adorned with 25,000 lights.

The Beacon's "holiday tree" stands a foot taller than the Norway spruce to be illuminated tomorrow night at Rockefeller Center in New York City, according to a Metrovest spokeswoman.

"It's lovely," sighed Remica Carthan, 14, who attended the 6 p.m. lighting ceremony with three siblings and her stepdad, a contractor working on the project. "I like it."

Rep. Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, was on hand as well, to help with the tree-lighting countdown and applaud the $350 million rehab job.

"This landmark will not only be preserved," Menendez said, "but also the hope and joy of so many people will now call home in a premier location."

The first apartment at the Beacon won't be occupied until Spring 2007, but Metrovest Equities Executive Vice President Philip Fierro said the company thought it a good idea to put a holiday smile on the project - and on the face of the thousands of motorists and pedestrians who will view it as they traverse Montgomery Street.

"We feel this is a large and historic project and felt this was a nice way to say thank-you to the city," Fierro said. "It's good for the community."

The Beacon will be constructed in eight phases, Fierro said. The first phase will consist of 314 apartments - half of which are already claimed, he said. Prices will range from the $300,000s to the $500,000s, Fierro said.

In September, the project received a 30-year tax abatement.

The tree will stay lit to 10 p.m. each night until Jan. 7, he said.