Bayonne planning board approves 6‑story, 114‑unit mixed‑use project at former St. Michael’s site with conditions

Planning board members voted to approve preliminary and final major site plan applications for a six‑story, mixed‑use building at 15 East 20 Third Street — the former St. Michael’s church site — after nearly four hours of testimony and public comment. The board approved the application with conditions, including further coordination with city engineers on traffic and technical items.

The project, proposed by 15 East 20 Third Street Urban Renewal LLC, would replace the vacant church and associated buildings with a 70‑foot, six‑story building containing 114 residential units, an on‑site garage with 119 parking spaces and ground‑floor retail. Michael Miceli, the applicant’s attorney, told the board that “the plan before you tonight complies with virtually every regulation in that redevelopment plan.”

Supporters of the project and the applicant’s witnesses said the design follows the redevelopment plan adopted by the city about a year ago and would add housing and ground‑floor retail within walking distance of the 20 Second light‑rail station and Broadway. Architect Bruce Stieve described planned features including a corner entrance oriented toward Broadway, about 1,977 square feet of retail (the agenda listed 2,701 square feet), tenant amenities, a mix of unit sizes and a parking strategy that combines surface parking and a semi‑automated stacker…