Liberty Science Center selects Alpine Residential to build Scholars Village at SciTech Scity innovation campus

img
April 25, 2021
Share:

LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER SELECTS ALPINE RESIDENTIAL
TO BUILD SCHOLARS VILLAGE AT SCITECH SCITY INNOVATION CAMPUS
*****************
State-of-The-Art Sustainable Housing in Jersey City
for Entrepreneurs, Teachers, Students, Families, and Individuals
Dedicated to Creating a Brighter Future Through Science
Jersey City, NJ – May 25, 2021: Liberty Science Center has selected Alpine Residential, a New Yorkbased developer of residential housing nationwide, to create Scholars Village at SciTech Scity. Scholars
Village is anticipated to consist of two state-of-the-art, sustainable 200,000-square-feet, 200-unit
market-rate apartment buildings, as well as ground floor retail space and parking, for entrepreneurs,
teachers, students, families, and individuals who want to be part of a community that is harnessing the
power of science to create a better world.
SciTech Scity is the Center’s planned 30-acre “City of Tomorrow” that will launch and grow dozens of
world-changing science and technology companies and reimagine public school science education. It
will bring together entrepreneurs, scientists, academics, students, and other thinkers and doers who
share renowned computer scientist Alan Kay’s prescription that “the best way to predict the future is
to invent it.”
“The Scholars Village residential housing is essential to making SciTech Scity a 24/7 community, and we
engaged a first-rate developer,” said Paul Hoffman, LSC President and CEO. “Alpine Residential shares
our vision of invention and social impact and has deep knowledge of Jersey City. We are excited to be
working with them, and look forward to getting started.”
Alpine Residential, which has significant experience in the Jersey City market, including 500 units in the
Morris Canal Redevelopment Area adjacent to LSC, will incorporate innovative systems and sustainable
technologies into Scholars Village. These may include greywater/stormwater recycling (integrated with
the Center); solar energy collection and storage; AR and/or VR leasing and interior design; 3D printing
set up in units; composting integrated into trash removal; smart HVAC/heating systems with ability for
residents to monitor usage (with an awards program for the most energy-efficient tenants); upgraded
package technology; managed Wi-Fi network throughout building; and EV charging stations.
The apartment units themselves will feature modern finishes and offer smart devices and
conveniences to residents, which may include smart keyless entry locks, smart thermostats, doorbell
cameras, voice and app-controlled lighting, speakers and window treatments, wireless charging built
into countertops, and more. The residents at Scholars Village will be given the opportunity to test new
products and services developed by the tech start-ups at SciTech Scity and other corporate partners.
Construction of Scholars Village is slated to begin in early 2022 and completion and grand opening set
for mid 2024.
“We are extremely happy that LSC has chosen us as their residential developer at SciTech Scity, and we
are honored that they have entrusted us with their vision and confidence to create Scholars Village.
We are excited to start and look forward to working with LSC and expanding our work in Jersey City
and the LSC neighborhood,” said William Rosato of Alpine Residential, a venture comprised of Alpine
Real Estate Group and Beachwold Residential, both of which are head-quartered in Manhattan, with
management offices in Dallas, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida.
The announcement of the Scholars Village developer is the second significant milestone related to
SciTech Scity in the past two months. In April, LSC received Jersey City and Hudson County approval for
Liberty Science Center High School, a county-wide public magnet STEM academy that will be part of
and operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology. LSC also announced private funding for
special programs for middle-school students in Jersey City and Hudson County who want to attend the
new world-class high school but could use extra help getting their prerequisite skills (for example, math
skills) up to the level needed for admission.
About SciTech Scity
SciTech Scity will be a “City of Tomorrow” where companies and researchers test — and residents and
visitors experience — new high-tech products and services before they come to market.
In addition to Scholars Village and Liberty Science Center High School, the first phase of SciTech Scity
includes the following new construction:
• Edge Works: An eight-story facility for innovation comprising two distinct hubs. The Works will
house research and development labs, offices, and co-working areas for start-ups and
entrepreneurs. The Co-Creation Center will be a state-of-the-art conference center and tech
exhibition gallery.
• Public Commons: Five-acre outdoor park with activations that encourage exploration,
creativity, collaboration, and innovation. An events plaza for concerts, farmers markets, art
exhibitions, and food-truck festivals.
SciTech Scity is scheduled to open in late 2023.
About Liberty Science Center
Liberty Science Center (LSC.org) is a 300,000-square-foot, not-for-profit learning center located in
Liberty State Park on the Jersey City bank of the Hudson near the Statue of Liberty. Dedicated to
inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers and bringing the power, promise, and pure fun
of science and technology to learners of all ages, Liberty Science Center houses the largest planetarium
in the Western Hemisphere, 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species,
giant aquariums, a 3D theater, live simulcast surgeries, a tornado-force wind simulator, K-12
classrooms and labs, and teacher-development programs. Before Covid, more than 250,000 students
visited the Science Center each year, and tens of thousands more participated in the Center’s off-site
and online programs. Welcoming more than 750,000 visitors annually, LSC is the largest interactive
science center in the NYC-NJ metropolitan area.
About Alpine Residential
Alpine Residential is a venture comprised of Alpine Real Estate Group and Beachwold Residential that
are both headquartered in the same offices in Manhattan, with the management offices in Dallas,
Texas, and Jacksonville, Florida. The principals of Alpine Real Estate Group (alpine-re.com) are Todd
Schefler and William Rosato. They have developed over 2,000 residential units, over 500,000 square
feet of retail, parks and open space, and over 900,000 square feet of industrial and office: in excess of
$2.0 billion in development over the last 30 years for large institutions including Tarragon (NASDAQ),
Lennar (NYSE) and Catellus/TPG (a $70 billion private equity firm).
Beachwold (beachwold.com) and its principals have built, owned, and managed multifamily properties
for 40 years. Beachwold controls 57 properties and 15,000 multi-family units in Connecticut, Texas,
Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Tennessee. The principals of Beachwold are Bill
Friedman and Gideon Friedman.
The principals in Alpine Real Estate Group and Beachwold have been working together, in different
capacities, for over 20 years, since January 2000