Navy center renovation a splash hit at HarborSide.

Westminster Communities is midway through renovation of the former Naval Reserve Training Center in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of Phase I of The Landings at HarborSide waterfront community, announced Sam Gershwin, president of Westminster Communities, the development arm of Kushner Companies.

Westminster Communities is transforming the building into an innovative Sales and Design Center to showcase the "New Urbanism" that will characterize the lifestyle at this 49-acre mixed-use waterfront redevelopment in Perth Amboy.

According to Gershwin, "A community the size and scope of The Landings at HarborSide requires a very special Sales and Design Center, much more than a display of homes for sale. We want to showcase the unique amenities and anticipated lifestyle of The Landings at HarborSide's waterfront setting and homes, including the interior garages, the landscaped private courtyards, the waterfront esplanade and the variety of housing choices."

A wholly owned subsidiary of Kushner Companies, The Landings at HarborSide LLC, was named the designated redeveloper of the $600 million project in 2000.

This summer, the developer proceeded with infrastructure improvements. In the fall, the company launched Phase I of the residential construction, which features new neighborhoods of townhouses, condominiums, lofts, shops, public gardens and amenities along the city's waterfront.

The Naval Reserve Training Center was closed by the U.S. Navy in 1995 and subsequently served as a dock/storage facility for a local cruise ship operator.

The building is located on the water's edge at 1 Fayette Street, at the foot of Smith Street in the heart of the newly proposed marina district.

When renovations are completed in April, the new Sales and Design Center will highlight the architectural styling and the New Urbanism features that have been incorporated into The Landings at HarborSide plans. The result will be a building that showcases the neighborhood living environments, reminiscent of traditional small town communities, that will become The Landings at HarborSide.

"The location of the Naval Reserve Center, in the midst of the new development directly on the waterfront, emphasizes the serene and beautiful setting of The Landings at HarborSide," said Gershwin. "Looking to the southeast, at the water and sky, across to the sandy shores and elegant estates of western Staten Island, the view is outstanding--one of New Jersey's best kept secrets."

The Naval Reserve Center renovation was designed by the award-winning New York-based architectural firm, The Liebman Melting Partnership, architects and master planners for The Landings at HarborSide. Century Design, Inc. of New Hope, Pennsylvania, is implementing the design.

Liebman Melting is known for producing large-scale housing developments, mixed-use neighborhoods and smart office buildings throughout the world.