Starbucks Voice Ordering

The Journal Square Starbucks is expected to open by mid-May 2017. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

(AP Photo)

JERSEY CITY -- The Starbucks coming to the Journal Square PATH hub, which was expected to open as early as this week, is now scheduled to open by mid-May.

A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the PATH hub and is leasing space in it to the gourmet coffee giant, said construction on the 2,079-square-foot store was scheduled to begin this week. It will be located near the PJ Ryan's Squared pub.

The Starbucks opening is a sure sign that changes long-promised for Journal Square are on their way. The first high-rise in the three-story Journal Squared project, a 53-story tower on the other end of the PATH hub from the Starbucks site, is expected to open to tenants soon.

It's also good news for homeowners in the area looking to cash out soon: real-estate research group Zillow found last year that the value of homes within a quarter-mile of a Starbucks rise faster than those that aren't.

The Port Authority signed a 10-year lease with Starbucks last year. The Journal Square location will be Jersey City's first outside of the Downtown, which has four.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.