Aberdeen-Matawan is the busiest station on New Jersey Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line regional/commuter rail line, which links Newark and New York with the Jersey Shore. Now, some underutilized land at the station in Aberdeen Twp. will be transformed into a mixed-use transit village.

Aberdeen Transit Village will consist of luxury apartments and retail space. Located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Harrison Street, it will comprise five residential buildings totaling 227 one- and two-bedroom rental residences and street-level retail space. Expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018, the project aligns with the township’s plan to redevelop a 20-acre site on its side of the Aberdeen-Matawan rail station into a transit village, in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the state’s Transit Village Task Force. NJDOT designated the site a transit village in 2003.

Development partners BNE Real Estate Group and Highview Homes joined NJT officials and legislators on Aug. 8, 2016 to break ground on Aberdeen Transit Village. Among the participants putting ceremonial shovels in the ground were Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini and the Aberdeen Township Council, U.S. Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone, who also represents Monmouth County on the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

Known for its “family-friendly neighborhoods, tree-lined streets and scenic stretch of the Raritan Bay waterfront,” Aberdeen Twp. is situated in northern Monmouth County, just off the Garden State Parkway, Routes 34 and 35, and the North Jersey Coast Line. Currently, the Aberdeen-Matawan station handles close to 3,000 riders each weekday. The BNE/Highview development “will provide a housing option not widely available in Aberdeen, one that caters to commuters and residents who prefer the convenience and amenity-rich lifestyle of luxury apartment living to home ownership,” the developers said. “Residents will enjoy a full suite of amenities, including a lounge, state-of-the-art fitness center and an outdoor pool, as well as proximity to public transportation.”

“We are very pleased to partner with BNE and Highview Homes on the development of our transit village,” Mayor Tagliarini said. “This has been a long, complex process involving land purchases from multiple private and public entities, approvals from various government agencies, and market-force interruptions triggered by the recent recession and accompanying housing slump. This redevelopment will replace an unproductive eyesore with an attractive residential and retail village that would have minimal impact on traffic and our schools, fulfill demand from young commuters and others seeking luxury rentals within walking distance of the station, introduce new retail, restaurant and service businesses to serve commuters, and create a pleasant outdoor dining environment.”

“We’re delighted to have secured such a well-located site adjacent to an active railway station, and are thrilled to be taking the next step in unlocking the intrinsic value of this property,” said Jonathan Schwartz, a Principal of BNE Real Estate Group. “We appreciate the confidence Mayor Tagliarini and the Township of Aberdeen have placed in us and our partner, Highview Homes, and look forward to executing our shared vision for a vibrant, revitalized property that will be an asset to the township.”

Photo: Local officials and development partners break ground on Aberdeen Transit Village. From left to right: Thomas A. Arnone, Monmouth County Freeholder Director; Jim Smith, Principal of Highview Homes; Frank Pallone Jr., U.S. Representative (D-N.J.); Fred Tagliarini, Mayor of Aberdeen Township; Jeffrey A. Nadell, Senior Director of Real Estate & Economic Development for NJT; Gerard P. Scharfenberger, Mayor of Middletown Township; Jonathan Schwartz, Principal of BNE Real Estate Group; David Pantirer, Executive Vice President of BNE Real Estate Group; and Marc Pantirer, Executive Vice President of BNE Real Estate Group.