JERSEY CITY -- New renderings show developers' plans for a 35-story residential tower on the site of the Downtown Pep Boys, part of a large-scale development called Hudson Exchange West proposed for that area.

If approved by city planning officials, the tower would house 421 units and include over 12,000 square feet of retail space on a four-acre site just north of the Harsimus Cove light rail station.

The tower would be the first phase of a massive revamp of the 18-acre Metro Plaza shopping center, which includes a ShopRite, BJ's Wholesale Club and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Preliminary plans submitted by developers to planning officials show a new street grid between Second and Sixth streets, plus a park in the middle of the new development.

It looks from the new renderings like the Pep Boys will be history, but developers have told city officials that they will find room for the ShopRite to remain once they build that portion of the development.

The lead developer on the project is Forest City, which was behind Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The plans for Metro Plaza have not yet gone before the city Planning Board for site approval, so don't expect a groundbreaking soon.

Forest City did not return a request for comment.

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