KRE Group Proposes Community Space at Pavonia

The developer of Artwalk Towers has put forward a community and recreation center for space once earmarked for a Centre Pompidou satellite.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Remote Work

Wide view of a mid-rise building facade with a glass ground floor and bare concrete plaza beneath a pale sky, with the Manhattan skyline faintly visible across the river. — KRE Group presented a proposed community and recreation center for an 85,000-square-foot Jersey City space after the city ended the planned Centre Pompidou satellite over a $255 million budget deficit. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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KRE Group presented proposed uses for an 85,000 square-foot space at 808 Pavonia Avenue, including a community center and recreation center, after Jersey City Mayor James Solomon ended the Centre Pompidou satellite project in February 2026. The proposal was presented at a community meeting held November 2 at Hudson County Community College.

Why it matters

Solomon ended the Centre Pompidou project citing the city's $255 million budget deficit, leaving the reserved space's future in question. The proposal shapes how a large amount of public-facing space in Jersey City's Journal Square area could be used.

KRE Group's proposal covers 85,000 square feet of space at 808 Pavonia Avenue, with 7,000 square feet set aside for public use. The developer is also seeking added height on its second tower to build 93 affordable housing units, and whether that request will be granted remains unresolved.

The players

KRE Group

KRE Group is the developer of 808 Pavonia Avenue, the two-tower luxury residential complex known as Artwalk Towers.

James Solomon

James Solomon is the Mayor of Jersey City, who ended the Centre Pompidou satellite project in February 2026 citing the city's budget deficit.

Tom Zuppa

Tom Zuppa is a Jersey City councilman who met with KRE Group over several months to secure a recreational center for Ward C.

Handel Architects

Handel Architects is the firm that designed the 808 Pavonia Avenue building and presented proposed uses for the space at the community meeting.

The details

Representatives from KRE Group and Handel Architects presented proposed uses for the space at a community meeting held in person and virtually. Councilman Tom Zuppa worked with KRE Group over several months to secure a recreational center for Ward C, which includes a planned basketball court.

2021: Former Mayor Steven Fulop championed the Centre Pompidou satellite opening.
2024: A 30-year tax abatement for the 808 Pavonia Avenue project was approved.
February 2026: Mayor James Solomon ended the Centre Pompidou satellite project.
November 2, 2026: Community meeting held on the proposed use of the space.

Remote Work

The space once reserved for the Centre Pompidou satellite, a project championed by former Mayor Steven Fulop in 2021, is now being redirected toward a community and recreation center. The shift reflects the broader reallocation of Jersey City's public-facing commitments in response to its $255 million budget deficit.

Residents near Journal Square could gain a community center and basketball court if the proposal moves forward. Whether that space ultimately opens depends on the city's approval and the developer's height request for additional affordable housing.

The takeaway

Public space decisions tied to private development often hinge on city budgets, so residents who want input should track future community meetings. The outcome will show how Jersey City balances cultural ambitions against fiscal constraints.