SECOND ‘URBY’ RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CREATED BY CONCRETE OPENS ITS DOORS IN JERSEY CITY Urby offers premium apartments with unique communal facilities at sub-premium rates. Together with Ironstate Development and Roseland Residential Trust, Concrete has completed the first phase of the Jersey City Urby project. A 762-unit residential tower rising 69 storeys tall above New Jersey. Jersey City Urby is the second building developed under the Urby brand that caters to the ever-changing demands of the modern urban citizen. Offering smart apartments at more affordable rates and unique communal facilities and programming, Urby represents unprecedented value for money and a truly connected living experience.

In 2009, Concrete was approached by Ironstate to develop a better rental-housing product for New York’s densely populated areas. ‘Better’ was defined as a product that more adequately meets the needs of the modern urban resident, offers higher value for the money and facilitates a more positive way of living. The answer Concrete and Ironstate came up with, was Urby. The first Urby location was opened last year in Staten Island and construction is currently underway at two more locations in Harrison and Stamford.

Jersey City Urby houses 762 rental apartments in a 69-storey tower, with two more towers planned for a second development stage. Jersey City Urby is located right on the Hudson River next to Exchange Place Path station in the heart of Jersey City. The complex boasts stunning views of downtown Manhattan and is a five-minute Path ride away from New York’s World Trade Centre.

The architectural design of the building reflects the organic nature of the Urby brand, focusing on openness, space and connection. The tower is made up out of stacked blocks, creating a vertical neighbourhood and an expressive and playful structure.

Urby buildings have been designed to create natural opportunities for neighbours to meet. Every building is entered through a publicly accessible entrance café instead of a lobby. The communal resident spaces are actively programmed to foster interactions between neighbours and include a kitchen, a gym, gardens and a pool. Jersey City Urby offers its residents an artistic program and it even has an in-house scientist. The available services vary per location based on local needs and resident demographics.

Urby apartments are available in S, M and L. Compact in size to keep monthly rates down, all apartments feel relatively large and spacious thanks to the clever use of the available square footage, big windows and bright lighting plans. With plenty of built-in storage space, fully equipped kitchens and bathrooms, plus preinstalled Wi-Fi, Urby apartments set a new standard in ready-to-move-in rental housing.

The Urby concept and brand have been created by Concrete and Ironstate Development. Concrete is responsible for all of Urby’s design - from the architecture of the building to all of its interiors, urban landscape and decoration.

Exterior URBY sign The key to this signage was to retain a clean finished product to match the font. Typically on this type of face lit lettering the trim that hold the plastic faces in place can be very bulky. That would have destroyed the look, so the trim was kept as low profile as possible with a process that is more common in Europe and much less so in the US. “you’re home” neon A focal point of main entry way to residential entry way. Neon mounted to an industrial but unobtrusive framework. The warm turquoise neon color was chosen by Concrete. 9 Bar Café sign A modern and retro feel in one sign. Again, low profile trim was a key to this sign. The face lit letters mirror the URBY exterior sign while the exposed marquee bulbs add a sense of difference and fun. Interior Food Bar neon The mesh structure was designed prior to the realization of the neon. Concrete wanted to the neon to become part of the structure. Normally we would use sign component elements as attachment points but this assignment called for using the mesh as our own structure. The neon support posts were through bolted onto the mesh so no drilling was required. We used small electronic transformers to power the neon. They were key, though many more than normal was required due to their small size, but they did not detract from the neon-a key to the visual of this massive installation.