Mayor Jimmy Davis and the City Council have introduced an ordinance to amend the redevelopment plan for the former Texaco property in Bayonne.  The proposed ordinance would modify the zoning standards for the lots to permit a film studio and production facilities as a primary use.  “Since I became mayor in 2014, I have worked hard to encourage investment and redevelopment in our city, especially in areas of former industrial sites that no longer play a role in our city,” said Davis.  

 

The land in question consists of thirteen separate lots that were home to the Texaco refinery from the early 1900’s until it closed in the 1980’s.  Texaco merged with Chevron in 2001.  The property, which is located in the southwestern corner of Bayonne, consists of about seventy acres.  Under several City Administrations, there have been various attempts to redevelop the property.  For example, in the late 1990’s, plans were floated for a DVD plant on the site.  That development never took place. In 2006, the City of Bayonne designated the Kaplan Companies of Highland Park, N.J. as the redeveloper for the property.  However, their plans for a phased, mixed-use residential and commercial development never moved forward.  Consequently, in 2018, the City of Bayonne ended the Kaplan Companies’ designation as the redeveloper.   Chevron, the successor to Texaco and the current owner of the site, issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of the site in spring 2020.  After considering various proposals, Chevron has narrowed the selection down to one potential developer.  

 

At the request of the prospective developer and the owner, the City of Bayonne is slated to amend the redevelopment plan to allow the construction of a movie studio.  “We are excited by the prospect of having a studio make Bayonne its home,” stated Mayor Davis.  “The studio is also intended to house workshops, offices, and sound stages while providing the public with a waterfront walkway and open space.”   

 

“This type of development brings additional balance to Bayonne’s ongoing redevelopment,” noted City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski.  “The creation of the studio will add to our continued economic development with the creation of jobs and substantial investment,” added Ashe-Nadrowski.

 

The Bayonne Planning Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance change in October, and the Council will vote on the ordinance at its October meeting.

 

Bayonne was the home to Centaur, the first independent film studio in the country.  It was founded in 1907.  Centaur’s West Coast division was called Nestor.  It became the first motion picture company in Hollywood in 1911.