Paterson gives approval to seven-story office at proposed hospital hotel site

This is Medical Missions rendering of the hotel, part of proposed new $150 million complex that would include office building approved Wednesday night.

PATERSON The city planning board has given its approval to the construction of a seven-story office building and medical school on Main Street near St. Josephs Regional Medical Center.

The office complex is being built by Morristown-based Hampshire Partners in conjunction with the Medical Missions For Childrens 14-story hotel and conference center across the street.

Local officials have hailed the two projects, with a combined cost of about $150 million, as a much-needed boost to Patersons economy, predicting that it will not only generate additional tax revenue for the city but that it also will spur other development.

The proposed hotel had been on the drawing board for more than four years before it received planning board approval this past summer. Medical Missions had been struggling to secure the financing and was unable to convince city or county officials to guarantee loans for the project.

But last year, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved $105 million in transit hub tax credits for the hotel and office building, allowing the plans to move ahead.

The planning board approved the office building Wednesday night. Its not clear when the Hampshire Group plans to start construction. Hampshires Kim Stirba-Reynolds did not respond to a phone call seeking her comment.

The planning application says the building will have 110,000 square feet and 29 off-street parking spaces. Another 81 spaces will be available for the office building at St. Josephs parking facilities, according to the application.

Medical Missions, a city-based nonprofit group, had said it would hold a ground-breaking in October. That has not happened yet, but a representative of the organization said work would start before the end of the year.

Mayor Jose Joey Torres could not be reached for comment.

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Paterson gives approval to seven-story office at proposed hospital hotel site