Photo Credit:  Hudson Projects

bwe kafe is prepping to open its third coffee shop in Hudson County.  The neighborhood café and gathering space, which has locations at 140 River Drive South in downtown Jersey City and 1002 Washington Street in Hoboken has signed a lease to occupy 1,904 square feet of street-level retail space at the six-story Edge Adams building located at 1405 Adams Street in Hoboken.

Named bwè Kafe North End, the new outpost will introduce new design elements and features not found at other locations to create a higher level of social engagement and provide expanded service.  The multi-level space will feature a central mezzanine to foster a communal vibe.  An extended bar with an open kitchen will allow for larger food service.  Portions of the interior space will have distinct and unique design motifs and merchandising to better promote neighborly interaction.

The new location within Bijou Properties’ 34-unit Edge Adams luxury rental building that is registered for LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) marks the latest example of the proliferation of residential, retail, dining and entertainment options in uptown Hoboken which is creating a vibrant, urban neighborhood destination.

“There’s been a lot of exciting development happening in Hoboken’s north end,” commented bwé kafe owner Dale Mori-Ryan.  “We were fortunate enough to be a part of multiple pop-ups with Hudson Table and we became more aware of the growth and excitement in this area.  We wanted to participate in the growth with a more permanent location and Edge Adams was the ideal address.

“We love being surrounded by so many other spaces that are supporting the arts,” she continues.  “Hoboken’s only movie theater is directly across from us and the Mile Square Theater is steps away. We also love that the building is on pace to be LEED Certified.  We’re constantly trying to think of ways to become more sustainable as a coffee shop and as individuals. We offer compostable utensils, sell reusable straws, try to promote multi-use cups instead of single use ones and try to limit our waste. Being in a LEED Certified building is very special to us.”

It’s no coincidence that Bijou Properties also targeted bwé kafe for its thoughtfully-curated retail mix in the neighborhood as the two locally-based entities share a community-minded philosophy as part of their DNA.

“We’re a Hoboken company that is fully invested in the quality of life for its residents, now and in the future,” said Bijou Properties’ Managing Partner Larry Bijou.   “We continually strive to provide neighborhood amenities and services that complement our residential components and significantly contribute to the community-at-large.  We’re incredibly excited to be bringing bwè Kafe North End to Edge Adams and to deliver a new retail destination in this neighborhood.  It’s a perfect partnership between two like-minded businesses that share a vision for creating an eco-conscious living environment for all to enjoy.”

For over a decade, Bijou Properties has been introducing residential and commercial buildings in uptown Hoboken — all developed responsibly and with much-needed supportive retail and services. Its Park + Garden rental building located at 1450 Garden Street is home to the Elysian Charter School and the developer introduced Garden Street Mews, a cobblestone and tree-lined mews zoned for pedestrian use only where its sponsors the annual outdoor Garden Street Farmers Market.  Of recent note, Bijou Properties completed a 40,000 square-foot retail/recreation/office building located at 333 15^th Street which includes tenants Orale, West Elm, SLT, and The Gravity Vault, Hudson County’s first rock climbing gym.

All of its properties have received or registered for LEED certification from USGBC, meaning they have been developed under strict guidelines to result in healthy, highly-efficient and cost-saving green buildings that dramatically reduce the impact on the surrounding neighborhood and environment.

Likewise, bwé kafe is driven by a mission of serving both its immediate and extended community.  Locally, its retail spaces host monthly open mic nights, collaborations with local vendors, showcases with local artists, open workshops and community events and fundraisers.

Globally, it partners with the non-profit ‘Love for Haiti,’ an organization which strives to improve life, opportunity, verse, and education in that nation.  Through this program, bwe kafe supports the art and music departments in two schools outside of Port au Prince via donations gathered in its coffee shops.  The monetary proceeds go to the tuitions of students for higher education.

“Our baristas and friends of the coffee shop visit the schools once or twice a year to deliver musical donations, laptops and art supplies, and meet with the students that are the beneficiaries of the scholarships,” Mrs. Mori-Ryan said.   “At home, we have great plans to expand our community collaborations in the new space.”

Edge Adams is the second boutique building in Bijou Properties’ Edge Lofts apartment portfolio, following Edge Clinton, a 35-unit rental at 1405 Clinton Street.

For additional information on Edge Adams, please visit www.edgelofts.com.

About Bijou Properties

Founded in 1999 in Hoboken, N.J., Bijou Properties designs, develops & manages the highest quality sustainable buildings and has become a recognized leader in the field of green development along the Hudson Waterfront.  Recent projects include Park + Garden, Garden Street Lofts (NJ’s First LEED Gold Residential Highrise) and Vine, a 135-unit LEED certified rental building at 900 Monroe Street.  The developer has also introduced Candela Lofts, the first Passive House multi-family condominium building in New Jersey, and VIA Lofts, a collection of ten luxury condominiums at 1410 Grand Street, and is preparing for the debut of 700 Jackson, a 424-unit luxury rental building.  With the completion of 700 Jackson, Bijou will have delivered nearly 1,000 sustainable LEED-certified homes in its home city.