Jersey City has unveiled Container Village, a temporary popup venue created by converting four shipping containers into a community-centered retail and art hub.
Located along Martin Luther King Drive, the first city-run “micro-entrepreneurship venture” will house new and growing small businesses, providing storefronts that are easily accessible to the shoppers during normal business hours.
“Container Village is a cost-effective initiative to not only bolster our efforts supporting new and growing small businesses, but also expanding upon our investment to revitalize the area, bringing tangible change, stimulating the local economy, and ultimately encouraging future business opportunities as well,” said Mayor Steven Fulop.
“Our investment into this area along MLK Drive, is an investment that will benefit the community as a whole.”
The entrepreneur incubator is the latest step as part of the city’s continued investment into the Bergen-Lafayette area. Container Village is located just cross the street from the largest public investment in decades — the $188 million Jackson Square hub. The second of four buildings within the Jackson Square campus opened its doors last week at 342 MLK Drive.
The shipping containers’ conversion into usable space was completed by various city departments to include lighting, electricity, heating and air conditioning, as well as pleasing aesthetic aspects for an inviting storefront appearance such as windows, greenery, signage, and more.
Beyond the recycled nature of the containers themselves, this site will be a model for multiple kinds of sustainable practices including rainwater absorption elements and green roofing.
“I’m very excited, this entire project along MLK Drive is good for the community,” said Councilwoman at Large Joyce Watterman.
“This was part of our objective from day one, to get things moving in the right direction with more foot traffic here and various business interests going on as we work to revitalize the area.”
