SJP Properties started work a second 47-story tower.
FORT LEE -- The Modern residential tower has come to dominate the Fort Lee skyline since its completion in 2014.
Soon, the tallest building in Bergen County will be joined by a twin, as developer SJP Properties announced Monday that had started work on a second 47-story tower.
Like the first tower, the second Modern tower will have 450 rental units, comprising a mix of studio, one- two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Fort Lee Mayor Sokolich said the groundbreaking marked another milestone in what he calls a "renaissance" in the borough.
"It's been remarkable to witness the success of the first building, which has injected an incredible amount of energy into our community," Sokolich said. "The development of the second tower is symbolic of Fort Leeas transformation from a town reenergized into a prime destination on New Jerseyas booming Gold Coast."
Aside from the buildings, SJP, in partnership with Prudential Real Estate Investors and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, plans to build a 2-acre public park at the site that will include a 7,000 square-foot restaurant. SJP also plans to help develop a 13,000-square-foot building to be donated to Fort Lee for use as a public theater and museum celebrating the borough's history in film.
The Modern, among the tallest buildings in the state, offers views reaching both MetLife Stadium and Yankee Stadium. Aside from the views, the developers have banked on amenities and rent prices to lure tenants.
The first tower has a spa with a community sauna, a screening room, a golf simulation room and an internet lounge. Rents range from just under $2,000 for studios and up to $7,300 for three-bedroom penthouses on the top floor, prices SJP officials have said should be low enough to lure New Yorkers across the Hudson.
Residents also have free shuttle service across the George Washington Bridge.
"As interest in the exceptional living experience we've created at The Modern only increases, weare confident that the development of the second tower will be met with excitement from prospective renters," Allen Goldman, president of SJP Properties' residential division, said.
The Modern, along with the neighboring Hudson Lights development, have transformed a 16-acre lot long left vacant as developer after developer stumbled. Former Mayor Burt Ross famously turned down a mob bribe in the 1970s to allow construction at the site.
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.