JERSEY CITY -- A group of local activists is planning to protest Saturday outside the new Trump high-rise on Bay Street in Downtown Jersey City to signal to retailers that they will boycott any store that rents space in the tower.
Citing President Trump's recent actions targeting illegal immigration and refugees from Muslim-majority countries and comments he made in 2015 about Jersey City's reaction to the 9/11 attacks, the organizers of the protest say Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, who ran the real-estate development firm partially behind the new luxury tower, "should not profit off of" Jersey City.
The group, which has an online petition with over 150 signatures, is also calling on Jersey City to refuse any tax break requests for Kushner's buildings until he and Trump fully divest from their real-estate holdings.
Arlene Stein, the Jersey City woman who dreamed up the boycott pledge, called it "a way of sending a message" to the president and to Jersey City. Stein said she is "deeply unhappy" with Trump's administration's policies.
"As a taxpayer here I don't want my taxes going to Kushner and I won't want to increase his wealth," Stein said.
Kushner has officially stepped down as CEO of Kushner Companies, which partnered with KABR Group to build Trump Bay Street. Instead of selling his assets and placing the proceeds in an independently managed trust, Kushner will transfer ownership of some of his assets to his brother and to a trust overseen by his mother.
A Kushner Companies spokesman, asked for comment, said, "We are proud to provide dozens of quality jobs at our union-built project."
A request for comment from KABR Group was not returned.
Kushner and KABR Group are also behind two Journal Square projects -- One Journal Square and 30 Journal Square, three towers total -- that have received city planning approval and are eligible for 30-year tax abatements. City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said there is no application for a tax break under consideration by Jersey City for either of the properties.
"The mayor is on record and has been extremely vocal against President Trump's actions," Morrill said.
In a statement Council President Rolando Lavarro, who last year joined in on a union protest of the Trump building, said Trump's agenda "has been and will be met with resistance in Jersey City."
"I can say that I value the community's input in making my decisions as council president," Lavarro said.
The 50-story, 447-apartment Trump Bay Street will have over 10,000 square feet of retail space when it opens. Monthly rents range from $2,795 for a one-bedroom apartment to $4,750 for two bedrooms.
The City Council awarded the developers a five-year tax abatement by unanimous vote in 2014.
The protest is scheduled for Sat., Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. at 65 Bay St.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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