September 13, 2026
GRID Commercial Real Estate is marking two years of retail leasing activity at the Journal Square PATH Station, one of New Jersey’s busiest transportation hubs. Working on behalf of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, GRID has helped fill vacancies, renew long-standing tenants, and bring new food and service concepts into the transportation center that serves over 7.4 million PATH riders and 8 million bus passengers a year.
Journal Square PATH Station retail leasing is a unique niche within Jersey City’s commercial real estate market. The property sits at the 100 percent corner of the Journal Square Central Business District, directly above the PATH station and steps from more than 6,400 new residential units delivered within walking distance. With that kind of daily foot traffic, the transportation center has become an increasingly attractive location for national brands and local operators alike.
A Two-Year Track Record at Journal Square
Over the past two years, GRID Commercial Real Estate has been involved in a series of leases that reflect both the strength of the location and the variety of retail concepts it can support. Highlights include:
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Taco Bell signed a lease for just under 2,000 square feet.
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Teriyaki One leased approximately 1,900 square feet.
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Walgreens renewed its 13,000 square foot lease after 20 years at the transportation center.
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A ramen restaurant recently signed a lease and is expected to open in 2027.
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J&J Grill leased 4,000 square feet, taking over the space formerly occupied by Emma’s Restaurant.
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TSAOCAA Bubble Tea and L’Atelier du Chocolat both signed leases, adding to the concourse’s food and beverage mix.
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Metro Market signed on to serve the daily commuter traffic moving through the station.
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Bank of America completed a five-year lease renewal, continuing its long-term presence at the property.
Each of these deals adds to a growing roster of national and regional tenants already at Journal Square, including Starbucks, Duane Reade, Jollibee, Crescent Gifts, XCEL Federal Credit Union, and Mobilesquared, among others.
A Long-Standing Partnership with the Port Authority
GRID Commercial Real Estate has worked exclusively with the Port Authority to lease and retain retail tenants at the Journal Square transportation center. That relationship has allowed GRID to take a long-term view of the property, balancing renewals from tenants who have operated there for decades with new leases that keep the retail mix fresh for the commuters and residents who pass through every day.
The Journal Square Transportation Center itself is more than just a PATH station. It includes a multi-level hub with more than five bus carriers running multiple routes, along with a 150,000 square foot office tower above. The property sits directly across from the Hudson County Superior Courthouse and is now flanked by a new Target, with a Whole Foods currently under construction directly across the street. Combined with over 6,400 new residential units delivered nearby, the retail demand at Journal Square continues to grow.
Space Currently Available at 1 PATH Plaza
With this leasing momentum continuing, GRID currently has retail space available at 1 PATH Plaza. The upper level space, formerly a quick-service retail unit, totals 1,294 square feet with 13 foot ceilings and strong visibility from the plaza. It is offered as a gross lease, and food and beverage concepts will be evaluated selectively based on infrastructure requirements.
The space is well suited for low-impact, commuter-serving retail uses such as barber, beauty, or nail services, wellness services, financial services, tech and wireless retail, medical or hearing aid services, convenience retail, packaged goods, apparel, alterations and tailoring drop-off, shipping and printing, key cutting, or shoe repair.
Why Journal Square Continues to Attract Retail Tenants
Commercial tenants continue to be drawn to Journal Square PATH Station retail leasing opportunities for a few clear reasons. The station sees enormous daily ridership, the surrounding neighborhood has added thousands of new residential units in recent years, and the area sits at a true transit crossroads with traffic counts of over 28,000 vehicles per day on Kennedy Boulevard alone. Average household income within a mile of the station is over $67,000, and average household spending on food at restaurants within that same radius tops $2,600 a year, giving both retail and food and beverage tenants a strong base of daily customers.
For property owners and tenants exploring space near major transit infrastructure in Jersey City, Journal Square remains one of the strongest examples of how transit-oriented retail can perform when it is leased and managed with a long-term strategy in mind.
Interested in leasing space at Journal Square or elsewhere in Jersey City and Hudson County? Contact Bobby Antonicello Jr., CCIM, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Principal at GRID Real Estate, at (201) 300-6489 or bobby@gridcre.com.
The information contained in this post has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. GRID Real Estate LLC has not independently verified this information and makes no guarantees, warranties, or representations as to its accuracy or completeness.
