jkocis March 21st, 2007
The March 2007 HobokenParks.Org newsletter is hot off the presses. News covered include the $6.7 million NJDOT subsidy given to Toll Brothers, status of Pier C Park and various other updates, plus a letter to the Mayor and Council. Please download a copy of the newsletter to read or to forward to neighbors.
Get your copy here.
admin August 2nd, 2006
1. Henkel Site School Field
6 acre park in Master Plan downsized by City to allow for proposed new schools. Proposed fields for school use only.
2. Community Center and Pool (11th & Madison)
Promised: In 1999 by former Mayor Russo.
Promised Again: In 2005 by Mayor Roberts.
3. Mid-town West Park
Portion of 6 acre park in Master Plan including soccer field lost by zoning board variance approval for 12 story high-rises.
4. 800 Jackson & 600 Harrison Parks
Neighborhood parks in Master Plan lost by City deal with redeveloper for high-rises and land sale by NJ Transit.
5. Southwest Park
6 acre park in Master Plan vanishes in Mayor Roberts plan. No park, no pictures, and no plan to fund, buy or build a park.
6. 1600 Park/Weehawken Cove
10 acre park in Master Plan downsized. City deal with Toll Brothers mandates passive park on City owned portion of cove rather than active bal fields. in January 2006, City acquired 1600 Park site for a park. Residents awaiting long promised park design meetings
7. 16th Street Pier Park
Park in Master Plan for entire pier downsized to half the pier. What’s the developer deal on the other half of the pier?
8. Maxwell House
Six acre park in Master Plan loses baseball field. Developer deal with City replaces baseball field with commemorative plaque and mandates passive fenced in lawn.
9. Pier C
Two acre pier park in Master Plan planned and funded in 1990s under former administration. Park design done under Roberts administration. Construction underway.
Tell your neighbors now before more of the following occurs! Download a printable copy of our public flyer here.
See below for comparison’s between the HPO Plan and the Roberts’ plans for the town!
admin March 31st, 2006
A REVIEW OF THE ROBERTS’ “OPEN SPACE INITIATIVE”
In January 2005, Mayor Robert’s issued his Open Space Initiative. Since then, various mailings have been provided with pictures of the parks and there was one meeting open to the public. HPO decided to review the Initiative to see how it measures up to the park land identified in Hoboken’s Master Plan adopted in April 2004.
900-1100 MONROE
Master Plan: (6+ acre “Westside Park”)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: LOST!
This land on Monroe Street is identified in the Master Plan as part of a six acre park intended to serve the City’s fastest developing area on the west side. Unfortunately, a developer, Tarragon\URSA, is seeking numerous variances at the zoning board to convert this industrially zoned land to high-rise residential. If this development application is approved, the proposed 12 + story residential towers would wipe out over 6 acres of intended Master Plan park land. Instead of the park, the community would be left with building perimeter landscaping that also functions as a truck easement for the adjoining property.
In case the zoning board does not approve this plan, Tarragon\URSA has struck another deal directly with the City to create a new redevelopment zone to develop not only 900 Monroe but also six other adjacent blocks in the area (see “Northwest Green” below).
NORTHWEST GREEN – Roberts’ New 8 block Redevelopment Zone
Master Plan: (6 Acre Westside Park)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: Only 0.9 public acres. A Bad Deal!!!
Mayor Roberts’ deal with the developer, Tarragon\URSA, does not stop with 900 Monroe. It also gives Tarragon\URSA control of 8 more blocks of development around 900 Monroe with many more 12+ story buildings proposed to span those blocks. The deal calls for the City to establish a redevelopment zone and designate Tarragon\ URSA as the exclusive redeveloper of those blocks.
Dubbed “Northwest Green” by Tarragon\URSA, there is actually very little green to be found in this development, most of which would not be open to the public. Much of the “green” is on roof tops and in landscaped building perimeters along the light rail line.
What the developer gets in the deal is blocks and blocks of very valuable up-zoning. What the public may get is a community center and pool on a lot that is less than 1 acre in size, immediately adjacent to a PSE&G transformer station.
Not well known is the fact that Tarragon\URSA is already obligated to provide a community center on the very same parcel under a prior redevelopment deal with the City involving 8 other blocks of the NW Redevelopment Zone. The only thing new about this community center is the addition of an outdoor pool. But there is a cap on how much money Tarragon\URSA has to contribute toward building that community center, so if there are cost overruns, we pay the balance if we want the pool.
In total, Tarragon\URSA will receive up-zoning and development rights for over 17 blocks of Hoboken and all the community will get is less than 1 acre of open space to serve thousands of new residents.
By the way, you may recall that about a year ago a Non-profit Organization offered the City a floating Olympic sized pool to be part of our park inventory and moored on the new Pier C. Unfortunately, as a result of inaction by the Robert’s Administration, that offer of a pool floated away. Now, the only way we may get a pool is to swallow blocks and blocks of more high-rise development.
HPO opposed this deal at the Zoning Board and has a law suit in Court against Tarragon and the City. HPO was sucessful in invalildating the deal in the Apellate Divsion in May 2008.
800 JACKSON
Master Plan: (southern portion of Westside Park)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative:Already Lost!
This park land identified in the Master Plan was to be the southernmost portion of the Westside Park. Ignoring the Master Plan, the City recently entered into a redevelopment deal to change the zoning for this property and allow a high rise residential tower to be built on this park land. Many community groups in town have contacted us to express their frustration with Mayor Roberts’ flip-flop on his original commitment to making this park land.
PATERSON PLANK AND OBSERVER TRIANGLE
Master Plan: (6+ acre “Southwest Park”)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: No Plan and Threatened!
This is the major park land identified in the Master Plan for the southwest area of the City. It consists of more than 6 acres in a triangle of land north of Observer Highway and south of Paterson Plank Road. This land was intended to provide much needed park space for the residents of this area who are beginning to be surrounded by high rise development.
This park land, presently mostly comprised of parking lots, was to provide a gateway to the City and much needed ball fields. The Mayor has not included this park land in his initiative, and no effort has been made to protect this land from development. The Mayor’s lack of action on this park land has caused the residents of this area to form the “Southwest Park Coalition” to try to protect these parks from being lost to development.
MAXWELL HOUSE DEVELOPMENT
Master Plan: (Baseball Field)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: Lost!
The Master Plan cites Hoboken’s “severe shortage of recreational facilities” and recommends “aggressively” addressing this shortfall.
Mayor Roberts’ initiative relies very heavily on “deals” with developers to deliver parks. Unfortunately, the Mayor’s track record on such deals has yielded what the developers prefer - passive, privatized spaces where active recreation is prohibited. These types of spaces are often not welcoming to the general public.
One such passive space that came from a developer deal was the 0.2 acre passive parklet at the far end of the Shop Rite parking lot. That is the open space the community got from a 17 block redevelopment.
Now, on the Maxwell House site, we learn that instead of the baseball field depicted in Mayor Roberts’ park pictures, we are getting a “passive” grass area, fenced on two sides, with a “monument” to the first game of baseball but no actual baseball playing allowed.
HOBOKEN/WEEHAWKEN COVE
Master Plan: (Active recreation)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: Lost!
The Master Plan identifies the land along this Cove in the City’s north end as park land. A major portion of the adjacent land west of the Hudson Tea Building is controlled by the residential developer, Toll Brothers. Approvals have been given for Toll Brothers to construct a 1,473 unit residential development in the area.
Not well known is the fact that the City actually owns a portion of the land along the Cove, abutting the proposed Toll Brothers’ buildings. Mayor Roberts’ deal with Toll Brothers requires that a deed restriction be placed on this City-owned property to prohibit active recreation. Thus, the City is giving up the right to active recreation on our own City property!
1200 ADAMS
Master Plan: (School Fields)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: State funding in question!!!
This two block industrial site was identified for park land in the Master Plan. In the Mayor’s initiative, this land has been identified as the location for two new schools and a school field. Historically, the residents have had very limited access to school fields, therefore it is unlikely that this field, if built, will be open to the general public because the need of the schools is so great.
The more pressing problem is whether this field will ever materialize at all. The State Funding (“Abbott” Funding) which is required for the construction of these schools and the field is in question. Furthermore, if we get less then full funding, it is more likely we will lose funding for the field rather than the school buildings.
600 HARRISON
Master Plan: (NJ TRANSIT property)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: Lost!
This property was identified for park in the Master Plan. Until very recently this property was owned by NJ Transit. Unfortunately, it has been lost to a private developer because the City failed to protect it from development when it was for sale. While this is a small tract (.5 acre), when combined with the adjacent City-owned right of way, it is almost an acre of property which could have provided a much needed neighborhood park for this area and enhanced the green circuit along the Palisades. This opportunity to combine City and the former NJ Transit property has been lost.
ACADEMY BUS PARK LOTS
Master Plan: (Not in Master Plan)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: No Details to Evaluate
A wild card in the Mayor’s initiative is the park proposed by him to be located north of the 14 Street viaduct, where the Academy Bus Company currently parks its buses. This property was not identified in the Master Plan for parkland. It was identified as part of a new retail/commercial district with limited live-work space.
There is speculation that this park may be a trade-off for the Southwest Park land in the Master Plan because Academy Bus is thought to own property in the southern end of the City. With no details and no mention of this park in the Master Plan, it is very difficult to evaluate how real this park is. Residents of the southwest have responded by preparing a proposed plan for six acres of park land and six story development.
1600 PARK
Master Plan: (active recreation)
Result of Mayor’s Initiative: Saved! We hope!
This site is on the west side of the Hoboken\Weehawken Cove and is designated in the Master Plan as park land. In 1999, a developer sought variances to build high-rise condos on this site (the same developer which obtained variances to build a 17 story tower at 101 Marshall Street). Fortunately, Hoboken residents united and successfully opposed the development variances at the zoning board. Out of this effort, HPO was created.
With no help and much skepticism from City Hall, HPO hired a landscape architect and designed a park for this site. When critics said the park would be too expensive, HPO contacted the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national land trust in the business of financing park land. In August, 2004 HPO invited TPL to visit the site. They immediately saw the potential that we saw.
Thanks to the persistence of the residents (like you!), the vision of HPO, and the work of TPL, City Hall eventually came on board, and now this property has been acquired by the City for a park. While one day soon we hope 1600 Park will be a park, we will nevertheless need to be vigilant because the Mayor’s park design for much of this site reveal passive spaces and sculptures, rather than soccer or baseball fields!
admin February 25th, 2005
The recently adopted 2004 Master Plan recommends a plan to bring retail, commercial and limited live work residential to the north end of Hoboken above 14 th Street. This area consists of blocks predominately used by Academy Bus to store and maintain there buses. The area was examined by the Master Plan planners as an appropriate place to encourage retail and commercial as alternative uses to more high-density housing development. 1600 Park is identified in the Masterplan as open space.
Recently, the City Counsel adopted a resolution to propose that some of the properties in this area including 1600 Park be included in a redevelopment area causing further speculation and concern that development rather than parkland will be the future for 1600 Park. (See Maps below) This comes on the heals of the developer abandoning a luxury high-rise application at the Zoning Board and a subsequent statement that they are seeking other developing approaches.
admin January 30th, 2005
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The current total park space in Hoboken is approximately 30 acres.
Existing Public Open Space The map and table below list the current park space in Hoboken. There are other existing open spaces that are not listed in then table — most notably, the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology, which includes open spaces that are primarily used by Stevens’ students and staff. Although it is not officially open to the general public, much of the campus and its facilities are readily accessible to visitors. There are also numerous small private open spaces in residential developments throughout City. The size and quality of these spaces varies greatly.  |
| Name | Location | Acres | Owner |
| 1. Castle Point | East Side of Sinatra Drive under Castle Point | 1.5 | City* |
| 2. Church Square | Between 4th, 5th, and Garden Streets and Willow Avenue |
3.2 | City |
| 3. Community garden | 3rd and Jackson Streets | 0.1 | City |
| 4. Elysian | East Side of Hudson Street between 10th and 11th Streets |
2.5 | City |
| 5. Madison Park | 3rd and Madison Streets | 0.2 | City |
| 6. Multi-Service Center | 2nd and Adams Streets | 0.5 | City |
| 7. Pier A Park | Hudson River at 1st Street | 4.8 | City |
| 8. Pocket Park | East Side of Willow Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets |
0.1 | City |
| 9. Pocket Park | Newark Street at southwestern entrance to City |
0.1 | City |
| 10. Sinatra Park | East Side of Sinatra Drive between 4th and 6th Streets |
1.4 | City |
| 11. Stevens (Hudson Square) | Between 4th, 5th, and Hudson Streets and Sinatra Drive |
3.0 | City |
| 12. Waterfront Walkway | Bloomfield to 12th Streets, Union Drydock to Stevens parking lot, Sinatra Park to Hoboken Terminal |
1.5 | City and private owners |
| 13. JFK Stadium | 10th and Jefferson Streets, adjacent to Columbus Park |
4.0 | Board of Education |
| 14. Housing Authority | 4th and Jackson Streets | 1.7 | Housing Authority |
| 15. Columbus Park | West side of Clinton Street between 9th and 10th Streets |
3.2 | Hudson County |
| 16. Lackawanna Plaza | North side of Hoboken Terminal | 0.5 | New Jersey Transit |
| 17. Shipyard Park | West side of Sinatra Drive between 12th and 13th Streets |
1.0 | Private |
| 18. Shipyard Piers | 13th and 14th Street on Hudson River | 0.7 | Private |
admin December 10th, 2004
Residents of Hoboken have longed for a place where they can enjoy a greater diversity and number of recreational activities. There are a very limited number of spaces in town large enough to accomodate this degree of diversity. The opportunity to have 10 acres of continuous space permits the concentration of a wide variety of activities in one location.
Among the many uses this park can include are:
While the concept is not intended to specifically define what recreational activities will be provided, it may lead to citizens engaging in a dialog about our overall recreational needs.
Indoor Children’s Play Space
An indoor play space for Hoboken’s children is a much needed addition to our community. The City’s growing population of children of all ages has created the need for group play space during the winter months and inclement weather.