Fellow Hoboken Citizens:
Many of you already know about the Monday, 9/27, 7:00PM-9:00PM meeting at historic Hoboken Terminal, but others may not. Please set aside that evening for a most important meeting. And invite your Hoboken friends and neighbors.
The Rail Yards along the southern edge of Hoboken were long viewed to be "what they are" — a functional transportation zone that would retain that use for many years. Nothing, of course, is forever. Changing building technologies and the ups and downs of real estate markets put this vast, 52-acre site, into the realm of potential commercial development.
If we thought not, the wildly overscale and out-of-context plan presented in September, 2008, brought it home to us all. This view of "Hoboken's Future" by NJ Transit and FX FOWLE, was roundly criticized by many citizens. It became a key component of the discussion about overdevelopment in the Mile Square City. In 2009 it was a prominent part of the political debate and likely had a critical impact in the selection of a new Mayor and new At-Large City Council members. All of our since-elected officials took a strong stand against the FX FOWLE plan.
The City has undertaken initial steps for community-based planning for this important part of our City. Simultaneously it seems NJT has developed ideas of its own, at least for a small portion of the site. There is a lively and legalistic debate between the City and NJT on which entity has the authority over the area for non-transportation development.
The Rail Yards are 8% of the City's territory and a key entrance point to the City from the east, south and west. They will set a tone for what Hoboken is and what it is not. The Rail Yards could be Hoboken's next great neighborhood, or an alien zone that changes the City forever.
We'll all learn about NJT's "new vision" together on September 27th. Whether or not this new element should be part of the City's redevelopment plan or rejected will be in part determined by inputs from the public. Please attend and participate!
Original post 9/13/2010: Here is press elease sent to me from the office of the Mayor:
MAYOR ZIMMER PROVIDES UPDATE ON NJ TRANSIT PROJECT
Includes Extension of RFQ Process & Community Meeting
Two years ago, New Jersey Transit proposed a redevelopment project for the Hoboken Terminal and rail yards which included residential buildings as tall as 45 stories along with a 70-story commercial tower.
“The massive proposed project was completely out of scale and threatened to change the character of Hoboken,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
Last fall, Mayor Zimmer secured an agreement to halt state legislation that would have given NJ Transit nearly unfettered authority to redevelop any property they own throughout New Jersey adjacent to bus stations, rail stations or rail yards in any way they see fit without regard to local zoning requirements or the wishes of host communities.
As a former Councilperson, Mayor Zimmer fully recognizes the community’s frustration with the previous NJ Transit community process, and therefore issued a Request for Qualifications for a planner for the entire 52-acre project. As Mayor, she has been working to ensure that the City of Hoboken has authority over the planning process. She has discussed the matter with NJ Transit and began a search process to find an independent planner that will work with the Administration and the City Council on this comprehensive project.
“It is important for the City of Hoboken to have authority over the planning process to ensure balanced development for our community,” added Mayor Zimmer.
In order to ensure an independent design process, Mayor Zimmer is recommending that the City of Hoboken pay for the planning process itself so that the planner is clearly dedicated to Hoboken’s best interests.
Today Mayor Zimmer announces that her Administration is extending the deadline for the RFQ for the entire 52-acre project until Monday, September 27th to provide for as broad a response as possible.
Background on Reasons for Community Meeting
After discussions about the planning process had begun, NJ Transit approached Mayor Zimmer about presenting a new preliminary proposal to redevelop a small part of the 52-acre project. Neither Mayor Zimmer nor anyone within her Administration has seen the proposal, but agreed for the proposal to be presented to the community and to interested City Council members, including Councilman Cunningham, Chair of the Zoning & Economic Development Committee.
“We must have balanced development that reflects the vision of our community, so my Administration is facilitating a public meeting for NJ Transit to present their plans to Hoboken residents,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “I hope the public will join me for this meeting, where I look forward to learning about NJ Transit’s proposal at the same time as everyone else.”
NJ Transit has indicated that they have a prospective tenant that is interested in potential commercial space for their professional offices. The prospective tenant currently leases at another location in the region, is evaluating other sites to relocate to, and is interested in this specific location. According to NJ Transit, if the tenant were to relocate, they would bring 1,500 commercial office workers -- commuting chiefly by mass transit – and would bring new job opportunities as well as a result of the relocation. The workers, shopping and dining during the day, would generate economic activity. Depending on Council approval, the development could provide funds to improve the various multi-modal transportation options in the area while providing tax ratables to the City of Hoboken.
The community meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 27th from 7pm to 9pm at the Waiting Room in the Hoboken Terminal.
Mayor Zimmer and members of her Administration will join the community and Council members to listen to NJ Transit’s proposal. Her main concern is that the City of Hoboken and the Council, as the redevelopment entity, should have authority over the entire 52-acre project. She is working to address this issue through a possible inter-local agreement between the City and NJ Transit that will be presented to the Council for approval if an agreement is reached.
Click below to view the letter from Mayor Dawn Zimmer to John Leon, NJ Transit Senior Director of Government and Community Relations:
http://hobokennj.org/docs/mayor/Zimmer-Leon-letter.pdf
Click below to view the RFQ for the Hoboken Terminal and Yard Redevelopment Planner:
http://hobokennj.org/docs/mayor/Zimmer-Leon-letter.pdf
Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/mayor-zimmer-provides-update-on-nj-transit-project/ ◦
