During a five-hour City Council meeting on Wednesday, officials and residents listened to a long presentation by a city planner on several development options for the Neumann Leathers factory complex near the city’s southern border.
The council also passed an introductory ordinance for the city’s 500-foot rule. The existing rule states that liquor license holders may not open within 500 feet of one another. Changes might allow bars to open closer to each other, but attempts to amend the rule have met with opposition in the past. (See sidebar.)
Neumann Leathers
The council passed the Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Plan in December 2015. The complex built in the 1800’s near the city’s southern border was once a leather manufacturing factory. Currently, artists, musicians, and small businesses rent space there.
The goals outlined in the plan were to preserve the historic buildings and the existing light manufacturing and arts businesses, and to create new public spaces.
The plan includes a requirement for 40,000 square feet of public plazas and outdoor markets. It also includes 230 units of residential development.
“We walk past this project every day and it’s in dire need of rehabilitation.” – Ron Rosenberg
According to City Planner Jessica Giorgianni, of the seven development options considered, only three seem the most viable because they don’t demolish any of the existing buildings. The three development options are entitled Official Submission 3, Option C-Historic Building Preserved, and Residential East.
She said “Official Submission 3” would position the residential portion of the development consistent with the adopted Redevelopment Plan and would meet the goals of separating the residential and light industrial areas and providing public open space. It would also not require any amendments.
The second alternative, “Option C-Historic Building Preserved,” was prepared in June to respond to some residents’ concerns over the location and bulk of the residential portion of the plan.
One residential building would be built to extend over the existing historic Neumann Leathers building, and a separate residential building would be constructed in the eastern portion of the site so that it mixes in with the existing commercial/light industrial buildings. This option would reduce the amount of public open space and would require redevelopment plan amendments.
The final development option, “Residential East,” was prepared in March to also try an address residents’ concerns and ensure the preservation of the historical structures. This option would include a separate 18-story residential building within the commercial/light industrial building area. This option would also reduce the amount of public open space and would require redevelopment plan amendments.
“We want to get input from the community and council to reach consensus on a preferred direction,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in a press release. She noted that she would not support demolishing the buildings.
The City Council is expected to vote at its July council meeting for a preference among the development options.
“Based on the results of a city council vote, the administration will then work with the council to possibly amend the plan and then negotiate a redevelopment agreement to move forward with the project,” said Zimmer.
Public input
About 10 members of the public commented on the development options.
Hoboken resident and Neumann Leathers tenant Tom Newman said, “I’ve been here 21 years and for at least half of those years, we’ve been talking about saving Neumann Leathers. It’s gratifying to be at this stage and see the kind of support this project has gotten. I think and have always felt this could be a real jewel in the crown of Hoboken.”
Newman said one of his concerns with some of the development options is the close proximity of residential units to the light industrial tenants.
“I don’t want someone calling me saying, I’m waking the baby,” said Newman, a former councilman and current cabinet maker.
Karen Meneshin said the council needs to spend more time on the project before its scheduled vote on their development preference at the next council meeting and there needs to be better communication with the public.
“Telling us last week of a meeting tonight is far too little time,” said Meneshin. “Three weeks is more than a rush and deserves more time.”
Ron Rosenberg, who lives on Newark Street near the project, said that the presentation and Nixle Alert about the presentation made it seem that the residents of 415 Newark St. took issue with the project and forced themselves into the conversation. Rosenberg said that this is only partially true, because it was not only residents of his building but residents throughout the area who expressed an interest.
“We had 200 people who signed a petition, and they live in 10 different buildings along Newark Street,” said Rosenberg of a past 2015 petition against the redevelopment plan’s height and density.
“It’s important to note that 415 has never been against this project,” said Rosenberg. “415 is as interested as Tom Newman is, because we walk past this project every day and it’s in dire need of rehabilitation.”
He said he and other residents took issue with the plan’s residential bulk and asked that it be split to lighten the load.
The City Council asked members of the public to submit their comments on the design options to Councilman David Mello via email by Sunday night so that he and the subcommittee can discuss them during their meeting that week.
Residents can submit comments to Mello at melloforhoboken@gmail.com.
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com
SIDEBAR
The 500-foot bar rule, redux
A new introductory ordinance would outline exceptions to a longstanding city rule that plenary retail consumption license holders may not open within 500 feet of one another.
The introductory ordinance outlines proposed areas of exception.
These areas include the Southern Redevelopment Area, the Central Business District, the Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Area, the Western Edge Redevelopment Area, the Southwest Redevelopment Area, the 3rd Ward (central west part of town), the 1st Ward area not included in the Central Business District or Southern Redevelopment Area, and any area designated as a theater exception. A “theater exception” is an exception to sell alcohol during certain theater performances hosted by non-profit groups.
In each of the above areas of exception, the amount of allowed licenses would be limited to a specific number, the greatest of which is the Central Business District at 25 plenary retail consumption licenses, and the least of which is the Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Area at three plenary retail consumption licenses.
The number of licenses in each exception area is related to what currently exists, according to Councilman Jim Doyle, the ordinance’s sponsor, except for the 3rd Ward, which gets an increase of about five licenses.
The ordinance states, “Based upon changes in the conditions within the city since the prohibition’s initial adoption [in the 1960s] including growth and redevelopment of the city, the city believes that certain modifications to the outright prohibition are in the best interest of the city.”
Bars and liquor stores that were opened before the ordinance’s adoption were grandfathered in, which explains why you may see two close together.
The ordinance also gives owners of plenary retail consumption licenses the ability to petition the City Council for an exception to the 500-foot rule. The petitioner will have to get six out of nine votes for the exception, to be granted due to extraordinary circumstances like claiming an extreme hardship.
The council approved the introductory ordinance unanimously, apart from City Council President Jen Giattino, who was absent.
