The large community room of the Multi Service Center at 124 Grand St. was packed Wednesday as Hoboken residents and Mayor Ravi Bhalla discussed the future of the facility. The mayor assured the public that the agencies that already occupy space there, including several for the needy, will stay, but some think the building could be used for more: a pool for the community, athletics for seniors, classroom space, and after-school activities.
The city has decided to do a feasibility study to determine which services could be expanded on and which could be added.
The two-story building currently houses Hoboken Day Care 100, a low-cost day care for infants and kids up to 5, open to the public. It also has housed Hoboken Family Planning, Inc. for 40 years, providing medical services that include cancer screenings, gynecological exams and testing, contraceptives, physical exams and more to the uninsured and underinsured population. Click here for more.
After Mayor Steve Fulop temporarily halted demolition of old buildings in March, believing too many quaint structures in the Heights were being demolished for more monolithic designs, the City Council rescinded the ban but said they’ll soon adopt new safeguards.
On Wednesday, the council adopted a measure to revise the city’s demolition ordinance, but then introduced an even newer version that they’ll hold a hearing on at their next meeting. Reports say the measure will be revised to require that the city’s historic preservation officer review all demolition permits, and to require that a zoning officer review permits for partial demolition.
If a permit is not approved or denied within 45 days, the city’s construction officer may issue the permit. If the permit is denied, the applicant can appeal to the city Zoning Board. The officers’ report must note whether the structure is more than 50 years old. Click here for more.
A company called North Bergen Liberty Generating—a subsidiary of power producing company Diamond Generating Corp—formally announced plans last week to bring a $1.8B natural gas combined cycle power plant to North Bergen. If no delays occur, the plant could start construction next year and be operational by 2022.
On April 25, project officials and local politicians met at the plant’s proposed 15-acre site near Railroad Avenue and 94th Street by Bellman’s Creek, currently occupied by a construction demolition recycling facility, but zoned for a power plant. It would power 1.2 million residences in New York City, with none in New Jersey.
The project, which is awaiting approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Environmental Protection Agency, would be a financial boon for North Bergen, New Jersey, and New York, officials said at the meeting. It is located within the Meadowlands District, but does not encroach on its wetlands. Click here for more.
