Bayonne concludes absorption study, residential redevelopment likely to resume

November 9, 2022

11baycouncil17-01 — Bayonne has finished its study on existing residential redevelopment following a pause on new redevelopment, although the results pave the way for the halt to be lifted. Photos by Daniel Israel.

Bayonne officials have concluded the study on the status of redevelopments in the city, and the data clears the way for residential redevelopment to resume.

Most major residential redevelopment was paused by Mayor James Davis amid the 2022 May non-partisan municipal election until a study could be completed to determine if new redevelopments were being occupied or not.

Despite the pause, a number of residential redevelopment received planning approvals anyway, including the 18-story Silk Lofts tower that seemingly prompted the halt. City officials said this was an exception because the developers had already gotten planning approval and were midway through the process and could not be stopped.

However, new residential redevelopment without prior approval was halted.

The newly sworn-in City Council passed a resolution in July authorizing the study. According to the resolution, the absorption study would look at the total number of new residential dwelling units and multiple dwelling developments built in the city of Bayonne after January 1, 2015, the number of units occupied and unoccupied, new units expected in multi-unit developments over the next 24 months, the amount of tax and other revenue realized by the city as a result of multi-unit residential development completed after January 1, 2015, and the amount of tax and or other revenue the city would have realized if these properties were not developed.

Absorption study completed and preliminary data collected

Now, as of the November 9 council meeting, the study has concluded. City Council President Gary La Pelusa read the data obtained from the study aloud prior to the public comment portion of the meeting. Before that, he noted that before the residential and even commercial redevelopment ushered in by the Davis Administration, the city was losing population as job opportunities shrunk in the city.

“Since 2009, the city of Bayonne has been through a renaissance of growth after many decades of decreasing population, loss of jobs, and the lack of local opportunities,” La Pelusa said. “This change slowly occurred over time, such as the closure of the Texaco plant in the 1980s, the closure of the MOTBY in the late 1990s, and the closure of Best Foods in the early 2000s.”

As a lifelong resident and small business owner who raised his family here, La Pelusa said he has seen the ups and downs the city and community have faced. He said most people know someone who grew up here but decided to leave.

According to La Pelusa, the declining population and job opportunities have in part been remedied by the Davis Administration through residential and commercial redevelopment. He said this has been a boon for Bayonne, without which the city may not have recovered.

“There has been some fear that the values of the town will be lost as redevelopment occurs throughout the city and our community and that community itself will be a thing of the past,” La Pelusa said. “Bayonne has had a population growth over the past decade to over 70,000 people. This growth in population is a direct result of the redevelopment occurring all over our beloved city.”

Assessing a city on the rise over nearly a decade

Hearing residents’ concerns over redevelopment, he said that the administration and council agreed to a pause. Following that, one of the first things the new council sworn in after the May election did was set out to conduct the study of redevelopment impact.

La Pelusa said, “The council specifically asked for an absorption study to find out if the units built were being filled and if more units can be maintained without jeopardizing the stability of our community. We can ponder the future of Bayonne, and I feel the future is promising. The residential development impact on Bayonne needed to be studied, and this council made the study our first priority.”

Law Director Jay Coffey (left) and City Council President Gary La Pelusa (right) discuss the study on residential redevelopment at the November council meeting.

La Pelusa said according to preliminary data, things look promising for Bayonne’s future.

“After looking at the numbers, the future of the city’s well-being is encouraging,” La Pelusa said.

La Pelusa defined the absorption rate as the amount of housing stock a community has available to sell or lease, and how quickly it is being sold or rented. Absorption rates provide information on the leasing rates of a rental market or an individual property over a time period known as an absorption period, he said.

An occupancy rate is the number of units being occupied over the total amount of units available. La Pelusa said that high occupancy rates show the demand for people wanting to live in that area.

“These rates are important to understand the health of the community, buildings, and what impact it will have on the city’s revenue,” La Pelusa said.

Preliminary data shows high absorption and occupancy rates

Since 2009, there have been 20 residential redevelopments constructed featuring 2,978 units. He said these buildings were 92.6 percent occupied.

This number includes buildings that are currently in their lease up phase, La Pelusa said. The average stabilization for buildings that have been leased up is about 94.6 percent occupied. According to La Pelusa, the lease up period is an indicator of the absorption.

The buildings currently in their lease up period are being leased “at a breakneck pace” of five to six months, La Pelusa said. Meanwhile, the industry standard is up to 12 months. He noted that in one example, a building was fully leased up within 2 to 3 months.

“To put this in perspective, for a building to be considered stabilized according to Fannie Mae, a federal government created corporation tasked with lending money to mortgage lenders, the minimum occupancy rate for Fannie Mae to issue a multi-family loan is 75 percent occupancy,” La Pelusa said. “With that stated, the city occupancy rate for new construction is will in excess of this standard.”

According to La Pelusa, the minimum occupancy rate per federal standards is 75 percent. Given the data, the city’s occupancy rate is way above that.

La Pelusa said the current occupancy rate is even higher than its 10-year historical average of 91.372 percent, according to data from Rutgers University. He added that a full presentation from city professionals will follow his announcement to detail their findings.

According to La Pelusa, the pause will likely end soon after more conversations with administration officials.

“The preliminary findings are extremely promising for the pause on development to end after more discussion with the administration and my council colleagues,” La Pelusa said.

Residents have mixed reactions to the announcement

During the public comment, former city employee and outspoken resident Gail Godesky said residential redevelopment had not stopped. This was a reference to the planning approvals for projects that were allowed to go forward even amid the halt, in part due to prior approvals.

A rendering of the planned 18-story Silk Lofts residential redevelopment that prompted the pause but was approved during it anyway due to prior planning approvals. Rendering courtesy of Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects.

“There was never a pause on redevelopment,” she said. “So that needs to be corrected.”

Meanwhile, resident Mike Morris was happy with the results of the study. He said it showed his property value had increased.

“I’m happy with the absorption rate study and the numbers that make my property more valuable. I know how valuable it is, because right now, I’ve had several offers on my particular home. I turned one down today. I had a near contract… I’m glad I didn’t accept it, because that study proves that my home is very valuable. And I’m very happy with it. So thank you.”

Now it appears that Bayonne is getting ready to march full steam ahead with plans to again allow residential redevelopment in the city.

Davis told the Bayonne Community News: “I would like to thank everyone who was involved with this important analysis of Bayonne’s housing units and population growth. The overwhelming majority of new apartments in Bayonne are occupied. The study demonstrates clearly that people looking for a place to live find Bayonne to be an attractive community. We will keep a close eye on housing and population trends as we continue to plan for the future.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

‘Education Matters’ slate wins in Jersey City school board election

Hudson Reporter

November 9, 2022

11jcBOE17_1 — Afaf Muhummad, Christopher Tisdale, and Noemi Velazquez (Photo by Mark Koosau)

The Education Matters slate, with the backing of the local teacher’s union, has prevailed in the race for the Jersey City Board of Education. The slate consisted of returning incumbent Noemi Velazquez, an incumbent who ran on the opposing slate for her first term, Christopher Tisdale, a teacher who’s a newcomer to politics and Afaf Muhammed, an independent candidate from last year.

In recent years, control of the city school board has primarily become a battle between two slates, one backed by the Jersey City Education Association and another backed by real estate developers.

The opposing slate, Change for Children, consisted of trustee Alexander Hamilton, along with newcomers Kenny Reyes and Doris Toni Ervin on the sidelines.

Velazquez, who has been an at-large member for the Board of Ed since 2019 and who voted for the $973 million school budget, said her focus would be on improving teacher’s wages and school infrastructure.

Tisdale, who is an educator and has taught in both Englewood and New Jersey, advocated for better curricula in the city’s school system.

Muhammad, who is a mother of four daughters, and has served as president of the parent council of Mahatma K. Gandhi School, P.S. 23, ran her candidacy on bringing conversations of mental health to the table of school discussion.

Throughout his campaign leading up to elections, Hamilton opposed the school budget tax increase and said if elected he would hire a budget advisor to stop what he called the “tax shell game,” between them and the state, county and city, as covered by the Hudson Reporter at public hearings.

Independents Isnel Sanon and Ahsan Nawaz were defeated. Sanon, who ran his campaign taking about creating more programs focused on bridging students with technical jobs after graduation, said if elected would also review the tax budget increase.

Nawaz, a real estate agent, had the lowest voter turnout out of all the candidates.

The total unoffficial votes cast 71,366, with a total number of 38,636 for all three candidates in the Education Matters slate. Velazquez was the top vote getter with 14,254. Tisdale received 12,542, and Muhammad came in third with 11,840 votes, according unofficial results posted to the Hudson County Clerk Office website.

The total votes cast for the Change for Children slate totaled 26,804 cast votes. Sanon received a total vote of 3,506 Nawaz received a total of 2,143, and Hamilton won 9,374.

Voter turnout in this election cycle was 26 percent of all registered voters.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at [email protected].

‘Together We Can’ wins three out of four seats in Bayonne school board election

Hudson Reporter

November 9, 2022

11bayelection17-01 — The "Together We Can" slate from left to right: Trustee Hector Gonzalez, Miriam Bechay, Mary Jane Desmond, and William "Bill" Young. Photo courtesy of the ticket.

Once upon a time in Bayonne, an endorsement from the mayor used to help a ticket for the Board of Education go far in an election, but now it appears it didn’t mean as much in the Tuesday, November 8 election.

Mayor James Davis and the current City Council members among other administration officials endorsed and supported the “Voices for Progress” slate, as well as the Bayonne Education Association, Assemblyman William Sampson, and outgoing Trustee Denis Wilbeck, among others.

Meanwhile, former City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, who failed to unseat Davis in last May’s municipal election, her former council slate running mate Executive Director of the Bayonne Police Athletic League “KT” Kim Torello, and most of the current Board of Education including Trustee Jodi Casais, Board President Maria Valado, Vice President Christopher Munoz, Trustee Melissa Godesky-Rodriguez, and others supported the “Together We Can” slate, resulting in something of a proxy war between the two forces.

Running as “Together We Can” with teacher and incumbent Trustee Hector Gonzalez were: former Trustee and former City Councilwoman Mary Jane Desmond; Financial Services and Registered Representative with the New York Life Insurance Company William “Bill” Young; and New Jersey Institute of Technology Biomedical Engineering student Miriam Bechay.

They faced off against the “Voices for Progress” slate featuring: President of the Board of Trustees at the Bayonne Community Day Nursery and the Bayonne School Employees Credit Union, and a retired public school teacher Saverio “Sam” Maggio; businesswoman, community activist, and President of the Bayonne Youth Center Angelique Jackson-Belle; previous candidate and teacher at Jersey City’s P.S. 17 Gina Irizarry; and businessman in the financial sector and major proponent of the mosque in Bayonne, Ali Hassan.

Running as an independent was Jahnbaz Almas, a Trustee of the Bayonne Education Foundation and former educator at Saint Peter’s University, Saint Peter’s Preparatory School, and New Jersey City University, under the banner “Education is Freedom.”

From left to right: Trustee Hector Gonzalez, Mary Jane Desmond, Miriam Bechay, and William “Bill” Young.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

The “Together We Can” slate won three out of four seats up for grabs on the Board of Education. Gonzalez, Desmond, and Bechay were elected, while Maggio was the only candidate from the Davis-backed “Voices for Progress” ticket to be elected.

According to unofficial election results on Wednesday from the Hudson County Clerk, the top three highest vote getters for the three seats with three-year terms were Desmond with 4,043 votes, Gonzalez with 3,822 votes, and Maggio with 3,812 votes.

In a close fourth place was Irizarry with 3,568 votes followed by Jackson-Belle in fifth with 3,524 votes. Trailing in sixth was Young with 3,420 votes.

Almas came in a distant seventh with 551 votes, and there were 61 write-in votes. In total, 22,807 votes were cast by voters from 10,544 ballots.

For the seat with the one-year unexpired term previously held by Gonzalez, Bechay beat out Hassan with 2,745 votes to his 2,452 votes. There were 14 write-in votes with 1,457 votes cast by voters from those 10,544 ballots.

Bechay won a seat despite being the only candidate to not attend the candidate forum as well as the only candidate who was unavailable for a feature interview with the Bayonne Community News.

The “Voices for Progress” slate and the Mayor from left to right: Gina Irizarry, Saverio “Sam” Maggio, Mayor James Davis, Ali Hassan, and Angelique Jackson-Belle.

Did Davis endorsement matter?

The “Voices for Progress” ticket issued a joint statement after the polls closed: “Thank you Bayonne! Polls are closed and now we wait for the final results. We are so grateful for the love, support and hard work everyone gave this campaign! Together we are Bayonne Voices for Progress!”

Also before the results came in, the “Together We Can” slate issued a similar message thanking voters for their support this election cycle. Neither slate has issued any statements since the most recent official results have been posted.

“Thank you to every supporter, family member, friend, and neighbor that came out to vote for us,” the ticket wrote in a joint statement on social media. “No matter the outcome, it has been an amazing journey. Nothing would have been possible without YOU. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

The election was largely sleepy this cycle. In typical fashion, candidates knocked on doors, appeared at community events like the Bergen Point Fall Festival, and held meet-and-greets all in attempts to convince voters to pick their side. One interesting development, however, was who ended up backing who, and ultimately how much the endorsements mattered to the outcome.

Despite Davis not endorsing anyone in 2021 and the “Voices for Progress” slate in 2022, the results show the “Together We Can” slate continues to largely dominate Bayonne school board elections as it did when it had his endorsement in 2018 and 2019. While voters chose Maggio over Young, “Together We Can” is still 9 for 10 in successfully electing candidates in the past three elections.

Districts colored in: green were won by Hector Gonzalez, blue by Mary Jane Desmond, Purple by William Young, dark yellow by Saverio “Sam” Maggio, red by Angelique Jackson-Belle, and pink by Irizarry.

Candidates clash at forum, followed by online drama

In addition to the endorsements, the candidates and their slates did clash somewhat at the candidate forum, largely over tax abatements for redevelopers. While “Together We Can” members like Gonzalez said that they were against those financial agreements that don’t produce tax revenue for the school district, members of the “Voices for Progress” slate like Jackson-Belle argued that the agreements ultimately benefited the community.

The candidate forum also sparked some online chatter about Irizarry regarding her stance on inclusivity and social justice in the curriculum, which many applied to the topic of sex education in the health curriculum. She said that while parents should be involved in their children’s education, the curriculum standards are determined by experts and should remain that way, drawing ire from parents who have sought to remove sex education from the curriculum entirely.

When it comes to turnout, this election appears to have had higher turnout than the May municipal election. With 42,626 registered voters, there were 10,544 ballots cast in this compared to the then-42,374 registered voters and 10,023 ballots cast in the municipal election.

Those numbers equate to an approximately 24.7 percent turnout for this election compared to the approximately 23.6 percent turnout overall for the municipal election. When looking at the mayoral contest alone, there was an approximately 23.4 percent turnout with only 9,909 votes cast despite 42,374 registered voters at the time.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Proposed 17-story building near The Beacon has residents concerned

Hudson Reporter

November 8, 2022

unnamed — The Beacon is a mixed-use development located on 14-acre site on Bergen Hill. Photo taken by: Jordan Coll

A proposal for a new high-rise apartment building designed to blend into The Beacon apartments, a group of Art Deco landmark buildings that were the former Jersey City Medical Center built during the Great Depression, must first overcome several zoning hurdles.

The Beacon is listed under the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. Earlier this year, Jersey City’s Historic Preservation Commission held a virtual meeting to discuss a proposal for the new building.

GRO Architects, a New York based architectural firm contracted by Jones Hall Associates, designed the proposed 17-story 203 foot tall building at 591 Montgomery St. and submitted the application to the city’s planning and zoning boards.

Richard Garber, a partner at the firm who presented modified plans for the property at 593 Montgomery St., also introduced additional proposed plans for 591 Montgomery St. as reported by the Jersey Digs on Oct. 5 of this year.

According to the zoning tabulation chart filed for the project summary by GRO the new project would include new medical facilities, a garage with structured parking and 75 spaces (49 residential and 26 existing in Jones Hall), and the remainder of the tower would be 98 new apartment units.

In addition, the proposal would divide the property into two lots, keeping intact an existing building and adding the new building, in addition to a 5,600-square foot park.

Resident concerns

Robert Stein, along with other residents who attended two community meetings this year related to the project, said he voiced concerns about clear deviations from the city’s zoning regulations in reviewing their proposals, but the firm “remained silent,” recalled Stein at the first meeting held in January.

The 17-story building exceeds the permitted height under the zoning which allows a maximum of eight stories (110 feet) as cited in the zoning report, so it would require a variance allowing the greater height. The project would also require a use variance because of the medical facility.

“The proposals are in clear violation of a majority of zoning ordinances provided by the city,” said Stein. A petition has been put out called Save Jersey City’s National Historical Treasure in response to the proposed building.

Jennifer Porter who is a real estate lawyer for Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC confirmed to the Hudson Reporter that a revised proposal had been submitted to HPC, after hearing the concerns at the second meeting.

HPC, which has advisory review rights over the application can either approve or deny the proposal to the city’s zoning board. The HPC is limited as it can only serve as an advisory board which is not binding to the historical site under federal and state law.

“After reviewing the plans and speaking with residents at the Beacon, I agree with the residents that this project is not appropriate,” said Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey. “Just because you can build something doesn’t mean you should.”

The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Dec.12 according to their agenda listed on the Historic Preservation Commission site.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at [email protected].

North Bergen officially opens new Downtown Recreation Center and Library

Hudson Reporter

November 8, 2022

11nbcommunity10-01 — North Bergen officials cut the ribbon officially opening the recreation center on Saturday, November 5. Photos courtesy of the township.

North Bergen’s new, highly anticipated Downtown Recreation Center and Library is now officially open.

Mayor Nick Sacco, Parks and Public Property Commissioner Hugo Cabrera, Commissioner Frank Gargiulo, Commissioner Allen Pascual, Commissioner Julio Marenco, County Commission Chair Anthony Vainieri, Assembly members Angelica Jimenez and Pedro Mejia, Sheriff Frank Schillari, Library Director Sai Rao, NJ State Librarian Jennifer Nelson, and many other officials held a ribbon cutting for the grand opening on Saturday, November 5.

Hundreds of local residents and business owners attended the event. Offerings included tours of the new site, music, food, carnival games, bounce houses and much more.

“Residents will be delighted when they see the abundance of new technology, athletic equipment, and other learning facilities at their disposal,” said Sacco. “I am very proud to see this happen for the community and residents of downtown North Bergen, whose children and families will be utilizing this center for decades to come.”

The site was formerly home to a furniture store until a massive fire destroyed the building in 2016. The township bought the property and utilized a combination of municipal ordinance bonds, Green Acres funding, as well as federal, state, and county grants to fund the new $19.5 million, state-of-the-art facility.

Many residents came out to enjoy the official opening of the new facility.

“When a devastating fire destroyed this building we didn’t cry over spilled milk, we viewed it as a catalyst and tremendous opportunity for positive change,” said Cabrera. “I want to thank Mayor Sacco for being the driving force behind this project and keeping a promise of academic, athletic, and social equity to our downtown residents and their children.”

The new Downtown Recreation Center and Library consists of five floors including a full library space with study rooms and the latest available technology, an indoor basketball court with six hoops and running track, outdoor fitness area, a rooftop turf practice field, and more. It evolved from being purely a recreation and community center to also include a library as well.

The library is fully staffed, with many books and other information ready to be read.

The new library will offer reading materials and other support. It also provides more space for community events and programs such as citizenship classes and other helpful initiatives.

“Our progressive leaders know that libraries are the hub of the community, which is why North Bergen has three!” said Rao. “Thank you to all the people who made this possible including the Mayor, Commissioners, and many others behind the scenes, who worked tirelessly to construct a beautiful facility that will empower our youth to advance confidently in their dreams.”

The basketball court and track above and around it are now open for residents to play and walk.

The North Bergen Downtown Recreation Center and Library is another step forward in Sacco’s vision of revitalizing Downtown North Bergen. It will offer downtown families excellent access to township services without needing to travel a long distance.

The facility comes on the heels of other major advances in the area. This has included the new downtown park on Paterson Plank Road, significant improvements to 10th Street Park, the former Downtown Library Branch, major residential developments, the new Wyndham Hotel, and more.

Many children enjoyed the inflatable rides and other offerings at the opening ceremony.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Weehawken residents rally against ferry pollution and maintenance facility

Hudson Reporter

November 7, 2022

11weewaterway10-01 — Weehawken residents marched along the Hudson River waterfront to protest New York Waterway's facility in the township and their alleged malpractices. Photos by Daniel Israel.

Weehawken residents are rallying against New York Waterway over ferry pollution and its maintenance and re-fueling facility in the township.

On Sunday, November 6, residents gathered at the waterfront near the facility to make a statement. The protest was led by Cassandra Porsch of the local group Weehawken Residents Against Ferry Pollution.

Around 35 people were in attendance at a rally held at the Pershing Park, many donning signs against New York Waterway’s actions and calling for further action.

Doctor highlights ferry pollution problem

Dr. Harold Davis, a longstanding member of the community who lives in The Brownstones at Port Imperial, said the protest was against the lack of action by the local government. He said that residents have been trying to meet with Mayor Richard Turner, State Senator Brian Stack, and Governor Phil Murphy to discuss the matter, but have not been successful.

“Welcome to our toxic dump site,” Davis said. “Unfortunately, they haven’t put a dome over it, so we’re all exposed.”

Davis said Weehawken residents on the waterfront are exposed to the air and noise pollution of the New York Waterway facility located in Port Imperial, just yards away from luxury residential buildings such as the RiversEdge and RiverParc.

“Those engines produce gases and soot,” Davis said, “which is particulate matter, and it has been demonstrated that they cause cancer. I’ll tell you this, as a physician, there is no safe level of exposure.”

Davis said Weehawken residents are being treated unfairly. Hoboken residents rallied and blocked the facility from their city, he said, but the local government has not done the same.

“A deal was made and accommodation was made,” Davis said. “The Governor was involved. They pushed this project from Hoboken up to Weehawken. The Hoboken mayor basically said not in my backyard. He said not in my backyard, and he told New York Waterway: ‘You’re not going to do this. You’re not going to expose our children to these poisions.’ And it came up here, and we haven’t heard a peep from the Weehawken Mayor’s Office.”

Davis said this will not be the last demonstration against New York Waterway.

Weehawken residents gathered on the waterfront to protest New York Waterway on November 6.

Temporary facility is now permanent fixture

Megna Deva said, “We all care about our Weehawken community and we are not okay with having the New York Waterway maintenance facility right under our noses.”

Deva said the township was not told the facility would be permanent. When the now-thwarted plans for an expansion of the facility were leaked last year and sparked community activism, then the township passed a resolution halting further construction.

“I just think we’ve been sold out by our government,” Deva said.

Some residents think the facility is better suited on Bayonne’s industrial waterfront.

“If you see the location of the Union Dry-Dock [in Hoboken], it’s actually pretty far away from the residents,” Deva said.

Deva claimed the facility is not just for re-fueling. She alleges it is also used a maintenance facility for many ferries, and that the number of ferries at the facility has been constantly increasing.

Deva said, “They are doing it under the cover. We have to stop it. We have to have a united front and say it’s not okay for us. We are not okay with an industrial facility.”

Deva pointed out that Bayonne has an industrial waterfront along its east side. Ferry service is about to open in the city soon, although under SeaStreak. She said the NY Waterway facility would not necessarily be out of place in the city. Deva claimed the location was not feasible for New York Waterway due to the cost.

Cassandra Porsch of Weehawken Residents Against Ferry Pollution led the rally and march.

Protestors say lawsuit highlights how NYWW is a ‘bad neighbor’

Porsch added that alleged malpractice of New York Waterway has been brought to light by a recent lawsuit. The suit alleges the ferry operator company instructed employees to illegally dump raw sewage into the Hudson River since 2015.

“We learned that they improperly dispose of oil, fuel, coolant, batteries, and aluminum shavings in addition to the raw sewage,” Porsch said. “The employees were asked to use pumps, that were jokingly referred to as Mafioso pumps, to empty the restroom holding tanks into the river rather than properly dispose of them through pumps into the municipal sewer system. According to the complaint, the employees had to stand over these pumps to clear clogs because there were frequent clogs from tampons and other debris thrown into the restroom holding tanks. One employee actually got a staph infection from having contact with the sewage. This also created the risk of exposure to hepatitis and E. coli.”

Porsch said New York Waterway was allegedly dumping raw sewage into the Hudson River. She noted that adjacent to the facility is the waterfront walk, parks, and residential buildings: “What kind of a company allows this to happen?”

Porsch said New York Waterway is not denying the allegations, but is trying to have the lawsuit dismissed on a technicality. She said they are arguing they did not have 60 days notice, as well as asking for dismissal on jurisdictional grounds.

Dr. Harold Davis, a local physician, said that the ferry pollution was harmful to residents, especially children.

Porsch said she and others want Gov. Phil Murphy to look into why the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was unaware of the alleged raw sewage dumping for so long.

“At the last Township Council meeting, we asked Mayor Turner to call on Governor Murphy’s Office to investigate the New Jersey DEP and why this went on for years and nothing was done. I hope that people will go to future town hall meetings to follow up on this request.”

After the rally the crowd marched along the waterfront walkway, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, the maintenance site has got to go!,” among other chants. The march concluded back at the plaza, where the rally ended.

Megna Deva said that Weehawken residents were not accommodated the way Hoboken residents were.

Township says to learn to live with facility

The outrage from residents has been a theme in recent weeks, last coming to a head at the October 12 Township Council meeting. The protest echoed much of what was said at the meeting, in addition to some other points as well as comments from Mayor Richard Turner.

Porsch said at the meeting New York Waterway had a contract stating that the was to be temporary. That contract was signed in 2016 as new residential redevelopment was being constructed and occupied nearby and stated tthe company would leave by 2019.

“In 2016, New York Waterway was contractually obligated to move the facility because new development was going up there,” Porsch said. “They instinctually understood that nobody was going to buy a place in front of these boats, especially when they were giving off all types of pollution they were dumping in the water… Since Hoboken didn’t want them there, they never left Weehawken.”

Porsch argued that Weehawken residents have been given the short end of the stick while Hoboken residents got preferential treatment. Porsch has been trying to procure a meeting with Stack and Murphy like Hoboken got, but efforts have been unsuccessful because Stack wants to have Turner present.

At the meeting Turner said he had previously met with residents in the past months on preventing the expansion. He reiterated that the expansion is not happening since the council passed a resolution opposing, but then made a major revelation regarding the facility, that it would likely be permanent in the township.

Residents marched along the Weehawken waterfront in protest of New York Waterway’s facility in the township and alleged malpractices.

“I think we have a good handle on preventing the expansion,” Turner said. “I’m almost pretty sure that the maintenance facility is staying. We’ve tried everything. [Township Manager] Gio [Ahmad] and myself had visited numerous sites. We’ve tried to convince everybody… In reality, it’s not going any place.”

“Is it fair? Probably not,” Turner said. “The council’s always said, ‘It’s temporary until we find another location.’ Over the last five years, we probably visited half a dozen potential locations. They are all not suitable for one reason or another. So I think we have to have a serious discussion on how to live with it.”

According to Turner, the township does not have the authority to shut the facility down as residents wish. He said they even contemplated condemning the property through eminent domain as Hoboken is doing with the Union Dry-Dock, but it proved unfeasible.

“It’s water, and it’s very hard to condemn,” Turner said. “We looked at everything.”

Of the dozens of people in attendance, there were a number of children.

All alternatives already explored, officials say

The issue with the suggested Bayonne location was expense, and the lack of “proper facilities” to dock them, Turner said. He noted all alternatives were explored including that, but none were viable.

Turner said New York Waterway agreed in 2016 that the facility was temporary so as long as they could find another suitable location that all stakeholders agree with. And with Hoboken’s Union Dry-Dock off the table, he said the facility was not required to move per the contract.

When asked why the township isn’t fighting like Hoboken, he added: “Our approach now is trying to share. If they want to an expansion, do it someplace else… Not my problem. My problem is when you have an existing facility and are trying to find a new location. Hoboken doesn’t have an existing facility, so it becomes a little more problematic… Now I think as a community we deal with it.”

In regards to the alleged illegal dumping of raw sewage into the river, Turner said it was wrong and something that can be addressed. In addition to fines and punishments, he said that measures such as monitoring systems can be put in place to avoid a repeat in the future.

Turner said that about the pollution that local municipalities do the same through sewer outfalls that empty in the Hudson River. That plays into New York Waterway’s argument he said, adding that there is little the township can do to help it on their end, although it has added catch basins to outfalls in Weehawken as well as other measures.

Cassandra Porsch led the protestors during the march on the waterfront walkway and on the Avenue at Port Imperial.

According to Turner, there is a lot of pollution already in the air and in the river from ferries and other boat traffic, as well as vehicle traffic on the nearby Lincoln Tunnel. He said that nothing can be done about either, but that the township is “stuck trying to make this facility as clean as possible,” such as encouraging the conversion of more ferries to be hybrid or electric.

Turner also expressed skepticism that anything would come of the lawsuit against New York Waterway. He said the company may be fined and reprimanded if found guilty, but won’t be shut down.

Turner echoed calls to monitor New York Waterway regarding the alleged dumping of raw sewage, and also learn to deal with the noise and lights at night. Turner said now New York Waterway needs to work with residents and the township to be a “responsible neighbor” and improve, not expand, the facility, which he said is “small enough” that it can be made “bearable.”

Turner said the township can’t do anything in court in regards to the lawsuit, but confirmed they would follow up to see if Weehawken was a third-party beneficiary from the 2016 contract. He also said he would inquire from the NJDEP about the dumping of raw sewage and other issues, but did not speak on the proposal to pass a resolution calling on Murphy to investigate the NJDEP.

“I don’t know why the DEP has not responded,” Turner said.

The march passed a number of luxury residential buildings at Port Imperial, raising awareness of their cause to passersby.

More protests and activism planned for the future

At the meeting, Porsch asked the township to keep residents inform and incorporate them into the process. Turner said he would, and had already been reached out to by Davis and would get back to him.

“I think we need to sit down and take some of the ideas they wanted for the expansion, and see if that will work to make it a more acceptable facility and deal with our state partners,” Turner said. He noted this has been a problem for 30 years since it’s inception, and now is the time to make the best out of it instead of arguing for another 30 years. “So my the first goal we’re going to do is sit down the representatives from the condo buildings and The Brownstones… This is not going to go away. We take this very serious.”

Turner said he wanted to set up a meeting with every resident committee and condominium association involved. However, it appears that did not occur considering the protest.

While there was no discussion on the topic at the October 24 council meeting, protest organizers said there would likely be more residents speaking out at the next meeting. The Township Council will meet again on November 9 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall at 400 Park Avenue, with more information at weehawken-nj.us.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Liberty State Park activists warn of noise pollution from new flight plan

Hudson Reporter

November 4, 2022

Helicopter,Tour,In,New,York,City — Helicopter tours along the Hudson River have become a quality-of-life issue on both sides of the river. Shutterstock photo.

After billionaires and private interests have threatened the tranquility of Liberty State Park, helicopters could be the next thing, and local park activists have warned of the potential noise nuisance a new federal plan could cause.

A federal draft plan by the National Park Service (NPS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and tour operators will propose limits for commercial air tours around the Statue of Liberty and Governor’s Island by creating a 1,000 feet buffer from them.

It would also require tours to fly within half a mile of the parks in a clockwise direction at at least 500 feet above ground level, and helicopters would also be prohibited from circling or hovering within the half-mile boundary.

While the intentions of the draft plan are meant to protect the two parks on the Hudson River, the Friends of Liberty State Park have warned that the plan could come at Liberty State Park’s expense by causing helicopters to fly over the park, in which they called a “LOUD HELICOPTER NOISE BARRAGE WAR[sic]” by the NPS.

“This agreement is equivalent to approving tourist helicopters right over and next to Central Park,” read a statement by FOLSP’s president Sam Pesin. “People deserve to enjoy Liberty State Park without the private interests of the helicopter companies disrupting and disturbing the peace at Liberty State Park, a recreational, natural, cultural and historical treasure.”

Pesin argues that the buffer for the two New York state parks will only make “a small dent” in noise pollution heard by tourists, and that the noise will instead be shifted to Liberty State Park.

“Shifting noise is not a solution!” the statement continues. “This voluntary agreement with helicopter tourism companies doesn’t get to the root issue – too many tour choppers and no real way to lessen their noise.”

Noises from helicopters along the Hudson River, particularly those from tourist companies, have been a quality-of-life issue for both people in Hudson County and neighboring Manhattan. Lawmakers both locally and federally had introduced legislation to put limits on helicopters and ban non-essential flights in the local area altogether.

The National Park Service said that the FAA plans to sign the agreement this December, which will then update the operation specifications for each air tour company under the agreement within 90 days.

Public comments can be submitted to the NPS about the draft plan until Nov. 22 at 1:59 am at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=124250.

For updates on this and other stories, check hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Mark Koosau can be reached at [email protected] or his Twitter @snivyTsutarja.

Navy rear admiral inspects USNS Pomeroy at Bayonne Dry-Dock

Hudson Reporter

November 3, 2022

11baydock10-01 — RADM Michael Wettlauder, Bayonne Dry-Dock President Michael Cranston, inspect the USNS Pomeroy. Photos by Ari Mintz.

Rear Admiral Michael Wettlaufer visited the Bayonne Dry-Dock on Friday, October 28, inspecting the USNS Pomeroy.

The Pomeroy is part of the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, which is nearing completion of a $27 Million overhaul before returning to sea duty.

Rear Admiral Wettlaufer, who has led the Military Sealift Command since 2019, was escorted by Bayonne Dry-Dock President Michael Cranston as he toured the ship and visited with both the ship’s crew and dockworkers.

Rear Admiral Wettlaufer also took time to facilitate a small-group discussion with the leadership teams from Bayonne Dry-Dock and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Throughout his visit, Wettlaufer stressed the importance of the facility’s work to National Defense and the U.S. Navy’s overall mission. Bayonne Dry-Dock has completed twenty similar overhauls for the Navy since 2015.

“We were honored to host Rear Admiral Wettlaufer to inspect the USNS Pomeroy, which is now ready to return to its active-duty status serving the U.S. military in its combat and humanitarian missions,” said Cranston in a statement on Monday, November 1. “We are proud of our employees, our work and our service to the United States military.”

The Bayonne Dry-Dock facility is New York harbor’s largest dry-dock facility, serving both the military and the commercial shipping industry with a full range of services.

The 951-foot-long Pomeroy, part of the Watson Class Large Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ships (LMSRs), is designed to carry an entire U.S. Army Task Force including 58 tanks, 48 other tracked vehicles, including more than 900 trucks and other wheeled vehicles.

With a cargo-carrying capacity of 380,000 square feet (the equivalent of almost eight football fields), the USNS Pomeroy can accommodate up to 45 civilians, and up to 50 active-duty personnel.

Rear Admiral Michael Wettlaufer and Bayonne Dry Dock President Michael Cranston pose with dock workers conducting the repairs to the USNS Pomeroy.

Bayonne Dry-Dock’s personnel and subcontractors performed a wide array of upgrades and maintenance to the ship, including cargo gear and fan venting system overhauls, saltwater piping system replacement, tail shaft and main strut bearing service, and blasting and repainting the hull and topside weather decks, freeboard and superstructure.

There were approximately 225 employees that are contributing to the project’s completion, including both direct employees of Bayonne Dry-Dock and 30 subcontractors.

The Pomeroy was brought to Bayonne Dry-Dock on August 16, 2022, and the project is scheduled for an on-time delivery in mid-February of 2023.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

North Bergen students headed to Abu Dhabi for ‘junk’ fashion design competition

Hudson Reporter

November 3, 2022

11nbdress10 — "The Nightingale" was designed by North Bergen fashion students and teachers and is a Junk Kouture world finalist. Photo courtesy of Junk Kouture.

North Bergen students are heading overseas for the finals of an international environmentally-friendly fashion design competition.

On Tuesday, October 25, American up-and-coming eco-conscious creators and fashion designers competed at the first ever New York City final of Junk Kouture, a worldwide sustainable youth fashion competition. During the event, 30 haute-couture designs made from 100 percent recycled materials created and modeled by talented post-primary students took to the digital stage on Junk Kouture’s YouTube and TikTok channels.

Ten creations by young designers 13 to 18 years old from the city and nearby states were chosen by the Junk Kouture judges Ben Barry, Nicole McLaughlin and Emma McKee to represent the United States at the first-ever Junk Kouture World Final in the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 11, 2023.

The final 10 designs from the United States will be up against 50 other designs, 10 from each of Junk Kouture’s other finals in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Ireland, and the UAE. At the World Final, there will be six individual City Designer Awards for each location, plus the first-ever Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year.

Other prizes up for grabs include the Glamour Award, Wearable Art Award, Innovation Award, and Performance Award. Students will model and perform in haute-couture designs made entirely from recycled materials for celebrity judges, industry experts and an audience of cheering supporters flown into Abu Dhabi from around the world.

A night of creativity, performance, talent and live music from special guests awaits students in January. The event is billed as a celebration of young people and the circular engineers of tomorrow.

One of the ten designs selected to represent New York City in the World Final includes “The Nightingale” by Christopher King, Myles Perez, Jazzlynn Vargas, and Josselyn Garcia of North Bergen High School. The students were assisted by Fashion and Interior Design Teacher Marlene Sapoff and Sculpture Teacher and Art Director Steven Defendini.

The dress itself is made from blue wrap sourced from Hackensack University Medical Center, adorned with flowers made of the same material. Blue wrap is a surgical wrap and equates to 19 percent of the medical waste and pool insulation foam.

Also going into the construction of the gown were reams of discarded pool insulation. That material was fashioned into the angelic wings.

North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco congratulated the students on making it that far in the competition at a October 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners. Sacco said that the students were among the ten designs selected nationwide as finalists.

“I was just notified that the high school students are the finalists in the fashion contest,” Sacco said amid the meeting. “They made an outfit from medical supplies. They’re going to Abu Dhabi. They won the local, and there’s only ten in the nation finalists.”

Sacco said he has seen the dress himself, and seemed impressed. He said he is especially so, now that the students are heading to the World Final.

“I went in one day and saw the dress, and it took a lot of work,” Sacco said. “I never thought we’d be on our way to the finals of an international contest. It’s very impressive. The kids are very talented.”

According to Sacco, Junk Kouture is allowing two teachers and two students to attend. He said that they are unsure if the township will need to raise money to support them, but will see what is necessary as January approaches.

“We don’t know what else this entails,” Sacco said. “We will give more notice out.”

Designs to compete in World Final in Abu Dhabi

Some of the nine designs selected include: “Junk Punk Denim” by Emily Humphreys and Olivia Volt of Clearview Regional High School, New Jersey, made from up-cycled denim used to create the patchwork, bottle caps, cans, and recycled rope; “Sugar Pink Rockstar” by Yanin Thammarangsri, Fatima Koita, and Sonia Domlan of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School, New York, made from metallic chrome balloons, pink straws, cardboard, yarn strings, up-cycled fabric, safety pins, staples, and paper plates; and “Junk Karnival” by Sarah Arriola and Chloe Davis of McIntosh High School, Georgia, made from coca-cola cans, plastic water bottles, metal wire, newspaper, yarn, dye, glue, cardboard, tape, old t-shirts, can tabs, thread, plastic grocery, and trash bags, ribbon, old bedding fabric, old heels, and an old bodysuit.

The others selected feature: “D’Fear” by Xiwen Mark of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, New York made from plastic, paper, and up-cycled clothes; “Grandstar” by Natalia Monsale, Virginia Papasidero, and Astro Mejia of Glen Cove High School, New York, made from plastic water bottles, paper bags, paper clips, and recycled clothing; “Tree of Life” by Ísis de Farias Madeira of M600 The High School of Fashion Industries, New York, made from scraps and deadstock fabric for the base of the dress, to which the banana fibers were sewn with recycled polyester threads, and shoes thrifted and embellished with the same materials; “Mask Dress” by Naomi Carrion of Bronx International High School, New York made from masks, thread, and glue; “Record Breaker” by Lia Aldea-Lustig of Byram Hills High School, New York, made from up-cycled clothing, CDs, cassette tapes, shells and tape; and “Buttons” by Marykate Hanus and Jennifer Toler of North Kingstown High School, Rhode Island, made from buttons, fabric, glue, string, and wire.

“Get ready for the NYC designs taking to Abu Dhabi to fill you up with hope for the future of fashion and the survival of our planet. What the students created is truly exceptional — unbounded creativity, craft and consciousness will be on full display,” Junk Kouture judge and Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design Ben Barry said.

“I’m so excited for the world to be introduced to the finalists and their creations. Judging Junk Kouture New York has been a privilege. We’re cultivating a generation of high school fashion designers who don’t think that climate justice is an addition or afterthought to their design practice but instead it is the foundation – a creative opening for new fashion aesthetics, silhouettes, and form.”

Junk Kouture judge and fashion designer Nicole McLaughlin said: “I’ve been incredibly impressed by the calibre of design and execution of the projects I’ve seen from the designers. Junk Kouture is an important outlet for teenagers looking to explore their creativity in the sustainability world. They understand the importance of this message and look to nurture the future through imagination and empowerment via amazing opportunities. And all you want to do is continue to cheer them on. This is just the start of their journeys. I hope the designers who make it to Abu Dhabi remember to make some fantastic memories and enjoy themselves. Have fun!”

Supporting Junk Kouture as an events partner at the World Final is Miral, a creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi. With the support of Miral and Etihad Airways, the official airline partner and global partner of Junk Kouture, all local and international participants and supporters travelling to the World Final of Junk Kouture will be immersed into the culture and entertainment Abu Dhabi has to offer.

Standard ticket pricing for the show starts at AED 100, with attendees provided the option to create bespoke packages to include accommodation and other unique experiences on the island and across the capital. For more information, go online to junkkouture.com or follow social media @junkkouture.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Bayonne opens ‘crown jewel’ of Phase II improvements to Collins Park

Hudson Reporter

November 2, 2022

11baycollins10-01 — A Bayonne child enjoys the new swings at Collins Park. Photos by Daniel Israel.

The Phase II improvements to Bayonne’s Dennis P. Collins Park was officially opened on Tuesday, November 1. Officials, residents, and even members of the Collins family were present for the ceremony at First Street and Avenue C. The ceremony is the second recent opening of a city park following renovations, including Dr. David Morris Park.

The park is named after former Mayor Dennis Collins, who was elected four times in 1974, 1978, 1982, and 1986. Prior to that, he served on the City Council from 1962 to 1974, being City Council President from 1966 to 1974. After serving as mayor, he worked as an aide to Sen. Robert Menendez Sr. when he was still a congressman before returning to Bayonne City Hall as an aide for Mayor Joseph Doria.

Collins Park, the largest municipal park in the city, has been renovated in phases, with the rest of the park open while this was under construction. The city completed Phase I of the park in 2018 and included: new playground and exercise equipment; renovated tennis courts; a new volleyball court; new dog runs; new trees and landscaping; and new benches; among other improvements.

The Phase II renovations saw the construction of new facilities including: a roller hockey rink; a multi-purpose elevated seating area; a playground for ages two to five; a playground for age five to 12, basketball courts; an exercise and training area; benches and tables; trees and landscaping; and a large gazebo.

The playgrounds are amusement park themed, an ode to the former Uncle Milty’s Playland that used to occupy the grounds back in the day, complete with a “Miltyville” ticket booth. The multi-purpose elevated seating area serves as a sort of an open amphitheater overlooking the Kill van Kull, that can be used as an outdoor classroom or performance space.

Gorman Field has received new sod, along with new fencing and a sprinkler system. The field is not yet ready for use, but will be opened in the spring, as the new sod requires time to develop roots. Additionally, the Gorman Field parking lot will be repaved, and another parking lot has been expanded.

Davis and other city officials touted the renovations at the park opening.

The renovations were done by Picerno-Giordano Construction of Kenilworth for $3,697,669, which was awarded the contract in May of 2021. The construction company has also been contracted to complete upgrades to Fitzpatrick Park, and 28th Street Park among other local parks.

Officials tout completion of this phase of Collins Park improvements

At the park reopening, Mayor James Davis touted getting the park complete after the renovations were ongoing for many years.

“I know this took a long time, but people have to realize a lot of the property had to be remediated before we could actually do what you see today,” he said.

Davis thanked the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for ensuring that the park was built safely. He also expressed gratitude to the Picerno-Giordano family and their workers for constructing the park.

In addition, Davis thanked the CME engineers and other project professionals that worked on the project. He also gave a special shoutout to Department of Public Works Director Tom Cotter for his special attention to this for the past two years.

The new exercise and training area is next to the elevated multi-level seating area.

“My main focus since I became mayor was what I remembered being a kid,” Davis said. “I grew up just three blocks from here. This was Uncle Milton’s and Dennis Collins was our mayor. All I remember being a child was that every single park in Bayonne was slowly redone while he was in office.”

When Davis became mayor eight years ago, he said he promised himself and his family that he was going to emulate Collins and redo every single park in the city. These renovations are part of fulfilling that promise, he said.

“Over the last eight years, and Mr. Picerno can vouch for this, we are slowly doing it,” Davis said. “County money has helped us immensely with Hudson County Park. If you haven’t walked through the park lately, take a walk through it. It is gorgeous. But this one, I believe, is a crown jewel.”

Davis said he was blown away by the upgrades, especially this portion of the park that serves as an homage to the former amusement park that used to occupy the park known as Uncle Milty’s Playland. He said he walks through the park daily, still living a couple blocks away, and it overjoyed.

“It far exceeds all my expectations, and it is an honor for me because it is Dennis Collins Park, that this will always be remembered as I will always remember him as a mayor that really, really took care of the city of Bayonne,” Davis said. “This is a crown jewel to Mayor Collins.”

The playground for ages two to five year olds is rollercoaster-themed, an ode to the former Uncle Milty’s Playland.

Remediation of chromium from the soil and other toxic fill

Court Appointed Site Administrator Ronald Riccio for the clean up of Collins Park oversees a number of remediation sites throughout Hudson County. But he said this was the most important to him among the 20 sites.

“The most important to me has been making sure this park got remediated and restored safely and efficiently that it could become the beautiful park that it is today,” he said.

Riccio touted it as a collaboration between the public sector, the regulatory sector, and the private sector. He congratulated PPG, the company which remediated the site, for the successful cleanup, and the NJDEP for their diligence.

“In today’s day and age, it’s very difficult sometimes too see a connection between public, private, and regulatory actually impacting people ina positive way,” Riccio said. “It doesn’t happen often enough, but today is one of those special day when everything worked out the right way and people worked together to produce for their kids and their parents the same memories that were produced years ago.”

Two new basketball courts are already being put to good use by the youth at Collins Park.

In addition, Riccio thanked Davis and other involved city officials. He specifically shouted out Business Administrator Donna Russo, with whom he worked closely with on the project at all hours of the day.

According to Riccio, the remediation was only thought to be small when they first began. However, that was not the case, and eventually 20,000 tons of contaminated land was removed.

“When I started with this, we thought the only area that needed remediation was a tree surrounded by a picket fence near the restrooms,” Riccio said. “We never imagined that the contamination extended throughout the park, but that was soon discovered and addressed so much so that throughout the excavation period there, we removed 20,000 tons of contaminated impacted material which was then transported for disposal at a licensed facility.”

The contaminated land was replaced with 39,000 tons of clean fill as a cap on the park. The revetment against the Kill van Kull was redone with new stones installed to last for generations.

Riccio also touted the homage to Uncle Milty’s Playland. He said that he used to come to the amusement park as a kid, and used to think of the Kill van Kull as the Atlantic Ocean.

“It was a place to come for young kids during a hot summer to get a cool breeze, to ride the rides, and to create some memories,” Riccio said. “Those memories stay with me today as vividly as it were 60 to 70 years ago.”

Riccio echoed Davis that the renovated park is a “crown jewel” for the city of Bayonne.

The larger playground for five to 12 year olds keeps up the Uncle Milty’s Playland theme of this portion of the park.

DPW Director reflects on years of work

Cotter said that he proud to finally be able to rededicate Collins Park for residents to enjoy after the renovations have been completed. He thanked the people whose “help, dedication, guidance, blood, sweat, and tears” made the project possible, including Davis, the City Council, city professionals including Rob Russo and Andrew Raichle among others, and city lawyers including Law Director Jay Coffey and now-Business Adminsitrator Donna Russo.

Cotter praised “the time they put in, the attention to detail, to keep me pushing forward to get this project done… You all gave me hope when I thought it would take way too long and the job was faltering and it wasn’t going to come to fruition. But you guided me through it from the beginning and now we’re here today.”

He also specifcially jokingly praised Coffey and Russo for making sure he “didn’t get locked up through the process.” He added: “I came in with ideas and suggestions and they keep me on track.”

In addition, Cotter thanked Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jablonski for the Court Appointed Site Administrator. He said without Riccio, the project wouldn’t have moved along and thanked Riccio for ensuring PPG was doing the remediation correctly.

The 50-foot wide gazebo offers a relaxing shady area in the active park.

Cotter also thanked others including Alan Miller of the NJDEP, Jeff Worden from PPG, environmental professionals, and anyone else who worked to make this phase of the park improvements a reality, especially Tony Picerno and Nina Giordano who collaborated with Cotter on the design.

“Design after design, I would shoot you guys down,” Cotter said. “Then you came in with that presentation and took the vision that I wanted and pulled it out of the back of my head. And now this is the way the park turned out. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”

Cotter also praised the Uncle Milty’s Playland references in the park. He said he used to go there often and remembered when the amusement park closed.

“i never met him, but his vision is still alive here in the park,” Cotter said. “So it’s good to see that it’s not forgotten.”

Cotter also thanked residents for pushing and keeping him in check. Although a pain at times, he thanked them for following through with city officials.

“To those who called and complained millions of times that it was taking too long and asking when its going to open, I love you too,” Cotter said. “It’s part of our job as public officials, we have to take the good with the bad. If they’re not keeping us in check, no one else well.”

Cotter ended by thanking the Collins family. He said that Collins’ intention for the park remained: “His vision for this park years ago is still alive today and will still be alive for the next generation.”

The roller hockey rink and associated bleachers provides opportunities for many sporting events.

Park already put to good use

First Ward City Councilman Neill Carroll III echoed thanks to all involved. He also thanked the Bayonne Police Department, who attended the event with their mobile command center.

“It’s not just about recreating ourselves and being in this park and relaxing and enjoying life, but that we can do it safely,” Carroll said.

Carroll, much like Davis and other Bayonne residents, has been a fan of the park since he was young. He said it will continue to serve as a hub for youth with the new renovations.

“When I was growing up, this was one of the biggest things I looked forward to,” Caroll said. “The biggest thing I looked forward to was being able to walk by myself from 2nd Steet and Trask Avenue down to First Street Park. That was major. Then to be able to radiate outwards throughout the entirety of First Street Park. At one point, this was my whole world. This was my friends’ whole world. We came down here for everything, our pick up games, football in the back end of Gorman Field.”

Carroll praised the renovations that younger him would have been ecstatic about. He was happy to play a part of it being on the council.

Officials and Collins family members cut the ribbon for the re-opening in front of the elevated multi-level seating.

“To look at it now, I could go on for an hour,” Carroll said. “But I’m so filled with joy and gratitude, that even to have a small part of this with my colleagues on the council and to watch it grow out of the ground and flat earth when they took it down to the nubs, it was magic. It was like watching a miracle happen and now knowing that this is going to be another kid’s whole world one day or for the first part of their lives means the world to me and to the Collins family.”

Caroll shared how he used to get out of school at St. Andrew’s School and his grandfather Neil Carroll I would take him to the park. He said there his grandfather and Collins would “talk about the problems” facing Bayonne and the world sat at a bench while he played.

“When I walk though here, and I hope I can do it every day of my life, it just raises my heart up,” he said. Concluding his remarks, Carroll exclaimed: “The park is open.”

Davis added: “When you think about Uncle Milty’s we also have to try to preserve our past. Last week we just had the bell tower put up at Fitzpatrick park, which has the three bells from St. Joesphen’s Church which was sold off. I’m always going to try to keep our past a part of our future. That’s what we need to do so that we can never forget everything and where we came from.

Amid the ceremony, the park was already being put to good use on the sunny evening. Children’s laughs could be heard as they played on nearby equipment. Runners and people walking their dogs passed behind the speakers at the podium as they used the walking path. The bounce of basketballs on the court echoed. And the Collins Park experience wouldn’t be complete without a large vessel passing through the Kill van Kull and under the Bayonne Bridge in the background.

Before the opening ceremony was even finished, dozens of children enjoyed the newly refurbished areas of Collins Park.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].