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Concept for Public Works Garage site presented

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Concept for Public Works Garage site presented

A new Urby mixed-use residential building has been proposed for Hoboken by the developer, Ironstate Development.

The project would be erected at the site of the city’s public works garage at 256 Observer Hwy. as part of a settlement agreement between the city and the developer. Tradeoffs prevent two 11-story towers from being constructed along the waterfront, and provide approximately 1.4 acres of open space on the city’s west side.

The DPW garage will move out of the First Ward to a not yet determined location uptown.

During a community meeting, the project team presented the proposed development to the public and city council.

The proposal

According to Executive Vice President with Ironstate Development Josiah Wuestneck and Todd Poisson of BKSK Architects, the development will include 30,000 square feet of retail over three floors along Willow Avenue and an Urby Café at the corner of Observer Highway and Park Avenue.

It will be composed of roughly 361 residential units, though that number is not yet finalized, according to Wuestneck, who added that affordable units will be included at a ratio of one affordable housing unit for every nine market-rate units.

Additionally, 159 parking spots will be created in an internal garage for building residents at a ratio of 0.4 per residential unit.

Two loading bays and a garage entrance to the building will be placed on Park Avenue.

The building is shaped like a letter J with the majority of the height and bulk along Observer Highway similar to the Neumann Leathers redevelopment project across Willow Avenue.

On Observer Highway the building will be 16 stories, while on Willow Avenue and Park Avenue it will be nine stories.

Cascading planters, a grand staircase, and a winding ramp to a public plaza that serves as an entrance to the building will be placed along Observer Highway.

According to Poisson, the façade has not yet been decided on, but it will be similar to other Urby buildings in Harrison or Jersey City.

According to Wuestneck, Ironstate hopes to present a more finalized plan to the Planning Board by the end of May.

Height concerns aired

First Ward Councilman Michael DeFusco said he believes the project will be a benefit to the neighborhood.

“Beyond just the blight of the DPW garage and the noise associated with that and moving that out of our residential district, what we are going to be replacing it with is over 30,000 square feet of class A retail space which could take the shape of many different uses – cafes, supermarkets, entertainment venues,” said DeFusco.

But he believes the neighborhood will be concerned with the project height, noting that he was under the impression, as were local residents, that the project would be only eight stories along Willow and Park avenues, which is more closely aligned with other residential buildings in the area.

“It’s news to the subcommittee that the height of Willow Avenue is changing… to say I’m disappointed is an understatement,” he said.

According to Director of Community Development Chris Brown and Wuestneck, the plan stipulates 87 feet over design flood elevation, which is approximately eight stories above the ground-floor commercial space.

DeFusco asked if there was a way to shift the height to Observer Highway to keep the Willow Avenue side at a total of 87 feet tall, which is “less controversial” for area residents.

Second Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher questioned the position of the loading bays wondering if they should be moved to Willow Avenue, asking if it would be better for traffic circulation.

Council Vice President Jen Giattino and at-Large Councilman Jim Doyle indicated that because it is interrupted by Church Square Park, Park Avenue gets less traffic than Willow Avenue.

Neighborhood resident Sean Iaquinto also took issue with the height along Willow Avenue.

“Everyone in the neighborhood was under the impression that we were talking about 86 feet, we are talking about eight stories … not this plus that,” he said.

He said if the building height is increased, then other developments in the area will want the same.

“It just feels like one of those bait-and-switch kind of things where we were told one thing … and then oh well now it’s going to be even higher than you thought,” he said.

As far as the retail space along Willow Avenue, Iaquinto said he would love to see a supermarket like a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market move into the space, noting that the nearest grocery store is on Seventh Street.

He also said he would like the city to consider a bike lane along Willow Avenue.

For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

Celebrating a Hoboken institution

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Celebrating a Hoboken institution

Under a red tiled awning on the corner of Second and Grand streets sits a Hoboken landmark and institution, Leo’s Grandevous, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary with a block party on April 27.

Leo’s Grandevous began in 1939 when Leo and Tessie DiTerlizzi had the opportunity to turn a bar into a restaurant which has been family owned and operated ever since it first opened its doors.

Now generations of families and first-time visitors who can’t resist becoming regulars visit the restaurant for its home-cooked Italian meals, Frank Sinatra memorabilia, and jukebox.

How it began

According to Nick DePalma, Leo’s grandson, who owns the business, and his sister Grace Sciancalepore, the general manager, Leo’s began after it’s prior owner moved back to Italy and sold the bar for $500 to one of his employees, named Leo.

Leo worked part-time at the bar after his shifts in the Neumann Leathers building, which was a leather factory.

“It was every immigrant’s dream or desire to live the American dream,” said DePalma.

Back then, it was only a bar with a few pool tables where men would gather to play cards or shoot some pool.

It grew into a restaurant after Leo’s wife Tessie began cooking meals upstairs in their apartment and bringing them down for the bar patrons and pool players.

“She would make steamed mussels or marinara sauce and meatballs and people would come in and ask my grandfather what his wife was making that day so he decided to scrap the pool tables and build a kitchen,” said DePalma.

Once the Western Union Telegraph business closed next door, Leo bought the property to add to the bar and turned it into the kitchen so Tessie wouldn’t have to keep going up and down the stairs.

Over the years there has always been a member of the family running the business, and Sciancalepore and DePalma grew up spending their time at Leo’s

“I think my fondest memory of Grandpa Leo is he had this tradition on Friday nights before we opened for dinner he went up and would dance with all the waitresses,” said Sciancalepore. “I remember that vividly.”

DePalma said he couldn’t just pick one memory because Leo’s Grandevous has been so involved in the lives of its patrons.

“I’ve been involved in the restaurant for 32 years and all the memories seem to melt together,” said DePalma. “We have people celebrating birthdays, getting engaged, having weddings here, we’ve had wakes here and that to us is so special, but for our customers it’s monumental.”

“It’s just fun to look out when the restaurant is packed on a Friday night and you see everyone enjoying themselves. It’s been going on since 1939. It makes you feel like you are part of something bigger,” said DePalma.

Sinatra surroundings

Anyone who has gone to dine at Leo’s Grandevous knows it has one of the largest collections of Frank Sinatra material as the walls are covered with photographs and even a surfboard of Hoboken’s famous crooner.

“Not many people have that,” laughed DePalma.

He said his favorite was actually a picture of Sinatra given to him by his father-in-law that hangs in a back corner in the dining room.

It is framed along with a Frank Sinatra autograph signed during Sinatra’s visit to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Another is a painting of Sinatra, which is hung near the Jukebox.

“There’s a painting of Sinatra with a green background that has been here a long time, since the early 70s, which was given to my uncle when he was running Leo’s,” said DePalma. “It was in lieu of payment. There was a guy here who didn’t have any money and said ‘You know, I’m hungry, and I am an artist,’ and he painted a portrait and brought it in the next day to pay for his dinner.”

“We have all the stories we hear that grandpa fed a lot of people and in the ’70s people were hard on their luck,” said Sciancalepore.

“We had people come in and say the economy was bad and they just wanted a beer and a meal and that our grandfather didn’t charge them and they will always remember that,” said DePalma.

Leo’s Grandevous also has one of the largest selections of Sinatra’s music on their jukebox.

“Sinatra’s music and the growth and experiences of the people who come to Leo’s mirror one another. It is the perfect marriage,” said DePalma. “You have love, you have heartbreak, like in the song ‘A Very Good Year,’ he talks about his life and it mirrors the lives of people coming in here.”

80th-year celebration

To celebrate its anniversary Leo’s is holding a block party on April 27 on Second Street from Grand to Adams Street. The restaurant held a block party when it celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The block party begins at 12 p.m. and will include performances by The Fuzzy Lemons, Casey and The Dirty Water Dogs, and Matthew Friedman & Uptown Sounds as well as face painting, and a special presentation from the city at 3 p.m.

There will also be an outside beer garden and specials from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., including 80 cent pizzas.

Sciancalepore said it was important to celebrate the milestone with the entire community, noting that Hoboken isn’t just where she works but were she and her family live.

For updates on this and other stories check http://www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com

Black and white frogs

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Black and white frogs

A hundred and one students age 6 through 12 from Hoboken have had their artwork published in the “101 Wallace School Frogs Coloring Book.” The book, published in May by Jersey City resident Susan Newman, supports Frogs are Green, a Jersey City-based educational non-profit Newman founded to raise awareness about the decline and possible extinction of amphibians caused by global warming.

In one of the most important scenes in Steven Spielberg’s classic film “ET,” the film’s hero sets the frogs free from his elementary biology class.

An early symbolic act of environmental protest, the freeing of frogs and their attachment to the declining health of the planet becomes a test of faith for those who believe that even the smallest of creatures should not be exploited in the name of progress.

For Newman, saving the frogs is also a symbol of something larger and more fundamental: frogs reflect the overall problems with the environment.

“Over one third of frogs are threatened with extension,” she said. “They are disappearing from all over the planet, and they’ve been around for over 200 million years. This has to be telling us that something serious is wrong with the planet.”

Newman got interested in frogs after she took part in a blog to write a wild life series for kids back in 2009, and then– like Elliot in ET – realized something bad was happening to them. From this emerged the group called Frogs are Green, for which she has created posters, t-shirts, and calendars.

The money raised from the sale of these goes to organizations such as Save the Frogs.

Her annual art contest drew many entries from overseas as well as the United States. Although she was happy with the response from elsewhere in the world, she also wanted kids here to understand the importance of fogs in the environment.

Entries to the art contest also reflected some of the changes going on in the American educational system, where art classes are being cut in many public schools.

“Unless art is packaged with another subject, kids tend not to have art in school,” she said. “I think art classes are appreciated more in other countries. Maybe kids around world do have after school programs, which is why the contest gets more entries from those places.”

Newman also wanted to give credit to the kids involved in helping save the planet and so she began to publish these art works in books so that the kids themselves became authors.

Wallace School stood out

The idea a book featuring works from Wallace Element School kids came after Newman received 400 entries from the Hoboken school as part of her international contest her organization has run for seven years, the Kids’ Art Contest.

The contest received 1,441 artworks from 32 countries, including Sri Lanka, China, and Turkey, and from around the U.S.

“Every year our reach grows farther and farther and it gets bigger and bigger,” said Newman.

Newman, a part time Wallace teacher, collaborated with the district and with art teacher Lynn Fusco to encourage Wallace students to submit their drawings of frogs.

“Mrs. Fusco decided to take on the contest as a project and work with as many students she could,” said Newman. “Every time I would substitute at Wallace, she would hand me another stack of entries. I had no idea it would become as widespread as it did.”

Newman said it was because of the widespread involvement that she decided to create the coloring book.

“There was a lot of learning going on in addition to just art.” – Susan Newman

“When I got all the art from them, I said I had to do something more with them, because they all did such a great job,” said Newman. “All their submissions were in black and white art, so I thought it would make a great coloring book. I picked the top 101 drawings. We wanted to make sure there was a variety. There is a little bit of fantasy and a little bit of reality and a lot of different types of art in the book. I scanned all the pieces and designed the cover, put it together, and published the book through my non profit.” 

A learning experience

Newman said not only did the children draw frogs for the contest, but they learned about them as well.

“They learned about the patterns frogs have which you can see in their drawings,” said Newman. “They learned about some frog’s ability to camouflage. Some of the art shows frogs disappearing into the background; they learned what frogs eat and what eats frogs, some of the pictures have bugs… There was a lot of learning going on in addition to just art.”

The submissions were also displayed in the lobby of Hoboken City Hall at 94 Washington St.

Fusco and Newman decided to throw a publishing party for the kids in the school’s cafeteria that included cake and copies of the book so the children could see their hard work.

“I just thought it was great idea,” said Fusco. “I wanted to honor their hard work and accomplishment. I don’t think any other school has had a coloring book published in Hoboken.”

“The look on their faces was unbelievable,” said Newman. “They were so excited. I don’t think they really realized they would be published until they saw the book themselves. They were like, ‘holy moly.’ ”

The coloring book is available at frogsaregreen.com and Amazon Smile. If purchased on Amazon, the Wallace Parent Team Organization will receive a portion of the proceeds as long as the purchaser enters Wallace Parent Team Organization as their charity.

According to Newman, the coloring book will also be available at Little City Books on First and Bloomfield streets for $9.95.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com

Preserving Hoboken’s charm

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Preserving Hoboken’s charm

On Nov. 6, the Hoboken City Council will vote on an ordinance that would expand the city’s historic districts and add new properties to the list of historic sites.

The ordinance aims to better preserve the city’s historic resources, including buildings, streetscapes, monuments, and public sites, according to council documents.

That amendment includes the addition of more than 20 historically significant sites in the city.

According to the city, most of the additions recommended by the Historic Preservation Commission have long been identified by the State of New Jersey Office of Historic Preservation as “key contributors” to the history of the city and the historic character of the community.

Some of the additions include the Adams Square Condominiums, formerly the Daniel S. Kealy School, PS No. 2; Monroe Center buildings C & E, formerly Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Co.; the North Hudson YMCA; Sybil’s Cave; Hoboken Free Public Library; the Neumann Leathers building at 300 Observer Highway; The Up-Town Bank of Hoboken Trust Company at 1400 Washington St.; Stevens Park; and Elysian Park.

Designation as a historic site will help assure that renovations and alterations made to the site will be done in a way that protects its historic character, according to the city.

This comes after the council introduced the ordinance at the last council meeting on Oct. 16.

New district boundaries

Under the new ordinance, the city would expand the historic district to protect Castle Point Terrace homes and additional portions of Washington Street, Hudson Street, and the railyard and terminal.

The three new districts will be called H1-0, H2-0, and H3-0 and will act as a zoning overlay.

The H1-0 district extends from 14th Street down the entire length of the west side of Washington Street and the east side of Washington Street from Seventh Street to Observer Highway. It will include the length of Court Street, one of the city’s oldest streets which spans approximately 7.5 blocks between Washington and Hudson streets from about Newark Street to Seventh Street. The street was paved with squared blocks of stone or “setts” from local quarries in the late 1800s and was built as an alley to act as a service entrance for people who lived along Hudson and Washington streets.

The H1-0 district includes a portion of Hudson Street from Second Street to Observer Highway as well as Hoboken’s Lackawanna Terminal, the NJ Transit rail yard, and four blocks next to the terminal bounded by Hudson Place, Hudson Street, Sinatra Drive, and First Street.

The H2-0 district extends from Second Street to 14th Street primarily along Hudson Street’s western side. It also includes the eastern side of Washington Street from 14th Street to Seventh Street.

Finally, the H3-0 district will encompass all of the Castle Point Terrace area from Eighth Street to 10th Street.

Properties in these districts will be subject to the Historic Preservation Commission’s oversight should the ordinance pass. That oversight only extends to the parts of the building that are visible from the public right-of-way like the façade. Building permits and demolition permits can’t be issued without the commission’s issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness.

That means if property owners want to change the façade of their building they would have to get approval from the Historic Preservation Commission.

This includes exterior architectural features like lintels, sills, and cornices, stoops, ironwork, paint, storefronts, windows, and signage.

It does not include the building’s interior or those parts of the building that are not visible to the public.

The Historic Preservation Commission will also issue Certificates of No Effect for minor repairs or in-kind restoration of exterior elements that will have no visual, architectural, structural, or historic impact on the building, according to the ordinance.

The commission has also established a Fast Track approval process covering general maintenance, repairs, and replacement items that have little to no effect on the historic elements of a site.

Only those alterations that would impact the visual presentation of the building would trigger commission review as part of the overall approval and permitting process.

For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

Safety improvements proposed for Newark Street

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Safety improvements proposed for Newark Street

The city may undertake construction on Newark Street to make it safer for motorists and pedestrians, according to a public meeting held on Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Multi Service Center.
Roughly 40 residents filled the community room to hear a presentation by project designers Kimley-Horn.
According to project manager Adam Gibson, Newark Street may soon have curb bump outs, a mid-block raised crosswalk, a protected bike lane along the southern side of the street, unprotected sharrows on the northern side of the street, additional crosswalks, dedicated loading zones, flashing lights, and green space.
“It’s a balancing act, making sure the cars can flow through, but that it is totally safe for pedestrians,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “I live in this neighborhood, so I understand the concerns about this area. Cars don’t stop, and the idea is to change that.”
“These improvements will hopefully make drivers a little uncomfortable driving,” Gibson said, “so they pay more attention and are more likely to stop, including narrowing the roadway with bike lanes and bump outs.

Proposed work

At the intersection of Willow Avenue and Newark Street, the proposal includes two bump outs on the northern side of Willow Avenue with a loading zone on the northwest corner. On the southeast corner there is potential landscaping.
At the intersection of Newark and Clinton streets, there will be curb bump outs on the northern side of Newark Street shortening the crosswalk across Clinton Street.
On the southern side of this intersection will be a protected bike lane and a painted jug handle for cyclists to turn left, and a new crosswalk across Newark Street connecting to the northwestern corner.
At Newark and Grand streets there will be a new crosswalk across Newark Street from the northeast to southeast with landscaping to the east. There will also be a bump out at this corner and a painted bump out to the northwest corner of Grand Street. This intersection will also have a potential Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) sign which flashes alternating lights, much like a police vehicle, when a crosswalk button is pushed to alert drivers of a crossing pedestrian.
At Newark and Adams streets there could be a bumpout on the northwestern side shorting the crosswalk across Adams Street met by a painted and textured bumpout on the northeastern corner. There is also a proposed loading zone along the northwestern side of this intersection.
At Newark and Jefferson streets there would be a new partially-raised crosswalk to the east of the intersection connecting the north side of Newark Street to Observer Highway. This intersection may also utilize the RRFB signal. There is also potential landscaping space along the northeastern corner of Jefferson and Newark streets.
The southern bike lane will be protected by bollards and will begin at the intersection of Observer Highway and Newark Street and head north on Newark Street to Willow Avenue. The northern shared bike lane will span the same blocks.
The plan also proposes additional signs such as “bikes yield to pedestrians” and “pedestrian ahead” signs, directional signs, and upgrades to existing crosswalks.

Feedback

Neil Blecher, a resident of the area, asked why the city hadn’t considered a traffic signal.
“Why are we using flashing signs and no traffic lights?” said Blecher. “It still seems like a relatively long corridor without any real traffic control.”
Gibson said traffic volume off the side streets is not high enough to warrant a traffic signal.
Neighbor Ron Rosenberg suggested a stop sign and lit crosswalks.
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“It isn’t uncommon for us to take to the road hands up to oncoming cars to cross.” – Ron Rosenberg
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“I think Neil is spot on when he says we need another excuse for traffic to stop,” said Rosenberg, a resident of Hoboken for 35 years. “I get your point about a light but maybe a stop sign is better. I notice that you guys thought very carefully about every intersection … and understand why you need some stuff, but is there a tech that would allow you to imbed some LED light in inlets so driver will see pedestrian trying to cross the road. Part of the problem is darkness.”
Gibson said there are crosswalks that imbed lights in the pavement. “This is a step by step process. We started with the basic functions and now we are going to the next step. We haven’t yet discussed lights in the sidewalk or road but it is something we can look at.”
Rosenberg said, “It isn’t uncommon for us to take to the road hands up to oncoming cars to cross.”
“I think this is going to make a significant change in our safety, at least for residents in my building and incoming Neumann Leathers building years from now,’ said Rosenberg.
Resident Jim Vance wondered when the project could begin.
“It needs to be done now,” said Vance. “In this town it takes forever to get anything done.”
Zimmer said they are trying to take a proactive approach and will get feedback from the public and the county before finalizing the project plan. “We are looking to get this done this year.”
Councilman Michael DeFusco asked if there would be a loss of parking spots. Gibson said there would not.
Hoboken resident Angela Montero said as a mother in the area with small children, the new second crosswalk at Newark and Grand streets would make her feel safer.
“It makes me feel safer because of right turn lanes out of Grand Street onto Newark,” said Montero.

Past safety improvements

The city has tried to improve the safety conditions of the corridor, according to the mayor and Gibson.
They have utilized in-street pedestrian crossing signs, police pedestrian decoy operations, restriped crosswalks at Grand and Adams streets, striped a shoulder along the southern side of Newark, painted bump outs, and installed flashing LED pedestrian crossing signs.
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

City exempts certain areas from ‘500-foot rule’ for bars

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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City exempts certain areas from ‘500-foot rule’ for bars

The City Council voted Wednesday to amend a longstanding ordinance prohibiting liquor license holders from opening within 500 feet of each other. The new amendment allows plenary retail consumption license holders to open closer together in certain parts of the city.
Also at the council meeting, the council approved contracts to place free WiFi kiosks in town, and petitioners asked the city to try to buy the Union Dry Dock property on the northern waterfront (see sidebar).

Bar rules

For around 50 years, the city has had a rule that liquor license holders cannot open within 500 feet of each other, although previously existing businesses were grandfathered in. Hoboken currently has more than 130 liquor licenses in a square mile.
Areas that will be exempt 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 area of the 1st Ward not included in the Central Business District or Southern Redevelopment Area, plus any area designated as a theater exception. A “theater exception” allows alcohol sales during intermission at 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 would be in the Central Business District, with 25 plenary retail consumption licenses. The least would occur in the Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Area, with three plenary retail consumption licenses.
The number of licenses in each exception area is related to what currently exists, according to Councilman Jim Doyle.
“There will be no net increase in bars in Hoboken,” said Doyle. He said the amendment simply allows those with licenses to move about more freely in these areas of exception.
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.”
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 cite extraordinary circumstances and get six out of nine votes for the exception.
Several members of the public spoke about the change.
Resident Michael Gallucci, owner of The Grand Vin and Green Rock Tap & Grill, said he believes the 500-foot rule has had some “unintended consequences.”
He said that because of the rule, bars and restaurants who rent their space from landlords have very little leverage when negotiating rents because landlords know the bars are unable to move.
He also said that he believes the amendment would “improve the quality of life,” and “keep businesses humming instead of slaves to their landlords.”
Resident Daniel Tumpson said he was concerned there would be a “higher density” of bars in residential neighborhoods that would lower the quality of life.
Resident Mary Ondrejka said she was against the ordinance change and cited a possible decline in quality of life.
“I am against getting rid of the 500-foot rule,” she said. “I think when the council makes changes as serious as this, the council, and the Zoning Board, and the Planning Board can’t see and may not have the foresight to see what might happen.”
Doyle said, “We are trying to create a more dynamic commercial atmosphere… We thought it would be nice to have a couple of restaurants in these [redevelopment] areas to make it a destination because in the current rule that would not be able to happen.”
The council approved the ordinance 6-1, with Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher in dissent and Councilmen Michael DeFusco and Michael Russo absent.

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“This is a really exciting proposal.” – Stephen Marks
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HUD funding distributed

The City Council approved of funding for several non-profit and charitable organizations in town by disseminating Community Development Block Grants funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The council approved of $25,000 to the Jubilee Center for three lead program staffers for after school and summer camp instruction for children aged 6 through 13 years old; $40,0000 to the Hoboken Shelter for rent and utilities; and $20,000 to the Hudson County Homeless Street Outreach Team Project from the Garden State Episcopal Community Development Corporation to provide shelter food and services to homeless individuals.
The council also approved of $20,500 to Hoboken Day Care 100 for a portion of salaries for an eligibility specialist/administrator and an assistant teacher; $787,241 to the Hoboken Housing Authority to upgrade security infrastructure; $19,783 to Hoboken Family Planning for an administrative assistant and personal expenses and operational costs for the STD Awareness Program; and $10,000 to The Waterfront Project which will be used to facilitate the Housing Counseling and Legal Advocacy program which will cover operational and personal expenses associated with providing free legal services to Hoboken’s low and moderate income residents.
True Mentors also received $14,684.60 in funding for the TRUE Mentors Mentoring and Club expansion Project. The funding will help cover a portion of the program directors salary “who focuses on the growth safety and improvement of the youth program.”

Wi-Fi kiosks all over

The city will move forward with two contracts, one with Verizon and one with Intersection, both subject to final negotiations, for the city’s Smart City Initiative which will provide free public Wi-Fi in areas throughout town.
According to the resolutions, Intersection will provide free public Wi-Fi via kiosks, free phone calls, USB charging, and more for a seven-year term.
Verizon will provide outdoor municipal Wi-Fi to five municipal buildings; City Hall, the multi service center, the Hoboken Public Library, and Police and Fire Departments headquarters. They will also provide mobile Wi-Fi to the city’s five Hop buses. Verizon will also provide at least 23 to 35 outdoor digital kiosks throughout the city which will provide Wi-Fi.
According to Business Administrator Stephen Marks the initiatives will be at no cost to the city. “This is a really exciting proposal,” said Marks. “Intersection is proposing 30 kiosks for seven years at no cost to the city and will provide 1 gigabyte of high speed Wi-Fi per second. Verizon proposes about 25 to 35 kiosks for a 10 year term at no cost to the city which will also provide high speed Wi-Fi on HOP buses and five municipal buildings.”

SIDEBAR

Residents urge city to buy Dry Dock

Ron Hine of the Fund for a Better Waterfront presented a 47-page petition containing 2,174 signatures to the Hoboken City Council last Wednesday to ask the city to put the Union Dry Dock property on the city’s open space plan and make acquiring the land a priority.
The Union Dry Dock & Repair Co. is a barge repair company at 901 Sinatra Drive between Maxwell Place Park and Castle Point Park. It’s still operating, but Hine believes the city should make an offer to buy it.
Last month the business owners said the property was not for sale but that they have entertained bids in the past. Those offers had exceeded $15 million.
Several residents including Hine spoke during the public portion of the meeting.
“We have felt the political will to do this is nonexistent, and that is why we put up this petition,” said Hine.
“This is an opportunity for the city to make a commitment to make this happen; to finish our last missing pieces to the waterfront park at Union Dry Dock,” said Hine. “We can complete the waterfront park at this location. I ask all of you to join with us to make sure this becomes a reality.”
Resident Randy Brummette said, “Hoboken’s waterfront is world class. It blows everyone away. It’s breathtaking. Fabulous. It’s one of the biggest assets we have.”
“When I saw this petition it instantly stirred my passion. I sent it to 50 friends and got a 100 percent response rate,” said Brummette. “There are a million questions that still need to be answered. How will it be paid for, what will it look like, how much will it cost, but putting it in the Master Plan validates the idea.”
“What doesn’t make sense is the city not grabbing the Union Dry Dock land,” said resident Ellen Effron. “There are more families and more children who enjoy living in Hoboken and enjoy our parkland. Hoboken needs to create another continuous stretch of parkland.”
Lifelong resident Nick Borg said he remembers the waterfront’s industrial past and the freight trains that lined the road along the piers. “I remember back when it was at its worst and it’s been an amazing transition,” said Borg.
Councilwoman Jen Giattino asked Councilman Peter Cunningham to put the Union Dry Dock & Repair Co. on the north end community development meeting agenda to discuss it in that subcommittee.
Cunningham said, “I should hope without getting to far ahead that there is some money left in the open space trust account that could help support some aspect of that parcel we are discussing.”

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

Hoboken declares state of emergency

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Hoboken declares state of emergency

(Updated March 15)

Hoboken’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) declared a State of Emergency in the city on Thursday, March 12 as the city continues to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic.

The OEM, the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, school district Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson, and representatives from the charter schools have decided to cancel school over the next two weeks as a cautionary measure. 

State of emergency

The State of Emergency allows the OEM and the city to take proactive action in the days and weeks ahead to protect residents.

As of March 15, the city reported three positive COVID-19 cases in Hoboken.

Hoboken has canceled all “non-essential” city-run events and meetings starting March 13.

Canceled events include all city-run recreation activities and sports for children and adults, Planning Board, Zoning Board, and municipal volunteer board meetings, and the scheduled public meetings on Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Project and the NJ Transit Records Building.

The city has also closed all city recreation fields and facilities.

A City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18. The Bhalla administration and Council President Jen Giattino are exploring alternative options to host the meeting.

According to Giattino, options include the possibility of residents sending in questions and comments instead of attending the council meeting to speak but still streaming the meeting, having a phone conference, or canceling the meeting outright.

The OEM has also directed that all bars and restaurant establishments, with or without a liquor license, are no longer permitted to serve food within the restaurant or bar.

If a bar does not currently offer food, they will no longer be permitted to operate and are no longer permitted to serve alcohol, as of 11 a.m. Sunday, March 15.

Any bar or restaurant establishment that currently offers food service will be permitted to conduct food takeout and food delivery service only.

OEM is also implementing a city-wide daily curfew which will be in effect from 10 p.m. through 5 a.m., starting Monday, March 16 until further notice.

During this curfew, all residents will be required to remain in their homes except for emergencies, or if they are required to work by their employer.

Street cleaning is also now suspended.

City parks will remain open with the exception of fields, recreation courts, playgrounds, and restrooms.

Daycares and pop-up camps for children are also closed.The city has closed all gyms, all health clubs, and movie theaters.

City Hall is now closed to the public but all services are available by phone, email, and online only.

Members of the public must call the respective department in City Hall and speak to a representative or leave a message, or send an email to the respective employee or department head, that can be found at http://www.hobokennj.gov and choosing the “departments” tab under “government”.

To prepare for an anticipated surge of patients, the Office of Emergency Management authorized the construction of a medical tent on Fourth Street outside of Hoboken University Medical Center.

The Health Department recommends that residents who believe they have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider first instead of going to the emergency room.

“It is critically important for residents to stay home if you are sick and remain home for at least 24 hours until symptoms resolve,” said Bhalla. “It is essential to continue washing and sanitizing your hands frequently. Please work from home if you can for the near future.”

School closed

Schools will be closed over the next two weeks starting Monday, March 16.

“We have prepared all of our remote learning plans and everything is ready to go,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christine Johnson.

Johnson said teachers and staff have worked collaboratively on creating at-home instruction, and the district surveyed all families regarding their access to technology and the internet so that those without access received hard copies of at-home instruction.

“We developed required lessons in math, science, language arts, social studies, and health wellness for all students for every day,” said Johnson, noting that the district is providing 10 hours of instruction.

Johnson also said plans are in place for ESL students, students with special needs, students who require speech therapy and student who require physical therapy.

“Lessons were created from a basis of activities these kids are familiar with, and will be reinforcing at home,” said Johnson, noting therapists will be checking in with students via phone and email.

The district will also provide breakfast and lunch to district students and charter school students who qualified for free and reduced lunch. Grab and go meals will be handed out at the Ninth Street entrance of Hoboken High School by the cafeteria between Clinton and Grand streets. Meal service will be available from 8:30-10:30 a.m

According to state law, absences of 10 or more days must result in disenrollment for all children in Pre-K through 12th grade, but Johnson said that students will not be given absences for the days because school instruction will still be taking place.

Stevens Institute of Technology announced the campus has not had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 but to ensure the health and safety of their community all classes have been moved online through April 5.

“This decision is based on the best public health information we have today,” states a letter to the Stevens community dated March 12 from Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, and Vice President of Human Resources Warren Petty.

To reduce density on campus and limit potential transmission of COVID-19, some employees have been given permission to work remotely.

Students living on campus have been instructed to go home until April 5.

“University settings present unique challenges during a pandemic because of the density of students living and studying in close quarters,” the letter reads. “In addition, our capacity to quarantine those who become sick or those who may have been exposed is extremely limited. The more students who leave campus, the more we can decrease the potential health risk to the broader community. “

Stevens is working with students to help those who can not return home for a variety of reasons. The university is considering each request to remain on campus on a case by case basis.

Students who must remain in Stevens housing during this time should request permission from the Office of Residential and Dining Services (RDS) by clicking here.  Students can email rds@stevens.edu with questions.

Stevens students are asked to check the Stevens homepage regularly for updates.

Library programs canceled

The Hoboken Public Library facilities including the Main Library at 500 Park Ave, the Grand Street Branch, and the Learning Center at the Hoboken Housing Authority will be closed starting Monday, March 16, with a planned reopening of Monday, March 30.

“We apologize for the inconvenience, but this action is necessary to protect the health of our customers and staff during this volatile time,” said Director Lina Podles.

Loan periods will be adjusted to compensate for the closure and all items currently checked out to Hoboken Library cardholders will have their loans extended to Thursday, April 2.

Go to HobokenLibrary.org for the latest library information and to access to vibrant and robust online downloading and streaming services.

Go to HobokenLibrary.org/coronavirus/ for practical information about the Coronavirus.

Rescheduled events

The 19th Annual Tribeca Film Festival was scheduled to make it’s Hoboken debut this April, but according to a statement from co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises Jane Rosenthal, the festival will be postponed.

“We founded the Tribeca Film Festival as a way to heal our community after the devastation of the 9/11 attacks in 2001,” said Rosenthal. “We were determined to overcome our fear and anxiety by joining together. It is in our DNA to march forward while caring about our community.”

Rosenthal said the “difficult decision” to postpone was based on the announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that events of 500 people or more are banned.

“We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the public while also supporting our friends, filmmakers and storytellers who look to Tribeca as a platform to showcase their work to audiences. We will be back to you shortly with our plans,” she said.

“Check www.tribecafilm.com for the latest updates, ticket refund information and details about how we are moving forward.”

Little City Books was scheduled to host its 2nd Annual Hoboken Literary Weekend from April 3 to April 5 but according to co-owner Kate Jacobs, the weekend has been rescheduled for the fall. It was to feature several award-winning authors, artists, performers, and journalists at Little City Books as well as at partner venues throughout Hoboken.

The Hoboken Community Center announced it would be rescheduling it’s annual benefit “A Taste of Hoboken” which was to take place on March 18 at Stevens Institute of Technology Howe Center.

“The HCC is working to reschedule the event for later in 2020, and an announcement with the new date will be made shortly,” states their event page. “Guests are encouraged to keep their tickets for the rescheduled event, but those unable to attend on the new date may request a refund via the ticket website.”

Stay Safe

The CDC recommends ways to limit the risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

Recommendations include frequent handwashing with soap and water or use of hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60 percent alcohol; covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; and if you are sick, staying home from work or school.

The City of Hoboken, Office of Emergency Management, and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) have opened up a COVID-19 hotline for Hoboken residents at 201-420-5620.

CERT members will be available to answer general questions pertaining to Hoboken’s COVID-19 response and serve as a resource with additional information for residents.

It will not be utilized for professional medical advice.

The COVID-19 hotline is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. through at least March 20.

A separate hotline for Hoboken seniors requesting assistance, or anyone in contact with a senior in need, has also been set up at 201-420-5625.

It is operational from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. until at least March 20.

Volunteers may be needed during the week to assist with various tasks related to the city’s COVID-19 response.

If you are interested in volunteering, please call the COVID-19 hotline at 201-420-5620 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Hoboken Health Department will continue to operate, but the city says it should only be contacted by medical professionals.

Those that believe they were exposed to COVID-19 and want to be tested should contact their primary care physician first. Then they may also call the Hoboken Health Department at 201-420-2000 ext. 5211.

For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

 

Keeping an eye on spending

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Keeping an eye on spending

Facing a multi-million dollar budget gap this year, the Hoboken City Council has taken an ax to more than 20 resolutions, slashing proposed spending and pulling some resolutions that awarded contracts to various companies.

It also adopted an ordinance to increase parking meter rates in the city’s business district from $1 an hour to $2 an hour to increase both revenue and on-street-parking turnover.

Budget gap

The city faces an estimated $7.4 million budget gap due to anticipated increases in personnel costs, among other expenses. This does not include a projected decrease in the city’s surplus account from $21 million to $15 million.

This means the city was facing a budget gap of about $14 million, but according to Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who is on the council’s finance subcommittee, this gap has now shrunk by approximately $1 million to just under $13 million, with the inclusion of increased PILOT payments that the administration previously hadn’t accounted for in its estimates.

The majority of these payments come from the recently opened development, 7Seventy House at 770 Jackson St.

Slashing spending

Before the council voted on the resolutions, Councilman Michael Russo pulled 21 of the 32 resolutions to be discussed because they all pertained to city spending in the form of contracts and change orders.

“For all of these, I have three questions: What is it? Why is it important? Can we hold off on it?,” said Russo to which Fisher added a fourth question “Can we reduce the amount?”

He noted that in light of the projected budget gap that the city was facing it was important to curtail spending before the council adopts a budget for the 2020 fiscal year.

The total of all the resolutions was approximately $643,000. The largest individual contracts included a $102,550 contract for Lou’s Landscaping for landscape maintenance of Hoboken’s parks and green infrastructure, a $60,000 contract to Maraziti Falcon LLP for redevelopment litigation matters, and a $60,000 contract to McManimon, Scotland & Baumann LLC for public utilities counsel.

Some of these contracts were for the full year, several of which were “not to exceed amounts,” meaning that they were a conservative estimate, and some would be paid for through special trusts like the city’s Open Space Trust Fund.

Of the 21 resolutions, six were pulled from the agenda. The majority of the rest were reduced after city department directors gave the council explanations for each of the resolutions as to what the contracts entailed and if the money was needed before the council convenes again in March.

Considering these reductions, the total amount of spending approved by the council was about $410,000.

Offer for park land

At the end of the same meeting, the council introduced an ordinance with a 7-2 vote, which would allow the city to make an offer for a portion of Academy Bus’s property to expand the Southwest Park.

If approved on second reading, the city would be permitted to make Academy Bus an offer of about $8.5 million for the land.

This is based on the city’s recent appraisal of the property prepared by Federal Appraisal LLC, submitted to the city at the end of January.

Last September, the city began eminent domain proceedings to acquire the property through condemnation and offered Academy Bus $5.3 million.

In November, a judge ordered the parties to renegotiate, after lambasting the city for its “faulty appraisal” and the city’s rezoning of the area.

More parking fee increases

The council also adopted an ordinance to increase meter rates in the city’s business district from $1 an hour to $2 an hour.

Councilman Michael DeFusco called the move a “cash grab,” saying, “This again is curiously timed to the administration’s cleanup program of trying to find money to plug a $7-to-$14 million-dollar budget deficit.”

According to Fisher, the ordinance will generate revenue for the city, but it’s also good policy because it seeks to incentivize turnover of on-street parking, which will bring more shoppers to the business district.

“I wouldn’t call it a cash grab,” Fisher said. “Is it a revenue-generating activity? Yes. Is it time-driven now because we have sensitivities around the budget? Yes. As I said last week, we have a giant budget gap that we have to fill, and we have to look for a lot of different ways to fill it. Potentially jobs are at stake, we have taxes potentially getting increased.”

Councilman Phil Cohen said he supported the meter increases, noting that the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce also supported them.

“I agree … that charging $2 an hour for metered parking on Washington Street, instead of $1 an hour, will create more turnover of parking spots, giving customers more available spots in desirable locations where they want to shop,” Cohen said. “Good for business. Good for customers. Too often, store employees take these prime Washington Street spots. It is my hope that this price increase will encourage employees to use our underutilized municipal lots, rather than Washington Street.”

Russo said that the city provided no data relevant to Hoboken that indicated that the increase in meter fares would increase turnover.

The ordinance passed 5-4. Council members Ruben Ramos, Michael DeFusco, Michal Russo, and Vanessa Falco voted against it.

For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

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