After Sale Debacle, City to Move Its Vehicles Back To Old Garage

The city will be moving its vehicles back to the old municipal garage on Observer Highway, the same location that city workers just cleared out on Aug. 13, Mayor Dawn Zimmer announced on Monday afternoon. 

The city moved out of the municipal garage as part of a deal with development firm S. Hekemian Group, which was supposed to buy the garage for $25.5 million. The deal didn't go through after city council decided to terminate the contract with the developer, arguing that it was in breach of the contract. In July, the city decided to move the vehicles to a space on 1714 Willow Ave. for at least 60 days, and enter into a shared services agreement with the Township of Weehawken. 

Although Hoboken will move its vehicles out of the location at 1714 Willow by Sept. 26 (when the initial 60-day lease ends) Weehawken has not moved anything in yet, because of pending litigation with Hoboken-based doggy business Hoboken Unleashed. Mike Stigliano, owner of the doggy day care, sued the city because he already held a lease to the location on 1714 Willow. 

Although Zimmer and Director of Environmental Services Jennifer Maier have said in earlier interviews and statements that Weehawken would take up about 25 percent of the space on 1714 Willow, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said that was not yet decided. 

In a phone interview on Monday afternoon, Turner said that as soon as Hoboken went to court with Hoboken Unleashed, the Weehawken Public Works Department stopped the process of moving in, "depending on how things worked out."

Weehawken has not paid any rent for the space on 1714 Willow. Hoboken leased the space for $15,000 a month for two months.

"We still believe the site just lends itself for a DPW garage," Turner said about the location on 1714 Willow. Adding, "we're very interested in shared services, the question is, where?"

According to the press release sent out by the city on Monday afternoon, interim Corporation Counsel Mark Tabakin informed Hoboken Unleashed that the city will be moving out. 

Stigliano could not immediately be reached for comment. 

The release further stated: "In addition, Tabakin sent a letter to Judge Thomas Olivieri informing him that there is no longer a need for future court proceedings as the City is vacating the premises as Hoboken Unleashed had requested."

The city is still facing litigation with Hekemian over the proposed sale of the old garage.