New Twists For Redevelopment Plan Near Hoboken Terminal

HOBOKEN, NJ — It’s been on the back burner for years. But now, one of the most important redevelopment plans in Hoboken’s recent history is returning to the spotlight… with some new twists.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, city officials will hold a public workshop to discuss a possible amendment to the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan. The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. at the Multi-Service Center, 124 Grand Street.

The plan – approved in 2014 after a long history of public involvement – encompasses several structures used by NJ Transit, which owns the majority of the property. (See map below)

It aims to “create a true mixed-use project that will significantly diversify the local economy, support local businesses and revitalize the Hoboken Terminal area and Observer Highway… an essential gateway to Hoboken.”

According to a presentation on the municipal website:

“In addition to the flood mitigation measures required in the plan, the plan includes indoor public space, minimum requirements for three-bedroom family-oriented housing units, a 10 percent affordable housing set aside to enable families to stay in Hoboken, a variety of public spaces including a pedestrian plaza at Hudson Place and Warrington Plaza, and bicycle paths connecting a redesigned Observer Boulevard to the waterfront. The plan also requires a contribution to the open space trust fund to facilitate building additional park space in Hoboken.”

City officials are now pondering an amendment to the plan, which they said will ultimately result in less overall development and fewer residential units for the area. The proposed amendment also recognizes the proposed location of the Rebuild by Design flood protection structure, which will lie within the redevelopment area.

See the full amended plan.

The Hoboken City Council recently postponed a vote on the proposed amendment to allow more public input before they pull the trigger, a move that Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher applauded.

Fisher offered an update about the plan earlier this week, including a caveat about the claim that the amendment will mean "less development."

According to Fisher:

“The new proposed amendment suggests the project is now being reduced to 1.4 million square feet, but that is misleading. What is really being proposed is two, 300’+ buildings totaling 1 million square feet - one of the two buildings is commercial and the other is residential - and improvements to Warrington Plaza and a portion of the terminal. No additional buildings are planned, but the developer actually retains the option to build an additional 1.3 million square feet in the future subject to accommodating our Rebuild by Design anti-flooding project that is earmarked to be built at an angle through the middle of the HRY site.”

Fisher said that when the ordinance was introduced on first reading at the council meeting on Sept. 18, along with the ordinance, city administrators included a summary of the proposed changes, a detail of the proposed changes to the redevelopment plan and a clean version of the proposed amended plan.

“I would encourage you to read through all of these at your leisure,” Fisher wrote. “This is a lot to take in. And the details really matter.”

Fisher continued:

“I completely understand that this project has sat stale for a long time and was turned upside down with Rebuild by Design. I, like most of the City Council, met with the developer for the project, LCOR, a few weeks ago to hear about the project as well as the considerations effecting timing. Normally we agree a redevelopment agreement first – this is the contract with all the teeth – and concomitantly approve an amended plan. But because there are still a number of moving parts and some near-term deadlines for LCOR, they have asked for us to amend the plan first. It is worth noting that no critical studies have or are planned to be completed before this approval, including traffic, economic and shadow.”

Fisher added:

“I do believe the developer has tried to move the ball forward in way that contemplates the interests of Hoboken and that they have worked closely with all stakeholders to – NJ Transit, DEP/RBD and the administration – to try to create a workable plan. And there are many aspects of this plan that I support. But the one stakeholder missing from that list is the public.”

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