HOBOKEN COVE COMMUNITY BOATHOUSE
FREE KAYAKING DAYS
JULY 6TH | 10AM-1PM
MAXWELL PLACE PARK BEACH

As you have read or heard about, Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse (HCCB) is sponsoring the first FREE KAYAKING DAY of the 2008 season on Sunday, July 6th from 10AM-1PM at Maxwell Place Park in Hoboken. If you are unfamiliar with this new park, it is located near the intersection of Hudson Street, 11th Street and Frank Sinatra Drive in uptown Hoboken. On-street parking is generally available on the weekends; please remember to read the regulations posted on street signs if you do not have a City of Hoboken parking permit.
FREE KAYAKING DAYS are sponsored by the HCCB in coordination with the Downtown Boathouse (DTBH) in Manhattan. All equipment is borrowed from the DTBH and all participants (adult and children; children under the age of 18 with adult consent) must first sign a waiver at the registration table.

Because HCCB does not have access to the Maxwell Place boathouse (construction on the building is complete, however the developer is still working to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy) there are no public restrooms or changing areas in the park. Please bring only your essential items and leave valuables at home, or locked in a safe location, as our volunteer team will NOT be able to watch your items.

Items to bring include:

- Clothing / shoes that can get wet and sandy (getting in and out of kayaks)
- Sun screen
- Towel (in case you get really wet!)
- Water & snacks

We will provide life jackets, paddles and trained kayakers on the water to provide information and assistance.

Due to the limited number of kayaks and equipment we can borrow from the Downtown Boathouse, participants will be limited to approx 20-30 minutes (honor system) on the water at one time, depending on the demand. No reservations are required.

Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse
www.hobokencoveboathouse.org

Just a short note to let you know that one of the items on our “whish list” can be removed. The small park next to Harborside Lofts and 15th and Park is now open. The park consists of two play areas for children and a fenced in grass area. I walked my dogs down there to get a closer look. My first impression was that it is a pretty loud area, but as a playground, not a problem. Wouldn’t want to necessarily sit over there and read a book.

For the life of me I could not figure out how to get into the fenced in grass area (No I was not going to take my dogs in there). There is a small opening in the middle of the fence directly opposite the play areas but it has something called a “Magic Latch,” or something like that, and I obviously didn’t have the right magic. I’m not sure if it is locked or if the latch is just complicated. There is no permanent opening like the one now at Maxwell Park. I’m not really sure why they would need a gate at all but, there you go. Time will tell. Of course, the fence is only about 3 feet high so not hard to hope over if you wanted to get in. There were no signs saying it was closed or that it was not open to the public. Maybe someone who lives in Harborside Lofts can give a little insight.

I also felt like the area itself needs to have something - well, more. Right now it appears to be strictly a children’s pay area. It would be nice if the city would allow a vendor or two - ice cream, hot dogs, to set up shop there. As you walk through Central Park in NYC there are vendors placed all over in various locations. This particular area being out of the way would make a perfect place for something like that. It also would make a great small business for someone. I know the vendors have to be licensed but from what I hear, on a good day, they don’t do too shabby.

Now for 1600 Park……

Jeff Laylon
HUGC

Thanks to everyone (25-30 strong) who attended the June 23, 2008, Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition meeting. Special thanks to Beth Mason, 2nd Ward Councilwoman and Leah Healey, HobokenParks.org for their valuable insight into the 1600 Park area, where we have come from and where we are today. I also want to thank Cassandra Wilday for being there and shedding some new light on things to come.

First of all, you should know, I am not a professional urban planner by any means. I’m just a guy who wants a uselful park nearby. I am going to slip up on all the proper “terms” or “buzz words” when talking about the open spaces in question so get over it. (talk to me about dogs). I do know, however, that we all want a park to be created on the plot of land known as 1600 Park, already purchased by the city and waiting for someone to do something. If you were at the meeting, it was very evident that this process is slow going and is often bogged down with many layers of politics both locally and on a state level.

The next step in planning for 1600 Park is the hiring of a landscape architect to hold public meetings and create a conceptual plan for the area. This will happen. The park will not be created without public input - that much we know. As far as we know now, Margie Ruddick, www.margieruddick.com a renowned landscape architect is up for the job of beginning this process. When, you ask, will she be hired? That’s a good question and will probably depend on public pressure to be sure that she is on the agenda for the next, or next, upcoming city council meeting. Write your council person, write the Mayor, send a letter to the Hoboken Reporter and beg for the process to begin, sign up for the public speaking portion of the next City Council meeting and ask the council what they can do. There is no reason that this process should not have already begun, but with the city concentrating on “$millions$” of other things, this will fall by the wayside unless the public speaks out.

At least two other important points came out of this meeting. People are questioning why the play area next to the Toll Brothers Building, the Harborside Lofts at 1500 Washington, has not been opened yet, and what is happening with the area commonly called the 16th Street Pier, the pier directly east of the Tea Building.

The Harborside Lofts website boasts amenities including a 6-acre park with children’s playgrounds, but the playgrounds are fenced in, and bogged down in paperwork and politics and will not open until a public outcry demands it happen. Again, the solution seems to be to make noise. Write Toll Brothers and demand that the issues be settled and the park opened. It’s obvious that the park is ready and it’s a shame that the powers that be have not moved to open the park for public use. A letter to the Editor of the Hoboken Reporter can’t hurt and might help.

The 16th Street Pier, east of the Tea Building is an open space area that is somewhat up for grabs. Before we find out that a developer has grabbed hold of the space and won’t let go, we need to move swiftly and make sure that this land is protected for open space. It was agreed that a conceptual plan for this area might be a good place for the HUGC to start. Create a picture of what could be. David Downs (yes, I am going to put you on the spot) is a professional urban planner and advocate for useful open space. He is responsible for raising $250,000 for the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse that will be part of the 1600 Park area. In a future meeting, David has agreed to share more with our group about what the plans for the boathouse entail. I will quote David as saying,

“I am definitely interested in helping out your organization as a rep from HCCB and an uptown resident. Until last night I had no idea about the need to rally around the 16th Street Pier; I can best help by compiling research on urban waterfront parks, develop a conceptual plan, etc.”

This could be a great beginning for establishing the 16th Street Pier as an area to be earmarked for open space. David, we will take you up on your offer to help.

So what now? Make noise and be present. Letters to the Hoboken Reporter do garnish some attention. Write a letter to the Editor of the Hoboken Reporter questioning the delinquent development of 1600 Park, the not yet open play area next to Harborside Lofts and the “space the needs to be protected” on the 16th Street Pier. Sign up to speak at a City Council Meeting and ask our council members what is happening with these open spaces. The theme for the evening seemed to be “Make Yourself Heard.”

Please USE our website to not only manage your subscription, but interact with blog entries. On a side note, thanks to Perry from Hoboken411.com for being there and supporting not only this effort, but just about every effort in town. Hoboken411 is an invaluable resource for keeping in touch with the open space issues in Hoboken.

On ANOTHER side note, the Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition is in need of funding. All of this does not happen without some bucks. We have already spent money that we don’t have as an organization. Richard Scharfenberg donates his time to design our website and we have spent hundreds in creating the LLC and maintaining the HUGC. If you have some spare change you can give directly through our website at HobokenUGC.com. Thanks to those of you who have made contributions and thanks in advance for anyone thinking about making a contribution. Ok, stop thinking already and – well, you know what to do.

Thanks for reading this wordy entry that I will end here.

Jeff Laylon
Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition

There will be a meeting of the Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition (and anyone you want to bring along, or drag along) on June 23rd, 2008 - 7:30PM. We will meet outdoors (weather permitting), directly West of the Tea Building at 1500 Washington Street, in the area near the newly constructed gazebos. There are lots of benches on both sides of a pathway which should lend itself to a pretty good area to have a meeting. Feel free to bring a folding chair. Having the meeting at this location will give you an opportunity to actually see the areas we are discussing.

Beth Mason, 2nd Ward Councilwoman, and Leah Healy, Hoboken Parks Organization, will be the featured guests for this meeting. The objective of the meeting is to get a general idea of the history of 1600 Park and where the development of the park stands now. You may have noticed that not much is happening. A letter to the Mayor sent two months ago asking for information as to the current status of developing 1600 Park went unanswered. I have received numerous comments/questions regarding 1600 Park, as well as, the Pier directly east of the Tea building. This will be your opportunity to ask questions and give input.

Leah will also be able to give some insight into the Northwest Redevelopment Area and the current status for that location. A recent victory in the courts by the HPO saved that area from more high rise development, for the moment, and gives us the opportunity to push for open space development as proposed in the master plan for Hoboken.

Please feel free to invite any and all to this meeting. There is no need to be a member of any organization and all concerned citizens are invited. To get an idea of how many people will attend, please RSVP with a brief, “I’ll be there” to info@HobokenUGC.com. If you don’t RSVP, don’t let that stop you from coming.

Jeff Laylon
Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition

Hello All:

I am posting an important alert published by the Hoboken Parks Organization.

GREETINGS FROM HPO!!
WWW.HOBOKENPARKS.ORG

CRITICAL SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY JUNE 11, 2008 7PM

PLEASE ATTEND - THREE MAJOR VOTES ON PARKS!!!!

WE DO NOT ASK YOU TO ATTEND MEETINGS OFTEN BUT THIS IS A BIG ONE SO PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE THERE. PLEASE PASS THIS INFO ON.

ON THE AGENDA:
Park Ordinance:
This Ordinance creates a New Open Space Zoning Category, which would be applied to the areas proposed for new park in the Southwest, and to the 4-acre “Henkel site” (12th and Adams ) in the Northwest, along with other park sites. This is a concrete step to implement the Master Plan which is long overdue. If the City Council approves this on first reading, then the ordinance is sent to the Planning Board for review. Then it will be sent back to the Council for passage with a second reading. Once the land is re-zoned for park, it is protected from development.

Block 11 Resolution:
Calls on Mayor Roberts to take real tangible steps to acquire Block 11 for park space to protect the land from being developed as a high-rise condo. Block 11 is in the SW (triangle shaped property across from the Sky Club) and is designated for park in the Master Plan. A pending zoning board variance application for a 10-story condo building threatens this Master Plan park land.

Southwest and Northwest Appraisal Resolution:
Authorizes the hiring of an appraiser to appraise the SW park property and the “Henkel site” for potential acquisition as parks.

Hoboken Parks Organization
P.O. Box 1096
Hoboken, NJ 07030-1096

www.hobokenparks.org

The City of Hoboken and Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, Inc (planner hired to draft a redevelopment plan for the Western Edge Redevelopment Zone) are holding a meeting this Wednesday, February 13th at 7pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall (94 Washington St).

The meeting is to “discuss the process and elements of the future Redevelopment Plan for the Western Edge” per the accouncement on the City’s web site. The annoucement also states:

“The public input will critically serve to shape the the ultimate Redevelopment Plan.”

For the full announcement, see: http://www.hobokennj.org/ — it is towards the bottom of a long list of “news” announcements.

Please come and make your voices heard about what you would like to see in the redevelopment plan on the west side of town — from new recreational, mixed-use and residential space to infrastructure needs.

Consider what was called for in the 2004 Master Plan for the City of Hoboken, which can be viewed here:
http://www.hobokennj.org/html/masterplan/mp.html

On July 18, 2007, the City County voted 6-3 to designate the Western Edge Redevelopment area. At that Council meeting (which can be viewed on video at wethepeoplereports.com) it was disclosed that Council has met with Tarragon/URSA behind closed doors to discuss height, density, FAR ratios, etc for the western edge property.

This activity between the som of the City Council members and Tarragon which occurred just days before the redevelopment area designation vote is contrary to the Redevelopment Law and contrary to the Court ruling that HPO achieved in the successful lawsuit against Tarragon in 2006. That ruling in large part prevented Tarragon and the City from proceeding with the NW Green Plan which proposed 12 story buildings with grass on the top of roofs as open space on the Westside.

The Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition has joined with the Hoboken Parks Organization (HPO) and The Fund for a Better Waterfront and has agreed to be named a party to the lawsuit against Tarragon/URSA and the City Council for the newest decision to designate the Western Edge, part of NOHO (North Hoboken) as an area in need of redevelopment. I was present at the City Council meeting on the day of the vote and it was obvious that the public was against this decision. Speaker after speaker, including Leaha Healey, attorney, and leader of the Hoboken Parks Organization publicly spoke against this area as being an area in need of redevelopment - and clearly pointed out that Tarragon/Ursa obviously had prior discussions with certain council members and/or city officials and would be named the developer for this area. Keep in mind; Tarragon/URSA had already bought up the land in the area being declared an area in need of redevelopment. The redevelopment process requires the City to designate the area and then adopt the redevelopment zoning plan before making deals with developers.

This is never an easy, short or inexpensive process. Please consider donating toward this cause which you can do directly through this website.
Sincerely,
Jeff Laylon
Steering Committee, HUGC

Hello from the Hoboken Uptown Green Coalition

First of all, congratulations to Dawn Zimmer for her election, again, to the Fourth Ward Council seat. Hopefully, things can now move forward and both Dawn and Mr. Campos can work together to bring positive change to the Fourth Ward.

Thanks to Beth Mason, our Second Ward Councilwoman for alerting us to the following Planning Board Meeting to be held on Thursday, November 8th, at 6:00, in City Hall. This lot is where a parking lot is now on the east side of Hudson Street, directly north of 14th Street. Other than the original plans that were presented some time ago, she is not aware of any further developments for this site. I spoke with Cathy DePalma at the Planning Board office during the summer and this project was on hold. This is the first time we are hearing about the continued interest in building on this site. The lot is small and will likely be built to 100% of capacity but Beth thought it was important, and we appreciate her concern, that the citizens of the Second Ward be aware of building being proposed in our area.

In addition, I asked Beth if she was aware of anything regarding 1600 Park, or the 16th Street Pier, and as of now, she is not aware of further development but does believe the County is anxious to move the 1600 Park project forward. She will keep us abreast of new developments and we will hopefully be participating in the development of this park.

1401 Hudson Street - Berkshire Preliminary site plan
Applicant: Shipyard Associates, L.P.
Site Planner: Minno & Wasko
Attorney: Ira Karasick

1401 Hudson Street - Berkshire Final site plan
Applicant: Shipyard Associates, L.P.
Site Planner: Minno & Wasko
Attorney: Ira Karasick