Dear Editor: I am a frequent visitor to Columbus Park, whether on my way to and from work, walking my dog, or for lack of choice, playing tennis. With its beautiful old trees and open sky to the west, I consider it to be one of the nicer parks in Hoboken. I of course noticed last year when the old one-story factory building adjacent to the park on 9th Street was torn down and the sign went up advertising the new apartment building that would be built on the site. But it wasn’t until the actual construction recently began, that it hit me what a blight this building would be on the park. With its variance-granted six-story height and full lot coverage, it will literally overshadow the entire southern end of the park. How this project was slipped under the radar I can only wonder. If, as Councilman Soares suggests, there was some favorable treatment relating to the mayor’s wife and real estate commissions, perhaps an investigation is warranted. But either way, it is a clear sign (in case it wasn’t already clear) that the current building boom is out of control. It’s one thing when new buildings fitting the scale of the neighborhood, within the existing zoning code, are erected. But when we start bending the rules and allowing monoliths to be slapped up next to our precious parks, there is something definitely wrong. To think that this particular project might have been pushed through merely to allow some developer or real estate broker to make a few extra bucks makes my blood boil. And at this point, it looks like it’s pretty much a done deal. When all is said and done, the enduring legacy of the Russo administration will be the overdevelopment that occurred on its watch, and the “Columbus Condominiums” will always be a painful reminder of it. For those of us planning on sticking around, let’s hope that it hasn’t already gone too far and try to be more vigilant to protect whatever quality of life we still have left. Steven Kocmacher