Dear Editor:
In the last sentence of Michael Lenz’s recent letter, “Residents express concern” he states that “parkland, once lost, will never be green again.” I don’t know if Mr. Lenz has actually been to the new Pier A Park, the new Sinatra Park, the new Shipyard Park or the new 14th Street Pier, but all of these wonderful new outdoor amenities were developed on former industrial properties.
For over a century these properties were off limits to the public. In fact, the entire Hoboken waterfront was occupied by industrial shipping facilities and was off limits to the general public.
Without the current redevelopment that Mr. Lenz objects to, there would be no public access to Hoboken’s riverfront. And so, I counter the last sentence of Mr. Lenz’s letter with a different viewpoint: gray, off-limits, industrial property, through well planned development, can and will be green again.
Michael Barry