For a mile-square city laid out in a grid pattern, Hoboken can sometimes be confusing. Many of the north-south streets are interrupted by city and county parks, making navigating from one end of the city to the other difficult for those who have only a passing knowledge of the city’s streets.
For newcomers, visitors and residents who would like to know where certain landmarks are in relation to their homes before venturing out, help is here. The Hoboken Chamber of Commerce and the Hudson Reporter newspaper group, with the support of the city, have worked together to print a new city map complete with listings for more than 90 local businesses and points of interest. Copies of the brightly colored foldout map have been distributed to more than 100 local businesses in town. A free copy can be obtained from the Chamber office at 313 First St. (That’s between Park and Willow avenues, for those of you who would need a map to find it.)
Thirteen thousand copies were printed.
The businessmen who worked on the project said that it was executed to try and provide newcomers and tourists with a tool that would help them navigate the city’s streets and find local businesses.
“Hoboken can be a confusing place to get around,” said Hudson Reporter Publisher David Unger last week. “The map is important because of the large number of newer residents. More and more, we are also seeing that Hoboken is becoming a popular tourist destination. There seemed to be a real need for a local map.”
In addition to being available at local businesses and at the Chamber, the maps will also be placed in the PATH station, the train station and at the Weehawken ferry stop to make them more accessible to tourists who may come to the mile-square city for the day.
The idea for printing the map sprung from a meeting with city officials earlier this year. After Human Services Director Bob Drasheff said that the city was planning to print a map, Unger and Chamber President John Parchinsky volunteered for the job. The design and planning for the map were handled by Hoboken businesses. Hoboken-based graphic artist McKevin Shaughnessy was the designer.
Parchinsky, for one, is happy with the new product.
“I’ve lived in Hoboken for a long time, but every once in a while when I am looking for an out of the way place, I have to look at a map myself,” he explained. “And all I have is this map that was printed 16 years ago.”