What appeared to be a compromise between a developer and a community has dissolved into a stalemate as the Lefrak Organization considers withdrawing its proposed amendments for future development, sources said.
Prompted by the demand for office space in the months following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Lefrak requested amendments to the Newport Redevelopment plan, a document that determines land use in the Newport area on the Jersey City waterfront. These amendments would allow two buildings designated for residential use to be used instead for office space.
Newport residents, seeing a chance to gain amenities in the area, approached city officials with a list of requests. These requests included defining the dimensions of the proposed park space, building a park on Pier 199-B similar to the park on Pier A in Hoboken, and including community meeting rooms in all new residential high rises. To reach a compromise, Mayor Glenn Cunningham set up several meetings between Newport residents, city officials, and the Lefrak Organization. The City Council and some Newport residents considered the amendments, which were tabled at the Council meeting Wednesday, an acceptable compromise. Other residents were still dissatisfied, and the Lefrak Organization has voiced disapproval over a specific addition to the amendments.
According to one source, Richard Lefrak, the president of the giant development firm, staunchly opposed the demand to have community meeting rooms in future residential buildings. The organization would not comment on this rumor.
Previously, Francis Schiller, an attorney for Lefrak, has said that the organization was against meeting rooms because they occupied "rentable space."
But the rumor had nothing to do with why the ordinance was tabled, according to city officials. The City Council tabled the second-reading ordinance for a second time after the governing body had been told by the Division of Planning that there were typographical errors in the copy they received on Wednesday.
Although the ordinance was tabled for a clerical mistake, Planning Director Bob Cotter said the extra time might lead to further discussions between the developers, community residents, and city officials.
Tabling the ordinance, however, pleased the Waterfront Association, a group of Newport residents who have requested most of the amenities and do not feel that Lefrak has made any concessions. "We haven’t given up the fight," said Monica Coe, vice president of the association. "We’re still trying to get a large, high quality park."
The demand for office space has subsided in recent weeks, giving Lefrak a reason to cancel the amendments completely.
One of Lefrak’s promises in the amended plans would have required the organization to complete construction of the waterfront walkway that will connect Hoboken to Jersey City by 2005. If tabled, however, there is no deadline for the completion of that project.
Other City Council matters
In other business, the City Council approved a temporary extension of a contract for Let’s Celebrate, which runs the senior citizen meal delivery program. Betty Outlaw, the city director of Health and Human Services, wants the city to have a bid for a new contractor, citing various problems with Let’s Celebrate that include a lack of manpower. According to Outlaw, 60 senior citizens are on a waiting list for the program.
"We’re looking to enhance and improve not only the food, but the type of program," Outlaw said.
Council people who view Let’s Celebrate as effective were not convinced that the city should drop its contract.
"You have to make sure it is as good or better service and it’s going to cost us less," Councilman Jeremiah Healy warned her.
Others asked Outlaw to clarify how the program should be different than it is now before putting the contract up for bid.
The contract was extended for three months for $274,000.