Dear Editor:
With the election upon us, its important that everyone take a hard look at what the WIN candidates represent versus the current administration. Is candidness too much to ask? In the “Weehawken and you” glossy brochure they dwell on the open space and nowhere detail what they really do plan to erect. In twelve years, arguably, Mayor Turner, a man without wings, has done a lot for our town. On Park Ave., small businesses still languish. But what is his vision for the future? If you stand on the cliffs at Blvd. East and 51 Street, and look down on West New York (where Mayor Turner is financial manager), there’s a rather large building there. Our town council has approved the construction of a cluster of five such buildings of up to 8 stories, and each with a footprint of a NYC block, in the approximate area of the current waterway parking lot. I hear there’s going to be a nice waterfront walkway, thought you may never walk it, unless you’re particularly fleet of foot. First there are the stairs (221), then the super highway, then the Great wall, euphemistically called “Townhouses” ie: no public parking. Oops! What we have here is a missed opportunity. We could choose to build a really pretty neighborhood of cris-crossing streets of private and two family homes, small gardens and shops and restaurants mixed in, something we could all enjoy, and this town needs! A social hub, for Weehawken, not just another commuter attraction. Haven’t we done our bit? A train that passes through our town and connected us to the northern Hudson communities would be very nice too, thank you. But you can’t talk small town, end of the train line, large hotel, Corporation residencies, and Grand Central station in the same breath. Turner says the approximately 1300+ more residences in our town, times two, for double occupancy, will not impact on traffic, because they’ll be using the public transportation for work and when they shop, they will take their business to neighboring towns. I think that’s a shame. People are wondering if our infrastructure can support the “town” plan, and I think the question should be, why would we want to? The Mayor called the FWW, “a small but noisy group of dissidents” and he excoriated them for conjuring lawsuits against the powers that be. It’s sad it’s come to this, but, a judgment in their favor, plus a few new council members is our last hope for a reassessment of our waterfront development potential. As good as the mayor has been, or not, and as worthy his helpers, or not, after 12 uncontested years, is this the last word? If ever there was a time and a need for new input, and new voices, it’s now. Vote.
Christine Cornel