For almost 20 years, it has been an eyesore on Park Avenue, a vacant patch between the Calhoun Hall housing cooperative and the Water Tower Shopping Plaza.
The area was once the home of an auto repair shop that developers first wanted to turn into an apartment complex, then a super liquor store.
"One thing that area doesn’t need is another liquor store," said Weehawken 2nd Ward Councilwoman Rosemary Lavagnino.
Instead, it just remained an empty lot with no particular use. Until now.
Wednesday, the Weehawken Township Council approved the bid of M&J Hoag Contracting of Kenilworth to build an urban garden at the Park Avenue lot, at the price of $325,000.
The work is expected to begin shortly, with the garden set to open in the spring of 2003.
"We’re hopeful to have it opened by then," Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said. "We have to have the planting done periodically in accordance to appropriate planting cycles."
The contract to build the garden ends a seven-year trying and tedious process, which saw township officials trying to find the proper use for the empty lot.
"It was a very complicated process," Turner said. "But it was an amazing effort."
In 1995, the Township Council decided to purchase the land at a cost of nearly $80,000, in an effort to prevent a multi-story liquor store being built on the site.
"There were rumors floating around that a developer wanted to build a super liquor store there," Turner said. "We decided to approach the council to see if we could purchase the land, which we did."
From that point, Turner said that he applied for state and federal Green Acres funds to receive the funding to purchase the lot.
"It was a tedious process," Turner said. "The applications are much different when you’re acquiring property with Green Acres funds."
Once the township acquired the land, Turner said that he met with several members of the community to see what could be the best possible use.
"We reviewed the needs and everyone was in accordance that we needed more green space and more open space in the town," Turner said. "We didn’t necessarily need park space, because we had enough parks in the town. But the idea of an urban garden was approached and that idea took off."
It was especially pleasing to members of the Weehawken Garden Club, namely Lauren Sherman, Maggie Raywood and Sarah Crew, who loved the idea to have a garden nestled in the middle of town.
"We got together and drew up plans, what we’d like to see there," said Sherman, who is a landscaping designer. "It had been in the works for a very long time."
Before the plans to build the garden could take shape, there were other obstacles. Upon taking off the concrete cap at the site, an oil tank was discovered. That brought the state Department of Environmental Protection into the mix – slowing the process even more.
The project received a boost when a state special legislative grant of $100,000 was procured by Assembly Speaker Albio Sires and State Sen. Bernard Kenny, given to areas used specifically in beautification projects such as parks.
With the $100,000 state grant and another $250,000 secured from a federal Community Development Block Grant, the township finally had the funding to build the garden.
Kim Matthews of the New York-based Matthews-Nielsen Landscaping Architects group was hired to come up with specifications for the project.
Now that M&J Hoag has been awarded the contract, the work can finally begin.
French design
According to Sherman, the garden will have the French design called "Parterres" that features borders of evergreen trees, some of which will flower. Internally, the garden will boast walkways, using the bricks from the adjacent Tower Plaza shopping center, as well as extensive flower beds, a centrally-located fountain, sitting areas and an arbor for roses.
The rear will also feature a children’s garden, where students can learn about how flowers and plants grow and will be able to plant their own flowers to monitor the growth.
"Because there will be so much greenery, it really will be like an oasis," Sherman said. "We’re very happy and excited. After looking at that lot for several years, it is going to be nice to have something green."
Turner said that it is the first increase and development of open space in the upper portion of Weehawken in more than 20 years, since the construction of Arricale Field, which was once part of the Water Tower’s reservoir.
The urban garden is also part of the general improvements that are scheduled to be made to Park Avenue, specifically the Water Tower restoration and the adjacent plaza that will feature extensive landscaping and beautification.
"It’s going to provide visual relief," Lavagnino said. "We can’t just improve the Water Tower and not the area that surrounds it. We needed to soften the look Park Avenue gives. It’s a major accomplishment that brings back some of the Victorian look that Park Avenue had when I was a kid. It brings back the old feeling. We want to have people stroll down Park Avenue and enjoy it, like the way they stroll down Boulevard East."
"We’re going to be able to connect the Tower Plaza with the urban garden," Turner said. "It’s a chance to enhance what we have and the area will have a complete garden, green atmosphere. That lot has remained empty for many years. We’re happy to be finally doing something good there that will beautify the community and have a good use for everyone."