What used to be the Park Avenue Hotel in Weehawken will soon be completely demolished.
At a July 27 press conference, Mayor Richard Turner and members of the Town Council spoke about the demolition process and took the first strike at the doors with a giant sledgehammer.
Officials from DonJon Services, the company in charge of demolition, said the building will be brought down with a giant claw-like machine around Monday, Aug. 3.
“This building has been nothing but a problem, and a blight in this neighborhood. This is probably the most anticipated event since the construction of this building,” said Turner last week.
“Mayor, this building has been in my line of sight, in my backyard, for 45 years,” said Councilman Robert Sosa. “It’s time not only for a change of scenery, but also for a change of occupants.”
The 99-year old, 44 unit building was closed on Jan. 15, 2008, when the township began the 18-month process for condemnation and purchase from the owners.
In 2006, 18-year-old Jennifer Moore of Harrington Park, N.J. was raped and murdered at the hotel. She had been at a club in New York City with a friend when a man offered to drive her home to New Jersey. He and his girlfriend have been charged with the killing.
The demolition will take six to eight weeks.
________
The trial date for the two suspects has not yet been set. County prosecutor Edward DeFazio said they are still deciding whether to try the suspects individually or together.
The building has also been a magnet for other criminal mischief, officials say, including a September, 2008 incident in which a Union City couple allegedly left their 2-year-old son alone in the hotel while they allegedly burglarized a Weehawken home.
Because the hotel provided inexpensive rooms, it often attracted transients.
Future of demo site
Turner said that recently, the town found a good temporary use for the building. The police used the building for practice in hostage situations and rescue scenarios.
“Other than that, there has been no constructive purpose for this building,” said Turner.
Turner said that no taxpayer money was used to purchase the $1.5 million building or to demolish it. He said affordable housing funds were used, funds that are deposited by waterfront developers as a giveback to the town.
However, the previous owners of the building have filed a motion of complaint against the township to contest the assessed cost of the building and are asking the township for more money.
Turner said he didn’t know when a decision will be made, but is hopeful that the judge in the case will come up with a fair amount.
The demolition will take six to eight weeks. Afterward, an empty lot will remain until the funds are allocated for the construction of a two story, 24-unit senior citizen apartment building, a facility estimated to cost $6 to 7 million dollars.
Melissa Rappaport may be reached at mrappaport@hudsonreporter.com