July 1, 2010. That’s the new date for the opening of Pier C Park, the long-awaited island playground and park at Third Street and Sinatra Drive, according to city Environmental Services Director Jennifer Wenson-Maier.
But two sources close to the project think the summer may pass before the gates are open.
The fancy 2-acre park includes several play areas for various age groups, a fishing hole, a promenade over the Hudson River, and restrooms.
The park cost under $20 million and was paid for by the city, the Port Authority, and state Green Acres grant funding.
An additional portion of the park was originally intended to house a volleyball court, but the project was scaled back during the long process.
“I don’t have a hammer.” – Jennifer Wenson-Maier
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City officials confirmed that the closed-off walkway portion of the pier that has diverted pedestrian traffic between Pier A and Sinatra Park into Sinatra Drive for over two years will be open this week.
What’s the holdup?
Early estimates were that the kidney-shaped pier would be completed by April 2009, but the contractor has experienced material delays and other obstacles that have pushed completion back. Another promise that the park would be open by the September 2009 went unfulfilled, and bad winter weather stopped work until recently.
Relying on timelines presented by the contractor, city officials are expecting to cut the ribbon on the park on July 1.
However, two sources think the contractor’s timeline is unreliable, and they are blaming the contractor, EIC Associates, Inc. from Springfield, N.J., for the long delays.
Not wanting to speak for attribution, both project insiders said original timelines set by EIC were underestimated by at least several months to appease officials who were pushing for its completion.
A representative from EIC did not return phone calls for this article last week.
Wenson-Maier said last week that EIC was having difficulty paying one subcontractor, but blamed the issue on increasing steel costs. Another source said several of the contractor’s vendors were calling the city when bills went unpaid by the contractor over the past few years.
“I know the contractor wants to complete the job,” Wenson-Maier said, but when asked how the city can move the process along she replied, “I don’t have a hammer.”
City attorney Michael Kates said there is nothing in place to hold the contractor accountable for the time overruns. But Wenson-Maier pointed out that the contractor has yet to be paid the remaining portion of their contract and has performance bonds riding on completion. She said the time overruns are not costing the city any money.
One source claims the architects for the project, Michael Van Valkenburgh Assoc., Inc. of Brooklyn, used too many custom-designed pieces from overseas that led to delays. Mark Pattin, who is working on the project for Van Valkenburgh, said that wasn’t the case.
“It’s a unique park with a lot of things that are custom-made,” he said. “But an awful lot of time was allotted [to attain those parts].”
History of the pier
The original pier has a long history in Hoboken, and was one of the locations for the classic film “On the Waterfront.”
The idea for the park began during the waterfront revival of former Mayor Anthony Russo in the late 1990s and became concrete under the subsequent mayor, David Roberts.
In 2000, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey contributed $24 million for the demolition of the original Pier C and creation of a waterfront park.
Demolition of the old shipping pier occurred in 2002, and Roberts first promised groundbreaking for the park in 2005.
Hoboken Construction Code Official Al Arezzo was removed from the project in 2007 after Roberts testified to the state that Arezzo was dragging his feet over a jurisdictional dispute.
The state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) took control of the Pier C construction code duties, as well as another project that Arezzo was removed from.
By the fall of 2007, the City Council approved a $21.2 million bond to fund construction and work began in December.
‘Dangerous’ equipment replaced
Stainless steel playground equipment that was installed in the park has been found to become dangerously hot, according to Wenson-Maier, and the city is having shade canopies, shrubs, and trees installed to cool the equipment.
The manufacturer who provided the equipment also installed similar units in a new playground at Brooklyn Bridge Park, but children were reportedly burning their hands as the steel heated under the sun.
Wenson-Maier said she wasn’t sure who will be paying for the new installations, but that the city was in discussions with the manufacturer.
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.