The City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday allowing Jersey City to issue $7.7 million in bonds to buy an old railroad embankment, but its owner has refused to agree to the price.
Preservationists would like to see the property developed as a park. City officials, especially Mayor Jerramiah Healy, favor a light rail extension along with a park and other options.
And none of them actually own the property. The historic Sixth Street Embankment is owned by New York-based property owner Steve Hyman and his wife.
The property consists of six elevated parcels of land about a half block deep, running along Sixth Street from Marin Boulevard to Brunswick Street in downtown Jersey City. Pennsylvania Railroad freight trains ran over the line from 1902 through the 1970s.
“After Hamilton Park reopened, we see overwhelmingly the need for pristine green space.” – Elna Mukaida
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The city and the Hymans began negotiating in January toward a settlement and city purchase of the Embankment, according to city officials who took part in the discussions. Those officials said the amount of $7.7 million came out of those discussions.
But Hyman publicly disagrees. He indicated after the last council meeting, when the ordinance was introduced, that he finds the city’s $7.7 million price “not acceptable.”
A hundred in attendance
Despite overwhelming approval of the bond by the council, concerns linger over the city being able to acquire the Embankment from Hyman.
Facing an audience of 100 people at Wednesday’s meeting – including 26 who said they support the bond ordinance – council members voted 6-1 with two abstentions. Voting yes were Steven Fulop, Peter Brennan, Nidia Lopez, David Donnelly, Michael Sottolano, and Mariano Vega. Councilman Bill Gaughan voted no, and Viola Richardson and Willie Flood abstained.
The council received a standing ovation from most of the audience after the vote.
Along with the owner’s reluctance to sell, some council members are concerned the grant money anticipated to pay off the bonds may not be guaranteed.
Make my park
Residents in the audience held up signs exclaiming “Save The Embankment” and “Make My Park.”
Others got up and told the council why they should pass the ordinance.
Stephen Gucciardo, president of the Embankment Preservation Coalition, which has fought since 1998 to preserve the Embankment, said the vote would be “a great opportunity for the city to move forward” with ownership of the Embankment.
Elna Mukaida, a resident of the city’s Hamilton Park area, said the re-opening of Hamilton Park in May and the multitudes of people using the park should convince officials that the acquisition of the Embankment is a worthy endeavor. “After Hamilton Park reopened, we see overwhelmingly the need for pristine green space,” Mukaida said.
Greg Remaud, conservation director of the environmental group NY/NJ Baykeeper, tried to allay concerns about finding money to pay off the bonds by pointing out that funding sources are listed in the ordinance, and said that other financing exists that would pay for the Embankment purchase.
Some council members said there were still obstacles to acquiring the property.
Please talk to Hyman
Councilman Michael Sottolano voted for the bonding ordinance, but implored the city to “make an offer” to Hyman “as soon as possible.”
“I would not like this to drag out for years and years,” Sottolano said.
Councilman Bill Gaughan voted against the ordinance, questioning whether the grant money will be available even if Hyman accepts the city’s offer. He also invoked the city’s current financial problems as a reason for his opposition.
City Councilwoman Viola Richardson abstained from voting; also citing the uncertainty of the funding sources, but promised to support the development of the park once the funding is a certainty.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.