The city of Bayonne is looking to dress up a blighted gateway section of the city by purchasing two former gas stations that they say mar the northernmost point of Avenue E – a place where many people exit the New Jersey Turnpike.
Using a combination of state and county funds, the city wants to purchase the gas stations in order to expand the existing Russell Golding Park, which is located between them along the East side of Avenue E.
At the July 28 meeting, the City Council voted to apply for $ $2.265 million from the State Green Acres Fund to purchase the properties. The city already has about $700,000 in matching funds from other grants toward the project.
City Planner Jesse Ransom said the parcels are located at the north and south side of the existing park along Avenue E near East 49th Street, and were assessed at about $2 million in 2009, but would likely be worth more today.
“I just don’t want something to show up later on that is going to be a surprise.” – Debra Nobel
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The two properties were designated as part of a scattered site redevelopment area by the city in 2005.
Traffic pattern changed
Avenue E was once the main thoroughfare leading to the Bayonne Bridge. The development of Route 440 (then called Route 169) in the early 1990s changed the traffic pattern and explains why some of the gas stations closed.
Ransom called this purchase “a rare opportunity” to expand a heavily utilized existing park while at the same time ridding the city of two significant eyesores.
“This gives us the ability to improve a gateway section of the city since this is right near the exit from the New Jersey Turnpike extension,” she said. “At the same time, it gives us the opportunity to expand recreation and open space in the heavily populated northeast corner of the city.”
She said the city has already received $400,000 from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund, combined with $300,000 dedicated from the federally funded Community Development Block Grant.
The cost is estimated to be $2.9 million, but only for the purchase of the property, not the development of the park. Ransom said the city can apply to these funding sources later for construction money.
If funding is obtained, the next step will be for the city to negotiate with the property owners for the purchase of the land. After the purchase, the city would then design the parkscape, Ransom said.
Both sites were contaminated with gasoline, but Ransom said the DEP has issued a letter saying neither needs additional cleanup efforts. Exxon is responsible the cleanup of one, Chevron Texaco the other, and both have received “no further action needed” letters from the DEP.
At the meeting, Debra Noble, a resident of Avenue E, agreed that these properties are an eyesore, but does not recall any cleanup of the property, such as removing the gas tanks and contaminated soil.
Ransom said the property has documentation from the DEP saying it has been cleaned up.
Noble said she saw no work done on those properties, and while she supports the park, she wants to see evidence that the contamination has been cleaned up.
“I just don’t want something to show up later on that is going to be a surprise,” she said.
She said the basketball part is used, but not the other sections. She suggested developing it in a way that can draw people in.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.