When Mayor Dawn Zimmer entered the political scene, it was, in part, because of concerns about redevelopment being done incorrectly and worries that the public’s voice might not be heard.
Redevelopment is the process in which a city takes underused land, changes the zoning requirements, cleans it up, and finds a developer to build according to a new plan.
In an attempt to help the public become more involved with redevelopment, the city is holding a seminar about the process, “Redevelopment 101,” on Tuesday Aug. 31 from 7-9 p.m. at the Multi-Service Center at 124 Grand St.
Why hold the seminar now?
“Redevelopment 101’ is there, in part, to make sure the public is aware of the [redevelopment] process,” said Brandy Forbes, director of the Department of Community Development. “There are certain steps we have to take, and this will give the public a general overview of the process.”
The decision was made, in part, to hold the meetings now, because the city is ready to tackle a slew of redevelopment issues – some which originally began as far back as 2005.
“My administration takes public input very seriously,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “As we move forward with various redevelopment projects, an informed public will be in a position to offer the feedback we need to reflect our community’s vision for our city.”
“Redevelopment is a tool to spark development in the community.” – Brandy Forbes
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1600 Park and The Cove – Almost lost
When the Zimmer administration took charge, they discovered grants that were awarded to the city of Hoboken but hadn’t been utilized. They realized there was a need to act fast. If the city did not act on the projects by Dec. 31, 2009, the grants would have been lost. The city began work on the projects, which allowed them to keep the grants active.
“There were multiple grants that no one acted on previously,” Forbes said. “We recognized that we were at risk of losing them, so we had to demonstrate that we were acting on them.”
One grant was from the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF) for 1600 Park, which the city wants to turn into a park.
“The HDSRF was established in July 1993 to provide funding to public and qualifying private entities for the remediation of a suspected or known discharge of a hazardous substance or hazardous waste,” according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection website.
Forbes is unsure of what environmental hazards were once there, but she said with the HDSRF grant money awarded, the problems are being remediated.
“With so many of the properties there, it could have been something from 100 years ago,” Forbes said. “But with the grant, it brings the area to a [safety] level so that we can use it.”
According to Forbes, the remediation process is near-complete at 1600 Park.
The two projects, 1600 Park and The Cove, will be designed together, as recreation areas, because of their proximity. Forbes is hopeful that the city will have the design completed by the end of the year, in order to release a bid for construction in the spring.
Other grants were from the Hudson County Open Space Fund, the Green Acres Fund, and the Hudson Tea Development.
Revisiting redevelopment on the western edge
The city council directed the Planning Board to investigate the western edge of the city on Oct. 5, 2005 as a possible area for redevelopment. After the investigation, the city council voted on July 18, 2007 to designate eight blocks of property on the west side as a redevelopment area.
After public meetings to introduce the redevelopment plan were led by consultant Phillips Preiss Shapiro, the city council voted to table the issue.
“The draft plan was tabled due to concern that the plan was flawed, in that it did not adequately address the issues raised by the public and interests of the city,” according to a May 11, 2010 memo from Forbes to various members of city hall.
According to Forbes, the city has been reviewing the past meetings and transcripts to create a transition to a new redevelopment plan.
On Sept. 14, the city will hold a public meeting to listen to suggestions from the public on how to update the current, revised plans to reflect the concerns of the community.
This project was budgeted by a former administration, and is an ongoing project, so a total cost for the redevelopment is not yet available.
A timeline for the completion depends on the magnitude of the changes, according to Forbes.
Southwestern edge of town
Clarke Caton Hintz, the planning firm in charge of the redevelopment study on the southwest area of town, was awarded a contract to conduct a study by the Planning Board in late June.
The original southwestern redevelopment plan was the redevelopment issue that caused Zimmer to become involved in politics.
A 2004 “master plan,” a blueprint for the future of the city prepared by the Planning Board, called for more parks in the southwest part of town. Those parks have not come yet.
The cost of the redevelopment study for this area is between $47,000 and $48,000, according to Forbes. This is on the more expensive side, according to Forbes, because the city needed a group that has expertise with testimony.
Tim Occhipinti, a challenger for the fourth ward council seat in November’s special election, is hopeful that the process will be done correctly.
“Redevelopment needs to be treated like a natural resource,” Occhipinti said. “It has to be utilized the right way because if you screw it up, you don’t get a second chance.”
Occhipinti would like to see all sides work together in the redevelopment process.
“We’ll get the best benefit for the people of Hoboken by working with developers and property owners to ensure that the things we need, such as a park, a community center, and other givebacks, are properly incorporated into the plans,” Occhipinti said. “It is about accountability. The city can’t expect to just take what they want from property owners, and they can’t expect property owners not to try to realize the full value of their property investments, so we need to work together to make it a win-win situation.”
Other areas of the city
An area in the northwest part of the city was previously designated by the city council as an area for redevelopment. Forbes said on Wednesday that only a few struggling sites left need to be redeveloped, such as an area around the Monroe Center, between 7th and 8th streets on Monroe Street.
The southern waterfront will also see a few upgrades. This site already has a plan in place, and SJP Properties has the rights to develop the properties. The area on the southern waterfront that will see upgrades is on Second Street between River Street and Sinatra Drive.
These projects aren’t finished because they are driven by the economy, according to Forbes.
“Redevelopment is a tool to spark development in the community,” Forbes said. “When used appropriately, it can produce great benefits for the community.”
Steps of redevelopment
A May 11 city hall memo circulated by Brandy Forbes, director of the Department of Community Development, outlines the process of redevelopment.
The first step is to designate an area in need. This begins when the City Council directs the Planning Board, by resolution, to investigate an area of town to determine if it is necessary to redevelop. The Planning Board then returns to the City Council with a recommendation and findings, and the council votes on whether or not an area is in need of redevelopment.
The second step is the preparation of a redevelopment plan that establishes the zoning for the area, and is the primary document in the redeveloper selection process. It defines the project and what the council is seeking from the redeveloper. The council must then adopt the redevelopment plan by ordinance.
The third step is the selection of a redeveloper and preparation of an agreement.
After all three steps are completed, the fourth, and final step, is implementation.