City receives grant for redevelopment study for western 14th Street area
A redevelopment study for the north end of Hoboken is being paid for by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Local Assistance Program by way of a $75,000 grant. Once the study is completed, the city can put together guidelines for how they want the northwestern part of town developed.
“As we take these initial steps toward studying this area for redevelopment, I remain completely committed to bringing balanced development that reflects the vision of our community and not just what’s most profitable for developers,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in a press release.
The city received word of the grant from the Port Authority on Dec. 28, 2010, and the contract was awarded to the firm Clarke Caton Hintz on Feb. 4.
The area for the redevelopment study includes “parcels north of 14th Street to the Hudson Bergen Light Rail line from the Palisades to Park Avenue,” according to a press release.
Officials looking for ‘civility’ on St Patrick’s Day
As the day draws nearer, more officials are reaching out to the community to ask for good behavior on Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade day, Saturday, March 5. Typically, people from throughout the area converge on the mile-square city that day and hold house parties and head to the bars starting at 9 a.m.
Hoboken holds its parade earlier than other cities so that they don’t have to compete for bands. But this means that the parade winds up on a day when there are few other events going on to draw partiers — so they head to Hoboken.
On Monday, Councilwoman Theresa Castellano’s team published a press release asking for residents to “commit to civility.”
“I’m glad to see that the police department is preparing for the crowds and laying down the law,” Castellano said in the release. “But we have to set the tone, ourselves. We shouldn’t allow visitors to hijack our town’s traditions for their own party. If we commit to civility, we can demand that others commit to civility, too.”
In the Feb. 13 edition of The Hoboken Reporter, Police Chief Anthony Falco reminded residents of the laws in place for the celebration, including the continuation a no tolerance policy in the Letters to the Editor section. The letter comes just a few days after Falco met with bar owners at City Hall to discuss St. Patrick’s Day preparations.
6th Ward resident files to challenge Councilman Giacchi
As the rumor mill continues to swirl in Hoboken, one more name has been thrown into the ring for the May City Council elections, when six ward seats will expire.
Jennifer Giattino officially filed paperwork with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on Feb. 8 to challenge Councilman Nino Giacchi in the 6th Ward election.
Giattino, who has lived in Hoboken since 1998, said quality of life is an important issue to her.
“I feel like I can make an impact in this city,” she said in a phone interview on Sunday. “I’m out and about everyday. I can see small things that go wrong and a lot of people talk to me with their issues because I’m very available.”
Giattino started the program LOTS (Lunch on Thursdays), in which schools donate sandwiches to the Hoboken Homeless Shelter once a week.
Giattino said she wants “clean parks, clean streets, a place for children to play” and also said “transportation throughout the city” is an important issue.
“I’ve always been very involved,” Giattino said. “I feel like its the right time [to run for council].”
Council members Peter Cunningham, Nino Giacchi, and Tim Occhipinti have filed paperwork to run for office, and Council President Beth Mason, Councilman Michael Russo, and Councilwoman Theresa Castellano have begun their campaigns.
Eric Kurta will challenge Castellano in the 1st Ward. Tom Greaney will challenge Mason in the 2nd Ward. Last week, three Hoboken blogs reported that resident Greg Lincoln will challenge Russo in the 3rd. Rami Pinchevsky will challenge Occhipinti in the 4th Ward. Leonard Luizzi will challenge Cunningham in the 5th Ward. And now, Giattino will challenge Giacchi in the 6th Ward.
Former journalist to read from first novel Feb. 24
Author and former journalist Lisa Martineau will read from and sign copies of her first novel, All the Old Familiar Places at “The Hudson School’s Think Thursdays Lecture and Film Series” on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at 601 Park Ave.
Adoption forum to be held on Feb. 25
O n Friday, Feb. 25, The Law Offices of Kimberly K. Glatt, LLC will host a free Adoption Forum from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at The W Hotel, 222 River St. To RSVP for the event, contact program facilitator Heidi B. Conlin at Heidi@kimglattlaw.com.