HOBOKEN – The City Council is expected to vote on a $7.7 million contract for park renovations on Wednesday night, the first step in a process to reopen Sinatra Park and Castle Point Park, two waterfront recreation areas.
Last week, in her State of the City address, Mayor Dawn Zimmer highlighted the importance of more park space in Hoboken.
Sinatra Park has had a bevy of problems over the past few years. There was lead contamination on the soccer field in 2008, which shut down the field and kept the kids and parents away for the summer. Then, in 2009, a portion of the field collapsed into the Hudson River, and soccer games were moved to Hoboken High School. Castle Point Park, another recreation area near the waterfront, also partially collapsed in the river in 2007.
The resolution would award a contract to EIC Associates of Springfield.
The goal is to complete the field for the fall season, Zimmer said in a memo to the council, while construction continues on the rest of the project.
The council will also address a resolution to increase a contract for special legal counsel for bankruptcy issues related to the sale of Hoboken University Medical Center by $50,000. The contract is for Okin, Hollander & DeLuca, LLP. Paul Hollander, of the firm, has been working for the city since summer 2010 on issues related to HUMC.
“Due to the limited response for land use lawyers, the city has made another request for proposals,” Zimmer said in her memo to the council. “Once the responses for this are received, all special counsel recommendations will be put forward to the City Council. However, a time-sensitive matter to protect the city’s interests through the final bankruptcy process for the hospital necessitates a final contract with Mr. Hollander.” – Ray Smith