Neighborhood groups in the Heights section of Jersey City are outraged at being excluded from discussions involving a massive redevelopment plan for Central Avenue and beyond.
The Riverview Neighborhood Association (RNA) and the Washington Park Neighborhood Association say they were never apprised about meetings concerning a draft redevelopment plan that could radically alter the area.
Mary Mills, a member of a group called Heights Hope, said the associations were surprised by the apparent secrecy that surrounded creation of the plan.
“There was suddenly this plan that nobody knew about,” she said.
The draft redevelopment plan was put together partly at the request of the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID) in conjunction with city Planning Department.
Councilman Michael Yun, former head of the CASID and the councilman representing that area, was also included in these discussions.
“The preliminary redevelopment plan drafted by the city circulating in the neighborhood is just that – a preliminary draft,” said CASID President Sanford Fishman and the Board of Trustees in response to the community groups. “It was created due to an ongoing internal discussion at the SID as it relates to exploring all options available that can contribute to the growth of The Heights neighborhood main street community.”
Fishman said the SID created a subcommittee to explore the benefits of a redevelopment plan and report its findings back to the board.
“There was suddenly this plan that nobody knew about.” – Mary Mills
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Councilman Yun said he was invited to sit in with the meeting, but said he wouldn’t support any redevelopment plan without input of community leaders.
Councilman Richard Boggiano, however, whose ward borders the proposed zone, said he and others should have been notified that these discussions were going on.
A major change in the area
Central Avenue is the principal shopping district in Jersey City Heights. But by most accounts, many of its buildings are in deplorable shape. Many of the traditional stores that once occupied the 12-block strip have closed to be replaced by discount stores.
The draft redevelopment plan would cover an area of about 35 acres and 356 parcels, going north along Central Avenue from Booraem Avenue to North Street. The plan also covers some adjacent lots along Cambridge Avenue, which runs parallel and east of Central Avenue.
The Central Avenue corridor is comprised mostly of one to four-story buildings with ground floor retail. It has a few five story buildings as well, a few two-family homes, some light industrial property, two city-owned parking lots, a church, and various other buildings.
The redevelopment plan claims the area is a viable candidate for increased density, partly because of its proximity to public transportation including the Hudson Bergen Light Rail line, bus lines, and other transportation.
These are among the claims neighborhood groups dispute. Kern Weissman, president of the RNA, questioned the need for increased height and density, and noted that roadways, sewers and schools would not likely easily accommodate a denser population.
“Our public transportation system in the Heights is already at capacity during the rush hours and this plan does nothing to address alternatives to vehicles,” he said. “We don’t see how the current bus lines could possibly handle this increase in density and NJ Transit has refused to add service.”
A redevelopment zone alters the rules
Historically, neighborhood groups have opposed redevelopment plans – in particular along Palisades Avenue, the other major north-south artery several blocks to the east, partly because it would give far too much decision power to the city.
“Most of the members of the community groups are too young to have fought against redevelopment zones before,” Mills said. “But we’ve had a number of them proposed for Palisades Avenue over the years.”
A redevelopment plan does away with many of the traditional safeguards for community involvement, allowing the city to take steps that would otherwise require significant public hearings and delays.
There are about 93 redevelopment zones in Jersey City, some of which overlap, that have bypassed many of the community hearings required under normal planning and zoning requirements.
State law allows municipalities and other governments to establish a redevelopment zone when an area shows “deterioration in housing, commercial and industrial installations, public services and facilities and other physical components and supports of community life,” and when it is clear that the situation cannot be remedied by the usual public or private efforts.
“While the plan as currently drafted does not allow for condemnation of property, it opens the door for high rise development in the Heights and indeed recommends high rise development in the center of the proposed redevelopment area,” Weissman said.
The area needs to be redeveloped, but how?
One example community groups cite as inappropriate development is a proposed 14-story building along Central Avenue. Mills said the plan would redevelop a site currently occupied by a Burger King, along with property behind it.
“While most of us would like to see that site redeveloped, we think 14 stories are too high, and it calls for using the entire footprint of the property.”
Mills said the area needs to be redeveloped in some fashion. Many of the building basements are frequently flooded. Most of the buildings have electrical violations. The wooden structures often break out in fire, with the fear that a large scale fire might wipe out whole blocks at some time in near future.
“I do real estate, so I have been in many of those buildings,” she said.
Other people in the area reported rooms being offered for rent in buildings that have fire hazards and even city warnings not to be occupied. One building near Paterson Street even has a warning sign citing a possible gas problem and a risk to anyone who occupies the building.
Too much power in city planner’s hands
Weissman and others, however, say a redevelopment zone would give the city Planning Department far too much authority. Designating Central Avenue as an area in need of redevelopment would strip away many of the usual protections associated with zoning variance process. The usual notice to neighbors would not apply in all cases, and plans can be amended within the planning department without any public comment at all.
Weissman believes the plan would open the way to high rise development in an area currently zoned for no more than seven stories.
“The Redevelopment Plan approach up-zones the entire Central Avenue Business District and parts of Cambridge Avenue without going through a master plan analysis to figure out if a zoning change is even needed,” he said in a letter to the SID.
“We would consider overlays such as the restaurant overlay that was used downtown on Newark Avenue,” he said. “That would make sense for the area. There are a number of other options that would be used to revitalize the area.”
Mills and Weissman said there has been no indication that other less drastic plans have been attempted.
Mills said that a redevelopment of the area would also mean that many of the lower income people who currently occupy the residences there would be displaced in favor of an upscale population.
“It is unclear where those poor people would go,” she said.
Not a done deal
Fishman said CASID has not yet officially decided to pursue a redevelopment plan.
“The discussion is still in its infancy and the committee has yet to submit a final report or advice on this matter,” he said. “Most importantly, the SID board has not yet taken action to pursue this matter further.”
Fishman, however, said community input and support is important.
“The CASID will only endorse a redevelopment plan for Central Avenue that goes through the process of obtaining community input and public support,” he said, responding to the neighborhood groups. “Anything contrary to that would be inconsistent with the wishes of our board members and the history of our organization…the draft redevelopment plan that has been made public is serving its purpose which is to bring attention to the needs of our main street and fuel meaningful discussions. It is not a polished product or intended to move forward in its current form.”
Yun defended the process, but said he would not support the plan if the community is against it.
“If people don’t want condemnation, or a 14 story building, then I won’t vote for it,” he said.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.