A new look for southwest Hoboken? Attend city’s first Open House March 10

HOBOKEN – The city of Hoboken will host its first Open House to discuss the redevelopment plan for Hoboken’s Southwest Rehabilitation Area that borders Jersey City.

Since 2006, the southwest corridor of the mile square city has been in the spotlight when the Planning Board was asked to determine whether the area was in “need of redevelopment.”

Instead the City Council established the area as in “need of rehabilitation” in June 2012.

“The redevelopment designation provides additional tools like the acquisition of property through the use of eminent domain and the ability to provide long-term tax abatements,” city spokesman Juan Melli has explained in past interviews. “A rehabilitation designation only allows the use of short-term tax abatements.”

Since the area was devastated by Superstorm Sandy, city officials were able to obtain Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovering funding to prepare a plan for the area – which the city authorized Maser Consulting to prepare. The meeting to discuss the redevelopment plan will be held Thursday, March 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Multi Service Center (124 Grand St.).

The public is invited to view materials for the potential future of the area and provide feedback.

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