Dear Editor:
The latest update of the Hoboken Parking Authority discloses that the Authority will be adding a total of 1,064 parking spaces to its inventory within the near future. Over 1,000 of those spaces are dedicated to monthly parking for Hoboken residents.
The two locations for these spaces are the 324-car facility at 916 Garden Street and the 740-car Midtown Garage at Clinton and Fourth Streets.
The facility at 916 Garden Street has been in the news quite a bit since its inception, both fairly and unfairly. A fully automated facility that will be the first of its kind in the nation, it presented unique challenges as well as unique problems. As a result, it did not become operational in the time frame originally intended. The matter was exacerbated by a series of lawsuits between the contractor and software provider, and the situation became so muddled that the Parking Authority had to finally call in the Surety bondholder to complete the project. Thankfully that process is underway and we have every reason to believe, from all our discussions with the parties involved, that there will be successful conclusion to this project.
If nothing else, the completion of the 916 Garden Street project and the building of the additional garages will, hopefully, put to bed the plethora of lies, distortions and simple untruths that were spread on the Internet and in the media by those with a political agenda or commercial interest about the Authority, its commissioners and our dedication to the mission of our agency.
I am proud to say that the Hoboken Parking Authority, during the administration of Mayor Anthony Russo, has provided more new parking than during any other administration on the history of Hoboken. I am even prouder to say that not a single penny of taxpayer monies or city funds were used in these endeavors. In fact, this authority has used no city money since 1982. Even in the delay of the 916 Garden Street project the Authority was protected by a $6.1 million surety bond, which is now being used to complete the project.
For such an outstanding record, I thank Mayor Anthony Russo for his foresight; my fellow Commissioners, Joan D’Agostino, Sharon Riccardi, Michele Russo and Frank Turso, along with Executive Director Jo Ann Serrano, the entire staff at the Authority and the professional consultants who guided us through these accomplishments.
Donald J. Pellicano
Chairman, HPA