Dear Editor:
Your Feb. 27 article, “Park, more housing proposed” leaves me both weary and excited at the same time. Politicians and residents all agree that park space, both acquisition of new and repair and maintenance of existing, is in the top three issues we face as a city.
Many people say URSA has lied in the past and is lying now. They say URSA promised a swimming pool and rec center years ago and never built it. They say, URSA should be punished and shouldn’t get to build anything, ever again!
Others say, take the deal and hurry up and do it before they change their mind!
The answer has to be somewhere in between. Maybe it’s true that they promised a pool and a rec center, maybe not. Maybe they lied, maybe not. It doesn’t matter. History is in the past. If we waste time fighting about what was screwed up by past administrations with past development deals, all we’re doing is talking. We must act. There’s relatively little land of this size available. This proposal deserves the hard work it will take to make a deal that is beneficial to the city for the long term while at the same time is acceptable to URSA.
This mayor and council have the ability to handle this negotiation. To not act is irresponsible. To not negotiate is negligent. They owe it to the residents of this city to put the past behind them; to stop hating an entire group of people based on their profession. Treat URSA with the respect they deserve as human beings. Make a date and get all the lawyers into a room and don’t leave until there is an agreement that gets the residents what has been promised by the administration and every council member – more park space. Come on people – this is actually something we all agree on. Why are we fighting about it?
In summary, mayor and council, please, tell URSA you want their park. Tell them you want it built and deeded before they break ground on their project. Tell them the number of affordable housing units you want (isn’t 50 reasonable?). Tell them to maximize the parking. Tell them we want retail.
And, if I can add my own two cents, tell them to make it pretty – wide sidewalks and lots of trees. Monolithic brick structures are a thing of the past. Use architecture to create beauty, not just to hold up the walls; 3 and 4 bedroom apartments that are reasonably priced, so families can make Hoboken their home. Enough with the transient nature of the city. Tell them to make it green – solar, green/garden roofs, water reclamation.
Mayor and council, you’ve all said that your vision for this city includes park acquisition. Show us that you have the ability to execute. Make a deal with these people and get residents 40,000 s.f. of completed park space ready for use in 2011.
Sincerely,
Shane Conry
Taxpayer