Hoboken council narrowly approves Skyline as conditional developer for Garage B

The Hoboken City Council voted 4-3 to designate Skylight Residential Group Acquisitions, LLC as the conditional developer of the Garage B affordable housing redevelopment project during a two-and-a-half hour special meeting last night.

By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View

“Hoboken concluded, given the nature of this project, it was necessary to go through a competitive process,” Redevelopment Counsel Joe Baumann said.

“We identified early Garage B as a location for a possible mixed-income project primarily of workforce and affordable housing, no market rate. The garage will be replaced by a new garage. On top of that garage would be a multi-family project.

He also acknowledged it will be an ambitious and costly project, as well that they could not disclose anything during the negotiating process due to confidentiality and to protect the city’s interests.

“We don’t want them to know what the others have proposed. I know it’s a frustrating process,” Baumann explained, noting that a conditional acceptance allows them to negotiate in good faith, he noted.

Former Councilman Tony Soares said during public comment that he appreciated the update and was in favor of the project.

“We just have stagnation due to overanalyzing things, and that led us to where we are with the Western Edge,” he argued.

“There is zero reason to rush into appointing any one person,” Carmine Sodora declared, stating that he found the extra secrecy around the process strange.

“There’s zero reason … to vote positively for this project. By delaying in the short term for better information to make a decision, I think it would be paramount.”

Housing advocate Cheryl Fallick admitted that the project has not been transparent, urgency is needed for more affordable housing to be built.

“We are in a five-alarm affordability crisis, and some are acting like we have time to burn!” she exclaimed.

Fallick said those not interested in affordable housing are pushing for more delays.

“We’ve ejected the very people who would support a project like this one, tear down at a time!” she further stated.

Fallick also criticized possible compromises that would reduce the number of affordable housing units.

“I’m here to speak in strong support of the municipal development of Garage B,” 32BJ SEIU Political Director Adrian Orozco said, declaring that it would create high-paying jobs and ultimately affordable housing.

“If we’re serious about equity, if we’re serious about housing. If we’re serious about building a Hoboken for everyone, this is the moment to act,” Orozco argued.

Roman Brice, a former local blogger who recently returned after a years-long hiatus, was skeptical of the meeting and their efforts.

“There’s no principle on the table here! We’ve gone back 20 years! …. Winners are picked from a very small scale, the problems are not fixed. Ravi Bhalla and his terms of corruption have brought me back,” he declared.

“Transparency is important. It’s not just a code word … People are not happy with the current circumstances of the project,” added 6th Ward council candidate Manuel Rivera Soler.

“Were you satisfied with what Mr. Baumann said? Do you believe it was transparent?” he asked.

2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher agreed that the process was not transparent, as highlighting that Community Development Director Christopher Brown said he could not provide information on bids.

“No one’s opposed to affordable housing on this location … All we hear about is affordability … There’s no reason to award it tonight. There are a lot of questions … They don’t have the experience to develop this,” she said.

4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos indicated that he voted to pull it from a past meeting and then spoke with many about it, including Baumann.

“ … I feel much more comfortable with the process. The goal is something I sincerely believe in,” he said.

Ramos continued that the new housing units could see teachers, police officers, firefighters, and nurses living in the community where they work.

“We still do work in August,” joked Councilman-at-Large Joe Quintero.  He also said he received additional information and met with Skyline ever since the proposal was pulled in June.

“We’re conditionally designating them so we can continue negotiations,” he explained, noting that many of his friends have been priced out of the city.

“It’s never going to be the right time,” he argued.

3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo criticized the lack of transparency, but said affordable housing should not be held hostage because of it.

“I was okay doing this a month ago,” Russo added.

“We’re not getting enough out of this,” 1st Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano, who represents the area where Garage B sits, began.He wanted the affordable housing plan to include a new school and a police station “We’re on a fiscal cliff.”

“Many residents of the 1st Ward are not happy with the project,” he stated, arguing that a larger-scale project would be more popular, acknowledging his no vote would not impact the final outcome.

Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour said she was going to support the project.

“You can’t let the desire to be perfect be the enemy of the good. We don’t get to decide … these negotiations.”

“I am opposed to the scope and scale of this project. Not the concept at all. We all desire that there be more ah. It’s a question of the pace, the scale, etc.,” noted Council President Jim Doyle.

He argued there would be further discussion of the specific details of the plan, which would be voted on and shared with the public.

The council ultimately approved the measure 4-3, with Jabbour, Quintero, Ramos, and Russo voting yes, while Fisher, Presinzano, and Doyle voted no. 5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen was absent.