The City of Hoboken received a $6.24 million FEMA grant for the expansion of the Southwest Resiliency Park, officials said this afternoon.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
FEMA awarded funding to various projects through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, that provide greater resiliency to local communities.
The expanded Southwest Resiliency Park will include above ground green infrastructure and an underground detention system to withhold up to 328,000 gallons of stormwater caused by heavy precipitation.
“As an advocate for the flood resiliency efforts of the City of Hoboken and its residents, I am thrilled to announce the $6.24 million FEMA grant that will allow the region to continue to mitigate flooding while providing recreational amenities through the Southwest Park Expansion project,” U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said in a statement.
“As one of the most densely populated cities in the country, and one that regularly faces the challenges of high and frequent flooding, projects like these are critical to reduce the property damage and financial burden residents and their families shoulder following flooding disasters.”
Menendez and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) came to the Mile Square City in June to cut the ribbon on the ResilenCity Park, which received $10 million in federal funding.
“I’m proud that this $6.24 million federal grant will allow Hoboken to expand Southwest Resiliency Park, enhancing the city’s flood-mitigation infrastructure and helping to protect Hoboken residents from severe weather,” added U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).
“We must ensure the safety and resilience of our communities in the face of natural disasters and create a more sustainable future.”
The project is a component of the Rebuild by Design (“RBD”) – Hudson River Project and the City’s comprehensive water management strategy to delay, store, and discharge stormwater that, during intense rain events, often times overwhelm the combined sewer system and flood low-lying areas of the surrounding neighborhood.
The detention system of the 1-acre expansion of the park, located at 58 Harrison St., will more than double the existing 200,000-gallon capacity of the current Southwest Resiliency Park to further mitigate area flooding.
“The Southwest Resiliency Park has long been a cornerstone of Hoboken’s commitment to creating a more sustainable and resilient community,” noted Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla.
“With this generous grant from FEMA, the City will be able to further its efforts to mitigate flooding, while also increasing the overall quality of life for residents. I’m extremely proud that this will become Hoboken’s next resiliency park, further underscoring our efforts to combat the effects of climate change.”
He also thanked Hoboken’s federal representatives, which includes U.S. Rep Rob Menendez (D-8), for supporting the park’s expansion.
The city is scheduled to break ground on the expansion by the end of the year.
It is great to see another part of former Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s vision for a resilient Hoboken take one more step closer to reality.
This started under Roberts and the SW Parks Coalition which Zimmer walked out from
That’s a big victory for a bigger Southwest Plaza aka the Southwest ghost town. 🤣
High rise development is already being constructed next to the park. But anyone who has any real interest in Hoboken and not a knee jerk troll would know that.
So you admit the Southwest Plaza is a ghost town. Good to know.
A $6.4 million grant is nice, but how much of the total cost will that cover? Wasn’t the final cost of the NW park over $90 million? Who pays the difference? No one in City Hall ever talks about the real costs associated with these projects. We need some new leadership in Hoboken that will be more transparent about these things.