Hoboken 1st Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco has announced plans to open a downtown “pocket park” at an address of a downtown neglected property.
A gated park at the Newark and Garden streets intersection has been underutilized and inaccessible for years, but DeFusco is proposing to activate the space and give it new life by adding food and beverage kiosks.
Under the current zoning plans for the property at 77 Park Avenue, Hoboken is entitled to access the space, but due to the poor conditions of the park, neither building residents or the public at large are utilizing it.
The councilman said in a statement that he has been in touch with Equity Apartments, the Chicago-based owner of the property, to discuss opening a pocket park at that location.
“Over the past two decades we have seen many new development projects come to Hoboken, but the City has continually failed to activate underutilized public spaces for community benefit,†he said.
“Opening a pocket park in the heart of Downtown Hoboken presents us with the unique opportunity to bring food kiosks, live entertainment and a public gathering space to our neighborhood. Through a public/private partnership like this, we can bring much a much-needed multipurpose green space to the First Ward while creating innovative ways for small businesses to expand their operations in Hoboken.”
DeFusco further stated that he has advocated for a redevelopment plan that will bring a European Market to Hoboken Terminal, passed legislation that will open the dilapidated kiosks on Pier A and pushed for a responsible public arts program.