The Hoboken City Council approved a new Western Edge Redevelopment Plan that includes $3 million in community givebacks for a pool, affordable housing units, and flood mitigation infrastructure.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The redevelopment agreement includes the following public benefits $3 million towards the design and development of a community recreation center with a public pool, 17 units of affordable housing for homeless veterans on 2nd Street and Willow Avenue – adjacent to the recently rebuilt Hoboken American Legion building – which features 6 units of recently constructed housing for homeless veterans, and 20 units of affordable housing at the Block 112 site in Northwest Hoboken.
Over 5,000 square feet of public, open space which includes a public plaza and will be maintained by the developer at no cost to the city by a permanent open space easement
Additionally, stormwater management measures to mitigate flooding: on-site stormwater storage with an underground detention system to withhold up to 22,000 cubic feet, or over 165,000 gallons of rainwater, as well as bioswales, rain gardens, and trees that will capture water above the standards for rainfall mitigation established by the Department of Environmental Protection.
“The combination of this much needed public amenity, along with 37 units of affordable housing, open space, and critical flood mitigation will add substantial quality of life benefits to our mile square. Thank you to Fair Share Housing, the Hoboken American Legion, the City Council and the Office of Community Development for working collaboratively together on this project,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in a statement.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to add to our affordable housing stock as well as continue to work to add sorely needed community benefits such as a swimming pool and community center. This will allow us to help rehabilitate the existing Multi-Service Center without losing any services,” added 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos.
Fair Share Housing Center, Inc. sued the city last month since they felt the April version of the agreement didn’t properly prioritize affordable housing, but that matter was settled earlier this month.
“Fair Share Housing Center is pleased that the City of Hoboken is taking positive steps to follow through on the settlement that FSHC and Hoboken achieved that will ensure that the proposed residential development in the Western Edge abides by the City’s affordable housing requirements,” added Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Adam Gordon.
“The words ‘veteran’ and ‘homeless’ should never appear together, so I thank Mayor Ravi Bhalla, the City Council, and Mark Villamar and Hany Ahmed of Pegasus Partners for their partnership on the second phase of housing for our veterans suffering from homelessness,” exclaimed American Legion Hoboken Post 107 Commander John P. Carey.
The redevelopment agreement revitalizes over 1.8 acres of blighted land in Northwest Hoboken, with the redevelopment agreement providing for 322,700 square feet of residential density along with 24,500 square feet of commercial retail space.
The deal was approved by the Hoboken City Council by vote of 8-1, with Councilman-at-Large James Doyle voting no.
As a condition of approval, the developer must present final site and engineer plans before the Hoboken Planning Board prior to construction.
