State Senator Angela McKnight (D-31) is calling for “no super yachts or super yacht storage facility” at Liberty State Park as activists and electeds alike push back against a proposed marina plan.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“In my meeting with Commissioner LaTourette this past fall, I reiterated the importance of ensuring that the voices of residents are fully reflected in the Liberty State Park master plan,” McKnight said in a statement.
“I urge the Commissioner to honor the commitment that no super yachts or super yacht storage facility be permitted within Liberty State Park. As New Jersey’s bicentennial gift to our nation, Liberty State Park has stood as a symbol of our country’s history for nearly 50 years.”
The current marina tenant, SMI LL, LLC, an affiliate of Suntex Marinas Investors, LLC, wants a 60-year lease for $800,000 a year, at a minimum, plus a contribution to bulkhead replacement
In their report, the NJDEP says it wants a new lease with Suntex to facilitate the replacement of the park’s 3,500-foot bulkhead seawall along the Morris Canal Basin for an estimated cost of at least $60 million.
“Transformed from an industrial wasteland into a cherished community green space, the park’s evolution embodies the true purpose of public land: to serve the people, not private or commercial interests,” McKnight continued.
“Open green space is indispensable in areas like Jersey City, where parks are scarce and opportunities for outdoor recreation are limited. We must ensure any new developments and upgrades to this space don’t come at the expense of the residents, visitors, and wildlife that benefit from this rare urban oasis.”
The Friends of Liberty State Park, Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8), and state Senator Raj Mukherji (D-33) are among those who have already denounced the three-acre, seven-story marina development.
“This is sacred ground, and we must safeguard the natural, historic, cultural, recreational, and scenic gifts Liberty State Park affords us. I stand with our community in protecting the park we love now and for generations to come,” McKnight concluded.
