Roughly a decade in the making, Hoboken officials broke ground on Maritime Park, located on the former Union Dry Dock site on the Hudson River waterfront in the 2nd Ward this morning.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“Breaking ground on Maritime Park is one of the most significant milestones in Hoboken’s modern history … We have quite literally made history,” outgoing Mayor Ravi Bhalla, the state assemblyman-elect in the 32nd Legislative District.
“The journey was really tough. It was filled with tremendous obstacles.”
He said the situation appeared bleak nearly eight years ago when then-Gov. Chris Christie (R) held an NJ Transit meeting on Martin Luther King Day to conduct a hostile takeover of the project, though that agenda item was pulled, as HCV first reported.
“We organized literally busloads of residents to come to the meeting on a federal holiday.We made our voices heard at that faithful NJ Transit meeting … We quite literally saved this site where we’re stranding here today from a hostile takeover,” he recalled.
He also noted that there was a time when the site was in danger of becoming a ferry fueling station for New York Waterway, which the city was also able to successfully evade.
“We were told don’t waste your time … There are no other options for a ferry maintenance and refueling facility, and we should just live with it … We didn’t back down. We fought. We rallied and we spoke out and we won,” Bhalla also said.
Looking ahead to the future, Bhalla further stated that Maritime Park will feature a skate park, a living shoreline, a plaza, and a community building, which will all be accompanied by incredible views of Manhattan.
“This is quite literal the crowning achievement in my two terms as mayor of this great city,” he declared, also thanking 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher for her advice and advocacy in the matter.
Bhalla also thanked NY Waterway and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) for helping them secure the land, and more recently $1 million in state funding, as part of that long process.
“Today, we celebrate people power. We were up against big moneyed, powerful connect interests and we won. Give yourself a round of applause!” exclaimed outgoing Assemblyman John Allen (D-32).
He noted he was Bhalla’s chief of staff when they began the push to convert Union Dry Dock into the park and said he helped secure the aforementioned state funding.
“This is truly a remarkable story,” he added, arguing that the groundbreaking would go into local history books since it has been a generational dream to connect the Hoboken waterfront walkway on the Hudson River.
Furthermore, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy secured county funding for the project for the first phase, Bhalla noted while introducing him.
“Mayor, you couldn’t arrange to have the temperature higher?” Guy joked about the cold December morning.
He explained they used money from the Open Space Trust Fund that his predecessor, Tom DeGise, created.
“Having open space in our county is paramount: Opening up waterfront access is definitely a priority,” Guy noted.
Mayor-elect Emily Jabbour began by saying it felt strange to see the project so close to completion, thanking the broad coalition that included neighborhood groups such as the Fund for a Better Waterfront fighting for the park’s creation.
“Our waterfront is like no other piece of Hudson County, and we are the crown jewel. I’m going to take credit for that,” she joked.
“I am committed to making sure this continues into my administration … I am excited to ensure this remains a people’s park that is shaped by the same community spirit that got us here today!”
Bhalla noted that the members of the LIUNA union will build the project, adding that $500,000 from the Open Space Trust Fund will help pay for the debt of the bond helping cover project costs.
“Cost estimates will be based on the bidding process from construction,” he also said.
Others in attendance included Hudson County Board of Commissioners Chair Anthony Romano (D-5), Council President Jim Doyle, 5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen, Business Administrator Caleb Stratton, former Business Administrator Jason Freeman, former Bhalla Chief of Staff Vijay Chaudhuri, 6th Ward Councilwoman Diane Imus, Council at-Large elects Steve Firestone and Caitlyn Layson, as well as Mussab Ali, a likely congressional candidate in the 8th District.
Nice to see the project moving ahead. Less sure about the skateboard park. That will be noisy and perhaps intrusive with the skateboard “get outta my way” subculture.
Did that aspect make it into the plan?
Skateboarding was a fad that passed, the projected has taken so long to get going the culture has changed. Don’t worry Sara, the dogs will put the skateboarding arena to good use.
Seriously Sara? The “get outta my way” subculture?
Clearly you’ve watched the Simpsons opening credits too much. Skate parks are enclosed.
What an entitled view you have there.
Craig Guy has never missed a meal or photo opp he didn’t love.