Now that the city has finalized the 5-year lease with New York Waterway as part of its settlement to acquire the waterfront property, Hoboken has pledged to begin Phase 1 of the park development this year with City Council approving a $2.2 million contract for the phase. As part of the process it has applied to the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund to help cover some of the costs.
Plans for Phase 1 include a revamped and updated waterfront skate park to replace the popular 20-year old park and a the City took ownership today of Union Dry Dock, adding three acres of public open space along the Hudson River. The acquisition of the 3-acre park, finalized earlier this year, completes a decades-long, lawsuit-filled quest to secure the missing piece in Hoboken’s waterfront park. The acquisition allows for the development of contiguous park space connecting Castle Point Park to Maxwell Place Park – making the skyline from the other side of the Hudson even more enviable.
“Make no mistake about it, the Union Dry Dock property is now in the hands of the City of Hoboken,” said Mayor Bhalla. “This day couldn’t have happened without the steadfast support of our many residents and advocates, including the Fund for a Better Waterfront, who made their voices heard loud and clear that Hoboken deserves nothing less than a waterfront park. I look forward to working with our community on a design our residents can be proud of in the coming months.”
The effort to acquire the site was an intense state and and local push, enlisting the help of the Hoboken City Concil, Governor Phil Murphy and State Senator Brian P. Stack. Hoboken City Council pushed with the mayor to ensure open space at Union Dry Dock, which was in jeopardy of becoming a fueling station for NY Waterway ferries.
“This is truly a historic day for our residents, and I’m beyond thrilled that the entirety of our waterfront is now in our control,” said Mayor Bhalla.
