Councilman DeFusco Will Advocate for Public Arts Space as Part of Monarch Development Agreement

HOBOKEN, N.J. — Councilman Mike DeFusco is working to bring a live music and performing arts center to Hoboken as part of the city’s tentative agreement to relocate the waterfront Monarch project to the First Ward. A strong advocate for responsible and innovative development, Councilman DeFusco believes the pending deal will bring much needed quality of life improvements to a portion of Downtown Hoboken that has been neglected for far too long. The agreement includes the construction of a new enclosed DPW garage to reduce noise in the neighborhood, investments in downtown infrastructure and bringing new retail space to Observer Highway, allowing small businesses to continue investing in Hoboken.

Councilman DeFusco is committed to working collaboratively with the administration to finalize a development agreement that will benefit his district while protecting the integrity of Hoboken’s waterfront. A similar project is already being constructed in Montclair by the same developer, Ironstate Development Company, proving these innovative mixed-use building can successfully re-identify a community as a cultural hub for arts and dining.

“Preserving our waterfront as open public space and reinvesting in the arts have always been and still remain top priorities for me,” said Councilman Mike DeFusco. “The city’s new tentative agreement with the Monarch developer is an opportunity to activate a grossly neglected neighborhood in the First Ward, make critical infrastructure investments without any cost to taxpayers and bring new public arts programs to our city. Hoboken has already spent years entrenched in legal battles with the Monarch developer, accomplishing little more than accumulating costly legal bills, and I believe relocating this project can put an end to an issue that has plagued our city for nearly a decade. We achieve the best possible outcome when the ward council member and administration work collaboratively to identify the best possible solutions and I’m proud that is exactly what we plan to accomplish.”

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