Small Victory- New Jersey Transit Cancels Meeting  

A special NJ Transit Board of Directors meeting to discuss the acquisition of the Union Dry Dock in Hoboken has been canceled, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced this morning. The board on Wednesday was expected to authorize the purchase of the 3-acre waterfront parcel and lease it back to New York Waterway for use as ferry maintenance facility. Hoboken, meanwhile, offered New York Waterway $11.63 million for the property, and threatened to seize it through eminent domain if a deal could not be worked out.

“We are glad that New Jersey Transit has canceled its meeting and that the Governor has committed to working with the Mayor of Hoboken. It is critical for open space and the trust doctrine. Due to NJ Transit’s emergency meeting to push this dirty deal through, the City of Hoboken has had to suspend their efforts to acquire the former Union Dry Dock. The City wants to keep this land for open public space and that’s what it should be used for. It is important that Governor Murphy work with Mayor Bhalla to protect and preserve open space for the people of New Jersey,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.  

As part of the deal to cancel the meeting, Bhalla also agreed to withdraw the offer to buy the land. A resolution and ordinance detailing this action has been added to the Hoboken City Council agenda for their regularly scheduled meeting on April 4.

“The City of Hoboken has gone to court to save this property and that is on hold because New Jersey Transit wants to give the property to a private ferry owner. NJ Transit is trying to build in the middle of green way and river walk in Hoboken. This is a heavy industrial use that will increase air pollution and noise from diesel engines. The project would also interfere with the Hudson River walkway. This area is tidal land that belongs to all of us. The City of Hoboken is upholding that by keeping it as open space. We stand with the Mayor and People of Hoboken and with preserving open space for the people of New Jersey,” said Tittel.

The 130-year-old shipyard occupies about 3 acres of riverfront land between 10th and 11th Streets, which the city wants for another link in its chain of waterfront parks and walkways opposite the Manhattan skyline.

“We need to work together to find another location for this ferry. There are alternative sites for this facility that New Jersey Transit owns like in Bayonne that more sense. This is a critical property in the middle of a greenway. It’s an important part of open space and developing on it would have environmental impacts. This is another example of a rouge agency that is out of control that has gone on to destroy one of the best transit systems in the country. They have increased fares, cut down on services and the trains are always breaking down. It is important that Governor Murphy pulled this dirty deal from NJ Transit’s agenda to protect our public space instead of giving it away to a private company. This is land that is held in the Public Trust and it should be preserved,” said Jeff Tittel Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.