Team Bhalla Unveils Plan for Protecting our Waterfront and Expanding Open Space

The Team Bhalla slate of Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Councilman Jim Doyle, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour and  Joe Quintero today provided their steadfast commitment to protecting and preserving the Hoboken waterfront for public, open space over the next four years. One of Team Bhalla’s top priorities for the next four years will be to finalize the acquisition of Union Dry Dock and Monarch beyond the initial current approvals, and move forward with designs for open space at both locations, finalizing a contiguous waterfront that has been a goal for years.

“While significant progress has been made, it will be important to complete – once and for all – the final steps to realize a contiguous waterfront the whole community can enjoy,” said Joe Quintero. “On the City Council, Team Bhalla will continue to prioritize more parkland with flood resiliency, providing additional spaces for families to enjoy and combatting flooding at the same time.” 

“We have taken major steps at preventing development of a refueling station on our waterfront at Monarch and Union Dry Dock, but the job hasn’t yet been completed,” said Mayor Bhalla. “In order to move forward on these two historic waterfront projects, it is critical that I have my team on the City Council in Emily Jabbour, Jim Doyle and Joe Quintero. Council members Jabbour and Doyle have been there for me from day one of my administration on Union Dry Dock and Monarch, speaking out and voting in favor of both projects numerous times, and I know that I can count on Joe Quintero for his support when he’s in office.” 

Team Bhalla‘s Protecting our Waterfront and Expanding Open Space Plan is summarized below:

·      Realizing a contiguous waterfront by finalizing the acquisitions at Monarch and Union Dry Dock, as well as securing funding for parks at both locations.

·      Creating a resiliency park on Block 10 at the expanded Southwest Resiliency Park, which includes playground and active amenities, to complement the features of the existing Southwest Park at Block 12.

·      Finalizing the Monarch settlement that will bring another resiliency park with underground flood infrastructure to a new 1.5 acres of open space at 800 Monroe.

·      Following through on a new pool and recreation center for Hoboken as a part of developer givebacks in Northwest Hoboken.

·      Creating more waterfront space on Sinatra Drive (between 1^st and 4^th Street), by raising the road and extending the waterfront walkway.