Hoboken Mayor Reaches Out To State About ‘Rebuild By Design’

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla has released a letter he sent to the commissioners of the New Jersey DEP and Department of Transportation regarding the Rebuild By Design flood resistance barrier options that are currently being considered by the state.

According to Bhalla, the options will help protect Hoboken, will and run east-to-west from the Hudson River to Marin Boulevard. (Read his full letter below)

The mayor’s office released the following statement on Thursday:

“While Mayor Bhalla’s position underscores the administration’s primary interest in completing the Rebuild by Design project to protect Hoboken from the growing impacts of climate change, a southern alignment for this project that accommodates the development contemplated by the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan is, without any doubt, of tremendous economic benefit to both Hoboken and the State of New Jersey. The contemplated development would activate a sorely underutilized asset of NJTRANSIT and transform the property, from the second floor of the Hoboken Terminal all the way along the redevelopment area, into a world-class, transit-oriented development. This project has the potential to be an international model for responsible private-public partnership and development that strengthens our mass transit infrastructure while providing multi-million dollar job economic benefits to a cash-strapped state transit agency.”

The mayor continued:

“Accordingly, an alignment that both preserves this historic economic development opportunity for New Jersey while also protecting Hoboken and State assets from the growing threat of climate change, creates a win-win for everyone and should be vigorously pursued by the State of New Jersey.”

Bhalla concluded:

“Hoboken has already invested significant time and financial resources in adopting the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan in 2014 to make this vision a reality for our city. The Bhalla Administration remains committed to this vision and remains ready and willing to work with all stakeholders to identify a solution that advances all legitimate interests.”

THE LETTER

The full text of Bhalla’s April 20 letter to commissioners Catherine McCabe and Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti follows below. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Hoboken Facebook page here.

"I write to respectfully request an update on the status of the matters discussed at the
February 16, 2018 meeting hosted by Commissioner McCabe regarding the Rebuild by Design
Hudson River (RBD-HR) project, and its intersection with plans of regional significance at the
New Jersey Transit Terminal in Hoboken and the Hudson Railyards Redevelopment Plan. I further
write to state my position on these matters and offer any assistance possible to favorably resolve
the challenges presented to both of your offices.

"By way of background, the Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan was adopted by the City
of Hoboken in 2014. The plan contemplates substantial modernization and infrastructure
improvements to the rail and other transit operations of New Jersey Transit at its terminal, along
with 2.3 million square feet of commercial and residential development upon property owned by
New Jersey Transit. The economic development opportunity the plan will generate for the benefit
of New Jersey Transit is estimated at $28 million annually. It is our understanding in Hoboken
that this project is a major priority for the State of New Jersey. With this knowledge, Hoboken, as
the host community, expended substantial municipal resources in developing and adopting a
redevelopment plan that accommodates New Jersey Transit’s objectives for its property in
Hoboken.

"At the same time, as a resident in Hoboken who experienced the impacts of Superstorm
Sandy upon the residents of Hoboken, I am acutely aware of the increasing threat of climate change
to both the sustainability of coastal communities in Hoboken and the mass transit infrastructure in
these municipalities. With this in mind, my predecessor, Mayor Dawn Zimmer, successfully
obtained approval of the RBD-HR project from the federal government, which will provide $230
million in federal funds to construct an innovative flood protection plan for the region.

"Currently, the RBD-HR project is on a critical path schedule due to federal funding
deadlines that rescind the $230 million allocation in the fall of 2022 if the project is not
complete. The NJ DEP team is analyzing several potential alignments around the Hoboken rail
yard, including one that does not interrupt rail operations along Observer Highway, and other
possibilities further south that require additional coordination between the DEP and DOT. The
southern alignment for the RBD-HR project, depending on where it is located, has the potential to
jeopardize the viability of the Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan, and greatly hinder economic
development opportunities for New Jersey Transit to subsidize their operations.

"Based on the foregoing considerations, an agreement as to the southern alignment needs to
be made as a matter of urgency, in order for the RBD-HR to stay on schedule and limit the risk of
a loss of funding for this critical project.

"I want my position on this matter clear: as Mayor of Hoboken, my primary duty is to protect
the health, safety and welfare of our residents. The RBD-HR project is essential to meeting this
objective and therefore, it is my highest priority. While I am hopeful the DEP and DOT can
identify a solution that resolves conflicting interests, Hoboken’s interest in the successful
completion of the RBD-HR project is paramount and supersedes other considerations discussed
herein.

"I look forward to continuing working collaboratively with both of your departments to
identify a southern alignment that accommodates both the mass transit and economic development
interests of New Jersey Transit in a manner that does not compromise the RBD-HR flood
protection plan.

"We remain at your disposal to assist in moving this conversation forward. Thank you very
much for your time."

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

File Photo: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection