Hoboken School Board Posts Answers To Questions About $241M High School Project

HOBOKEN, NJ — The second open community forum about a proposed new $241 million Hoboken High School building will be held this Tuesday night, in person at the Hoboken High School Auditorium. The board held its first public forum about the project in person last Tuesday, and has now posted their long-awaited list of answers to questions asked. Read it here.

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The Hoboken Board of Education announced a plan a month ago to erect a new building at 10th and Jefferson streets, the site of the present high school athletic complex. The new building would include an athletic field on its rooftop.

The district said it was proposing the project because of rising enrollment and aging buildings (the current Hoboken High School building on Clinton Street, at 60 years old, is the newest building in the district).

Residents Becoming More Vocal

In local Facebook groups, email listserves, and meetings, residents have asked questions about the proposal, ranging from questions about taxes to questions about school performance.

(To submit a letter about the school project that will post on Hoboken Patch, follow these easy steps, using the directions to "Write an article.")

Many of the questions about the proposal have fallen into four categories:

-Concerns about costs and taxes. The proposal will raise annual property taxes for an average Hoboken property assessed at $526,000 by $491 a year, the board confirmed. A local Republican group created this tool to determine how much a building will pay each year for the school, but
it should be noted that the result may pertain to a whole property or a building rather than a single unit. A unit costing less than $526,000 would pay a lower amount.

-Concerns about timing. Some residents have questioned why the proposal was only revealed after November's Board of Education election, in which three incumbents ran with only one other candidate opposing them. A letter from the state about the proposal is dated Aug. 4. Other residents have asked why the referendum can't be held later than Jan. 25.

-Questions about what the district will do to improve academics as they improve the buildings.

-Questions about community amenities in the project, which will include a pool.

The board's FAQ posted Tuesday addresses the majority of the questions.

Opinons on the project since its recent announcement have run the gamut. Former school board member Maureen Sullivan, in a letter to the editor of the Hudson Reporter, referred to the new school as a "Palace." A local parent posted that she supports the project and has faith in the school leadership.

To submit a letter about the school project that will post on Hoboken Patch, follow these easy steps, using the directions to "Write an article."

Dates Of Remaining Meetings

Four remaining public meetings will be held. Patch asked whether the meetings will be streamed at the same time, especially in light of rising COVID numbers. Board President Sharyn Angley said, "The structure of our public meetings will not be conducive for streaming. There will be a short presentation and then individual round tables where the public will be able to interact with the professionals on the project."

These are the dates and locations:

• Three public meetings at 7 p.m. in High School Auditorium (800 Clinton St.): on Tuesday Dec. 21, Thursday Jan. 6, and Monday Jan. 17.
• Virtual meeting on Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.

Video About High School Project

For questions, email: ProposedNewHHS@hoboken.k12.nj.us

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