Is this the big, mostly empty white concrete parcel near the Garfield light rail stop?

If so, it would be fine to build a small park there, but I think what would make more sense would be to build some kind of charter school/community building there.

Example: I know of a charter school that is considering moving to a building on Kennedy that is pretty far from the light rail. I think everyone without cars would be much better off if the school were moving some place by the Garfield or MLK light rail stop, and I think the merchants trying to operate small businesses by those stops would be much better off if there were big, recession-resistant public employers at those stops.

The MLK light rail stop area has been redeveloped very well, and a lot of the nearby residential blocks and the commercial blocks just north of that area on Monticello are gorgeous, but it looks as if it's hard even for a fast food restaurant to survive in that area.

Partly, it must be because of the open-air drug supermarkets, the gangs and the out-of-control projects and Section 8 buildings, but the area isn't really THAT out of control. It's not that much worse than downtown Jersey City was about 15 years ago. I think another problem is just there isn't a big enough presence of people in that neighborhood who can, say, pay $5 for lunch every day in the neighborhood. Even 15 years ago, Jersey City had some bank employees, Pershing building employees, etc. who could afford to go out to buy a cheap lunch a few times a week.

Jersey City school bus operator booted to clear way for new park

by Charles Hack
Sunday November 09, 2008, 4:19 PM

A bus company that ferries children with special needs to public schools in and around Jersey City is getting booted from its parking lot to make way for a 13.5-acre park.

The owners of JR Transportation Co. at 1000 Garfield Ave. recently received a letter from the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency informing them that their 1.1-acre property is being taken through eminent domain to help make room from
the proposed Berry Lane Park.

Luis Riccio, 70 - who owns the property with his brother Jim, 54 - characterized
the city's offer of around $820,000 for his property as an "insult."

JCRA Executive Director Robert Antonicello wouldn't confirm or deny Riccio's figure, but said the owners are being compensated according to the appraised value of land, which is affected by the cost of cleaning up contaminated soil. Under eminent domain regulations, property owners can make a counter offer and the final compensation is often settled in court.

Jim Riccio said for a school bus company like his, it's all about having an affordable location - one that's on a main drag where the roads are taken care of quickly after winter storms; and one that that links the southern end of the city to the center of town and Downtown.

He said he's also concerned about losing some of his roughly 200 part-time drivers and attendants, many of whom walk to work or have a short commute. Antonicello said the agency will help bus company owner with relocation expenses and to find a new site to run their business.

"We are try to be as accommodating and transparent as we can be," he said. "But our resolve is steel - to build a park and provide the neighborhood with a world class recreational facility."

Berry Lane is slated to have multi-purpose ball fields and other recreational spaces.

After completing community consultation, the JCRA is now negotiating with other land owners within the borders of the planned park.

Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson said she hopes the JCRA "works hard" with the owners to find a suitable alternative site.

"I can't tell you that I am happy that they are going to be moved, but if we are going to thrive, that whole area has to be redeveloped," Richardson added. "It is unfortunate that they are caught up in this."