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Re: Embankment- Update Thread |
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I'd be interested in knowing just how close to the embankment you live?
Posted on: 2010/9/23 12:43
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TEAR IT DOWM ALREADY!!!! I would love to see beautiful high end townhouses contributing tax dollars. They should take one of the blocks and mandate that it be a park but at street level.
The park idea on top of the embankment sucks!
Posted on: 2010/9/23 11:51
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Quite a regular
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I was able to attend the first half of last night, leaving when they took a recess. I felt the cross-examination path taken by the Coalition lawyer was a good one - she pressed him on his aesthetics training, which the Hyman lawyer spent quite some time discussing during the Sept 1st meeting. Their response was that he was an architect and not trained in judging the aesthetic or architectural value of a utility structure, utterly ridiculous given his specific comments on this topic from the previous meeting.
Can anyone who was able to stay for the second half of the meeting give any highlights of what was said?
Posted on: 2010/9/23 11:41
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Would-be developer of 6th Street embankment tells city why it should be torn down
Tuesday, September 07, 2010 By MELISSA HAYES JOURNAL STAFF WRITER The would-be developer of an elevated parcel along Sixth Street in Jersey City has once again asked the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment for permission to tear down the old railroad embankment to build townhouses. The board was ordered to hear developer Steve Hyman's arguments again on Sept. 1 after Superior Court Assignment Judge Maurice Gallipoli ruled in June that the board should not have rejected Hyman's application just because the city's Historic Preservation Commission did. The zoning board serves as the appeals body for the HPC. The embankment consists of six elevated parcels of land and covers eight blocks along Sixth Street from Marin Boulevard across Newark Avenue. It once served as a freight line with seven sets of tracks, known as the Harsimus Stem of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In a meeting that stretched from 6 to 10 p.m. last Wednesday, Hyman's attorney, Michele Donato, and Hoboken architect Dean Marchetto used the city's own words against the board to justify tearing down the stone wall. Marchetto pointed to a report by the city's Division of Planning in 1998 that called the structure a "nuisance," which separates the Hamilton Park neighborhood from the Harsimus Cove neighborhood to the detriment of both communities. Marchetto testified that there is nothing special about the architecture of the wall to make it historically significant. "It's an ordinary block wall of its time," he said noting that some of the sections closest to the waterfront have been removed over the years to make way for development. He detailed the various design plans Hyman has proposed since his wife purchased the site from Conrail in 2003. Hyman wants to build 32 townhouses on each of the blocks, after tearing down the walls. The city has been fighting Hyman in state and federal court for ownership of the site since 2005 and despite recently bonding $7.5 million to purchase the property, has been unable to reach an agreement with Hyman. The presentation took so long, members of the Embankment Preservation Coalition, who want the structure preserved as a public park, did not have time to question Marchetto. The meeting will reconvene at 6 p.m. Sept. 22, at City Hall, 280 Grove St.
Posted on: 2010/9/7 16:13
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![Click to see original Image in a new window](javascript:CaricaFoto("http://media.nj.com/design/baseline/img/logo_njo_print.gif"); "Click to see original Image in a new window"){kind=logo} Sixth Street Embankment owner makes case to Jersey City Zoning Board to demolish structure Published: Wednesday, September 01, 2010, 9:06 PM Updated: Wednesday, September 01, 2010, 9:09 PM Melissa Hayes ![Click to see original Image in a new window](javascript:CaricaFoto("http://media.nj.com/hudson_voices_impact/photo/embankmentjpg-caaa7b3ea036bf84_large.jpg");) Developer Steve Hyman is asking the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment to allow him to tear down the Sixth Street Embankment walls so he can build town houses. The owner of an elevated parcel of land along Sixth Street in Jersey City began making his case to the Zoning Board of Adjustment tonight as to why he should be able to knock down the sandstone walls and build townhouses. The meeting began at 6 p.m. and developer Steve Hyman’s first witness Hoboken architect Dean Marchetto is still on the stand speaking about the architecture and aesthetics of the old railroad embankment. Hyman’s attorney Michele Donato spent about half an hour questioning Marchetto on his credentials and having him review historic projects he has worked on. Marchetto detailed his experience in restoring historic sites and finding new uses for them and the ability of architects to design new construction that fits in a historic neighborhood. Hyman’s team is using the city’s own words to argue why the embankment should be demolished. In 1998, the city deemed the embankment an area in need of redevelopment. Marchetto cited the city Planning Division’s report from that year, which calls the structure a “nuisance” that separates the Hamilton Park neighborhood from the Harsimus Cove neighborhood to the detriment of the communities. Marchetto testified that there is nothing special about the architecture of the wall that would make it historically significant. “It’s an ordinary block wall of its time,” he said noting that some of the sections closest to the waterfront have been removed over the years to make way for development. Marchetto is in the process of detailing the various design plans Hyman has proposed since his wife purchased the property in 2003. In December 2003 Hyman met with the Embankment Preservation Coalition to discuss the coalition’s goals for the land, the coalition and city officials have been fighting to turn the property into a park, with the hopes of NJ Transit placing a light rail link there in the future. The embankment consists of six elevated parcels of land and covers eight blocks along Sixth St. from Marin Boulevard across Newark Ave. It once served as a freight line with seven sets of tracks, known as the Harsimus Stem of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Despite the 1998 study, the city moved to preserve the property, landing the dispute in court in 2005. The case has been through state and federal courts and Hudson County Superior Court Assignment Judge Maurice Gallipoli recently ordered the Zoning Board to hear Hyman’s request to tear down the walls. Hyman is proposing 32 townhouses on each of the blocks, but wants to tear down the walls in order to do so. This deviates from the original plan conceived after meetings with the embankment supporters in 2003, that would have preserved several of the blocks, which concentrating development on two of the blocks. Hyman would have needed a variance to increase the density at Marin Boulevard and Mainla Ave. and has said the city rejected that proposal. Once Marchetto is done explaining the plans, which include efforts by Hyman to preserve the walls, the Embankment Coalition’s attorney will have a chance to cross-examine him. The meeting has been moving slowly and is expected to end at 10 p.m. After giving his background as to why he should be considered an expert witness, Marchetto began discussing the embankment around 7:30 p.m. By that point, several audience members including City Councilmen Steven Fulop and Michael Sottolano had already left the meeting. Donato said she expects Marchetto to be the only witness tonight. She told Zoning Board members she would need two or three more meetings to make her case on behalf of Hyman. The next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 22 at City Hall at 6 p.m. © 2010 NJ.com. All rights reserved.
Posted on: 2010/9/4 19:50
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![Click to see original Image in a new window](javascript:CaricaFoto("http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o258/BrightMoment/logo-url-banner-padding-600x56-web-2-1-1.gif"); "Click to see original Image in a new window"){kind=logo}
Re: Embankment- Update Thread |
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This is a key point that a lot of people forget. The current embankment soaks up a lot of storm/floodwater in Downtown JC, most of which is in a FEMA-defined flood plain. Developing anything on this embankment pushes more of the problem elsewhere downtown. We need to ensure any plan in the infrastructure handles the additional runoff. We can't remove this natural water "sponge" of the embankment without making sure we have a plan to deal with it.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 23:35
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KNOCK IT DOWN AND MAKE IT A STREET LEVEL PARK!!!! NO CONDOS, JUST A PARK!!! ITS NOT THE HIGH LINE, NEVER WILL BE THE HIGH LINE SO STOP COMPARING IT TO THE HIGH LINE. IT SHOULD BE A PARK AT STREET LEVEL SO WE DONT HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE UGLY STONES AND THE RESIDENTS OF DOWNTOWN JERSEY CITY DONT HAVE TO GET MUGGED WHILE USING IT!
Posted on: 2010/9/3 23:16
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Marchetto has already detailed "The Jersey City Greenway Project" on his website. how is he in any way a credible witness?
Posted on: 2010/9/3 21:02
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I'm chagrined to say that I live in a Marchetto designed building.
It is sad to see the path Marchetto has recently taken. he has now become the go to guy for developers looking to destroy historic buildings. The Episcopal Diocese of Newark also brought him in to provide a redesign of St. Johns where he saved "all he could save." It was absolutely pathetic, leaving nothing significant of the building.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 16:32
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Quite a regular
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This is exactly it - if you remove a huge watershed like the Embankment and replace with 1500 condo units that are now hooking into the decrepit sewer lines, that water has to go somewhere. And that somewhere is probably resident basements, once again. It's easy to be in favor of this when you don't lives anywhere near an area where the ramifications would be felt.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 13:50
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Vigilante wisely said:
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And that, in a nutshell, is the main problem with the state of our city at this point in time. Crime is obviously a key issue, but the city's current infrastructure is an even more important issue. The administration has allowed (and fostered) the speedy development of the waterfront and other areas of the city, but we are not keeping up with the growth, and the impact can be seen everywhere. Our roads are in very poor condition, the PATH is usually stuffed during the rush hour commuting hours, countless water mains are breaking all over the place, the police force (as a ratio of beat officers to citizens) is getting smaller and smaller... If we continue down this path, the city will collapse under its own weight. And, what a shame... a more balanced approach to growth could, and should, yield better results for everyone. Instead, we are all getting the shaft by the effects of poor planning to maintain and grow the city's infrastructure.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 13:11
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Bravo. Enuf said!
Posted on: 2010/9/3 10:46
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Excellent question. The city was all so ready to take the Golden Cicada property from it's Owner to give it to St. Peter's Prep to expand their football field, but are silent about using eminent domain now to take a property for a legitimate public use. Another example of something stinking to high heaven in City Hall besides Healy's whiskey breath.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 10:38
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Same as 111 First Street. Developer Goldman couldn't wait to knock it down and it's a vacant site 3 years later. Marchetto is a decent architect who has done countless projects in Hoboken and several in JC including Gulls Cove and the small building at the corner of Green and Grand. He has proven he can do decent mid-rise as well as smaller buildings that fit well in a historical context. And that's why his comments are so disturbing. He's officially sold his soul to the devil.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 10:33
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How many more people, rats and bedbugs can we stuff into downtown Jersey City? Enough with the development of high-rises!! The infrastructure cannot support more and more buildings packed with people. The PATH trains are stuffed to the gills as well. We need more greenspace. Enough with our Mayor and city council bending over for every developer with an envelope full of money!!
Posted on: 2010/9/3 10:20
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I'll Take My Ball and Go Home; Interesting so Hyman says I'll just knock it down for now. Kind of like Percy taking his football and going home leaving the team with nothing. Hyman says with a "if I can't have it neither can you" attitude.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 8:54
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Gee whiz Mr. Marchetto, have you HEARD of the Highline? http://www.thehighline.org/ I would be very worried if I was Mr. Marchetto, about getting any legitimate opportunities after this. He may have just committed career suicide.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 8:30
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Should we not be concerned Judge Gallipoli is on Hyman's payroll? Rumors are always swirling about Hyman and his past antics, why wouldn't he continue with his rumored corruption? I don't necessarily hear things from what I'd call "solid sources" but individuals who know of Hyman's reputation and how he's made his money in the past and this Judge, and what I have heard, worry me we are in a situation where they aren't motivated by legitimate means.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 8:25
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Marchetto says the embankment is an embarrassment and an eyesore?! Reading his comment was a miuch bigger eyesore. Yea, a place for all of the residents and visitors to bike, converse, walk and be elevated from the traffic is just so darn horrible and embarrasing. What a joke. Please, for the love of God, Judge Gallipoli can you please send Donato and Hyman packing.
Posted on: 2010/9/3 8:16
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Just can't stay away
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Posted on: 2010/9/2 23:44
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![Click to see original Image in a new window](javascript:CaricaFoto("http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/feed_manager/62/62/logo.jpeg"); "Click to see original Image in a new window"){kind=logo} Steve Hyman’s New Hearing to Demolish 6th Street Embankment Begins By Dale Hardman • Sep 2nd, 2010 • Category: Blog, News The latest turn in the ongoing fight over the future of Downtown Jersey City’s 6th Street Embankment began last night at a hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), as developer Steve Hyman makes another attempt to tear down the elevated rail line. The initial applications for Certificates of Appropriateness and Certificates of Economic Hardship to demolish the Embankment were denied by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) last spring. Subsequently, the ZBA denied Hyman a hearing based on the HPC’s ruling and recommendation. Hyman filed suit, arguing that he deserved a fresh hearing on his applications, and that he should have been allowed to present his evidence and state his case before the ZBA. Earlier this summer, Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli agreed, ruling that the ZBA “was required to determine the case ‘completely anew,’ and, while giving due deference to the findings and conclusions of the HPC, it was not necessarily to be controlled by them.” At last night’s hearing, Hyman’s attorney Michelle Donato suggested the ZBA go a step further and not use any of the HPC’s findings, instead “starting from scratch” with this hearing. Donato got the change to interview just one of her six or seven witnesses, Hoboken architect Dean Marchetto. (She will interview the rest as the hearing continues in the coming month.) Marchetto, who has worked with Hyman over the years on possible development designs, testified regarding both the status of the Embankment and its aesthetic appropriateness. The structure, Marchetto said, is “an abandoned utility construction … an embarrassment and an eyesore.” continued at Jersey City Independent
Posted on: 2010/9/2 23:23
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Yes, a civil engineer would have been a better choice - more specifically, a civil engineer who didn't stand to profit tremendously from the destruction of the Embankment. We had to leave shortly after 7:30, would like to hear if there were any more developments.
Posted on: 2010/9/2 16:41
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When the expert "architect" who was called to give his professional opinion about the Embankment recounted his previous projects, I got shivers. One was the Sugar House, which has been plagued with horrific water intrusion problems, another was the robotic parking garage in Hoboken, which is always breaking down.
Wouldn't a better witness have been a civil/enviromental engineer, who could have judged the design and structural integrity of the Embankment as a 19th/ 20th century public work, and also could have told us what the environmental impact of removing a century of industrial debris would have on our community? Did anyone stay to the end? I would like to know what happened after I left at about 7:30pm.
Posted on: 2010/9/2 15:58
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Just received my certified letter TODAY for YESTERDAYS meeting. I'm just pleased he wasted $3.24/letter.
Posted on: 2010/9/2 15:40
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People who received the late letters should go to a subsequent session and object. They should state that they have been prejudiced by the late notice because they have not had the opportunity to hear and respond to the entire application. If for whatever reason the decision was to allow the Embankment to be torn down, this would be a valid grounds for appeal.
Hyman's attorneys have been doing this all along, manipulating the records to scream about technicalities so they could reverse decisions adverse to them. Let it work both ways.
Posted on: 2010/9/2 13:23
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My husband and I went from 6-7:45 last night but it may have gone as late as 10 pm - would be interested in how it ended for those there.
Hyman's lawyer (Donato) who, ahem, 'timely' sent those letters to residents, began by providing an overview of the history of the legal situation, with a primary message being that her client has been unfairly treated and her hope is that with this council, they will do the 'right thing.' She said that this is not about whether the area should be a park or condos, but is about whether the Embankment is legitimately a landmark and, subsequently, whether her client should have the right to use her property as she sees fit. We stayed through the first witness, an architect who would be the one who'd convert the embankment into condos (so, clearly, no bias there, right?) who presented 1) his resume/background 2) his firm's expertise in refurbishing old buildings in a way that fits in with the neighborhood and surrounding aesthetic 3) his opinion that the embankment is an eye-sore with no intrinsic aesthetic or historical value (leveraging a JC-sponsored study from 1998 for validation) and that it's a barrier in the middle of HP. Some highlights/loopholes: - He's biased... if this was truly a neutral architect, I'd be more inclined to believe his testimony. - The Berlin wall ain't exactly pretty but it has meaning to those who live near it or visit it; who is he to say what has meaning to the residents of JC.... - Donato said this wasn't about condos or parks... yet his whole opening diatribe was about his firm's expertise in making condos and parking garages fit within the neighborhood, almost a play to the residents to say, 'hey, see, this won't be that bad...' - He mentioned only his expertise with buildings, not necessarily with a structure similar to the Embankment.... - Quasi-high rise condos won't be a barrier in the middle of HP? This was the first of 3 or 4 sessions to plead their case and the Embankment Preservation Coalition - and the lawyer representing them - will have opportunities to present the alternative view. I believe the public will have their opportunities as well; it wasn't clear if that occurs at each session or in a final session but I'm sure the Coalition will post updates on JCList and via their e-mails. Not rocket science... but I think it's critical: if you're against demolishing the embankment, our strongest arguments are NOT that we just simply DON'T want condos or WANT a park but that we want to preserve the embankment and the reasons for that. Simply 'not wanting condos' will just make Donato/Hyman say, 'well, too bad, this is my property' but explaining why 'keeping' the embankment and the historical importance and/or meanings it has for us (whether it's uniqueness, slice of history, watershed) is key.
Posted on: 2010/9/2 13:08
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Healy. D'uh!
Posted on: 2010/9/2 9:55
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Furious about getting a certified letter Tuesday that I missed because I work like the rest of the population. I sign the certification notice to accept it being mailed, post man picks it up on Wednesday and I suppose I get the letter today. All owners in my area had the same issue. We all don't know what it is, but it makes sense it's telling us about LAST NIGHTS meeting. I call Bull Shiz! Now he's made me angry.
Anyone know what happened to the meeting I was never informed about thanks to their well timed certified letter I still haven't received? Who is this dude paying off? The judge? Who is on the take here?
Posted on: 2010/9/2 7:52
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Why doesn't the City use its eminent domain powers. Enuff already!
Posted on: 2010/9/1 14:52
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Yes, if at all possible, please try to attend tonight @ 6 pm. I'd love to see a similar energy in the community around this as we had for the pipeline meetings.
It seemed the community was gaining traction with avoiding it being turned into condos, but that's not the case now. The months of living with development will be a nightmare let alone the rumor that the 1000-1500 units of condos may be 7-10 stories tall.
Posted on: 2010/9/1 14:42
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