CBS2’s Lisa Rozner visited the property known as the Union Dry Dock on Wednesday. In Hoboken, many residents rely on the ferry to commute to Manhattan. To meet growing demand, NY Waterway previously purchased the property to use as a refueling station and maintenance depot. However, Hoboken is getting ready to use eminent domain because it wants it to be a park.
“I’m certainly concerned about the environmental impact,” Hoboken Councilwoman-At-Large Emily Jabbour added. “So it’s a really incredible place and there are so many animals and species that need to be continue to be protected there.”
Daniel Tumpson, who at one point started a group called the Coalition for a Better Waterfront, said he does not support the city’s plan.
“There are parks all through Hoboken. They’re even along the waterfront. There’s several parks, so there’s no necessity, and the cost to the city will be horrendous,” Tumpson said.
Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit chimed in on the issue on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are working very hard to try and find common ground that addresses transportation matters, local community matters, environmental matters,” Murphy said.
“Our role isn’t to support or not support. Our role is from the transportation side, is to show all the options, the limitations and what’s required to provide transit throughout the region,” NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett said.
Last week, NJ Transit released a study that says the Union Dry Dock spot on the Hudson River waterfront is the best for the refueling station. The city has said sites near the Lackawanna train station, which is Hoboken’s main rail terminal, and in Bayonne would be better for the depot. The report says they aren’t better options because of location, cost or security concerns.
This battle could go on for years.
