Working to complete a contiguous public park along the Hudson River and promote development that meets the highest standards of urban design.
FBW YEAR-END CAMPAIGN
Help put us over the top -- we are $2,174 short of reaching a $10,000 matching challenge
For nearly 30 years, FBW has worked tirelessly to fulfill the vision for a contiguous, public park along the Hudson River and development that reflects the best thinking in urban design. FBW has shown leadership on important public policy issues ranging from flood mitigation, landscape design, urban planning and real estate development. FBW has hired some of the best planners, landscape architects and attorneys available to grapple with these issues. We really do count on your support, as contributions from individuals are by far the largest source of income for our organization.
Two-year campaign to aquire Union Dry Dock close to realizing its goal
For the past two years, FBW has partnered with the Mayor & Council along with the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse, Resilience Paddle Sports and others to secure the Union Dry Dock property as part of Hoboken’s public, contiguous waterfront park. FBW organized the March on March 9 to Save Your Waterfront that drew over 300 people. FBW also launched a postcard campaign and then a petition drive with over 2,000 signatures asking Governor Murphy to prevent a ferry diesel refueling station at Union Dry Dock. By September, the Hoboken City Council reinstituted an ordinance to acquire the dry dock property and in early October, the City offered NY Waterway fair market value. Negotiations have been ongoing.
A settlement is in the works to resolve 8 years of litigation as case heads to NJ Supreme Court
After eight years of litigation, a proposed settlement is in the offing. The developers have agreed to withdraw their proposal to build the Monarch Towers on a pier at Hoboken’s northeast waterfront and donate this parcel to the City for public open space. NJ Appleseed Public Interest Law Center has represented FBW in this litigation from the beginning. FBW is seeking to require the developer to restore the pier and build a park before transferring the land to the City. Currently, the New Jersey Supreme Court is scheduled to hear this case in response to an appeal by FBW and the City of Hoboken.
Township greases the skids for Hartz high-rise towers at the Weehawken Cove
Since last spring, people from surrounding neighborhoods opposed Hartz’s application to build two 18-story towers at the Weehawken Cove. FBW was an objector represented by its attorney, Gerald Muller. After six months of hearings, the Planning Board rejected the application. In response, the Weehawken Township Council passed a revised redevelopment ordinance that would allow Hartz to build its towers to a similar height and scale as its current project at 800 Harbor Boulevard (see above photo). The building, same as before, would thus block historic views to the Weehawken Cove and greatly increase residential densities for Lincoln Harbor. As a result, the park planned for the Hoboken side of the Weehawken Cove designed as part of the Rebuild by Design project would end abruptly at the Weehawken border.
Annual FBW fundraising event aims to fulfill the 30-year old mission for a contiguous, public park along the Hudson River
At its annual Connect the Waterfront event, FBW presented the 2019 Riparian Award to the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association, the group that helped start the “riverkeeper” movement and have been fighting to protect the Hudson River for more than 50 years. Pramod Raju (seen above) served as the Honorary Chair of the event held at the venerable Hoboken Elks Club. The event was a huge success raising the funds necessary to keep up the good fight for another year.
We believe that successful waterfronts begin with sound planning, time-tested urban design and an understanding that the water's edge belongs to the public.
Copyright 2019 Fund for a Better Waterfront, All rights reserved.
