Firm To Develop Entire Downtown NJ Transit Site Before Construction Can Start

The more than 50 acres of downtown property in hands of NJ Transit will be developed in one comprehensive effort, rather than in two separate changes, according to a decision made at a council meeting earlier this month.

NJ Transit recently drafted a plan for the first two acres—or phase one: the area around the Hoboken Terminal—and has said previously it would like to start building in this Fall.

After the council's decision, the remainder of the plan will have to be developed before NJ Transit will be able to start construction around the terminal.

The firm in charge of the development—Wallace, Roberts & Todd LLC—was already working for the city and there will be no additional costs, said city spokesman Juan Melli.

of the project have been held in recent months. Mayor Dawn Zimmer has said that the project can't move forward without an interlocal agreement between the city and NJ Transit, in order to keep the control of the development in the city's hands.

At a council meeting earlier this month, Director of Community Development Brandy Forbes said that there has been a "stand still" on talks about an interlocal agreement.

"We really need to be looking at the full site," Forbes said.

Designs for the first phase of the development have been drawn——but won't be able to be approved by the city council until after a whole plan is developed.

A few years ago, NJ Transit introduced a plan that included multiple high rise buildings. This, Zimmer has said, does not fit into the Hoboken community. 

NJ Transit spokesman John Leon has said that a potential tenant had expressed interest in renting the whole building. 

Forbes, at that same council meeting earlier this month, said that the tenant in question has sent letters of intent to other locations in the meantime. The name of the potential tenant has not been made public.

The council is divided on the issue, with the minority council members favoring moving forward with the first phase of the project.

"This council is the redevelopment agency, not the administration," said Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti. "If we do lose this tenant and blow past deadlines, this decision we’re making today will be a direct result." Occhipinti received a $1,000 donation from an NJ Transit employee for his bid for re-election during the .

The council majority, which has Zimmer's support, prefers to develop the entire site before moving forward with construction.

"I think we should be looking at the whole thing holistically," said Fifth Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham.

Second Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason said she sees the development as an opportunity with which the city should move forward.

"I am actually concerned," Mason said during the council's discussion about this. "Stagnating this, in this economic environment, is foolish."

Councilman-at-Large David Mello expressed his concern of losing control over the plan.

"They have the entire site," he said, "this could be a step up to something larger."