Former Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo Passes Away

HOBOKEN, NJ — Former Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo, who oversaw Hoboken during a time of rapid development, passed away on Monday morning.

[UPDATE: According to an obituary, services are slated for Friday and Saturday. Read more here.]

Russo was a special education teacher in the Hoboken schools before he ran for council in 1991 and won. In 1993, he was elected mayor in a heated race and served two terms, then lost a campaign in 2001 for a third term to Councilman David Roberts.

Russo's son, Michael Russo, currently serves on the council.

Russo became mayor at a time when the country was emerging from a recession and when stalled development projects began again. He oversaw the redevelopment of the formerly industrial South Waterfront, including two parks.

“Mayor Russo was a larger than life figure who was beloved by his family, friends and community," said current Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla Monday. "His contributions to Hoboken were many, including the revitalization of our waterfront, an effort that continues to this day. Hoboken is the great place it is today in large part thanks to his vision for our city, and his memory will live on for generations to come. My sincere condolences are with the entire Russo family for their loss.”

Mayor Bhalla has ordered all municipal flags in the city of Hoboken to fly at half-staff for one week starting this Tuesday.

Early in Russo's first council term, he fought alongside waterfront advocates to reject a Port Authority proposal for the waterfront that many thought was vastly out of scale for their beloved mile-square city.

"He had extraordinary political instincts," said waterfront activist Ron Hine in an interview in 2009. "He tapped into a very good issue."

The subject of how to revitalize the waterfront — which became neglected after big shipping moved on to wider ports in the 1960s — had vexed officials for decades. Russo took pride in projects that he helped bring to fruition, including a park on a former shipping pier, a place some feared would be overdeveloped.

Officials and family respond

Monday evening, Russo's son, Councilman Michael Russo, wrote on Facebook, "Mayor Anthony Russo has passed away. He was an amazing man, and an even better father. Pop you are now reunited with my mom. Rest together and watch over us."

"Your dad was my teacher in high school and he was the best loving and caring...he made Hoboken feel like home," wrote a commenter.

Councilman Ruben Ramos Jr. wrote: "Like I told you, your dad was a Hoboken legend and what he accomplished will never be forgotten for generations to come."

Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro posted on Twitter, "I’d like to extend my condolences to the entire family of former Mayor Anthony Russo — he helped Hoboken see tremendous growth and was loved by so many! May he Rest In Peace."

Former mayoral candidate and local attorney Frank Marciano shared a long Facebook post about his experiences running against Russo in a heated election in 1993, and a moment they had in the streets years later.

Russo battled brain and lung cancer at the end of the 1990s, but said he'd undergone successful surgery in the year 2000. In 2003, he returned to politics by running successfully for City Council, but stepped down later that year, saying his cancer had returned. Over a month later, he was indicted on federal corruption and bribery charges related to actions during his terms as mayor. He served time in prison and stayed out of the spotlight after returning to Hoboken.

Russo was born and raised in Hoboken. His wife Michele, who had chaired the local Democratic party, passed away in 2017. They had three children, Michael, Nicholas, and Anthony Jr.

Patch will post details of services and more information in a future story.