Landfill Found at Mama Johnson Field Delays Renovation

Unforseen "very old fill" has delayed the completion of the renovation of Mama Johnson Field, said Hoboken Housing Authority Chairman Jake Stuiver. 

The fill was "likely brought in many years ago in order to build there, because it was a swamp," Stuiver wrote in an email. 

The unforeseen circumstance will increase the cost of the project by $66,635. The new total cost will be $911,970, Stuiver said. 

The additional money to the contract to finish the project was approved by the Hoboken Housing Authority Board last week. The city had previously agreed to pay $600,000 of the project, in a shared service contract with the HHA. The rest of the cost will be paid by the HHA.

The renovations to Mama Johnson Field—which is located in the heart of the Hoboken Housing Authority—will include batting cages, dugout areas, new fencing, and the relocation of some of the lighting. The field is supposed to be used for multiple sports and activities.

This setback means the project won't "get done in the same timeline as we were hoping," Stuiver said in a recent phone interview.

While the new timeline isn't determined, Stuiver said he hopes to have the field in use by Sept. 9, which is the annual