Residents, Council Oppose New Uptown Highrises

The Hoboken City Council unanimously opposed a plan by Applied Development to build to 11-story towers by Hoboken's uptown waterfront.

In a rare display of unity, all council members agreed that two new tall buildings would not be in the best interest of the city. The resolution, however, has no legal power to stop the project. That decision is in hands of the planning board.

The plan, called "Monarch at Shipyard," proposes two 11-story towers on the pier close to the Hudson Tea Building.

"I don’t support any buildings on our piers," said Councilman Peter Cunningham, who represents the northwestern part of town.

"I think it’s fairly offensive to build an 11 story tower on a broken pier," said Council President Ravi Bhalla. Bhalla lived in the Shipyard for 11 years, he said. When he moved into the building in 2000, Bhalla said, he was told there'd be tennis courts in place where the new buildings would be.

Several members of the public and the council said that the plan to build tall buildings there, goes against the city's master plan. In the master plan that area is designated as "open space," said Councilman Michael Russo during Wednesday night's meeting.

Among the residents who came to the meeting to show their oposition to the new development, were Philippe and Molly Pin-Claret, who live in the Hudson Tea Building.

If the buildings are built there, Philippe Pin-Claret, 41, said, "everybody will live on top of everybody ... there'll be no space." Pin-Claret moved to Hoboken in 2000 from France.

"A new building," Molly Pin-Claret said, "would change the image of Hoboken."