As the President of the NNA, I wanted to thank everyone involved in our park petition signature drive back in March, 2007, as well as those who supported our application for Hudson County Trust Fund monies. This includes the many downtown community organizations who we hope to work with in the future on mutual goals that promise to improve the quality of life in downtown Jersey City and bridge the divides between our various communities. I also must thank Mr. Fermin Garcia of LeFrak management, who facilitated this effort by setting up tables in most of the Newport buildings during this petition signature drive and who also supplemented the NNA petition with a LeFrak petition which generated an additional 440 signatures.
Also, my sincere thanks to the NNA members/Newport residents who generously volunteered their time to get the petitions signed. And, of course, a thank you to all Newport, Avalon Cove and Hoboken residents who showed their support for this effort by signing the petition, some 1,200 in all. None of this could have been accomplished without all of your efforts.
As to the park initiative, we are working with Mayor Healy's staff and the Port Authority to actually bring this dream of a public park in Newport to fruition. These types of initiatives typically take time as there is much planning required by governmental entities, including budgeting the costs, in this case, to remediate the damage to the surface of the Port Authority pier. But we are moving forward and appreciate the patience of the downtown Jersey City and Newport communities.
For those who expressed an interest in joining the NNA, I invite you to our Spring meeting which will be held next Wednesday evening, May 30th, at 7:30 pm at COSI's restaurant/coffee shop across from the Pavonia Path Station on Washington Blvd. Our agenda for this meeting includes setting up a team to address the concerns already raised by many Newport residents for pedestrian safety as a result of the increased car traffic on our few public streets and the increased population in Newport. In addition, we will be planning social events for this summer and unveiling the new NNA T-shirt. COSI's will be serving complimentary hors doerves so come out and show your support for the community.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
May 19th Letter to the Jersey City Reporter
PLANNING BOARD CONDITIONS APPROVAL OF NEWPORT SITE PLAN ON MEETINGS WITH NNA AND NWA
In the news article, "45 Story Newport Building Approved for Pier" in the April 29th issue, Mr. Kaulessar mistakenly overlooked the fact that the Planning Board had acknowledged that Robert Vivien is the President of the Newport Neighborhood Association ("NNA"). In this regard, during their questions of Mr. Vivien after his public comments, Board members asked how many members NNA has as well as when we first established ourselves in the community. Mr. Vivien made it clear that NNA was initiated in December, 2004 and that his formal leadership of the group and the group's active involvement with the Newport community began with the NNA survey conducted in November and December of 2006. As a consequence of this, Board members made it a condition for their support of the site plan for the pier that a representative of the LeFrak Development Associates company meet with Mr. Vivien of the NNA.
Mr. Vivien's arguments for tabling the pier initiative were predicated on 4 considerations. First, the LeFrak Redevelopment plan clearly calls for a number of amenities not included in the site plan for the pier, including waterfront restaurants, a public library, more parkspace, a theatre/cultural center and a museum. However, the site plan only includes a cultural center at a time when their simply is no park in Newport. Second, Hudson County is the most densely populated county in the State, which explains why both the Hudson County Master Plan and Jersey City Master Plan call for additional parks here. However, while the site plan is innovative, it does not provide a park and therefore, does not address either of these master plans for park development. Third, that the NNA survey results indicate widespread support among Newport residents for a legitimate park, a public library, and other amenities in Newport. And fourth, the site plan calls for building the tallest building in Newport right on the waterfront which will needlessly block the existing views of many of the residents in the development's 12 buildings. NNA believes this is particularly onerous at a time when the developer has generously received several 20 and 30 year tax abatements/cuts, when residents are hit with annual rent increases ranging from 10% to 15% with no renter's property tax relief in sight, unlike other renters in the State. Under such circumstances, building a 45 story building on the waterfront makes no sense whatsoever.
The Board of Trustees
Newport Neighborhood Association Inc.
In the news article, "45 Story Newport Building Approved for Pier" in the April 29th issue, Mr. Kaulessar mistakenly overlooked the fact that the Planning Board had acknowledged that Robert Vivien is the President of the Newport Neighborhood Association ("NNA"). In this regard, during their questions of Mr. Vivien after his public comments, Board members asked how many members NNA has as well as when we first established ourselves in the community. Mr. Vivien made it clear that NNA was initiated in December, 2004 and that his formal leadership of the group and the group's active involvement with the Newport community began with the NNA survey conducted in November and December of 2006. As a consequence of this, Board members made it a condition for their support of the site plan for the pier that a representative of the LeFrak Development Associates company meet with Mr. Vivien of the NNA.
Mr. Vivien's arguments for tabling the pier initiative were predicated on 4 considerations. First, the LeFrak Redevelopment plan clearly calls for a number of amenities not included in the site plan for the pier, including waterfront restaurants, a public library, more parkspace, a theatre/cultural center and a museum. However, the site plan only includes a cultural center at a time when their simply is no park in Newport. Second, Hudson County is the most densely populated county in the State, which explains why both the Hudson County Master Plan and Jersey City Master Plan call for additional parks here. However, while the site plan is innovative, it does not provide a park and therefore, does not address either of these master plans for park development. Third, that the NNA survey results indicate widespread support among Newport residents for a legitimate park, a public library, and other amenities in Newport. And fourth, the site plan calls for building the tallest building in Newport right on the waterfront which will needlessly block the existing views of many of the residents in the development's 12 buildings. NNA believes this is particularly onerous at a time when the developer has generously received several 20 and 30 year tax abatements/cuts, when residents are hit with annual rent increases ranging from 10% to 15% with no renter's property tax relief in sight, unlike other renters in the State. Under such circumstances, building a 45 story building on the waterfront makes no sense whatsoever.
The Board of Trustees
Newport Neighborhood Association Inc.
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