2006.011

Picard, Jean-Paul

Donation

Gift of Jean-Paul Picard

2000 - 2000

Date: 2000-2000

Fair

Notes: From: http://www.betterwaterfront.com/news/00432001.shtml Website of the Fund for A Better Waterfront, Inc. January 2001 Victory for Hoboken Campaign to Stop Pier Development Hoboken residents protesting private development on piers. The Shipyard Associates officially withdrew their proposal to build 120 luxury residential units on the North Pier in a letter dated December 19, 2000. The developer’s attorney, Ira Karasick, sent this letter to the Hoboken Planning Board citing concerns of Planning Board members and the community as contributing to their decision. The withdrawal of this development application represents a major victory for the Coalition for a Better Waterfront, Quality of Life Coalition and scores of Hoboken residents who waged a six-month long campaign to defeat pier development proposed for Hoboken’s waterfront. Protestors wearing "stop pier development" T-shirts and holding bright-orange "stop buildings on piers" signs packed the Planning Board hearings for the North Pier project. Opponents eagerly got up to question witnesses testifying on behalf of the developers. On September 6, Elizabeth Markevitch presented petitions signed by 2500 Hoboken residents to the City Council, urging them to take action to prohibit private development on Hoboken's piers. Scores of letters poured into the Hoboken Reporter and were sent to elected officials. The Coalition for a Better Waterfront along with the Quality of Life Coalition and a number of individuals, also mounted a serious legal challenge to the North Pier project. Attorney Jonathan Drill of Stickel Koenig & Sullivan represented these objectors before the Planning Board. Drill presented their legal case against pier development in a letter to the Planning Board dated November 14, 2000. The major legal argument set forth in this letter emphasized that the local zoning ordinance requires that planned developments must "create a development block pattern" which by definition is bounded by streets. The North Pier project is not bounded by streets but by water. This legal position is supported by the testimony of Elizabeth Vandor, the planning consultant to the Hoboken Planning Board. On September 6, 1995, she testified before the Hoboken City Council, regarding this part of the ordinance as follows: "I should point out to you that the presence of water in the tract does not give any additional privileges or development potential to a development because the way the bulk regulations are constructed and laid out in this ordinance, water is not counted in any fashion in terms of open space or in terms of buildability of the land. All development takes place in what is called a development block which only comes into being after streets are extended onto the site." In 1996, the Hoboken Planning Board granted Shipyard Associates approval for a planned unit development (PUD), comprised of 1160 residential units and 63,000 square feet of commercial space. Developers of the North Pier project sought to amend this PUD approval. The project would have added 120 units on an 859 foot long pier at 16th Street. The row of townhouses on this pier would have stretched 720 feet toward Manhattan, forming a 50-foot high wall that would block views to the north of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge and northern Manhattan. Opponents of the North Pier project also objected to the fact that it would have created Hoboken’s first private enclave at the waterfront. The original plans showed the walled entrance to the North Pier project with a guardhouse along the private roadway leading onto the pier. The developer has tried to claim that this is his private land to do with what he wishes. The Hudson River, however, is public land that is held in trust by the State of New Jersey for the public’s benefit. Considerable confusion over this issue has arisen as private developers have taken over riparian grants, some awarded more than a century ago, to companies that depended on the Hudson River for the operation of their maritime businesses. Related Items: Hoboken developer Joe Barry targeted by federal investigators September 2001 Hoboken Residents Petition City to Stop Pier Development September 2000 Hoboken Shipyard Ups the Ante by 120 Units Over the Hudson River July 2000 A New Brew for Maxwell House March 2000 Hudson River Developers Rake In Corporate Welfare February 2000 CBW Loses Appeal - But Five Year Court Battle Continues April 1998 Barry Rewrites Zoning for Northern Waterfront! September 1995 Editorial: Putting the Brakes On Over Development April 1999 Community Response: Please come to Tuesday's Planning Board Meeting by Carol Marsh and Augusta Przygoda There should be a law against residential pier development by Councilmen Dave Roberts, Ruben Ramos and Tony Soares Moved by presentation against pier development by Jean Forest We're not anti-development, but we're concerned about PIER development by Kimberly Fox The Shipyard pier plan is great -- for New Yorkers by Helen Hirsch Zoning and Planning Boards must prevent developers from blocking waterfront views by Paul J. Somerville More Roads are not the solution to transportion problems by Josh Tavlin Development numbers make me go hmmm... by F. Haas Take a look at Barry's motives, not those of concerned opponents by Steven Kosmacher Hoboken Pier Project - Part II by Joseph Barry, President, Applied Companies Regarding the Shipyard pier project by Joseph Barry, President, Applied Companies Concerned about development on pier by Nicholas A. Vitiello Shipyard pier project will be a great asset by Jordan Brodsky What has Barry done purely for charity? by Shy and out of step Shipyard homeowners speak out against pier construction by Dina R. Rose and Todd R. Clear Shipyard critics are anti-progress by Against 'The Anti-progress gang' Please rally 'round the piers by Janet Larson Save some open space; slow down development by Carol Marsh Now is the time to vote against congestion and building on piers by Helen Manogue, Coordinator
Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition Show up Tuesday if you don't want development on pier by John Branciforte Stop Private Development on the Piers by Coalition for a Better Waterfront ©1998-2000 Fund for a Better Waterfront Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2006-08-29