Hudson County had 30,000 more residential hous-ing units in 2010 than back in 2000, according tothe U.S. Census. In the last 10 years, a slew ofrestaurants, “big box” chain stores, new rail and

ferry stops, and services have arrived to make the coun-ty – with its proximity to New York and river views – oneof the most exciting places to live in the country. Even ina slow economy in which people are hesitant to buyhomes, the rental market here has proven strong, andpeople are still spending money on entertainment andtransportation options.

The stories in this year’s Progress Report detail thenewest projects in the county as well as various demo-graphic and economic trends. For example, a majorwaterfront development in Bayonne on the site of the for-mer Military Ocean Terminal is going to accept containerships rather than provide new housing. Several residen-tial developments in the last few years have been offeredas rentals rather than sales.

Even though most of the county is built out, a few newprojects are being planned to meet the growing needs ofthe area. And with new residents comes a need to getaround. A new light rail stop opened in Bayonne recent-ly, and the ferries on the waterfront will begin taking com-muters and tourists from Hudson County to Queens andBrooklyn starting this June, besides the regularManhattan stops.

Even a canceled rail tunnel to New York hasn’t stoppedprogress, since Amtrak will create a similar rail route, andsome of the money that was to be spent on the tunnel willgo back into local infrastructure.

Living it upHudson County’s progressdefies national trends

STILL BUILDING UP – Most of Hudson County’s vacant spaces saw development between 2000 and2010, but there are still a few projects sprouting, as seen in this view of Bloomfield Street in Hoboken.Yet towns are also trying to make sure some of the remaining open spaces are preserved for parks.

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Whether the economy dips or rallies, it is clearthat in a popular area like Hudson County, thedownturn is felt a bit less. Find out more aboutwhat’s going on in residential real estate, com-

mercial development, parks and recreation,transportation, education, and hospitals withinthese pages.

By Ray SmithReporter staff writer

With many of the vacantspaces in HudsonCounty now built out,the focus of residential

development has shifted fromconstructing the units to rentingthem. With money tight in manyhouseholds right now, moreAmericans nationwide and locallyare choosing to rent rather thanbuy.

In 2000, Hudson County had240,618 residential housing units.After a decade of development,that number has grown to270,335, with only approximately10 percent vacant, which is betterthan 14.9 percent vacancy nation-wide, according to the Census.

Only 66.5 percent of Americanhouseholds owned their home atthe end of 2010, which is downfrom 69 percent in 2005, accord-ing to a report in the Wall StreetJournal.

There are still new projects onthe horizon as Hudson Countycontinues to attract those lookingfor a better deal than New YorkCity with the same transportationand entertainment access.

Jersey CityThe Monaco, a large $210 mil-

lion development on WashingtonBlvd. in Jersey City, is slated to becompleted this spring. The proj-ect, developed by the team ofRoseland Property, Garden StateDevelopment, and HartzMountain Industries, will featuretwo 50-story rental towers includ-ing 524 residences, a 558 parkingspace garage, and 11,900 squarefeet of retail.

The property will feature luxuryrental apartments and is sched-uled to be open later this year.

For 2012, the Planning Boardhas approved a 40-story, 790-unitresidential/retail development at700 Washington St. in theNewport area of Jersey City, onthe waterfront near the Hobokenborder. Newport DevelopmentAssociates Company, a sub-sidiary of the Lefrak Organization(the developers of the Newportresidential community), says theproject will include 15,000 squarefeet of retail and 876 parkingspots.

And looking far into the future,construction continues on the VanLeer Place project in a formerchocolate factory near the JerseyCity/Hoboken border. The resi-dential development is slated forcompletion in 2015.

Hoboken developers DannyGans and George Vallone ofHoboken Brownstone Company,

who were honored as recipients ofthe 2010 Governor’s EnvironmentalExcellence Award, are creatingmore than 480 units in two build-ings, 8,700 square feet of retailspace, and on-site parking. Theproject has been in the works sinceat least 2006.

Ironstate Development Companyof Hoboken and KRE Group ofBridgewater are continuing todevelop 225 Grand, a rental build-ing in downtown Jersey City. Thedevelopers recently announcedthat 90 percent of the building’s348 residences have been leasedin the first nine months of availabil-ity.

Some buildings continue to seeupgrades in Jersey City.

Gull’s Cove, a luxury condomini-um building also located in down-town Jersey City, recently upgrad-ed and remodeled the building’slobby and created what developerDean S. Geibel calls a uniquesocial lounge space. The buildingis now 90 percent sold.

Jersey City’s residential housingunit total is 108,720, with 11,861units vacant, according to the2010 Census. Jersey City’s popu-lation was counted in the 2010Census as 247,597, a slightincrease from 240,055 in 2000.However, Mayor Jerramiah Healybelieves the city may have beenundercounted, and has publiclyquestioned the results of theCensus.

HobokenThe magic word in Hoboken is

redevelopment, as the city isdrawing up plans for several rede-velopment zones along the for-merly industrial western, southern,and northern borders. Once theyfigure out what they want, they’llseek developers to create thedesired mix of residential andcommercial buildings. The admin-istration of Mayor Dawn Zimmercontinues to hold communitymeetings about the proposals.

The Western Edge plan, whichskirts the city’s midtown westernborder, appears to be one of thenext plans to be visited. The cityhas presented their own plan tothe public, but one developer,Hoboken’s Ursa, has asked themto consider their plan thatincludes a largely residentialdevelopment with open space.The city’s plan calls for multi-usezoning with business, residential,and commercial zoning, as wellas open space.

Ursa Developers will also beintroducing 44 luxury rentals avail-able in the spring of 2011 at 1100Jefferson St. in Hoboken.

What’s new inresidential

developmentMore housing available, and

rentals are hot in Hudson

see RESIDENTIAL page 12

JEFFERSON STREET RISING – Ursa Developers will be renting out 44 luxury units this springin western Hoboken.

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By Kate RoundsReporter staff writer

In a year in which the economy tried to claw its wayout of a recession, with highs and lows, commercialdevelopment in Hudson County experienced itsown highs and lows. While some businesses

closed, including a Barnes & Noble in Hoboken, manyrestaurants opened in a county full of young profes-sionals who like to dine out.

On a grander scale, most of the office towers thatwere built on the waterfront in the last 15 years are nowoccupied with financial services tenants and smallercompanies, particularly in the Exchange Place finan-cial center in Jersey City. There are still a few plans inthe works for new developments with commercialcomponents.

Hartz Mountain, the Secaucus-based developmentcompany, announced this year that it will be keepingone of its major tenants – UBS Financial Services,which leases one million square feet in its waterfrontLincoln Harbor complex on the Weehawken water-front. They decided to stay in Hudson County ratherthan consolidate their operations in New York City,according to a published report. UBS is expected toremain in Weehawken through 2028.

Proximity to New York, increased ferry service, andthe convenience of various types of transportationmake Hudson County a strong contender for businessdevelopment.

HobokenThe biggest commercial development news in the

mile-square city is old news – the ongoing debatebetween New Jersey Transit and the city, mayor, andconcerned citizens about NJT’s plan to develop 52acres of prized real estate along the city’s southernborder with Jersey City. The land in question encom-passes Hoboken’s historic – and hectic – transporta-tion hub, including a train terminal, bus station, NYWaterway ferries, and the Hudson Bergen Light Rail.

NJT’s original plan included residential buildings astall as 45 stories and a 70-story commercial tower, butMayor Dawn Zimmer and town activists felt it was toobig. Last month, a review team made up of city offi-

cials and members of community groups recommend-ed their own architectural firm to oversee a new devel-opment plan. NJT is now pitching an 18-story com-mercial building.

At the other end of town, the Rockefeller Group, thecompany that built New York City’s Rockefeller Center,

is planning to build a project betweenPark Avenue and Clinton Street onWeehawken Cove. The plans, whichhave not yet been approved by cityboards, are completely commercial,with a 40-story tower that would be thetallest building in Hoboken.

The city is also drawing up threeredevelopment proposals for the city’swestern and southern borders, to turnformerly industrial land into resi-dences, open space, and possiblysome commercial components.

Right now, Hoboken’s biggest com-panies are in the relatively new build-ings on the south waterfront, includingWiley Publishing.

On a smaller scale but no less signif-icant were the fates of two longstand-ing Washington Street businesses –Barnes and Noble and Blockbuster. Inthe age of the e-reader and Netflix,both outlets closed, leaving vacant twovery large commercial buildings. Atpress time, new tenants had not beenfound.

However, Hoboken also saw somenew businesses on Washington Streetthis year, including a Walgreen’s drug-store in a large vacant bank building.

Jersey CityThe controversial AMB warehouse

project appears to be moving forward,with a required site cleanup on sched-ule. This is the plan calling for an883,000-square-foot warehouse to bebuilt by the San Francisco-based AMBCompany off Highway 1&9.

This stretch of land, once an other-worldly dreamscape of burning tires

and dodgy air quality, had been prized by threegroups: those who supported Mayor Healy and thewarehouse project, those who wanted a golf course,and those who wanted parks. Along with the ware-house, the county public golf course is coming topass, slated for a 2012 opening and designed to bean extension to Lincoln Park across the street.

People who opposed the warehouse charged that itwould be a three-football-field-size travesty that will

increase truck traffic while not necessarily increasingjobs and not addressing the city’s open-space deficit.Champions of the warehouse say it will boost tax rev-enues by $1 million a year and bring in 300 jobs.

More resonant with many residents is thePowerhouse, the gigantic iconic structure that housesthe substation that powers the PATH trains. It’s bound-ed by Bay, Washington, First, and Greene Streets.Artists and officials have been pushing for it to be theanchor in an arts and entertainment district called thePowerhouse Arts District, similar to Baltimore’s InnerHarbor area.

In the near future, the Port Authority is set to move thesubstation, an essential step before the building canbe renovated. The district will be home to theaters,galleries, restaurants, and other arts and entertain-ment venues.

Other commercial business and projects that cameto Jersey City last year include Pole Position Racewayon Caven Point Road, an indoor go-kart racing facility;Buon Italia, a gourmet Italian market in Trump Plaza;Barcade bar on Newark Avenue; Key Foods onMonticello Avenue; Big Easy restaurant onCommunipaw Avenue; Fine Fare supermarket onGarfield Avenue; Hudson Green Gourmet among thefinancial companies at 77 Hudson St.; Gold’s Gym onCommunipaw Avenue; Rue Viet, a sandwich shop onNewark Avenue; Grill 274 restaurant on CentralAvenue; and Wholesale Liquidators, which reopenedon Route 440.

The bakery behind the “Cake Boss” reality show willexpand the Hoboken business to the eight-storyLackawanna Center warehouse. Carlo’s Bakery willlease 32,000 square feet of ground-floor space as thebuilding renovates 200,000 square feet of retail spacefor its the Shops at Lackawanna project.

Jersey City’s big commercial centers are Newportand Exchange Place, which house financial servicesfirms such as Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.

North BergenUrban Renewal, LLC, plans to construct 17,247

square feet of retail space along Kennedy Boulevardnear 56th Street. The developer has begun work onthe building’s foundation.

From Zinfandel to XanaduCommercial development continues all over the map

see COMMERCIAL page 13

HIGH FINANCE -- The Jersey City waterfront is home to many financial services companies.

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way to stay competitive, or find pri-vate owners who will run themmore like a business. In thatregard, Hudson County’s six areahospitals have begun to offer somenew services and some expandedfacilities.

New servicesHudson County’s six hospitals

include: Jersey City MedicalCenter and Christ Hospital inJersey City; Palisades MedicalCenter in North Bergen;Meadowlands Hospital inSecaucus; Hoboken UniversityMedical Center in Hoboken, andBayonne Medical Center.

Palisades MedicalCenter

A member of the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System,the 202-bed acute care MedicalCenter has made a number ofimprovements to its services overthe past year.

Patients at PalisadesMedical Center nowbenefit from the latest inMRI technology now thatthe hospital has fullyinstalled its new VantageTitan from Toshiba.

The new MRI system’spatient-focused featuressignificantly improvepatient comfort andincrease the range ofpatients who can begiven an MRI. The sys-

tem has an open-bore that is 18percent larger than other systemsto provide a greater feeling ofopenness for the patient. TheVantage Titan also takes advan-tage of Toshiba’s proprietary con-trast-free MRA techniques. Thisallows physicians to perform scanson patients with known renal com-promise and diabetes.

Bariatric surgeries are also nowoffered at Palisades for people whohave been unable to achieve sig-nificant weight loss through dietmodifications and exercise pro-grams alone. Bariatric surgery isalso known as weight loss surgery.

The hospital has also completelyrenovated and remodeled its ER.

“All of the renovations provide abetter patient environment,increase capacity capabilities,improve community access, andenhance patient safety and thequality of healthcare delivery,” said

By E. Assata WrightReporter staff writer

W ith the sale last year ofMeadowlands Hospital MedicalCenter in Secaucus and the likelysale this year of Hoboken

University Medical Center (HUMC), what, ifanything, will these sales mean for patientswho rely on these facilities?

Ever since the non-profit LibertyHealthSystem announced in January 2010 its inten-tion to sell Meadowlands Hospital to a for-prof-it group of investors called MHA, the transac-tion was viewed with caution by the state agen-cies that had to approve the deal, a processthat took most of the year. Similar caution islikely to be applied to the sale of HUMC.

MHA had hoped to have the deal wrappedup by last spring. But three state authoritieshad to approve the deal – the office of theAttorney General, the Department of Healthand Senior Services, and the state HealthPlanning Board. It was approved close to theend of last year.

“I think what we’re seeing is the state exercis-ing prudence with regard to a nonprofit assetbeing moved out of the nonprofit world andinto a for-profit company. There is always hesi-tancy in privatizing things,” said MHA’s leadprincipal, William Vazquez, last summer.

There is some question about how for-profitcompanies balance their obligations to theirshareholders with their mission to providequality health care to their community.Specifically, will hospital services change toattract more patients and profits?

The short answer appears to be – yes.Last summer, for example, MHA detailed a

number of improvements the company plansto make to Meadowlands Hospital to generatemore income. The company plans to create anew oncology program at the hospital,upgrade and expand the emergency room,and improve the facility’s medical imagingtechnology. The company plans to purchase anew $4 million MRI machine.

In an effort to attract new business toMeadowlands Hospital, MHA “is actively tryingto recruit physicians from different medical dis-ciplines to improve the patient flow of the facil-ity,” said spokesman William Maer.

But as some departments are expanded, oth-ers – ones that perhaps attract fewer patients

or treat the poor – could be cut back.“The New Jersey Department of Health and

Senior Services has required MHA to keepMeadowlands an acute care hospital for atleast seven years,” said Renée Steinhagen, anattorney with New Jersey Appleseed PublicInterest Law Center. “They will be required tomaintain all core clinical programs. And if theywant to cease providing that, they will have tomake a formal request to the department. Butyou can be an acute care hospital and nothave half the departments you’d associate witha hospital, for example obstetrics. And that’s abig one because that is where you’ll see a lotof uninsured and undocumented patients. Soobstetrics becomes very expensive.”

As an example, Steinhagen pointed toMemorial Hospital of Salem County, which wasbought by the for-profit Community HealthSystems (CHS) eight years ago. When theDepartment of Health and Senior Servicesapproved the sale, CHS was required toremain an acute care facility for 10 years.Recently, however, the company has asked forstate permission to close all of its obstetricsand gynecological services.

Steinhagen suspects these departments like-ly bore the biggest share of the hospital’sCharity Care (funding for the poor that the statereimburses hospitals for). New JerseyAppleseed has asked the Department ofHealth and Senior Services to considerwhether the hospital is trying to “evade” itsCharity Care obligation – required under NewJersey state law – by shuttering its OB-GYNservices.

It also remains to be seen whether MHA andany potential buyer of HUMC will successfullynegotiate agreements with health insuranceproviders to provide services at certain rates.The company that is in negotiations to buyHUMC is a part owner of Bayonne MedicalCenter, and knows how to make a hospitalprofitable. After Bayonne was purchased and itswitched from being a nonprofit facility to a for-profit, the hospital dropped its contracts withsome insurance carriers in the interest of tryingto negotiate better deals. As a result, patientswere unsure of whether the hospital wouldaccept their insurance. However, the hospitalhas gone from being in great financial troubleto turning a profit.

Facing increased competition from privatefacilities, it is clear that hospitals have to find a

What’s new incounty’s six hospitalsPrivatization changes medical landscape

Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus

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By Al SullivanReporter staff writer

Adecade ago, when many of thetransportation plans were beingfinalized for Hudson County,the future seemed bright.

Development was at its peak and local,state, and federal officials envisionedprojects that would transform HudsonCounty’s economy into a hub of region-al growth.

While the region remains a center forcommuter trains, buses, ferries, andlight rail, the county got a reality checklast year when newly-elected Gov.Christopher Christie canceled theAccess to the Regions Core (ARC) tun-nel, one of the largest and most expen-sive infrastructure projects in U.S. histo-ry, claiming the nearly bankrupt state ofNew Jersey could not afford the expect-ed cost overruns of the project. The newproject would have provided an addi-tional rail route through the county toManhattan, doubling trips from 23 perhour to 48 and providing 44,000 perma-nent jobs. The cancellation of the tunnelcould cost as many as 6,000 local con-struction jobs, according to reports.

However, Amtrak recently announcedthat it may build the tunnel instead, andNew York Mayor Michael Bloomberghas since revived an old plan that wouldconnect the Secaucus Transfer Stationto the existing No. 7 subway line.

The Amtrak project, already on thedrawing board, proposes a tunnel thatwould follow the same route as ARC.Trains would run through Secaucus,under the Hudson River, and connect tonew tracks in an expanded PennStation.

The project, being called the“Gateway” tunnel, would allow eightmore Amtrak trains and 13 more NJTransit trains per hour to take the route,as opposed to the 25 more NJ Transittrains that ARC would have allowed.

As for the 7 train project, it is estimat-ed to cost $5.3 billion — less than the$9.78 billion low-end projection forARC. Subways on that line travel to theeast side of Manhattan and on intoQueens. Besides extending toSecaucus, there is talk of a Hobokenstop. The expansion was first proposedin the 1970s when the line was envi-sioned connecting the MeadowlandsSport Complex with Manhattan.

Some money to beused for existing

projects“The governor’s decision to withdraw

from the ARC tunnel project dramatical-ly re-cast how resources will be spenton infrastructure on this side of theHudson River,” said County ExecutiveTom DeGise.

Now, state money will go to variousimprovements throughout New Jersey,some of which date back to recommen-dations by the North JerseyTransportation Planning Authority morethan a decade ago to rebuild localbridges and improve other local infra-structure.

Among the most important of these,said Freeholder Bill O’Dea, is part ofwhat is called “The Portway Project.”

“Portway is the network of new road-ways, bridges and traffic interchangesbuilt over the last decade to swiftlymove cargo from the Port of New Yorkand New Jersey through HudsonCounty,” said DeGise. “It will soon besubstantially complete thanks toimprovements at the Charlotte andTonnelle Circles and along DoremusAvenue. However, two pieces ofPortway remain on the drawing board –a new bridge across the Passaic Riverand the completion of the Portway truckroute network from Charlotte Circle toSecaucus Road.”

Money formerly intended for ARC willalso be used to build a new Route7/Wittpenn Bridge – important becauseit links Route 139 with Route 1&9 East

and the New Jersey TurnpikeInterchange 15W.

“This is key because it will promoteport related development that will cre-ate thousands of blue collar jobs andhelp develop Kopper’s Koke,” O’Deasaid.

Hudson County had hopes for theARC project because it expected NJTransit to acquire the 100-acre county-owned site called Kopper’s Koke inKearny, creating revenue for futurebudgets.

DeGise, however, said the demise ofARC had a positive impact.

“The shadow of the ARC Tunnel proj-ect loomed large over Koppers,”DeGise said. “It was clear from 2008 onthat the property was likely to be target-ed for acquisition by the state throughsale or eminent domain. This loweredinterest from developers.”

O’Dea said private developers arenow interested again, partly becausethe property ties into the Portway trans-portation network and could serve as awarehouse site for goods out of theport.

“A completed Portway network,”DeGise said, “would allow companiesto bring parts through the port forassembly and storage at sites nearbylike a new Koppers Koke industrialpark.”

To discuss the issues of the Portway,DeGise will be hosting a conference inthe spring at Hudson CommunityCollege.

“We will invite officials from NewJersey Department of Transportation toattend,” DeGise said. “During this con-ference, representatives from the truck-ing industry, the business communityand local government will describe howinvestment in the Portway’s completionwill mean a stronger port and morejobs.”

In this regard, the Hudson CountyBoard of Freeholders has passed a res-olution strongly supporting Christie’sproposed transportation plan, urgingthe governor and the state legislature to“fast track” funding for these projects inHudson County.

The Bayonne Bridgeraising

O’Dea said raising the BayonneBridge is “obviously priority numberone,” since it has such a regionalimpact.

The $1 billion project, which Gov.Christie announced last fall, will raisethe bridge’s roadbed to 215 feet, allow-

Full speed ahead?Some transportation projects continue;others stall

CROSS TOWN TRAFFIC – Gov. Christopher Christie has a lot to say about howmuch will get spent on repairing of Hudson County’s transportation infrastructure.

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GOING UP – Raising the Bayonne Bridge is considered one of the most importanttransportation projects in the region over the next few years in order to allow larg-er container ships to reach the ports in Newark and Elizabeth.

ing newer, larger ships to access the ports of Elizabethand Newark.

Raising the bridge, DeGise pointed out, will allow theenormous new panamax class supertanker cargoships to pass under the bridge to access port facilitiesalong Newark Bay.

The proposed plan to raise the roadbed rather thanthe replace or rebuild the bridge allows the PortAuthority to meet a pressing timetable, as the newships are expected to start arriving with the wideningof the Panama Canal in 2014.

Light rail expansionThe southern-most stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light

Rail system is a newly constructed station on 8th Streetin Bayonne, and there have been hints that the linemight be extended into Staten Island at some futurepoint.

Rep. Albio Sires, however, said he is pushing forexpansion up the west side of Jersey City from the cur-rent stop at West Side Avenue – possibly connectingto Journal Square.

“The extension of the HBLR to Route 440-Valley Fairsite [a mall complex] will help promote over $1 billionin mixed use development,” O’Dea said.

When it was first proposed, the HBLR was to extendto Bergen County, but so far it has terminated in NorthBergen.

New ferry stopsThanks to a $9 million, three-year contract

awarded to Billybey Ferry Co. by New York City,commuters using the NY Waterway ferry serviceout of Hoboken and Weehawken will be able toland at new stops in Queens and Brooklyn.Billybey contracts with Waterway to operate its 16ferries.

The new stops will open in June.Two extra stops, at Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn

(Brooklyn Bridge Park) and Governors Island, willoperate during summer weekends.

Other projectsGoing out to bid shortly is the long-awaited 14th

Street Viaduct project for the elevated roadwaythat connects Union City and Jersey City Heightswith Hoboken. The road will be renovated,expanded, and a park will be built underneath.

Another transportation issue Hudson County offi-cials are pushing for will be the repair of thePulaski Skyway, which is essential because of thesafety concerns with the current roadway.

O’Dea, as freeholder chairman, is still pressingto get the Port Authority to consider creating aPATH station at the Marion/Route 1&9 area inJersey City.

“It will both encourage residential developmentin that area,” he said, “but more important on theNewark Avenue side, [it will] create another UrbanTransit Hub eligible for tax credits that could cre-ate thousands of new jobs.”

Possible stallingBut not all of the promised funding for projects is

coming. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg blastedCongressional Republicans last month, sayingthey had cut over $50 million in federal grants thatwere marked to come to New Jersey for fourtransportation and infrastructure projects – includ-ing work on a replaced rail bridge in Secaucus, atraffic reduction project in Bergen and HudsonCounties, and a huge redevelopment project inJersey City.

The cuts came as part of the House ofRepresentatives’ version of the “ContinuingResolution (CR)” to fund the government for FiscalYear 2011, Lautenberg said. The bill wasapproved in the House last week, and the Senateis now working on its own version of the budget.

Funding threatened includes $38.5 million tocomplete the design for a new rail bridge over theHackensack River between Kearny andSecaucus. The new Portal Bridge would helpimprove the reliability of Amtrak and NJ Transittrains and reduce wait times for commuters.

The House-passed budget will also eliminate$10 million to improve traffic flows in Bergen andHudson Counties along U.S. Routes 1&9 and 46and state Routes 7, 17 and 120.

To comment on this story on-line, go towww.hudsonreporter.com. Email Al Sullivan atasullivan@hudsonreporter.com.

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6,2011NEXT STOP – The Hudson Bergen Light Rail system was expanded this year to Eighth Street in Bayonne.Officials hope the next phase will expand the line up the west side of Jersey City.

AWAITING PIER C PARK’S OPENING — Pier C Park in Hoboken is scheduled toopen this spring.

By Tricia TirellaReporter staff writer

In the most densely populated coun-ty in New Jersey, several new parksand facilities are on the drawingboards or nearing their grand open-

ing dates. In addition, municipal recre-ation departments have been expand-ing to provide services to both theyoung and the young at heart.

Despite delays, whether due to fund-ing or construction issues, it appearsprogress is being made on urban parks.

Countywide

The Hudson County Board ofFreeholders officially approved a publicgolf course near Lincoln Park on Jersey

City’s west side through aresolution three months ago.

The nine-hole course will bebuilt on Duncan Avenue on60 acres of wasteland thatonce was used by the feder-al government. The estimat-ed completion date is fall2012.

The course will be open tothe public. It will be fundedthrough the county with$12.7 million in bonds.

Also, it appears that afternearly two years of delays, aparcel of James J. BraddockPark in North Bergen, whichwas slated to host a 1,500seat football/soccer field, willbe returned to passivespace. State funding for theproject was frozen in spring2010 after contaminated soilwas found. The county hopesto complete remediation,reseed, and landscape thearea by this summer.

Jersey City: Newpool, renovationsThe first new swimming

pool in Jersey City in morethan 30 years, Lafayette PoolComplex on JohnstonAvenue, did not open on timelast year due to electricalproblems, but is scheduledto open for residents thiscoming summer. The $5.3million project will feature alap pool, an activity pool, aconcession stand, andchanging rooms.

“We needed a new pool to service cit-izens,” said Department of PublicWorks Director Rodney Hadley.

Columbia Park on John F. KennedyBoulevard was recently renovated witha playground and splash pad, costing$462,000.

A renovation of Bayside Park, locatedon Garfield Avenue, is under way. Thisshould cost around $3.9 million and willfeature a new playground, splash pad,three new basketball courts, two newtennis courts, and security enhance-ments.

According to Recreation Director JoeMacchi, the city recently received a$120,000 grant from the United StatesSwim Foundation. It will go to a free“learn to swim” program around April 1.Only five towns in New Jersey receivedthe grant, with Jersey City receiving thelargest funding.

Hoboken: More parkspossible

On Feb. 22, Hoboken Mayor DawnZimmer said in her first State of the Cityaddress that she hopes to present a$20 million bond ordinance at theMarch 2 council meeting to designatefunds for renovating and creating parks.Residents of the dense mile-square cityhave long complained that not enoughopen space has been preserved.

Zimmer’s administration has identifiedseveral areas they would like to turn intoparks. Because they are near eachother, two uptown sites, 1600 Park Ave.and Hoboken Cove, will both bedesigned by Remington and Vernickalong with input from the community.The city hopes to finish the parks by thefall of 2012, but the final designs haveto be approved by the council.

Meanwhile, the city is working withTrust Republic Land to acquire a parcelof land near Madison and 12th Streets,

Parks, recreation grow in Hudson CountyGolf course, swimming pool, waterfront parks on the way

BLUEPRINTS FOR WATERFRONT PARK — These plans are what North Bergensubmitted to the state to get Green Acres funding for a joint park in North Bergenand Guttenberg.

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You could be here when your water breaks…

We’re changing more than our name.

308 Willow Ave. � Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 � (201) 418-1000 � www.HobokenUMC.comsee PARKS page 14

Bruce J. Markowitz, president and CEO.Palisades began its Emergency

Department Renovation Project in 2009by adding new technologies and incor-porated a new rapid evaluation unit toprovide immediate assessment toincoming patients and allow for fastertriage and bedside registration.

This year, ER renovations will includeaccess for walk-in patients to permitdirect access from the waiting area.Additional restroom facilities and newstorage areas will also be added.

New Jersey hospitals face a greatstruggle due to the state’s unusuallyhigh population density and its 1.2 mil-lion uninsured residents who often relyon Emergency Departments as theirprovider of last resort. Palisades’Northern Hudson service area has apoverty rate that is four times the NewJersey average, according to the hospi-tal.

Jersey City MedicalCenter

Women requiring biopsies after amammogram are now reaping the bene-fits of new technology being used at theCristie Kerr Women’s Health Center atJersey City Medical Center.

Doctors say the new stereotacticbreast biopsy equipment promiseswomen greater comfort and precisionduring biopsies. It is the first technologyof its kind available at a comprehensivebreast center in Hudson County.

“This computer-guided technologyallows us to get a better and smallersampling of tissue with greater preci-sion, shortens the time of the procedure,and provides the patient with little if anydiscomfort,” said Dr. Edward Poon, chairof radiology at the hospital. “The incisionis much smaller so there is little if anyscarring and decreased pain. The pro-cedure is completed within 45 to 60 min-utes.”

“The new technology is another exam-ple of our goal to make the Cristie KerrWomen’s Health Center the leadingbreast cancer facility in the area,” saidMedical Director Dr. Julie DiGioia. “It’spart of the center’s mission to provideour patients with excellent medical careand treat them with the utmost in dignityand compassion.”

As part of this effort, the center recent-ly created a tumor board comprised of agroup of leading physicians with diversespecialties in oncology, radiology, sur-gery, pathology, radiation oncology, andreconstructive surgery, who meet week-ly to discuss complex cases and themost appropriate care. In addition, theRadiology Department recently receiveda three-year term of accreditation fromthe American College of Radiology.

Hoboken UniversityMedical Center

HUMC has recently expanded itsSenior Treatment and EvaluationProgram (STEP). STEP is among themost comprehensive behavioral healthprograms for the elderly in HudsonCounty and HUMC is the only hospital inHudson County that offers specializedbehavioral health care for this demo-graphic, according to hospital spokes-people.

The program not only addresses thepsychiatric needs of the elderly but theirmedical needs as well. Patient and theirfamilies also participate in treatmentplanning to help develop interventionsaimed at improving symptoms.

Patient rooms in the department are allprivate. The rooms are designed to meetthe needs of patients with a mix of psy-chiatric and medical problems.

Also at the hospital, there is a brandnew dining room to accommodate

meals that will be served family-style,which provides patients the opportunityto eat in a community non-institutionalsetting. Family members are also able tojoin patients for meals. Equally as impor-tant to this new unit is an area wherefamilies can visit with loved ones. Thefamily area was developed to help cre-ate a home-like setting and providecomfort to families when visiting.

The company that is hoping to buyHUMC has indicated that it plans tomake more improvements. In a pressrelease issued last week, HUMCHoldCo said: “HUMC Holdco is continu-ing to explore additional sources offinancing in order to advance HUMC’sgoal of building a nursing home/assist-ed living facility, modernizing andexpanding the maternity unit, and longerterm capital needs.”

Bayonne MedicalCenter

Last fall, Bayonne Medical Center wasdesignated as a primary stroke centerby the New Jersey Department of Healthand Senior Services. The designationrecognized the hospital’s expertise inthe diagnosis and treatment of strokes.

“We are extremely pleased with ourrecent designation as a Primary StrokeCenter,” said hospital president andCEO Daniel A. Kane. “The center ofexcellence that we have developed forthe diagnosis and treatment of strokes isanother example of the high level of carethat we are providing to the residents ofBayonne and Hudson County.”

The cardiovascular program atBayonne Medical Center is the mostrecent service to receive new advancedequipment, enhanced technology and acomplete facility renovation at a cost of$2.2 million. The new equipment willallow physicians an opportunity to per-form complex cardiac and peripheralvascular procedures. Physicians willhave an opportunity to share patientimages electronically with the patients’primary care physician and other physi-cians involved in their care.

The newly-renovated spaceincorporates what the hospitalcalls its “healing environmentconcept” which providespatients and family members amore relaxed recovery experi-ence.

Kane said, “Bayonne MedicalCenter has invested over $10million dollars on improvementsin facilities, equipment andtechnology since February2008.”

MeadowlandsHospital Medical

CenterMHA’s first priority has been

to find ways to attract morepatients to MeadowlandsHospital Medical Center.

Upon taking control ofMeadowlands, MHA turned thehospital into an all private-roomfacility. Patients no longer haveto share their recovery time withroommates. Rooms are alsoequipped with TVs, phones,and internet service withoutadditional charge. And speci-fied visiting hours have beenabolished, giving familiesbroader access to their recov-ering loved ones.

The hospital’s radiologydepartment already has new X-ray and advanced MRI equip-ment, and MHA also plans toexpand the hospital’s emer-gency room and cardiac pro-gram by the fall. There’s also anew physical rehab depart-

ment on the way which will focus onbrain injuries and disorders. The depart-ment will treat such conditions as trau-matic brain injuries, strokes,Alzheimer’s, developmental brain disor-ders, autism spectrum disorders, andother cognitive conditions.

According to MHA officials,Meadowlands Hospital’s new ownershave invested more than $8 million toupgrade its electronic health records, atrend that several hospitals in the areaare following, including PalisadesMedical Center.

Christ HospitalBeginning in January 2011, Christ

Hospital acquired the necessaryequipment to treat heart attack patientswith Medically Induced Hypo thermia.The procedure allows physicians time totreat a patient’s heart condition, while

reducing harm to the brain. Once initialtreatments are complete, and the patientis stabilized, the patient’s core bodytemperature is gradually raised back tonormal. Induced hypothermia can dou-ble or triple the survival rate amongsome patient groups.

“Having this therapy available to ourphysicians will greatly benefit patientsbeing brought to the EmergencyDepartment at Christ Hospital,” saidVijay Akkapeddi, chair of theDepartment of Emergency Medicine.“Inducing hypothermia to patients suf-fering a coronary event will avail us thetime to treat them and help assure theydo not needlessly suffer additional braindamage.”

To comment on this story on-line, go towww.hudsonreporter.com. E-mail E.Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.

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Or at Hoboken University Medical Center

Dr. Osbert Fernandez, OB/Gyn, Prenatal Educator Robin Petrick and FamilyBirthing Center patient Emily Fernandez.

Everything you need for a safe and healthy delivery is momentsaway at Hoboken University Medical Center. Exceptional care fromthe area’s leading medical specialists. Private maternity suites and alactation consultant on site, 24/7. And an advanced Level II NeonatalSpecial Care Nursery with the latest treatment and technology to

encourage infant development. To tour theFamily Birthing Center or learn more, call(201) 418-1015.

We’re changing more than our name.

308 Willow Ave. � Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 � (201) 418-1000 � www.HobokenUMC.com

HOSPITAL from page 5

Hoboken University Medical Center in Hoboken

By Deanna CullenReporter Staff Writer

Every Hudson County district hasbeen affected in some way byGov. Christopher Christie’s firmstance on education reform.

Schools have seen their budgetsslashed to help balance the state’sbudget without increasing taxes, andthe governor’s to-do list includes clos-ing low-performance schools, addingmore charter schools, and introducingmerit pay for teachers.

Recently, he has declared his push forthe abolition of teacher tenure and cut-ting the preschool budget in urbanareas.

A Republican-proposed plan calls forfunding only half-day preschools inurban districts and diverting the $300million saved to suburban schools,although Christie failed to endorse it inhis budget address last month.

But three schools will benefit fromChristie’s revamping of the stateSchools Development Authority con-struction program. It will finance proj-ects for Jersey City’s PS 20 ElementarySchool and Elementary School 3, andWest New York’s Harry L. BainElementary School.

An instrumental part of Gov. Christie’seducation policy is the addition of char-ter schools. In his 2011 N.J BudgetAddress, he said that his administrationhad announced the approval of 23 newpublic charter schools – two of whichare in Jersey City – and by the fall, 97would be operating in the state.

His budget proposes to more thandouble school choice aid and to

increase funding for charter schools bymore than 50 percent.

The great charter schooldebate

The existing charter schools in JerseyCity and Hoboken are looking to thestate for increased funding. Charterschools are public schools founded byparents and/or educators. They areexempt from the local school boardoversight and teacher’s union contractsthat other public schools must face.They do not charge tuition and get mostof their funding from the state, adminis-tered through the local boards. They areconsidered public schools.

Jersey City’s parents had been peti-tioning heavily for more funding forcharter schools. Charter schools in NewJersey are supposed to receive statefunding equal to 90 percent of whatlocal public school receive, but it hasbeen argued that Jersey City’s charterschools receive as little as 50 percent ofthe state’s funding allotted to traditionalpublic schools in the district.

Before Gov. Christie announced theapproval of new charter schools thisyear, there were eight in Jersey City –with a combined enrollment of 3,600students – and three in Hoboken.

Two new recently approved charterschools now bring Jersey City’s total to10 – the Dr. Lena Edwards CharterSchool and the M.E.T.S. Charter School.

Here is a rundown of what’s happen-ing in the schools, town by town:

BayonneBayonne’s Marist High School wel-

comed its first female principal ever thisyear. Alice Miesnak, formerly MaristHigh School’s assistant principal, tookover for Marist Brother Donnell Neary asacting principal on Jan.7, after hebecame ill and needed to recuperate.

Time will tell if she decides to submither name to the search committee tobecome more than just the acting prin-cipal.

HobokenThe Hoboken Board of Education

unanimously voted Jan. 11 to approvethe contract of a new superintendent,Dr. Mark Toback, who is the currentsuperintendent of Sussex CountyVocational School District. Toback willreceive total pay of $157,700, whichcould increase to approximately$180,000 with five incentive-ladenbonuses offered under his contract. Heis set to start in the position on March14.

On the charter school front, the HoLaCharter School opened this pastSeptember as New Jersey’s firstSpanish-English charter school. It cur-rently teaches students in kindergartenthrough second grade, but plans to adda new grade level each year until itreaches grade 5.

The Stevens Institute of Technologyrecently hired a new president, Dr.Nariman Farvardin, currently theprovost at the University of Maryland, ata base salary of $625,000. He will takeover the office from Interim PresidentGeorge Korfiotis on July 1, and Korfiotiswill return to the role of Provost atStevens.

Former President Harold Raveche,who resigned after the school was suedin 2009 for financial mismanagement,will pay off more than $721,000 in low-interest loans the school gave him tobuy two vacation homes. The schoolhad lent the former president, who tookin a $1.1 million annual salary, $1.8 mil-lion to buy the two homes, and forgavehalf the loan.

Jersey CityJersey City’s P.S. 20 Elementary

School and Elementary School 3 aretwo out of the 10 schools in the state tobenefit in 2011 from a state investmentof $584 million under a revampedSchool Development Authority con-struction program.

For P.S. 20 on Danforth Avenue, whichis currently falling apart due to exten-sive water damage and cannot meet itsstudents’ needs, the financial assis-tance will translate into the constructionof a new school on Ocean and Catoravenues.

The district will get new charterschools next fall. The Dr. Lena EdwardsCharter School will serve 396 studentsin kindergarten through the eighthgrade. It will offer a classical educationprogram with a focus on character edu-cation.

M.E.T.S. Charter School will serve 560students in grades six to 12. It will offera program that features a strong mathe-matics, engineering, technology, andscience curriculum. M.E.T.S. is planningto partner with Liberty Science Center.

The Jersey City School District wastaken over by the state in 1989 and isslowly coming out of state control afterhaving to meet certain benchmarks.More power is being given to the super-intendent of schools – Charles Epps,who was appointed in 2000 – and thelocal school board. The next Board ofEducation election will be held thisApril.

On the private school front, the well-regarded St. Peter’s Preparatory HighSchool at 144 Grand St. is in the midstof a 12- to 15-year expansion project.

This June, the doors will close on St.Mary’s High School, a private schoolaffiliated with the Roman CatholicChurch, which had served 295 studentsin grades 9 through 12.

North BergenNorth Bergen High School is waiting to

hear back from the U.S. Department ofEducation to find out if it has beenchosen for the 2011 Blue Ribbonprogram, an award conferred uponschools demonstrating superior levelsof achievement. The school sent in anapplication after it was selected as oneof nine New Jersey nominees backin December. The school received thenomination, according to Superinten-dent Robert Dandorph, due to manyfactors, including test scores, highschool graduation and failure rates, andcost per pupil.

If chosen, the school will receive aplaque and a flag to signify its BlueRibbon School status, along with beinghonored at a ceremony in WashingtonD.C.

Education reform ona local levelState policies have impact on localschool districts

see EDUCATION page 14

CHRISTIE CUTS – Education reform at the state level has brought two new char-ter schools into Jersey City and funds to West New York’s Harry L. Bain School,but also the possibility of cutting pre-K programs. Pictured: (r) Gov. Christie.

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Construction from Toll Brothers is con-tinuing in uptown Hoboken near the cor-ner of 15th and Washington streets, asa pair of 13-story mixed use, residen-tial/retail buildings continue to climbtoward the Hoboken sky. The buildingsare at the site of the developer’s alreadyexisting Tea Building, where notablesports stars like Eli Manning live.

The City Council is expecting theresults of a planner’s study of the south-west area of town. And in the northwest,the Port Authority of New York and NewJersey’s Local Assistance Program willpay for a $75,000 redevelopment study.

Hoboken has a total of 26,855 housingunits, with 25,041 of them currentlyoccupied, according to U.S. Censusdata. Hoboken’s population is 50,005,significantly more than 38,577 in 2000.

SecaucusThe major residential project in

Secaucus is the XChange housingdevelopment, located near the Frank R.Lautenberg Rail Station near the NewJersey Turnpike. The project is devel-oped by Fraternity Meadows. Phase IIof the project opened in 2010, and fea-tures 140 market rate units and 38affordable units.

The third phase of the project, expect-

ed to be finished this year, will have 270market rate units and 48 units designat-ed as affordable housing.

Secaucus has 6,846 total housingunits, and 6,297 of them are occupied,according to Census data. Secaucus’2010 population is 16,264, which is aslight increase from 15,931 in 2000.

North Bergen andGuttenberg

Not all proposals for residential devel-opment are met with open arms.

Debate continued in January over aRiver Road property that would includea 59-unit residential development onthe cliffs in North Bergen. Appleview,LLC is proposing the five-story residen-tial building near the North Bergen bor-der with Guttenberg.

Multiple zoning variances are neededin order for construction to move for-ward. The developers originally intend-ed to build on a lot that was less thanhalf the size called for by zoning andtraversed in part by a high pressurepipeline supplying the majority of NewYork City’s natural gas.

A nearby high-rise association inGuttenberg, as well as other local resi-dents have fought the project.Residents are concerned that the pro-ject’s close proximity to the high pres-sure Transco Williams Gas Pipelinecould cause some problems in the

future. Discussions will con-tinue for this project at thecity’s Planning Board in earlyMarch.

North Bergen will soon auc-tion off three small lots along7711 – 7815 River Road,beginning at $1.7 million.They expect a developerwho owns the nearby 7601River Road to purchase thisproperty and erect 300 resi-dential units and retail space.

Urban Renewal LLC isbuilding 164 rental units andretail space on KennedyBoulevard near 56th Street.The project resurfaced in thenews in January when theBoard of Commissionersvoted on two 30-year finan-cial agreements with thecompany in lieu of regulartaxes. In order for the agree-ments to remain valid, con-struction must be completedin the next 18 months.

Development of residentialareas may become a littleeasier in North Bergen in thefuture. The Board ofCommissioners passed ageneral ordinance authoriz-ing long-term tax exemptionsin January, which will enablethe township to award retailand residential abatementsto developers who meet cer-tain criteria, such as redevel-oping a blighted area. A taxabatement is an agreementbetween a developer and amunicipality allowing thedeveloper to pay a negotiat-ed, separate fee to the cityrather than paying regulartaxes for a fixed number ofyears.

Town Administrator ChristopherPianese said in January thatsome of the tax abatementsmay help jump start develop-ment in North Bergen.

In North Bergen, 23,912housing units were countedin the 2010 Census. Over22,000 were indicated asoccupied, and 1,850 wererecorded as vacant. North

Bergen has 60,773 residents, which isup from 58,092 in the 2000 Census.

Union CityUnion City, one of the few landlocked

towns in the county, has little vacantspace, so there wasn’t much develop-ment news last year. In January, the CityCouncil passed an amendment to thecity’s rent control ordinance recognizingthat an “emergency” exists from a lackof affordable rental housing. A new ordi-nance bans landlords from withholdingavailable housing units, requiring themto report a vacancy exceeding 90 daysto the Rent Leveling Board Office.

Union City has 455 affordable housingunits, but the approximate waiting timefor someone on the waiting list is eightyears, according to a Union CityHousing Authority employee. The issuewill continue to be addressed in 2011.

The city, which now has 66,455 resi-dents, according to the 2010 Census,has a total of 24,931 housing units.22,814 of the units are recorded asoccupied. The population shows aslight decrease from the 67,088 resi-dents counted in the 2000 Census.

WeehawkenIn the waterfront city of Weehawken, a

total of 6,213 housing units were record-ed in the 2010 Census. Of those, 5,712units are occupied. Weehawken has12,554 residents, according to 2010Census data, which is a slight decreasefrom the 13,501 counted in 2000.

The main residential project inWeehawken, developed by LennarUrban and Roseland Property, is Henleyon the Hudson, a new luxury condo-minium home collection. The developerheld an event as recently as the end ofJanuary to stimulate sales. TheResidences, which opened in 2010,feature 27 single-level units in a six-story building. The new homes arepriced from the $400,000s to over $2million.

West New YorkThe highest inventory of unsold hous-

ing in Hudson County is in West NewYork, according to a recent New YorkTimes article. The inventory is meas-

MONACO READY TO OPEN – The Monaco in Jersey City, developed by the team ofRoseland Property, Garden State Development, and Hartz Mountain Industries, willfeature two 50-story rental towers including 524 residences, a 558 parking spacegarage, and 11,900 square feet of retail.

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Nearby, residents of NorthBergen continue to oppose a stripmall that would add 30,309square feet of retail space next tothe Vornado Realty Trust malldevelopment along TonnelleAvenue and 88th Street. Residentshave focused on protesting aliquor store that is proposed. Theyfear an increase in traffic, but townofficials point to an ongoing roadimprovement project that the stateis doing, which should be finishedby the end of the year.

SecaucusSecaucus stands to lose one of

its biggest companies. Panasonic,the electronics giant that currentlyleases 1 million square feet ofspace at 1 Meadowlands Parkwayfrom Hartz Mountain Industries,said last year that it might move.In order to keep it in the state, theNew Jersey Economic Develop-ment Authority has approved morethan $100 million in tax incentivesif Panasonic moves to Newark.But that didn’t sit well withSecaucus officials, who wantPanasonic to keep its 800-plusjobs in town.

The incentives are part of thestate’s Urban Transit Hub TaxCredit program, which gives taxcredits to companies that employat least 250 full-time workers andoccupy space near nine designat-ed transit communities. Newark isone of these cities. Secaucus isnot. Secaucus Mayor MichaelGonnelli, recently lost an appeal

of the decision to use the tax cred-it program.

Meanwhile, Secaucus, with itsoutlet mall, is also home to cloth-ing companies. One fashiondesigner, Alice + Olivia, hasopened a 75,000-square-footSecaucus office, bringing 50 jobsand plans to create 20 more. Thecompany got help from theBusiness Employment IncentiveProgram, which awards grants ofup to 80 percent of income taxesdue on new jobs created in thestate.

Other apparel companies likeThe Children’s Place that hadwarehoused their goods in theMeadowlands are moving tonewer, larger, cheaper digs far-ther south on the Turnpike. Someof the clothing companies havebeen replaced by food compa-nies. Apparently, there is value inproximity to New York.

Commercial real estate expertssaid that in the fourth quarter of2010, 13.7 percent of theMeadowlands’ 58 million squarefeet of leasable industrial spacewas vacant, up slightly from 12.2in the same period in 2009.

WeehawkenWhile the aforementioned UBS is

staying in Weehawken, threemuch smaller businesses thathelped give Weehawken’s ParkAvenue its distinctive entrepre-neurial energy closed their doorslate last year, unable to tough outthe brutal economy. ArtsEchoGalleria was one. The eclecticboutique and gallery sold vintageclothes, jewelry, antiques, and all

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manner of unique and charming treasures. Inthe same ’hood were Vigneto Wine and Giftsand GoodieBox Bakeshop, which operatedout of Vigneto. Both shops closed their doorslast year.

BayonneThe Bayonne waterfront is fast developing

with commercial, industrial, and residentialentities: Global Marine Terminal, CapeLiberty Cruise Port, and the Alexan Cityviewluxury rental complex, which stands in ahuge open tract within view of the windsweptlinks of the Bayonne golf course. All of themare just minutes away, yet a world apart, fromthe town of Bayonne proper, chock-a-blockwith little retail stores, restaurants, banks,and corner bars.

The perennial Bayonne development ques-tion is: what’s to become of the Depression-era Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne,which in its time has been a naval station,shipping port, and dry dock? In June of lastyear came the stunning news that the cityhad approved a deal to sell most of it to thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey tobecome a shipping port. It was shockingbecause residential housing had originallybeen planned. But the job-creation of theport project was more appealing.

Now the city and the Port Authority have todraw up specific plans for commercial oper-ations on the waterfront.

Last year also saw the opening of a mallcalled Bayonne Crossings, on route 440 withmajor big box stores.

Just outside the countyOne big project that will affect Hudson

County is just outside of Secaucus, on Route3 in East Rutherford. The unfinished $2.3 bil-lion Xanadu development project looms inthe middle of the Meadowlands like a mirageof future commercial prosperity. It wasdesigned to feature five theme-orientedshopping and entertainment districts, includ-ing a 287-foot Ferris wheel, aquarium, indoorsnow dome for skiing, two skydiving tunnels,movie theaters, chain restaurants, and up to200 stores in 2.3 million square feet of retailspace. It was also expected to add 20,000temporary jobs during the constructionphase and another 20,000 permanent jobsonce completed.

After the project ran into financial trouble, itwas saved by a corporation called TripleFive, the owner and developer ofMinnesota’s Mall of America. Late last year,the company signed a letter of intent to takeover the project. Gov. Christopher Christieencouraged the project’s rebirth.

To comment on this story on-line, go towww.hudsonrepor ter.com. Email KateRounds at krounds@hudsonreporter.com.

ured by the amount of time itwould take to sell the current “on-the-market” housing units, whichis 23.3 months in West New York,according to the report. However,the downturn isn’t stopping moredevelopment.

Roseland Properties has adver-tised a new residential building,“Building G,” for the luxury PortImperial development along thewaterfront, which is still beingplanned by the developer and willbe a rental property.

Meanwhile, the fight continuesover a proposed 22-story devel-opment at 57th Street and ParkAvenue. Developers Park TerraceLLC originally applied for a 30-story building in a 12-story zone,and then scaled their plans down.Residents are still concernedabout potential overcrowding thatwould increase traffic congestion,and filed a lawsuit in July 2010 inHudson County Superior Court.The fight over the property has notre-surfaced yet in 2011, but isexpected to be addressed onceagain this year.

In West New York, a total of20,018 residential units werecounted in the 2010 Census. Over18,800 were counted as occu-pied, and 1,166 sit vacant. WestNew York now has 49,708 resi-dents, up from 45,768 in 2000.

BayonneThe main issue for development

in Bayonne is the future of thePeninsula, a set of six develop-ment zones on 430 acres of theformer Military Ocean Terminalsite. The project was originallydesigned to be residential, but a

large portion of the land was soldlast year to the Port Authority forcommercial and container proper-ties. The issue will continue to beaddressed in 2011.

Elsewhere in the city, plans areunderway for the eventual open-ing of a 99-unit residential build-ing at the former Maidenform fac-tory. The development, beingcompleted by Silklofts LLC, at142-180 Avenue E, receivedPlanning Board approval last year.It is intended to one day be a res-idential community with business-es and spaces for social activi-ties.

Bayonne has 63,024 residents,according to 2010 Census data,which is a slight increase from the61,842 residents in 2000. The cityhas 27,799 total housing units,with 25,237 reported as occupied.

Looking aheadSome analysts see a rebounding

economy and a future upbeat realestate market on the horizon,while others fear more foreclo-sures are on the way. HudsonCounty has recently stayed aheadof the curve in real estate devel-opment due to the close proximityto Manhattan and the compara-tively lower prices. Regardless ofthe economy, this area continuesto be a draw due to the multipletransportation options, nightlife,recreation, and Manhattan skylineviews.

To comment on this story on-line,go to www.hudsonreporter.com.Email Ray Smith at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com.

Blue Ribbon aside, the high school is in the midst ofexpansion. It hopes to complete an extension on itsfront side which would enlarge the space for the col-lege center, main office, and nurse’s office, butprogress has been delayed.

The district is in talks to expand its autistic program,which currently includes kindergarten and first grade.

SecaucusLike many districts, the Secaucus School District

made anti-bullying programs a priority this year. Theyoffered two anti-bullying programs in 12 months, withthe most recent one unveiled at an assembly inOctober. The program included videos, informationfrom legal experts, and personal testimonies fromadults who were either harassed as children or whohave seen the impact bullying has had on victims’lives.

The district has also stepped up efforts to educatestudents about depression, stress, and available sup-port systems for overwhelmed teens.

Union CityA few months ago, Union City was one of three cities

nationally to receive the Resilience and RecoveryInitiative grant furnished by the Substance Abuse andMental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Alocal health agency will receive $5 million over thecourse of four years to run it. Through the grant, thedistrict’s children – and residents in general – will beeligible for long-awaited support counseling and serv-ices.

The district has also added eight full-time staff mem-bers to address substance abuse and depression inelementary schools, middle schools, the ninth gradeacademy, and the high school.

The Union City School District may suffer a blow,however, with the New Jersey Senate Republicans’proposal to roll back state-funded full-day preschoolin urban districts. Christie failed to endorse the meas-ure in his budget address, but no one knows whetherit could still rear its head in some form.

WeehawkenThe district, recently named as a “high performing

district” by the New Jersey State Department of

Education will benefit from a new technology system,Learnia. The system will track the progress – and ana-lyze student strengths and weaknesses – of studentsgrade three through eight by documenting studenttest grades and class performance through onlinetests given throughout the year.

West New YorkThe district received a new superintendent last year:

John Fauta. Now they will soon welcome new con-struction. West New York’s Harry L. Bain SchoolElementary School will receive funding for a newbuilding after being selected as one of the 10 schoolsin New Jersey to benefit from a state investment of$584 million under Gov. Christopher Christie’srevamped School Development Authority construc-tion program.

In other school construction news, the district plansto acquire the old St. Joseph’s of the PalisadesElementary School building on Palisade Avenue toexpand Memorial High School. Also, the new PublicSchool No. 3 is nearing completion. That school isanticipated to open next September.

Higher-learning programs were recently instituted atMemorial High School, such as college-credit cours-es offered through a partnership with SyracuseUniversity. MHS Principal Scott Cannao said theschool is looking to add more affiliate universities inthe near future. The organizers of MHS’ “Tomorrow’sTeachers” education program also hope that their stu-dents can get college credit for taking it.

Trends across the boardArguably the biggest trend this school year has

been the push for anti-bullying programs throughoutall districts.

After New Jersey lawmakers approved the toughestanti-bullying legislation of its kind in the nation inNovember, schools have conducted anti-bullyingassemblies and implemented anti-bulling measures inthe classroom and school hallways.

Another trend, “going green” has been tremendous-ly popular among Hudson County Schools. The NorthBergen Board of Education placed solar panels on sixof its seven public schools, with the help of more than$1.4 million in grants.

Bayonne continues to benefit from grants awardedto two Bayonne teachers from Public Service Gas &Electric to continue their environmentally progressiveclass work, which include a “Rock N’ Renew

Community Garden” and an outdoorclassroom.

A few months ago in Hoboken, agroup of middle school students fromAll Saints Episcopal School took“going green” to a new level by meet-ing with Mayor Dawn Zimmer, councilmembers, and city directors to pro-pose a plastic bag ban in the city.

Another huge trend was the “retool-ing” of classrooms with advancededucational technology. Guttenberg’sAnna L. Klein School – its sole school–has installed SMART boards, which

can be used as a white board or a computer screen,in 33 of its 44 classrooms.

The Secaucus School District, too, continues toplace emphasis on technology, with its shift to onlinelesson plans and improvements made to the schoolsystem’s fiber optic system.

Hudson CountyThe county hopes to someday build a new main

campus for the Hudson County Schools ofTechnology – a group of countywide public schools –in Secaucus, and close the existing campuses inNorth Bergen and Jersey City. However, they maykeep a satellite campus in Jersey City.

The project hinges on approval from the town ofSecaucus and the state, as well as up to $199 millionin funding.

Under current plans, a new campus would be builtin Laurel Hill Park, a county-owned park.

Hudson County Schools Superintendent FrankGargiulo unveiled the latest plans for the vocationalproject to the unanimous endorsement of the HudsonCounty Freeholders in early January.

Gargiulo has already approached the New JerseyDepartment of Education and the state SchoolsDevelopment Authority for project approval and fund-ing of the project. He hopes to get about 70 percent,or $139 million, from the state under state funding for-mulas for vocational school construction projects inthe past. The remaining $50 million would have beenoffset either by the sale of the North Bergen andJersey City sites or covered by county taxpayers.

Gargiulo’s presentation at a Jan. 25 Secaucus TownCouncil meeting received an initial favorable nod bySecaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, but he wasrequested to come back when an audience of resi-dents was present.

HCCCMeanwhile, Hudson County Community College’s

new North Hudson Higher Education Center in UnionCity, which has been under construction since thespring of 2009, is scheduled to open this spring, withclasses to begin in the fall.

The $28.1 million structure is the largest constructionever undertaken by HCCC and is being billed as “acomplete campus under one roof.”

The new building, located along Kennedy Boulevardand just steps away from the 49th Street Light RailStation, marks the first institute of higher learning with-in Union City limits. It will replace the current center inWest New York.

Due to skyrocketing HCCC enrollment, the schoolhas also been implementing a $147.7 million physicaldevelopment plan. Future plans include a welcomecenter with computer stations at the Journal SquarePATH Station, the development of the entire block onSip Avenue to include classrooms and a library, and aclassroom center in the southern part of the county.

To comment on this story on-line, go to www.hudsonreporter.com. Email Deanna Cullen at dcullen@hudsonreporter.com.

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formerly the site of the Cognis/Henkel chem-ical plant, to turn it into a park.

And Ursa Development, a company thathas built housing in the city’s NorthwestRedevelopment Zone, is seeking to build anew park and additionally housing in thatpart of town if the city approves a new pro-posal of theirs. They discussed their planwith a City Council subcommittee in lateFebruary.

Further south, Zimmer has said that the cityhopes to put artificial turf on the MamaJohnson Field near the Housing Authoritybuildings in the 4th Ward. The site needsremediation first.

Families have been waiting for a major newpark on the south waterfront. Pier C Park, offSinatra Drive between Third and Fourthstreets, was partially opened in November of2010, but various construction delays held itup, including concerns about how hot theslides will become in the sun. Officials haveslated the opening of the rest of the park forthis spring.

NB/Gutt: Waiting forfunding for new park

A waterfront park along River Road over-looking the Hudson River has been in thedesign phase now for years, but officials saythat this is because of their search for fund-ing.

The project started as a Guttenberg parkafter the town purchased land from develop-er K. Hovnanian for $1.2 million. The townthen received a $192,000 state Green Acresgrant and a $400,000 Hudson County OpenSpace Trust Fund grant. The town borrowedan additional $800,000 to go forward with theproject.

However, when it became apparent that K.Hovnanian would not be developing residen-tial units on their North Bergen land north oftheir Guttenberg parcels, that meant moreland was available, so the two towns workedtogether to create a joint park.

The North Bergen Commissionersapproved and purchased land at 7200 RiverRoad in July 2010 from K. Hovnanian for$1,620,000. Then in January they received$1,835,000 from the Hudson County TrustFund.

PARKS from page 8

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North Bergen

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Mayor Nicholas J. SaccoCommissioners

Allen Pascual Hugo Cabrera Frank Gargiulo Theresa Ferraro

North Bergen now awaits the decisionon a $927,742 state Green Acres grantapplication, which would be put towardconstruction.

Once the funding is finally assembled,the two communities will create an inter-local agreement, accept bids for anarchitect and engineer, a plan will bedeveloped, and construction couldbegin. Guttenberg is now consideringputting its funds toward the architectand engineer while North Bergen seeksmore grants.

Secaucus rec centerslashing membership

costWith membership numbers falling and

costs increasing, Secaucus announcedin January that it will be cutting itsRecreation Center membership rates.

The Recreation Center, which openedat 1200 Koelle Boulvard in Dec. 2008,had 1,811 members in December,down from one year earlier when itsmembership peaked at 2,300. It is onlyopen to local residents. At the sametime, the facility lost $538,311 in 2009and $681,090 in 2010.

Meanwhile, last year the townreopened its former recreation centersite at 145 Front St. as a teen and sen-ior center with the help of $40,000 indonations from local area businesses.

WNY dog park slatedfor spring

After complaints that the VerrazanoDog Park at 66th Street and J.F.K.Boulevard East was a smelly mess dueto drainage problems, a new andimproved version is slated to open this

spring. In January, $85,000 was desig-nated for the project.

Due to its construction over an old ten-nis court, the dog park retained waterand dog urine, which created healthconcerns and complaints about fleas,bacteria, and the stench.

The plan calls for digging up the exist-ing surface, increasing the park areafrom 4,000 square feet to 7,2000 squarefeet, improving drainage, and encasingit with a new fence. The other amenitiesinclude dog exercise components suchas weave poles, hoops, and two waterfountains.

Union CityThe Washington Park Association

(WPA), a group of volunteers in supportof Washington Park near the Union Cityand Jersey City borders, has beenworking with Union City and the Hudson

County Parks Department on a designfor a proposed multi-purpose syntheticturf field.

The 21-acre park spans both cities.However a parcel of land known asPark No. 3 is under the stewardship ofUnion City, with the other three underthe county’s responsibility.

The field is slated to be funded with a$500,000 grant from the HudsonCounty Open Space Trust Fund and willbe finalized over the next year.

Two passive parks inWeehawken

According to Mayor Richard Turner,two new passive parks are on the wayin Weehawken.

On J.F.K. Boulevard East, theAmerican Legion is working in conjunc-tion with the town to construct a half-acre park with $48,000 in Green Acresfunding.

The town is also creating a 25-by-100foot park along an old church in theShades area in town. This is being fund-ed by $40,000 in left over money fromother grant projects.

Turner said both should be completedby the end of August.

To comment on this story on-line, go towww.hudsonreporter.com. Email TriciaTirella at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com

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