Is a 25-story development project appropriate for the Garage B site? Hoboken Council will decide Wed. night March 19

Let your elected officials know how you feel: send an email or text today or speak on the 19th

Planning Board determines that redevelopment plan is out of scale with surrounding neighborhood and thus conflicts with Hoboken’s Master Plan

FBW’s public opinion survey shows strong preference for low to mid-rise development and opposition to 25-story buildings at the Garage B site

Charts from FBW’s opinion survey conducted this past week for the Garage B Redevelopment Plan.

FBW | March 18, 2025

This massive municipal parking garage, bounded by First, Hudson, Second and River Streets, has a capacity to park about 810 cars. It is 53 years old and engineers have determined that its deteriorated condition requires it to be rebuilt or rehabilitated to extend its usable life. At the March 3rd Council meeting, this Garage B Redevelopment ordinance passed by a 4 to 3 vote. Council members Russo, Ramos, Jabbour and Quintero voting to approve and Doyle, Fisher and Presinzano voting in opposition.

You can help to defeat this project that is clearly out of scale and character with this Hoboken neighborhood by sending a message to City Council members. Below is a link to the contact information for the 8 Council representatives. You also have an opportunity to speak prior to the Council’s vote during the public hearing at the beginning of the Wednesday night meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.

Contact your Council representatives

Planning Board determines that Garage B Redevelopment Plan does not conform to the scale of the surrounding neighborhood and thus conflicts with Hoboken’s Master Plan

At its Monday night meeting, the Hoboken Planning Board reviewed the Garage B Redevelopment Plan in consultation with its professional planner George Williams of the Nishuane Group. A lively and thoughtful discussion ensued with planning board commissioners raising issues about the proposed 250 foot building heights in relation to buildings in the surrounding neighborhood.

Commissioner Jim Doyle, who is also City Council President, stated that the proposed affordable and workforce housing is a laudable goal but needs to be balanced with issues of scale and the existing bulk standards in adjacent zoning districts. Commissioner Lea Cloud, an architect, pointed out that most of the buildings facing the waterfront were 12 to 14 stories, far below the proposed 250 feet which is about 25 stories. She said the intent of the Master Plan was to create new development that is in harmony with bulk standards in the area. Commissioner Tom Jacobson added that isolating the Garage B block from the remainder of the designated redevelopment area was problematic in that there was a need for a comprehensive plan. Several commissioners pointed out that the height limits set for Garage B would clearly set a precedent for future development of the area.

Mr. Doyle pointed out that the 1960s redevelopment of the Marine View Towers and 3 municipal parking garages represented the misguided thinking of that time and should not be repeated. He also asked Mr. Williams, “Did the fact that the area had been previously designated as a redevelopment area — the 1967 Hudson Street Urban Renewal Plan and later the River Street Redevelopment Plan — pose a legal problem for this current redevelopment ordinance?” The planner did not know the answer to this question.

After a thorough review and discussion, the Planning Board passed a motion by a 7 to 1 vote stating that they found the redevelopment plan to be in conflict with the Master Plan. Knowing that the City Council would take up the issue on the 19th, they worked on finalizing the wording of a resolution to be submitted to the City Council that was approved by the same 7 commissioners.

FBW’s public opinion survey shows strong preference for low to mid-rise development and opposition to 25-story buildings at the Garage B site

The Bhalla administration has been pushing through this plan without a robust public process. In creating the City’s Garage B Redevelopment Plan, the City failed to conduct a survey soliciting input from the public. So FBW conducted a survey of its own. 118 people have responded so far.

By every measure, people preferred building heights that were far below the 25-story mark. 37 percent chose 5 stories. 23 percent chose 8 to 10 stories. 16 percent preferred 12-14 stories. Most people gave the highest priority to low-rise buildings and gave high-rise buildings the lowest priority.

When asked if new development should be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood 76% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with this statement.

When asked if the redevelopment plan should include the north side of Hudson Street, across the street from Garage B plus the other two municipal garage sites on Hudson, 65 percent agreed or strongly agreed. Another 15 percent had no opinion.

On the importance of providing affordable and workforce housing, most respondents ranked it as the highest priority and the fewest respondents ranked it as the lowest priority.

The question of what to do with Garage B sparked a divided response. Most respondents — 28 percent — thought the existing facility should be rehabilitated. While 28 percent wanted a bigger garage, another 18 percent wanted to eliminate the parking garage altogether. 11 percent wanted to build a smaller garage. The Garage B Redevelopment Plan has proposed to rebuild the garage to its current capacity of about 810 cars, an option that 17 percent of respondents selected.

Related Docs

Garage B Redevelopment Plan