Long-Awaited Improvements at Hoboken’s Waterfront Anticipated by End of 2027

FBW | March 12, 2026

Castle Point Park Reopens

After a year-long closure, Hoboken’s central waterfront is open again. The reconstruction of 777 linear feet of bulkhead along Castle Point recently wrapped up, allowing the public to return to Castle Point Park. Crews replaced the walkway pavers, refurbished and reinstalled the metal railings, and removed barricades that had barred pedestrian access since April 2025.

For now, traffic on Sinatra Drive remains restricted to a single northbound lane, creating a wide, temporary promenade for pedestrians, runners, and cyclists to enjoy, in addition to the restored walkway.

Rebuilding the Bulkhead

A major sinkhole that appeared on Sinatra Drive near the skate park in June 2024 triggered an investigation into the condition of Hoboken’s shoreline structures. Marine engineers from Colliers Engineering used divers, ground-penetrating radar, and geotechnical borings to assess the bulkhead—portions dating back to an early 1900s wooden seawall–protecting the shoreline from the Hudson River’s strong currents. Their findings revealed substantial deterioration.

In response, the City approved a $30 million bond in 2025 and hired Simpson & Brown for the reconstruction. Phase One, covering Castle Point, is now complete and features a new concrete bulkhead reinforced with steel pipe and sheet pilings. Phase Two will address sections near Fourth Street by Sinatra Park and around Monarch Pier at Shipyard Lane and Fifteenth Street.

Sinatra Drive Project

With the bulkhead rebuilt, construction of the revamped Sinatra Drive—from 4th to 11th Street—will soon begin. The redesign includes a 12‑foot-wide, two‑way protected bike route connecting to the South Waterfront bike path, narrower traffic lanes to calm vehicle speeds, and a double row of canopy trees extending the tree‑lined character of existing park segments to the south.

A 25-foot portion of the former Union Dry Dock property will be incorporated into the design, making room for both the protected bikeway and wider sidewalks in an area long constrained for pedestrians and cyclists. The project is fully funded with a $1.2 million grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and an additional $1.8 million in federal funds in 2023.

Initially launched 12 years ago under Mayor Dawn Zimmer, the Sinatra Drive Project stalled before design completion. Fund for a Better Waterfront (FBW) has since continued advocating for a greener, safer, and more connected central waterfront. The reimagined roadway aims to transform the once barren Castle Point stretch into a livelier, tree-filled space more like the City’s award‑winning South Waterfront.

Maritime Park Phase 1

One of the most anticipated projects is Maritime Park, to be built on the 3.15‑acre former Union Dry Dock site. This park represents one of the final links in the continuous public waterfront first proposed by FBW in 1990.

After NY Waterway purchased the dry dock site in November 2017, years of conflict followed. FBW initially worked closely with the City and civic groups to defeat NY Waterway’ proposed ferry maintenance/refueling facility. In a 2022 deal negotiated through the governor’s office, the City acquired the property from NY Waterway. The agreement required the City to lease most of the property back to NY Waterway until its new Weehawken facility is complete.