hobojoe wrote:
homeworld wrote:
Why is redevelopment of the rail yards a bad thing?
Observer Highway is a pretty crappy corridor that could use some sprucing up.
100 years ago, the construction of Grand Central Terminal and burying the rail yard turned the area into the most desirable commercial office district of Manhattan.
Because in Hoboken’s case it is going to be redevelopment OVER the rail yards. This means at a minimum, there will be a 20-25 foot tall base erected before anything even gets built above it. “Corridor” is the right word for what Observer Highway will become – nothing but a dark, narrow hallway.
The tracks aren’t going to be buried here. They would then be underwater.
Great explanation Joe. This is just a really bad idea all around.
]]>plywood wrote:
So what now do we tell the person who has owned an undeveloped plot of land for years, or even minutes? Other people could develop, but YOU have to hold it to five stories or less with no parking, mass transit will catch up as soon as the market demands?
Zoning ordinances must adapt & change. If we stopped building parking, there would be no expectation that one could move here & use a car for every excursion – just like Manhattan.
When zoning changes occur, they are supposed to be applied to projects after the ordinance is passed, not during the application process as that would be “spot zoning”, highly illegal (& what was done at 9th & Castle Point)
]]>In that case, if you don’t like it, “don’t move here” has laid the groundwork for “if you don’t like it, sell your home and move away”? And those who get screwed, get screwed. Nice.
My earlier posts (#15. etc) were in the interest of an equitable balance. And yes, I realize that the coming oil crash will eventually end this debate anyway. And without drastic action on greenhouse gases this town will be underwater anyway. But the march to the future should take ALL residents into account. It’s going to take a while to turn this historical page, and the road is difficult.
]]>plywood wrote:
Indie- let’s face it, We are across the river from NYC, not out in the sticks. More housing units are going to be built in this town. Some of these projects will be massive. Some of these people will have cars. We need ground rules that respect the norms of the existing town.
NYC built residential towers over sub-terranean parking garages from the 1950’s through the mid 1960’s. Eventually they woke up to the reality that they had created a parking demand where none had existed and the expectation that Manhattan residents could drive & park anywhere — all this in a place with plenty of mass transit. They realized their mistake & stopped building those and we should too. Lack of on-site parking is not a deal-breaker provided there are other options.
We should invest in better mass transit throughout the city and not allow any residential development to occur on this site – that designation is in our zoning ordinance anyway.
]]>homeworld wrote:
Why is redevelopment of the rail yards a bad thing?
Observer Highway is a pretty crappy corridor that could use some sprucing up.
100 years ago, the construction of Grand Central Terminal and burying the rail yard turned the area into the most desirable commercial office district of Manhattan.
Do you really want a giant wall of buildings there? You do get that the only way they can justify the expense of building a platform over the tracks is to build some massive structures that will tower over all of Hoboken, right? They will make the W look like a tiny building when they are done w/ all that construction.
I say don’t change the zoning at all, that way they can’t justify building squat. Plenty of land in Hoboken that can be developed w/o putting up high-rises that blot out the sun.
]]>IndieCom wrote:
our best hope is to try and swing the pendulum as far in the opposite direction as possible. They are starting at 75+ story towers. We need to start at no change at all.
Maybe if we start at requiring all development to be subterranean…
Don’t forget one more card held by NJT – they are going to “solve” our flooding problem… if we allow them to build up more. You know, like a developer give-back, i.e. something promised but never delivered.
Several of our bold and capable leaders are already on board with NJT, though they won’t admit it yet, even though they’ve likely already spent the money.
]]>homeworld wrote:
Why is redevelopment of the rail yards a bad thing?
Observer Highway is a pretty crappy corridor that could use some sprucing up.
100 years ago, the construction of Grand Central Terminal and burying the rail yard turned the area into the most desirable commercial office district of Manhattan.
Because in Hoboken’s case it is going to be redevelopment OVER the rail yards. This means at a minimum, there will be a 20-25 foot tall base erected before anything even gets built above it. “Corridor” is the right word for what Observer Highway will become – nothing but a dark, narrow hallway.
The tracks aren’t going to be buried here. They would then be underwater.
]]>Observer Highway is a pretty crappy corridor that could use some sprucing up.
100 years ago, the construction of Grand Central Terminal and burying the rail yard turned the area into the most desirable commercial office district of Manhattan.
]]>