Sinatra Park should just go away

Today, where finances are tight and the future of the economy is uncertain – there comes a time when you just have to pull the plug on bleeding projects like this fruity Sinatra Park debacle currently taking place at City Hall.

For one thing – something doesn’t sound right about recent events regarding the field. Apparently, there was another “collapse” a couple months ago, and only now did the city come out with a long-winded explanation (along with back-handed attempts to “blame” the previous administration.) However, the engineering company working on this project – also helped build the damn thing!

What we may have here is a sophisticated way for a city contractor to weasel millions of property taxpayer dollars for themselves. In other words, we may be getting duped.

Walk away! Wait till times are better

As it stands now, if the city proceeds to try and rehabilitate this soccer field – the project may not be complete for another three to five years, and costs tens of millions of dollars MORE. Money the city doesn’t have, and with much higher priority needs around town (roads, public safety, and other infrastructure).

This entire section should just get torn down to its natural shoreline – and at most – ensure that a safe walkway is maintained.

As you will witness if this project is permitted to continue with the aggressive scope creep, and other so-called “sudden” discoveries and startling revelations – it will put a GIANT fiscal dent on Hoboken’s balance sheet, and potentially hurt all property tax payers.

Cut your losses and move on. We’ll survive without this space, as we have already over the past few years.

Hoboken waterfront repairs delayed for political purposes?

5/26/2012 Update:

While some parts of the sprawling Hoboken waterfront pathways have improved recently thanks to more capable entities like Hudson County and Toll Brothers (i.e., the new walkway to Weehawken and the Hudson Tea repairs) – other parts remain in disarray, or have long, drawn out debacles surrounding them, with finger-pointing and excuses. Is this done by design?

Right out of the “Politics 101″ handbook, some Hoboken residents feel that major repairs or additions are “timed” on purpose to coincide with political elections. They thought that former Mayor Dave Roberts played that game – and now Dawn Zimmer is said to be doing the same thing.

The repairs to the walkway sections along Sinatra Drive will not be ready for residents to enjoy this summer, but wow – just in time to make happy bullet point propaganda for next year’s election cycle. Such a shame that residents are purposely made to suffer just for the potential political gain of others.

Uptown path by Hudson Tea completed

5/21/2012 Update:

In case you didn’t make it uptown recently – the sinking portion of the walkway near the Hudson Tea Building was completed and re-opened last week. Joy to the world!

Uptown walkway closed, repairs progressing…

2/25/2012 Update:

Here’s a six-month checkup on the collapsed walkway near the Hudson Tea Building. We can probably blame this one on Hurricane Irene (or shoddy contractors). Your pick.

Maybe we’ll have a fully-functional walkway this summer? For perhaps one week before the next chunk falls into the Hudson?

Wind damages tree & pier along uptown Hoboken waterfront

9/5/2011 Update:

In the Hoboken Hurricane Irene Poll, over 75% of respondents thought the storm would collapse another part of the waterfront. Luckily for us, that didn’t happen!

But part of the uptown waterfront near the Hudson Tea Building was damaged enough to require the area to be fenced off. Wind pushed one of these trees violently enough to cause the tree to tip, and a portion of the walkway surrounding it to start caving in.

Waterfront a costly premium in Hoboken

1/18/2011 Update:

Boswell Engineering issued a report – saying that it’s going to cost at least another $20 Million to repair Hoboken’s waterfront walkways – and possibly more to come.

Have you seen your tax bill lately? You might want to frame it for good memories.

Uptown waterfront walkway taken care of

3/17/2010 Update:

In case you were wondering what the status of the crumbling waterfront walkway near the Hudson Tea Building was – well, it was quickly patched up and back to normal.

Another Brick in the… River

2/23/2010 Update:

Back in September, when the Sinatra Field walkway started getting swallowed up – we discussed what will be the NEXT part to collapse?

Well, as you can see from the poll below – I had the foresight to include the walkway around the Hudson Tea Building. Now while this sinking area near 15th and Garden is not as catastrophic as other collapses – it’s just a few bricks around what appears to be a stable piling – you can guess that the City Council will propose millions of dollars worth of bonding to repair it!

OK – if you haven’t voted yet – What’s Next?

9/24/2009:

Hoboken411 readers picked City Hall as the next item to collapse in Hoboken – tsk, tsk – and picked the HTB sixth! Come on, folks! Take a walk around a bit more!

I still think the area north of the Gazebo looks like it’s slanting pretty bad – and may be next!

The next part of Hoboken to collapse will be:

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With this week’s pier collapse at Sinatra Park – thought it’d be a good time to remind folks of some other collapses since Hoboken411 began…

hoboken-waterfront-collapsing

Hopefully fixed soon – but what’s next?

The city said yesterday that they’ll be checking into the other piers that have collapsed – but while we wait for this whole process to play out, take a guess as to what the next area to sink into the Hudson River will be!

hoboken-collapsing-waterfront-near-gazebo-sinatra-driver

Hoboken NJ

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