Hoboken floods. It is simply a fact of life, learned or experienced by living in Hoboken.
In years past, many upperclassmen, especially those off campus, can recall events that crippled the city: Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irene, the numerous flash thunderstorms that rapidly flood vast regions of Hoboken.
In 2006, the City of Hoboken did a study to assess a section of Hoboken known as the Westen Edge, located between 9th Street and 14th Street along the Light Rail at the northwestern edge of Hoboken. The study showed that the Western Edge was an “Area in Need of Redevelopment”, and as per the NJ Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, boundaries were created for it, and plans began being developed to renovate the area.
In 2008, a plan was produced to redesign the area, but the community was displeased with the outcome of the plans. In did not include the residents’ concerns or valid stakeholders in any project in the area. The proposed plans were shunted because they included several tall buildings and lacked a community center that residents of the area could use.
After several redesigns, a new plan has gathered steam and will be moving forward sometime soon.
This new plan addresses the community’s interests and also has an extra bonus: flood mitigation systems.
The Western Edge Redevelopment plan incorporates several new park locations, and they all include “Bio-swale tree lawns”. These “Bio-swales”, in concept, will be designed to look very similar to the trees planted along Washington Street, but will be sloped towards a long, grated drain that will move all excess rainwater into a large detention basin under the streets and parks. This detention basin would retain the water and gradually return it to the City’s existing stormwater system after a certain period of time. Of course, plans could change, but this innovative way to store rainwater will greatly help this section of Hoboken, which saw a few feet of water during Hurricane Sandy.
The Western Edge Development is not just a chance to upgrade the stormwater system of a low-elevation section of Hoboken, it is also a part of a huge redevelopment plan for most of Hoboken.
Hoboken’s Western Edge has much to still be decided upon, but after a community vote, a large population of the people want either 5-7 story buildings (549 votes) or 1-4 story buildings (440 votes). Additionally, recreational sections are sure to appear; which could include dog parks, children’s playgrounds, public plazas, or just plain, multi-use lawns.
The city selected Maser Consulting to prepare plans by June 2014, and construction is expected to start soon, especially now that the City Council has a better idea of what the population wants after a public meeting on August 20.
The Western Edge will be getting a well-needed reconstruction soon, and citizens of Hoboken, as well as Stevens Students, will benefit from this new construction project.
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