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Embankment Tracks Issue 6, March 11, 2008
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| Issue 6, March 11, 2008 |
Embankment Tracks The Newsletter of the Embankment Preservation Coalition |
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Mayor
Healy
Speaks
Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy has been a strong supporter of Embankment preservation. Envisioning
a
livable, sustainable city, he opposes the introduction of
thousands more motor vehicles
into 
the Downtown,
as would result from plans such as the SLH Properties concept
noted in an item below. We asked him to say a word
to our members.
_________________
I
am pleased to have this opportunity to address your organization, which
has worked so passionately for the preservation of the Sixth Street
Embankment as open space and the continuation of the East Coast
Greenway.
The
Embankment was originally constructed more than a hundred years ago as
a transportation line, but now, as a conduit for public mass
transportation via the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, it will be
used to transport people instead of freight. It is a noble plan
that we have put forth to move people into and out of Jersey City
without the use of cars, which clog our streets, pollute our air, and
increase our dependence on foreign oil.
And
we will be doing this while preserving a walking and biking path for
open space, which is so vital for the community. Without the
efforts and actions of the Embankment Coalition, we would not have been
able to accomplish what we have thus far with regard to preserving the
Embankment. For this, we thank you. - Sincerely, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy | |
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The Saga Continues . . .
New STB Decision, Federal Appeals, Developer Moves
On December 17, 2007, the Surface Transportation Board
(STB) once again rejected the claims of SLH Properties. SLH,
which seeks to develop the Harsimus Branch Embankment
site, had petitioned the STB to reconsider
its August 2007 decision, in which it said the Embankment remained
part of the national rail system. See the full Petition for Reconsideration decision.
Despite the STB decisions, Conrail and SLH continue to press their goals on many fronts.
They have appealed the original STB decision to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Meanwhile, Conrail
has notified the Mayor of Jersey City, County Executive, and State
Historic Preservation Office that it will be requesting STB
permission to abandon the Harsimus Branch, as well as another nearby
line, the Hudson Street Industrial Track.
SLH continues a lobbying effort with the Mayor and City
Council to end litigation and support radical rezoning of the
historic site. The developer portrays its new concept as one
that would preserve the structure. (See item below for our reaction to
the new proposal.) To clarify the facts, the
Coalition flew our federal rail attorney, Mr. Charles Montange,
here to explain in detail the status of the federal case and to answer
any questions they might have.
Mr. Hyman, the principal of SLH, and members of his team
also met in December with the Coalition and its attorney to
discuss common ground. We are always open to ideas, but
believe Mr. Hyman's proposal to build 1500 units atop the historic
structures is a nonstarter. It would destroy the historic site
itself, foreclose the possibility of the corridor's use for mass
transit, compromise the National Historic Districts to either
side, and detract from residential areas to east and west outside
the historic districts. | |
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SLH Team Addresses Council and HPC with Two Different Plans; Coalition Responds
In November, Steven Hyman of SLH Properties and his
consultants presented a new Embankment development concept to the City
Council. His proposal was widely reported in the Jersey Journal and Jersey City Reporter.
At
the same time that SLH was circulating its new proposal, it was also
pursuing Embankment demolition permits before the City Historic
Preservation Commission (HPC). Noting that the federal
Surface Transportation Board had exclusive jurisdiction over the
property, the HPC dismissed these applications at its December 17
meeting.
On
December 17, the City Council coincidentally gave the Coalition an
opportunity to respond to the new SLH development proposal. We
presented our concept for park, greenway, and reserved strip for
future light rail. Moreover, we interpreted what Mr. Hyman's
Embankment towers, which his architect suggested would be virtually
"invisible," would mean to the Embankment structure and the National
Historic Districts. One of our views is below.
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Reader's Corner
Our
friend and Coalition member David sends us thoughtful articles on many
topics. Here's one by Lester Brown, president of the
Earth Policy Institute: Designing Cities for People.
Preservation NJ,
the statewide historic preservation nonprofit that campaigns for
"Someplace...not Anyplace," featured the Embankment in its
Fall/Winter Newsletter. New members may be especially interested
in the summary of the Coalition's efforts, available in a text-only
version on Preservation NJ's website.
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Embankment Preservation Coalition | 495 Monmouth Street | Jersey City | NJ | 07302
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