Community Input Sought on Southwest Park, Washington Street Redesign

A pair of community workshops at the Multi Service Center later this month will provide residents a chance to weigh in on the first phase of a proposed Southwest Park and a redesign of Washington Street, the city announced Tuesday.

The first meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., will focus on the Southwest Park, which took a step closer to becoming a reality in October when the city acquired an approximately one-acre property on Jackson Street in southwest Hoboken.

Bounded by Jackson Street to the east, Observer Highway to the south, Harrison Street to the west, and Paterson Avenue to the north, the parcel of land is expected to be the first of many western Hoboken land acquisitions and serve as the cornerstone in the administration's vision for a larger Southwest Park, Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in October.

The second public workshop, which will lay out the Complete Streets redesign of Washington Street, is set for Monday, Dec. 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The redesign comes on the heels of the city's 2010 adoption of a Complete Streets policy, which requires that roadways offer safe and convenient access for all pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

“Washington Street is already nationally recognized as a ‘Great Street,’ but we know it can be improved,” Zimmer said in a statement. “Whether it’s safer pedestrian crossings, green stormwater management, or smart technologies to improve parking and public transit, we want to hear the community’s vision and priorities for making Washington Street an even greater street.”

Residents who can't attend either meeting, but would still like to offer their ideas on the proposed projects can do so on the city's website at www.hobokennj.org/swpark and www.hobokennj.org/washingtonstreet.