Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association Responses from Mayoral Candidate L. Harvey Smith GENERAL How do you see the PAD best contributing to Jersey City? PAD can be a great advocate for arts and artist and other affordable housing Downtown and across the city. DEVELOPMENT Were you aware that Mayor Healy's administration radically amended the PAD redevelopment plan April, 2008 to accommodate the development goals of national homebuilder Toll Brothers despite overwhelming citizen outcry? Yes. Are you aware the extent of these amendments as listed below? (see original questionnaire for list) If you were elected to office what would you do about these amendments? These amendments are clearly not in the best interests of the surrounding community and represent an abandonment by the Healy administration. We would look at every one of them and fight to eliminate provisions that are contrary to the original plan and negatively impact the immediate surrounding community. Currently there are four developments that have had final site plan approval since 2005. They have not broken ground despite there's being a major building boom at that time. It is widely supposed that the developers of these sites were waiting to see what Toll brothers" got" in order to then demand the same for themselves (elimination of affordable housing, greater density and height, demolition of warehouses). How will you address these developers? It is my opinion that developers on the waterfront have had a free ride for the last four years and must be required to do more for Downtown, in terms of being a responsible neighbor, and for the rest of the city. While some believe Downtown is not "at capacity" I believe that Downtown development has already had a negative impact on traffic, parking and other quality of life issues. What steps will you take to ensure the Powerhouse is maintained and does not sink into further disrepair than it already has? Will you actively lobby for its development during your administration? If so, what steps will you take to secure the funding and consensus so that it is developed? I believe the Powerhouse is a city landmark that should be first brought under city control and then, ultimately, allowed to serve independently as the centerpiece for future development of parks and other open spaces. We need to see ourselves as a world-class city that can support the creation of arts institutions that bring tourism and other economic development to our city. The answer to our problems is not another skyscraper. QUALITY OF LIFE The Powerhouse Arts District currently has no street cleaning services from the city. In addition, there are many unoccupied warehouses and lots with private owners that are currently covered with trash (around the Butler Brothers Building, Manischewitz and Caputo Lots, lots on First Street) and graffiti. Currently we have individual members of our neighborhood organization calling owners to request they clean up; as a group, we organize neighborhood cleanups at least twice a year. Neither of these methods has proved satisfactory in keeping our neighborhood clean. What will you do to rectify these issues? After any heavy rain, the neighborhood is filled with the odors that emanate from the combined storm/sanitary sewer. Although the city constantly claims that there is adequate capacity in the system, it is not clear that this so. An additional problem with the sewers is the existence of hexavalent chromium which was used as fill under the sewer lines along Warren and Bay Streets. What would you do as mayor to address the concerns that the sewer system might not be adequate to support all of the new development, and the further concern that new development in the area will potentially expose, disturb, and spread a dangerous contaminant? This is a serious issue. Our city's infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate at an alarming rate. I believe that we must consider the impact of any new development on sewer system and other city resources. We have allowed developers to have their way with our city with no concern for the impact. In my administration we will make sure that developers pay their fair share, and that they are brought into a problem-solving effort that requires more of them. I will not allow dangerous contaminants to further pollute our environment and put us all in danger. OPEN SPACE The Powerhouse Arts District has virtually no public parkland/open space. Do you support open space initiatives? How would you propose to bring more open space in to this district? First, let's preserve what open space there is. I'll make the Powerhouse park and see to it that developers create genuine open space that people can use. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a large patch of grass with a sign that reads "keep off the grass." Developers want to limit their open space commitments to random patches of grass behind gates. This will end in my administration. Do you support the use of the triangle adjacent to the Powerhouse as a public park? Absolutely. The 6th Street Embankment provides an opportunity to retain elements of Jersey City's industrial past, protect existing historic structures, as well as provide much needed green space and additional transportation alternatives in downtown Jersey City. Do you support the retention of the 6th Street Embankment from demolition? Do you support the Embankment's use as a public park? I sponsored the Assembly bill that protects the Embankment from being sold for development. I support a public park on the site, with the responsible addition of a light rail spur, provided it serves an area that will benefit Jersey City residents. A light rail system that takes out-of-town passengers through the city and leaves residents with no logical service, is not something I will support. TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION The traffic problem on Marin Boulevard is getting worse and worse. It is very difficult to make a turn onto Marin from the PAD, and crossing the street on foot is almost impossible. New construction slated in our neighborhood will add hundreds if not thousands of new residents with cars, yet the city is saying the traffic level on these streets is not even close to capacity. What will you do to make these streets less crowded and safer? Much of our waterfront has been developed with seemingly no logic whatsoever and certainly not with the interests of city residents. I support an aggressive streetscaping program that calms traffic, makes pedestrian access simple and safe and beautifies the ugly corporate park feel of that part of Marin. Various plans have been proposed to better link downtown to Liberty State Park. Many residents have grave concerns about additional vehicular traffic attempting to bypass the Turnpike by using our residential streets as through streets to the Holland Tunnel. Do you support a pedestrian bridge between downtown to Liberty State Park? Do you support a vehicular bridge between downtown and Liberty State Park? I do not support a vehicular bridge to LSP. I do support a pedestrian bridge to the park. I believe that the Jersey Avenue entrance to the park should be remade into a grand pedestrian entrance to the park. The commute via Path train has reached an alarming capacity. During business hour commuting, it is routine to wait while train after train passes, unable to absorb even one more body. Various stations are in need of upgrades. Do you agree that the PATH will be unable to support the additional proposed high rise building that will be added downtown? How do you propose to absorb the additional residents that will be moving in to downtown and commuting via PATH train? Much of the PATH system in Jersey City is at or near capacity in my opinion. All you have to do is try to get on a train in the morning to see that. I will work actively with alternative transportation groups and concerned residents to apply pressure to the Port Authority to improve stations and service. Unfortunately, it appears that with the developments that are already under construction and those on the way, this problem will get worse before it gets better. The main thing that I will bring to this effort is a different perspective. I don't believe that bigger is better and that more is merrier when it comes to development. That alone is a radical shift from the past four years. What is your position on the JERSEY CITY MOBILITY 2050 project? Do you think it will address its stated goal: "to create an action-oriented plan for a citywide transportation network that will be pedestrian friendly and reduce future traffic congestion?" Like a lot of plans, this one has stated goals that are generally positive. I don't believe that there has been adequate public input into the plan and that it may end up reflecting the interests of developers and an administration that supports unregulated development. We must find better access to our west side and Greenville to support the creation of jobs for Jersey City residents. It shouldn't be easier for someone from the suburbs to get to our waterfront than it is for someone from the Heights to get to a decent job in Greenville.