Hoboken Council amends Southwest redevelopment plan to allow public school and shift supermarket location

The Hoboken City Council voted to approve Ordinance B-740, amending the Southwest Hoboken redevelopment plan to allow a public school on the southern end of the building, move the planned supermarket to the northwest corner of the site, and make related circulation and zoning changes.

The amendment authorizes an educational space where a school was not previously allowed and restructures ground-floor retail and internal circulation for parent drop-offs and parking. Director Brown described the key changes as allowing a school facility on the site, “moving the grocery store space to the northwest corner of the building,” and making internal drop-off adjustments including reserved parking for parents and elevator access to basement levels.

Why it matters: the change removes a previous prohibition on locating a public school in this redevelopment area and alters which commercial uses are permitted. That will affect the mix of uses onsite, how traffic and drop-offs are handled, and who may occupy retail space once construction proceeds.

Details and council discussion - Director Brown said the amendment will permit an educational facility at the southern end of the building, relocate the supermarket to the northwest corner and change internal circulation so that parent drop-offs will use an elevator and reserved parking; she described “5 reserved parking spaces for parents” and an elevator to move from parking level to drop-off level. She also said the amendment swaps exhibits in the redevelopment agreement to reflect the new retail placement and circulation changes. - The amendment also revises allowed uses in the redevelopment plan, changing from an R3 residential use category to a C3 neighborhood commercial classification and enumerating additional permitted C3 uses. - A member of the public, Manny Rivera Soler, asked how the amendment benefits the public and where the changes would take effect. Director Brown and council members answered that the plan amendment specifically permits a public school on a site where the existing redevelopment plan had previously prohibited school uses.

Vote and next steps The council closed the public portion and voted to approve the ordinance. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from the council members present (then recorded as Mr. Cohn; Ms. Fisher; Mr. Jabbour; President Zano; Mr. Quintero; Mr. Ramos; Mr. Russo; President Doyle). The council’s clerk recorded the motion as approved.

The ordinance changes will be reflected in the redevelopment agreement exhibits and in the redevelopment plan documents for the site. The council did not specify a timetable in the public discussion for when construction or school licensing would begin; those steps remain subject to later approvals and project-level permitting.