Council advances Green Acres application for 155 Main Street pocket park after split public reaction

Hackensack City Council on Feb. 3, 2026 authorized staff to include a Green Acres grant application for a potential pocket park at 155 Main Street and held a public hearing on the proposal.

Joe DeFranco, vice president of Bruno Associates, told the council the resolution before members authorizes the city to seek state Green Acres funding to acquire the parcel so it could be “permanent public open space and park use.” He said the application is procedural, does not obligate the city to buy the property or approve demolition or construction, and is based on planning-level cost estimates that would be refined through state-conducted appraisals and environmental review. If the resolution is adopted, the city may submit its application by the Feb. 27 application deadline and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will review the project and issue appraisals and any required environmental conditions.

Public reaction was mixed. Anita Rivers, a Hackensack resident, said she supports the pocket park but urged the council to pursue funding for existing playgrounds and small parks as well: “I’m all in favor for the pocket park. I think it’s going to be a great relief for all the redevelopment that has taken place on Main Street, but I’d like to bring the city’s attention to the existing parks.” She named Carver Park and the Anderson Street park as examples that, she said, “would certainly benefit from an updated, refreshed green space.”

A different resident, who identified herself only as Patricia, opposed the plan in its current form, arguing the city should address maintenance of established parks before creating a new, small Main Street site: “My problem is that you are willing to spend money on a tiny park on Main Street while the beautiful spaces we already have are severely neglected.” She described specific maintenance problems at neighborhood parks, including a fountain that is frequently nonfunctional and limited seating and landscaping.

Simeon N. Cumberbatch, a longtime Hackensack resident, spoke in favor of adding green space for youth and seniors: “I appreciate having another park in town.”

Council members and staff told speakers they heard the concerns about maintenance and said the city is pursuing multiple park grants and projects. The Green Acres application for 155 Main Street was included on the consent agenda and adopted by the council as part of the meeting’s routine resolutions. The council’s action simply authorizes submission of the application so NJDEP can evaluate eligibility and appraise the property; any decision to acquire the parcel would follow appraisal and further council approval.

Next steps: the city may submit the Green Acres application by Feb. 27, 2026; NJDEP review, appraisal and any additional environmental requirements will follow, and any purchase would require subsequent council action.