A Strange House Grows In Hoboken

You know that story about the greedy developer forcing the homeless out so he can build houses? Yeah, it was ubiquitous a few years ago, but to tell the truth, I don’t remember ever seeing a real life version of it. There is, of course, that matter of Manhattan’s “West Side Highway,” but that parcel was used to build a public park so it doesn’t really qualify does it?

Well, we have a honest to goodness “developer moves the homeless so he can develop” story unfolding right in front of our eyes. To be more precise, as most of us forgo the under-the-bridge shortcut to Hoboken and drive over the bridge, the story is actually unfolding below our eyes. I have to admit though that the story has a twist that may not jive with the “greedy developer” image of television folklore.

Just about everyone who drives over the Park Avenue or the Willow Avenue bridge wonders in amazement at the construction that’s going up between them. The lot is triangular in shape and the new structure occupies the far north corner. For decades that corner was populated by the homeless and their make shift shelters. A few years ago there sprung up a couple of metal containers – a smaller version of the ones that eighteen wheelers tow. The locks that were placed on them were quickly broken, their contents strewn about, and the inside made into, one assumes, shelters for the unfortunate souls who called that home. Most of us got a close up glimpse of this as we cut across the dirt road from Willow to Park in the morning in an effort to bypass the traffic at Lincoln Tunnel. Haha! That dirt road was something else. As seasons changed and traffic built up, that half a block long piece of dirt became somewhat off an adventure. It was, for most of us, the only chance we ever go to test our skills in an off road environment as we slowly pushed our decked-out, fully optioned trucks and SUVs over the dunes and puddles of that tiny strip. A quick glimpse out the driver’s window would give you a look into the two metal containers and the Gordian knot of “stuff” housed therein. At some point, there appeared a collection of old and junked bicycles seemingly on display to be sold, but there was no sign indicating any such thing so, like all else in those containers, it too remains a mystery.

Sometime last year the homeless were gone, metal containers and all, and the ground began to be cleared and graded for what seemed to be a construction project. Incredulous, but happy joggers – happy to be spared having to jog past the containers – began to wonder what the new construction might be. At first, as the digging started, we assumed that there would be a drain system installed as that road turns into a small lake after just about every heavy rainfall. In fact, the police close it off as soon as they get wind of the flooding. As the foundation was poured and the walls began to rise, so did the rumor mill. Some sort of municipal facility was the consensus. But as the facade went up and evidence of residential type of construction mounted that theory was quickly discarded. Most of us assumed that it would be a small town house or condominium type of development and wondered who would buy there? Sure, facing east, and standing on your tipee toes the views form the top floor are drop dead gorgeous – if you ignore the chain link fence of the bridge. And sure, eventually, the rest of that lot will be made into the long promised park, but would that be enough to offset the less than ideal location, constant vehicular traffic and noise so generously proved by the two bridges?

Well we need wonder no more. Indeed the structure is a residential project, but no, there are no plans to break it up into apartments to be sold as condominiums or townhouses. It is to remain, or so we are told, a single family residence built by Mark Settembre a principal owner of URSA Development, and, get this, the guy will live there with his entire family. In fact, he really hopes to finish it this fall so he can host Thanksgiving dinner there. Hearty stock this Mark is, no?

Its really hard to understand how the city planing board managed to overlook the purchase of that corner parcel when buying the lot to build the park, but that’s OK because judging by the size of the weeds growing there, the city has no idea when the park will actually come to be. In fact, Mr. Settembre’s lot is actually in Weehawken and even though their mayor is not under indictment – that I know of – judging by the speed with which they finished their parks projects, well let’s just say Mr. Settembre’s construction will be done sooner than the proposed park.

So that’s the twist in this story line. Yes, the homeless were unceremoniously shoved off (actually I have no idea how or if they were shoved off, but gone they are) and yes it was done at the behest of a developer, but hey the guy’s gonna live there! So, you see, in this situation at least, it’s kinda hard to stereotype Mr. Settembre as the cold unfeeling developer of lore. In fact, quiet a few joggers are grateful that this house went up and if they do something about the lake that springs up after anything more than a passing shower, quite a few motorists will be happy as well.

Seriously, folks, you didn’t really expect a New Jersey real estate development story without some sort of twist did you? And, considering what we are used to, this one is quite benign and maybe even welcomed.