City of Hoboken:Transit Oriented Economic Development Plan

HEYER, GRUEL & ASSOCIATES prepared the Transit Oriented Economic Development Plan for the Hoboken Terminal and Downtown area was made possible by a Smart Future grant from the New Jersey Office of Smart Growth. After much public input and visioning during the Master Plan process and stakeholder meetings through this planning effort, the project serves as an implementation mechanism and a tool by through which the City, its residents, property owners, and businesses can move towards an even better Downtown Business District and multi-modal transportation network.

A major hub of transportation within the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area, the City of Hoboken is a stone throw away from Manhattan. The Hoboken Terminal services between 25,000 and 30,000 commuters on a typical weekday morning. There is a huge amount of potential that can be effectively tapped in to from an economic development perspective. With the help of this Plan and its design implementation measures, the City can take advantage of these commuters thus making the Downtown Business District an even greater success.

The goal of this plan was to capture the opportunities that the Terminal provides, in order to create strategic links between the Terminal itself, the downtown retail core; redevelopment projects; the eastern greenbelt along the waterfront; and the residential neighborhoods. The plan will serve the City, property owners and business owners with an economic development strategy and design guidelines that integrate land use with all modes of transportation, most importantly pedestrian and bicycle travel. In essence, this plan seeks to implement the 2004 master Plan by providing a framework for implementation.

This Plan focuses on the following critical components.

Strategic Merchandising:
An overall business enhancement and physical condition management plan which is, in effect, a master plan for achieving the optimum downtown business mix and an implementation tool for the City as well as property owners in planning the use and occupancy of buildings within the TOD area.
-An assessment of current uses, facades signage and traffic patterns.
-Strategies for maintenance and facade improvement so that merchants and property owners can work synergistically to create an even better downtown.
-Recommendations for the highest and best use based on space, location, demographics, etc.

Land Use and Circulation:
-Identification of opportunities- for redevelopment and rehabilitation in the downtown, public space improvements, and conceptual designs.
-Infill Development - new infill development that will present new opportunities for the redevelopment of underutilized sites
-Circulation Plan- how the pedestrian environment can be enhanced including how best to interface with the Terminal facility
-Pedestrian Amenities - a strong streetscape program to create a strong sense of place as well as supplement interior space for restaurants and cafes.
-Façade Improvements - a façade improvement program that introduces sign standards.
-Gateways & Wayfinding - Directing local employees, residents and visitors.
-Ordinance recommendations- to carry the City's Plan implementation power