F TT

R A F18 8
A / /1 CITY OF
CITY OF HOBOKEN
HOBOKEN
R
DD4/1/24
2
5
MASTER
LANDPLAN
USE
LAND USE
ELEMENT
ELEMENT
 A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
MASTER PLAN
LAND USE ELEMENT
City of Hoboken
Hudson County, NJ

Prepared June 2018 for

City of Hoboken Planning Board

By

BFJ Planning
115 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003
212.353.7474

Susan Favate, PP, AICP

License No. 33LI00613100

Approved on

By the City of Hoboken Planning Board

The original of this document has been signed and sealed in accordance with New Jersey Law
A FT 8
3
DR 5/24/1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MAYOR
Ravinder S. Bhalla

REEXAMINATION REPORT SUBCOMMITTEE

● Gary Holtzman ●
● Frank Magaletta
● Kelly O’Connor
● Ryan Peene
●
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
● Brandy Forbes, PP, AICP, Director
● Jessica L. Giorgianni, PP, AICP, Principal Planner

CONSULTANTS
● BFJ Planning
● Metropolitan Urban Design (MUD) Workshop
● Urbanomics
●

PLANNING BOARD
● Frank Magaletta / Chair
● Ryan Peene / Vice Chair
● Caleb Stratton, AICP, CFM / Mayoral Designee
● Brandy Forbes, PP, AICP / Community Development Director
● Michael DeFusco / City Council Appointee
● Gary Holtzman
● Kelly O’Connor
● Rami Pinchevsky
● Atif Qadir
● Tom Jacobson
● Lea Cloud
●
CITY COUNCIL
● Vanessa Falco / Council-at-Large
● James Doyle / Council-at-Large
● Emily Jabbour / Council-at-Large
● Michael DeFusco / Council Member, 1st Ward
● Tiffanie Fisher / Council Member, 2nd Ward
● Michael Russo / Council Member, 3rd Ward
● Ruben Ramos, Jr. / Council President, 4th Ward
● Peter Cunningham / Council Member, 5th Ward

FT 8
● Jennifer Giattino / Council Vice President, 6th Ward
●
A
DR 5/24/1
CONTENTS

1. Overview 7
1.1. Planning Process 9
1.2. Prior Master Planning Efforts 13

2. Existing Land Use & Development 17

2.1. Existing Land Uses 18
2.2. Recent Development Activity 30

3. Existing Zoning Districts, Redevelopment Areas and Historic

Designations 31
3.1. Existing Zoning Districts 31
3.2. Existing Historic Districts & Historic Sites 45
3.3. Redevelopment Areas 50
3.4. Build-Out Potential under Existing Zoning 57

4. 2018 Master Plan Reexamination Recommendations 60

5. Land Use Issues and Opportunities 65

5.1. Land Use Issues and Opportunities 65

6. Land Use Plan and Zoning Recommendations 89

6.1. Land Use Approach and Land Use Plan 89
6.2. Proposed Land Use and Zoning Districts 92
6.3. Proposed Overlay Districts 127
6.4. Redevelopment Plan and Rehabilitation Overlay Areas 130
6.5. Other Zoning Issues and Recommendations 133

FT 8
Note: All images in the report are attributed to the City of Hoboken or BFJ Planning unless otherwise indicated

A
5
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

A FT 8
6
DR 5/24/1
 1. OVERVIEW

The Land Use Element, a standalone component of the Hoboken

Master Plan, illustrates the current and historic pattern of Hoboken’s
built and natural environments, and makes recommendations for the
City to fulfill its vision for smart, equitable, sustainable and resilient
land use and development.

This Land Use Element attempts to guide Hoboken in maintaining

its character as a historic, close-knit urban community, while
simultaneously supporting appropriate growth and development to
meet social, economic, and land use objectives. This plan takes a
comprehensive look at:
● How existing land uses (residential, commercial, industrial,
utility, parks and open spaces, natural features, etc.) are
distributed throughout the City, and how such distribution has
evolved over time;
● The existing regulations that govern development today,
including the City’s numerous Zoning Districts and
Redevelopment Plan Areas—and an assessment of where those
regulations have resulted in undesirable development patterns
or where corrections are needed;
● The City’s vision for the arrangement of land uses, and how
land use patterns could change in the future to fulfill City
objectives (e.g., to create better access to public open spaces, to
protect beloved historic neighborhoods, to encourage housing
that is more affordable and leads to greater resident diversity, to
enable the growth and enhancement of Stevens Institute, etc.);
● An approach for comprehensive re-zoning, including
proposed revisions for zoning district boundaries or new
zoning districts, updates as to permitted and conditional uses,
revisions to building form and bulk requirements, and a host
of recommendations to improve the development process and
meet City land use objectives.

A FT 8
7
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
The planning effort for the Land Use
Element was conducted in coordination
with the development of the 2018 Master
Plan Reexamination Report (“2018
Reexamination Report”). The 2018
Reexamination Report provides an overview
of trends, issues and accomplishments since
the City prepared its most recent Master Plan
Reexamination Report in 2010. It provides a
vision with stated objectives in each strategic
goal area; and recommends a set of actions
(policies, projects, partnerships, etc.) for the
City to implement to meet those objectives.
The recommendations in the Land Use
Element will attempt to guide the City’s
growth while also respecting and protecting
its character, which distinguishes Hoboken
from any other community. It is important to
note that creating a new Land Use Element
was also a key recommendation of the 2010
Master Plan Reexamination Report.
The New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law
(MLUL) elevates the role of planning when
it comes to municipal land development. For
one, a prerequisite of the exercise of zoning
power is the preparation and adoption of
a master plan. Furthermore, “all of the
provisions of such zoning ordinance or any
amendment or revision thereto shall either
be substantially consistent with the land use
plan element and the housing plan element
Hudson River Waterfront Walkway
8
of the master plan, or designed to effectuate
such plan element.” (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-62).
In essence, this Land Use Element provides
the foundation for a comprehensive Zoning
Code update.
The culmination of the Land Use Element
(Section 6) is a characterization of the
recommended zoning districts. Leading
up to Section 6 is an explanation of the
planning process (Section 1), a presentation
of existing land uses throughout Hoboken
(Section 2), an inventory of the existing
zoning regulations and redevelopment
plans that currently regulate development
(Section 3), a summary of the 2018 Master
Plan Reexamination recommendations that
pertain to land use issues (Section 4), and a
description of recent development trends,
issues, and opportunities that have spurred
the need for changes to the City’s regulatory
approach (Section 5).
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

1.1. PLANNING PROCESS

This planning effort began with the

formation of the Master Plan Reexamination
Project Kickoff & Data Review
Committee of the Planning Board, a • Community Engagement Strategy August - September
steering committee tasked with guiding • Review Prior Studies 2017
the preparation of the 2018 Reexamination • Develop User
- Friendly Design
Report and a new Land Use Element. The
10-month-long project was completed in Hoboken Today
June 2018 with the adoption of both plans. August - November
• Analysis of Existing Conditions
The consultant team, BFJ Planning, met with 2017
and Trends
the Master Plan Reexamination Committee
and Community Development Staff on a
regular basis to review project materials,
Community Visioning
discuss issues and opportunities relevant to • Public Workshops
September 2017 -
the study, and to plan for public engagement • Stakeholder Interviews
• Focus Groups March 2018
events. Together, the Planning Board Master
Plan Reexamination Committee, Hoboken • Online Survey
planning staff, and BFJ Planning are referred
to in this document as the “Project Team.” Draft and Final Plans
• Master Plan Re-Examination Report November 2017 -
• Land Use Element May 2018
Public and Stakeholder Outreach
Project Timeline
Community outreach is a critical component
of any long-range planning process to
ensure that the City’s goals and priorities are
aligned with local needs, and that they are
supported to the maximum extent possible
by residents, property owners, merchants,
and the City. As such, the preparation of the
2018 Reexamination Report and the Land
Use Element was guided by a broad and
meaningful public engagement process.

The Project Team sought to maximize

public participation and engage stakeholders
from a broad cross-section of interests
and backgrounds, in a variety of different
settings. The public outreach process
included:
● Two public workshops:
○ Workshop #1: October 10, 2017, at
the Multi-Service Center
○ Workshop #2: February 22, 2018,
at the Wallace School
The public workshops were structured
to give participants a variety of ways to
provide feedback on priorities for both
FT 8
Hoboken Arts and Music Fest (top), Public workshop #2 (bottom)

A
9
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
the 2018 Master Plan Reexamination and
the Land Use Element. All interested
residents, property owners and other
stakeholders were encouraged to attend
and share their thoughts on the vision for
the City. Outreach involved press releases,
flyers, alerts through the Nixle messaging
system, social media invitations, and other
in-person means to spread the word.
● An Online Survey with 1,573
responses;
● Six Focus Group meetings:
○ Hoboken Housing Authority
residents
○ Cultural and community groups
(e.g Quality of Life Coalition,
Hoboken Library, Mile Square
Theater, Fund for a Better
Waterfront, and others).
○ Social service providers (Hoboken
Housing Authority, Boys &
Girls Club, American Legion,
Mission50)
○ Business community (major
employers and small businesses)
○ Development community (realtors,
developers, architects, attorneys)
○ Mobility providers (Hoboken
Transportation Department/
HPU, Hudson County, Hudson
Transportation Management
Association (TMA), NJ Transit,
Port Authority, Hudson Bike
Share, Lyft, NY Waterway, Bike
Hoboken)
● “Topic” Meetings with City
Departments/staff, Boards/
Public workshop #1 roundtable discussion
10
Commissions and local Institutions:
○ Mayor’s Office / City
Administration
○ Department of Community
Development
○ Department of Parks and
Recreation
○ Department of Environmental
Services and Department of
Health and Human Service
○ Department of Transportation &
Parking, with Public Safety
○ Historic Preservation Commission
○ Hoboken Board of Education
○ Stevens Institute of Technology
representatives
○ Hoboken Housing Authority staff
○ City Council Zoning and Master
Plan Subcommittees
○ Zoning Officer
● Representatives of the planning
team also publicized the project at
community events including the 2017
Fall Hoboken Arts and Music Fest
and the North End Redevelopment
Plan Community meeting.
● A website was developed by City staff
for the project that included links to a
public survey, background materials,
and project details.
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW
2018 MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION REPORT
In early 2017, the City determined that a
new master plan reexamination process
was warranted considering the major
changes that had occurred since the 2010
Reexamination Report, and the need to plan
for the City’s shifting priorities.
Having emerged from the Great Recession
with a strong housing market and a robust
development pipeline, the City’s economic
picture was very different from 2010.
Many planned projects and redevelopment
efforts that had been put on hold, including
redevelopment planning in the North End
and the implementation of redevelopment
plans at Neumann Leathers, the Western
Edge, the Hoboken Yards, and the
Southwest area, were now in varying
stages of City review and anticipated to be
completed over the next 10 to 20 years.
The additional housing created in recent
years has led to a transformation in the City’s
demographic profile, as evidenced by the
sizable millennial population that continues
to be attracted to the City’s amenities and
proximity to New York City, and in the
young families that are choosing to remain
in Hoboken rather than depart for the
suburbs as their households expand. Those
shifts – coupled with the significant growth
being experienced by the City’s neighbors,
particularly Jersey City – have increased
pressure on Hoboken’s aging infrastructure,
community facilities, transportation systems,
parks, schools and public services.
The fundamental importance of
sustainability planning for Hoboken was
never more clear than with the impacts
11
of Hurricane Sandy in 2012; when the
City experienced unprecedented flooding,
trapping thousands of its residents and
causing hundreds of millions of dollars
in property damage. Since the 2010
Reexamination Report, and after Hurricanes
Irene in 2011 and Sandy in 2012, the City has
completed a tremendous amount of planning
and investment in infrastructure intended
to help reduce the City’s vulnerability to
flooding. The 2018 Reexamination Report
provides an overview of the City’s efforts
(such as the Rebuild By Design-Hudson
River Project and the Green Building and
Environmental Sustainability Element), and
provides major recommendations to make
the City more resilient to severe weather
events.
The 2018 Master Plan Reexamination Report
offers a vision for ensuring sustainable
growth and development, while protecting
the historic and cultural assets that make the
City a special and attractive place. The 2018
Master Plan Reexamination Report presents
a vision encompassing five main themes (see
Figure 1). Each theme includes key strategies
and recommendations to guide the City over
the next 10 years.
“Hoboken Today,” a key interim report
completed as part of the 2018 Master
Plan Reexamination process, provides an
overview of existing conditions pertaining
to demographics, land use and development,
and infrastructure and facilities. Hoboken
Today focuses on how the City has changed
since 2010, which was both the year of the
most recent Master Plan Reexamination, as
well as the last decennial census.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

FIGURE 1. MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION VISION

Hoboken is: A COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOOD

Hoboken has been one of the most popular municipalities in the region for families and individuals to
live, grow, and prosper. The City’s quality amenities, architectural heritage and history, arts and culture,
walkability and mixed-use urban character all contribute to its identity as a complete neighborhood
for people to retreat from their bustling work lives. The characteristics that have been responsible for
Hoboken’s remarkable success as a City, however, now risk being homogenized as new developments
may cater to limited luxury class markets and prioritize profitability over scale and character.

Hoboken is: SHARED PROSPERITY

One of the state’s fastest growing municipalities, Hoboken is also among the most educated and
affluent places in New Jersey that has continued to attract new residents and businesses. This trend of
growth and prosperity is likely to continue into the next decade and attract more high-end residential
developments and private investment, which may bring overall improvements to the City’s tax base,
standard of living, and amenities. On the flip side, if left unmanaged, this trend can threaten the City’s
diversity and vitality by marginalizing young professionals, the aging population, and low-income
communities, and by tipping the scale in favor of highest and best land uses dictated by the market,
that potentially may be unsupportive of the local community and middle economy.

Hoboken is: A CITY OF CONNECTED PLACES

Easily accessible and centrally located, Hoboken has evolved as a destination and a key link among
important places of work, entertainment, and all aspects of urban life, bringing people to and moving
them through the City every day. However, despite the City’s excellent transit systems and the
population’s enthusiasm to embrace green transportation alternatives, congestion on all modes of
transportation has increased. Issues of safety, lack of proper information and reliable infrastructure
limit choices of transportation modes and the interconnectedness between places, and have increased
inner-City congestion.

Hoboken is: BECOMING A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT CITY

Since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Hoboken has emerged as a national role model, leading the way in
coastal adaptation and hazard mitigation in urban areas. Furthermore, the City has quickly expanded
its long-range resiliency plans to include waste management, upgrading antiquated infrastructure,
increasing renewable green energy use and employing green infrastructure where possible.

Hoboken is: AN ENGAGED AND EFFICIENT PARTNER

Hoboken’s tremendous growth over the past two decades has attracted many stakeholders at the local
and regional scales that continue to shape its urban environment. While harmonizing the needs of the
community and the diverse vested interests of these stakeholders is a top priority for City officials,
communication strategies, processes, and accountability have not always been clear and apparent to
the City’s potential allies and residents.

A FT 8
12
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW
1.2. PRIOR MASTER PLANNING EFFORTS
The Project Team evaluated a host of plans
and studies relevant to the preparation of
Hoboken’s 2018 Land Use Element. These
include, but are not limited to, the following:
2004 Master Plan
In 2004, the City of Hoboken adopted
a comprehensive Master Plan- a single
document comprising seven topical plan
“Elements:” Open Space, Recreation
and Conservation; Community Facilities;
Circulation and Parking; Economic
Development; Housing; Historic
Preservation; and Land Use. The document
was developed in the context of a significant
building boom during the 1990s, a period
when the City experienced its first significant
population increase in several decades.
Much of the development was attributed
to Hoboken’s distinct location along the
waterfront and access to transit. The 2004
Master Plan acknowledged that “this wave of
construction, renovation, rehabilitation, and
gentrification put a strain on the City’s more
than century-old street system and aging
infrastructure, as well as its parks, school
system and body politic.” Those concerns are
still valid today.
The 2004 Master Plan included 10
overarching goals, presented below. Several
hundred recommendations, ranging from
small interventions to large-scale actions,
were provided to achieve these goals.
1. Amplify Hoboken’s sense of
community, encompassing its social
diversity;
2. Enhance Hoboken’s unique setting
as an urban enclave facing New York
Harbor;
3. Protect its historic rowhouse fabric;
4. Celebrate Washington Street’s classic
“Main Street” Character;
5. Improve the appearance of Hoboken’s
streets;
13
6. Maintain Hoboken’s urbane mix of
uses;
7. Enhance its walkability and pedestrian
amenities;
8. Contemporize its community
facilities;
9. Provide additional open space and
recreation facilities; and
10. Tap into the entrepreneurial and
community spirit of Hoboken’s
residents.
2010 Master Plan Reexamination Report
At the time of the 2010 Master Plan
Reexamination Report (2010 Reexamination
Report), the City and the nation were in
the depths of the “Great Recession.” The
economic downturn affected the region’s
housing market, employment, consumer
spending and household wealth. The
development bubble that grew through the
early and mid-2000s deflated significantly
in 2008 and was still being felt in 2010. The
far-reaching economic effects touched nearly
every aspect of the City, forcing difficult
decisions on funding and investment in a
challenging fiscal environment.
The 2010 Reexamination Report evaluated
the progress the City had made in addressing
many of the problems and objectives
identified in the 2004 Master Plan. While
the 2010 Reexamination did not evaluate
City of Hoboken Master Plan, 2004 (left)
City of Hoboken Reexamination Report,
FT 8
2010 (above)
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
all of the recommendations from the 2004
Master Plan, it found that the 2004 Plan was
still largely relevant, except for revisions to
some land use policy recommendations (e.g.,
the North End and industrial areas), and
provided new directives for the City in the
areas of sustainability and flood resiliency.
The document recommended that the
City amend the Land Use and Open Space
Elements, and direct its focus to sustainable
development strategies.
2017 Green Building and Environmental
Sustainability Element
The Hoboken Planning Board adopted
a Green Building and Environmental
Sustainability (GBES) Element in December
Other Relevant Planning Efforts
2017 Build-Out Analysis
The Build-Out Analysis identifies the
amount of existing and approved residential
development in each of Hoboken’s zoning
districts at a snapshot in time. For each tax
lot in the City, the report identifies where
additional residential development would
be allowed, as well as where properties
exceed the maximum permitted residential
development, under existing zoning
conditions. According to the report, there are
approximately 30,000 existing or approved
dwelling units in Hoboken. If every tax lot
were built out to the maximum amount
allowed under the development code, the
City could anticipate an estimated 6,000
additional units. In addition to building out
all of the City’s redevelopment plan areas,
the build-out projection also incorporates
scenarios that are unlikely to occur- such
as hundreds of buildings adding just one
additional dwelling unit and churches
and other tax exempt uses converting to
residential use, for example.1
1 This build-out estimate reflects reasonable assumptions about potential development in the North End Rehabilitation
Area. A planning process for this area in the northwestern portion of the City was underway but not yet complete at the
time of the analysis.
14
2017 as a new Element of the City’s Master
Plan. The vision of the GBES Element is
for a sustainable and resilient Hoboken
to be an environmentally, socially, and
economically healthy community that allows
future generations of residents to meet and
exceed Hoboken’s current quality of life.
The plan establishes goals, strategies, and
actions for each topic area, which include
coastal flooding, rainfall flooding, drinking
water, energy and communications, land use
and green building design, transportation
and parking, natural resources, and waste
management. The 2018 Reexamination
Report and this 2018 Land Use Element do
not seek to replicate, but rather bolster, ideas
presented in the GBES.
2014 Parking Master Plan
Recognizing the critical nature of the
parking issues in Hoboken, the City,
undertook a city-wide master plan for
parking. Over a six-month process in 2014,
the Hoboken Department of Transportation
and Parking and the City’s consultants met
with elected and appointed City officials,
stakeholders, and the public in order to
assess the problems and then propose and
refine solutions that are appropriate to
Hoboken’s needs and desires.
The Parking Master Plan Plan recommends
a twin strategy of supply expansion and
demand reduction, with recommendations
that include charging more for on-
street parking and residential permits
while reducing rates for municipal
garage parking, establishing residential
parking zones, pursuing shared parking
arrangements, expanding off-street
parking capacity, renovating City garages,
instituting a City-wide valet parking
program, inventorying the supply of
private parking, and improving technology
and signage.
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW
While the final plan was not officially adopted,
it provides many recommendations worth
considering to preserve public safety and
enhance Hoboken’s livability and quality of life.
2013 Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan
The Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan
(GISP) was one of 18 competitively selected
Local Demonstration Projects sponsored
by Together North Jersey (TNJ) and NJ
Transit. The GISP provides a framework for
installing green infrastructure on a City-wide
and area basis. It identifies cost effective,
place-based, best management practices
(BMPs) for the City to employ to address
stormwater management, particularly during
heavy rainfall events. The GISP organizes
the City into three management “zones:”
● Grey Zone: most appropriate for
above-ground BMPs such as green
roofs;
● Green Zone: most appropriate for
vegetated BMPs such as rain gardens;
and
● Blue Zone: areas to consider for
subsurface stormwater detention
BMPs.
The GISP recommends locating and
prioritizing green infrastructure in areas
where the City’s assets are most in need of
protection; and utilizing these measures to
improve the resilience of Hoboken’s assets
and infrastructure.
2013-2022 Rebuild by Design - Hudson
River Project
The U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) established the
Rebuild by Design (RBD) competition in
2013 in response to the devastation caused
by Hurricane Sandy. The competition was for
design teams to create innovative resiliency
solutions to areas that were affected by
the storm. The City worked closely with
the design team that entered on behalf of
Hoboken, Jersey City, and Weehawken. The
proposal was selected by HUD and the State
of New Jersey was awarded a $230 million
grant to implement the first phase of the
15
project.
The design in Hoboken focuses on
four strategies: Resist, Delay, Store, and
Discharge. Resist elements include bulkheads,
floodwalls, and seawalls in addition to green
berms that could have other uses to hold
back storm surge from the Hudson River.
Delay elements would be accomplished
through policy and urban infrastructure
guidelines that would slow stormwater
runoff. Store features entail bio retention
basins and swales to hold excess stormwater,
and Discharge elements incorporate
upgrades to Hoboken’s stormwater system
and pumping stations. Phase 1 of the
project includes a master plan and studies
(completed), as well as coastal defenses in the
northern and southern portions of the City,
and potential Delay, Store, Discharge pilot
projects.
Environmental review of this project was
completed in September 2017, and HUD
issued an Authorization to Use Grant
Funds in October 2017. Design of the Resist
barriers and other necessary infrastructure is
underway. The project schedule anticipates
construction starting in late 2018/early 2019,
with the project being completed by the
funding deadline in 2022.
2015 Resilient Building Design Guidelines
The City developed Resilient Building
Design Guidelines to provide an overview
of the laws and regulations governing
construction within Hoboken’s flood-
prone areas, as well as the approval process
for repairs, improvements, and new
construction. The guidelines provide flood
resilience strategies for residents, property
and building owners, developers, and
businesses. They offer development concepts
for retrofitting multiple building types, but
most critically, preserving the character of
row house neighborhoods, their stoops, and
the way buildings relate to the street and
pedestrian realm, while also enabling flood
protection measures.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

2010 Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

The City of Hoboken Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan was prepared through the New Jersey
Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT),
Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs
Local Technical Assistance (LTA) Program
to address concerns of walking and bicycling
within Hoboken. The City, applied to the
LTA program to seek assistance to create
a comprehensive plan to promote walking
and bicycling as a preferred mode of
transportation for residents and visitors,
and to make these modes a priority in the
transportation element of the City’s Master
Plan.

The proposed bicycle network includes

either bicycle lanes or sharrows on most
streets in the City. The major deliverables of
the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan include an
Action Implementation Plan with dozens
of recommendations related to the “5Es”
– Engineering, Education, Enforcement,
Encouragement, and Evaluation. A
Recommendations Map illustrates the
locations of proposed bike-ped design
treatments (e.g., priority intersection
improvements, painted intersections,
pedestrian scrambles, blockbusters, bicycle
boxes, bike boulevards, bike lanes, gateway
treatments, parking changes); while an
Enhanced Bike Network Map illustrates the
integration of the three “bicycle boulevards”
at Third Street, Fourth Street, and Twelfth
Street into the City’s existing and proposed
bicycle facilities. Concept plans are also
included for four areas identified by
stakeholders and the public as priorities for
bicycle and pedestrians improvements.

A FT 8
16
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

2. EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

Over the past three decades, Hoboken has

witnessed tremendous growth, primarily
fueled by new residential development taking
place in historically industrial areas around
the City’s periphery. Multi-family residential
buildings in the northeast portion of the
City have replaced the industrial uses that
formerly stood along the waterfront. Along
the City’s southerly waterfront, modern
office buildings, a hotel, and multi-family
residential benefit from their proximity
to Hoboken Terminal. Docks that once
served the shipping industry are now largely
home to world-class parks and a waterfront
walkway that runs the length of the City.
Industrial areas within the western portions
of the City have also gradually transitioned
to residential uses; and today, developers put
forth projects that would similarly transform
the North End and southwesterly portions
of the City. The robust residential market has
also fueled new development in the interior
neighborhoods, with small-scale infill type
development and tear-downs of existing
buildings. In recent years, many owners of
properties in the flood zone have developed
their properties with an extra story to both
meet flood requirements and maximize the
value of their property.

A FT 8
17
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

2.1. EXISTING LAND USES

Figure 2 and Table 1 illustrate the land use
categories and distribution of land use types
across the City’s 549 acres of land. The 549
acres includes all tax parcels, but excludes
street rights-of-ways and underwater
areas. Residential or mixed-use (typically,
residential over ground floor commercial)
buildings occupy the greatest percentage
(54%) of land in Hoboken. Commercial and
public/institutional uses each occupy 10
percent of the City’s area, with parks and
recreation areas occupying another 8 percent.
With very little vacant land area remaining
(2%), most future development will occur
in the form of reconfiguration of previously
built areas.

Residential Areas
Hoboken’s housing stock is predominately
three- to five-story row house-style buildings
within the City’s interior residential
neighborhoods; taller multi-family residential
buildings exist along the City’s edges, and
can also be found scattered throughout the
City, west of Willow Avenue. A typical urban
block in Hoboken is lined with brownstones
or row houses, and has one or more shops
or restaurants at the intersection corners.
Buildings are generally built up to the
sidewalk and have open rear yards where
light and air allow trees to grow. Stoops are
a common feature, which contributes to the
pedestrian-scaled urban environment that
encourages neighborly interactions and a
vibrant street life.
As shown on the Existing Land Use Map,
the interior of the City is dominated by
residential-only uses. Low-rise buildings
are generally brownstones or row houses
ranging from three to five stories in height;
the lowest story, often located partially
below grade, is typically used as a garden-
level apartment, a street-level garage, or
basement storage. Traditionally, a 4-story
row house contained eight dwelling units
(two per floor), whereas today, many of
these buildings have been converted to
large single- or two-family homes. The
maximum height restriction of 40 feet above
Design Flood Elevation (DFE) generally

TABLE 1. ACREAGE BY LAND USE

Land Use by Parcel Acres Percent

Residential Only 217 39

Mixed Use (Comm. & Res.) 84 15

Commercial Only 55 10

Industrial 17 3

Institutional/Public 57 10

Parks/Recreation 42 8

Parking (Surface & Garage) 20 3

Transportation (Excluding Streets) 45 2

Vacant 12 2
Source: City of Hoboken; Note: Values are approximated

A FT 8
18
DR 5/24/1
 SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST
L AVE

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
CENTRA

ST

ON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
S
ST ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
IS
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
E

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST

1600
Park
YO

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
ST

WING VIA
WEST

8TH ST

UNION CITY
15TH ST
AVE

7TH ST
E
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

5TH ST

4TH ST GRAND ST 13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
Pop-Up
ADAMS ST

Park

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell
Place Park

Elysian
NORTH
ST Park
10TH ST
10TH ST
Columbus

Union Dry
Park

Dock

CASTLE POINT TER

E
ER AV
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
Hoboken

LIGHT RAIL
CONG
H.S.

RESS
ST
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUTH Stevens
ST
Tech
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
GRAND ST
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Church Sinatra
Stevens Park
Square Park
PATERS

Park
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST Pier C Park
HUMC

LAND USE
RIVER ST

SINATRA DR

HUTTO
N ST
3RD ST
RESIDENTIAL ONLY
MADISON ST
HARRISON ST

MIXED USE
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

(COMM & RES)

2ND STREET 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL
FRAN
KLIN COMMERCIAL ONLY
Service

ST
Center
Multi-
AIN RD
AVE

Pier A Park
INDUSTRIAL
MOUNT
OGDEN

1ST ST

NEWARK ST
INSTITUTIONAL/
PA
TE
RS
PUBLIC
ON
AV

SW
E HUDSON PL
PARK/RECREATION
Park
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken PARKING (GARAGES
Terminal
AND SURFACE LOTS)
K ST
AR
EW
N
TRANSPORTATION
AVE
O KEN
OB
H
UTILITIES

VE
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
VACANT
LUIS MUNO

NA
KE
BO
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

FT 8
SHORE LN
15TH ST L
HOLLAND TUN

FIGURE 2. EXISTING LAND USE INTERSTAT

E 78
N BLVD

14TH ST

A
19
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
limits additions or new infill buildings to a
height of four residential stories, depending
on where they are located within the flood
zone. Properties located within the western
portion of the City generally have a higher
DFE, so buildings are able to achieve five
story heights (typically, an uninhabitable
ground floor with four habitable stories
above DFE). Many of these buildings have
been in existence for generations, and their
presence in Hoboken has helped define the
City’s culture and aesthetic, making the
“Hoboken row house block” one of the
City’s most recognizable characteristics.
High-rise residential buildings are
multifamily towers and larger-scale
apartment buildings generally 10 to 12
Mixed-Use and Commercial Areas
The Existing Land Use Map shows that
mixed-use buildings (typically, residential
floors over ground-level commercial or
office) are generally found: along Washington
Street, First Street, and Fourteenth Street;
south of Stevens Park along River Street and
Hudson Street; north of Elysian Park, east
of Hudson Street; adjacent to the light rail
stations; in Redevelopment Areas; and at
many Hoboken street corners.
The retail spine along Washington Street,
which serves as Hoboken’s “Main Street,”
stretches the entire length of the city.
From the southernmost commercial
building between Observer Highway and
Newark Street, to the northernmost retail
shop is a distance of approximately 1.25
miles spanning 16 city blocks. Street-level
commercial on both sides of Washington
Street include specialty retail shops,
restaurants, bars, cafes, and professional
services, except that north of Seventh Street
on the easterly side of Washington Street,
the uses are predominantly residential, with
some institutional uses (Charter School,
Elks Lodge, former YMCA building and
Fire House). Hoboken’s secondary mixed-
use retail corridors exist along First Street,
east of Grand Street, and along Fourteenth
Street, east of the Viaduct. The ground-
20
stories in height, although there are a few
buildings that are taller. High-rise buildings
were developed as part of Planned Unit
Developments (PUDs) in the northeast,
through redevelopment planning (such
as Observer Highway and the South
Waterfront) in the south and southeast,
and through earlier “urban renewal”
projects or Hoboken Housing Authority
(HHA) development within in the interior
of the City. Some of these buildings were
constructed on large lots in the “tower in
a park” style that is often associated with
low- and moderate-income housing. Notable
examples are Fox Hill Gardens, Church
Towers, Marine View Towers, and Harrison
Gardens.
floor businesses are diverse and include
clothing stores, barbershops, art galleries,
laundromats, bars, bookshops, and eateries.
Buildings containing only commercial uses
(e.g., banks, office buildings, self-storage,
shopping center, movie theater, etc.) are
predominately located around the Hoboken
Terminal; in the northern end of the City
around Fourteenth Street; and in the
southwest portion of the City along Newark
Street, Observer Highway, and Paterson
Avenue. Some scattered commercial uses
are also found along Washington Street and
within the predominantly residential areas
of central Hoboken. Large office buildings
(e.g., more than 100,000 square feet) are
located near the southern waterfront and
surrounding Hoboken Terminal. There
are still a number of one-story commercial
buildings in Hoboken, such as grocery
stores, convenience retail/pharmacy, and
some retail services. Despite requiring a large
retail footprint, some grocery stores, such as
the Kings Food Market (one at Third and
River Streets and another at Shipyard Lane)
and the new Trader Joes (Willow Avenue &
Fourteenth Street) occupy the ground-level
of mixed-use buildings, whereas others, such
as Shop-Rite (Nine & Madison Streets) and
FT 8
the ACME (Grand and Seventh Streets)
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT
occupy their own commercial buildings.
The NJ Department of Labor and Workforce
Development collects data on employers
covered by New Jersey’s Unemployment
Insurance Law. This NJDOL “Employer
Database” lists nearly 800 employers in
Hoboken spanning more than 200 industry
Parks and Open Space
The 2004 Master Plan and the 2010
Reexamination Report both identified
the need for new open spaces to provide
convenient, high-quality public spaces for
all Hoboken residents. Figure 3 shows the
locations of existing parks, open space, and
recreation areas in Hoboken, and Table
2 provides the acreage of each park. The
City has 52.6 acres of park space with an
additional 4.5 acres planned but unfinished
(see Table 2 on page 23). In recent years,
the City has significantly expanded its
inventory of parks and open spaces, which
has increased opportunities for passive and
active recreation for Hoboken residents.
As these new parks are also being designed
with stormwater detention and green
Recent Park Improvement Projects
Hudson River Waterfront Walkway & Park
The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway
is an 18.5-mile multi-use path that spans
nine municipalities along the Hudson
River waterfront. The waterfront walkway
and upland park space currently span
approximately 90 percent of Hoboken’s 2-
mile-long coast.
In 2012, Hudson County built the portion of
the walkway that linked its north waterfront
to the Township of Weehawken at Lincoln
Harbor, and in 2014, Stevens and the City
completed the portion of the walkway
between Sinatra Park and Elysian Park
along Sinatra Drive. The remaining gaps
2 Employer Database provided by the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Office of Research and
Information, Division of Economic and Demographic Research.
21
categories2. The actual number of businesses
in Hoboken is significantly higher. The City
has begun conducting a business inventory;
while it is challenging to maintain an up-to-
date list of businesses given turnover issues,
the City estimates there are more than 2,000
unique businesses in Hoboken.
infrastructure installations, they will also
serve to make the City more resilient to
storm and flooding events.
Protecting and expanding Hoboken’s open
space is critical in planning for a sustainable
community. The City of Hoboken has
added 11 acres of new parkland since
2010, including Southwest Resiliency Park,
Northwest Resiliency Park, and a park at
the corner of Seventh and Jackson Streets.
The 2004 Master Plan states the City’s park
acreage ratio being 0.78 acres per 1,000
residents, whereas the adjusted park acreage
ratio in 2018 of built park areas was 0.97
acres per 1,000 residents. This ratio will
increase when the 4.5 acres of planned parks
are complete.
Hudson River Waterfront Walkway
in the walkway are at the Union Dry Dock
property, located south of the intersection
between Sinatra Drive and Sinatra Drive
North, and a parcel in the Shipyard
development along Sinatra Drive at Shipyard
Lane/Fifteenth Street. The only missing
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

ST 19TH
19TH ST ST
WEST
15TH
ST

VE
AVE

KA
14TH 19TH ST

C
ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
EN
IS ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
AVE

E
DE AV
11TH
ST 1600 Park
YORK

11TH
ST
PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST Hoboken
16TH ST
Cove Hoboken Cove
9TH S
T
(Undeveloped)
9TH ST
WING VIA

8TH ST Harborside
Park 15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST
ENLIN

14th Street Viaduct Pier 14

BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST Hoboken Cove
Alley
5TH ST

CONSTITUTION CT
Pier 13
GRAND ST

13TH ST

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN
Shipyard

12TH ST
CLINTON ST

Legion Park
Park
ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST Maxwell Place

Park
Shop Rite
Green Plaza 11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST

NORTH
ST
Maxwell Place
JFK10TH ST 10TH ST
Lawn
Columbus Elysian
Stadium
9th St. Park Park
CASTLE POINT TER
LRT plaza
9TH ST Castle Point
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
Skate Park
CONG
RESS
ST
HUDSON ST

HOBS
Sybil's
ON ST 8TH ST
Cave
MetroStop
Public Plaza
WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUTH Stevens
ST
Tech
7TH ST
7th and
WASHINGTON ST

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST

Jackson Park
WILLOW CT
(in progress)
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
GRAND ST

Sinatra Park
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

Mama Johnson
5TH ST
MARSHALL DR

Field
ON PL

Church Sq. Stevens

Park Park
PATERS

GARDEN ST

4TH ST
Pier C Park
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST
Madison St.
RIVER ST

Park
SINATRA DR

3RD ST
MADISON ST

Block B
HARRISON ST

Jackson St.
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

Community
2ND STREET Garden 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL Multi-Service

Center Park
D
TAIN R

Pier A Park
Jackson St.
MOUN

1ST ST
Park Jefferson St.
Park NEWARK ST
PA
TE
RS 77 Park Ave Erie-Lackawanna
ON
AV Park HUDSON PL
Plaza
E
77 Park Ave
Roofpark
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal
Southwest Park
S T
RK
WA
NE
Gateway
LEGEND
AVE
KEN Park
HO
BO
Long Slip Park/Open Space
Pedestrian Bridge
Future Park/Open Space
0 500 1,000 2,000 18TH ST (Planning in Progress)
LUIS MUNO

Feet
JERSEY AVE

Z MARIN BLV
GROVE ST

17TH ST
D

FT 8
FIGURE 3. EXISTING PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
A
22
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

links in a contiguous waterfront park are the TABLE 2. PARK INVENTORY

areas north of Sinatra Park where Stevens Acres
Institute owns a surface parking lot and the Park
Union Dry Dock site south of Maxwell Place Planned/In
Built
Park. The City has also undertaken some Development
structural repairs to its waterfront areas in 14th Street Viaduct 1
recent years. 1600 Park 1.6
7th & Jackson Park* 2.0
1600 Park (& Future Weehawken Cove 77 Park Ave/Roofpark 0.6
Boathouse) Castle Point Skate Park 1.3
In the fall of 2013, the 2.1-acre multi-use Church Square Park 3.1
sports field at 1600 Park Avenue officially Columbus Park (County Park) 3.1
opened, complete with restrooms, a dog Community Garden 0.2
run, and slide hill. The field is striped for
soccer, lacrosse, t-ball, and baseball and has Elysian Park 2.6
a viewing mound and space for spectators. Erie-Lackawana Park/Warrington Plaza 1.1
A new traffic light with pedestrian signal Gateway Park 0.3
was installed at Sixteenth Street and Park Harborside Park 1 2.4
Avenue to provide safer pedestrian access to
the park. The design had been part of a Park
Hoboken Cove 1.2
Master Plan the City created in January 2012 Hoboken Cove Alley 0.1
that envisioned a multi-use field for 1600 Jackson St. Park 0.2
Park, new park space between Park Avenue Jefferson Park 0.1
and the Hudson River, and a new boathouse
JFK Stadium 4.3
and riverfront access. Following Hurricane
Sandy, the City completed the conceptual Legion Park 0.1
design for a bi-level boathouse adjacent to Long Slip Pedestrian Bridge 0.4
Weehawken Cove, which creates a dual- Madison St. Park 0.2
purpose levee with parks and recreational Mama Johnson Park 1.6
facilities. The design incorporates the
Rebuild by Design resist strategy, and is Maxwell Place Park and Lawn 4.9
discussed further in Section 5. Metro Stop Public Plaza 0.3
Multi Service Center 0.9
Fourteenth Street Viaduct Northwest Resiliency Pop-up Park 4.3
In December 2014, in collaboration with the
Northwest Resiliency Park (South Lot) 1.15
City, Hudson County transformed the space Pier A Park 5.1
beneath the newly reconstructed Fourteenth Pier C Park 1.5
Street Viaduct into a public park. The park Pier 14 Park 0.8
incorporates a dog run, playground, active
recreation sport courts, and multi-purpose
Pier 13 Park 0.7
spaces, which is available for a synthetic ice Shipyard Park (14th St. Pier) 0.7
skating rink in the colder months. Under the Shoprite Plaza 0.2
viaduct, the north-south streets have been Sinatra Park 2.9
improved with traffic calming speed tables
Southwest Resiliency Park 1
that serve as pedestrian crossings.
Southwest Resiliency Park (Block 10) 1
Stevens Park (Little League Field) 3
Sybil’s Cove 0.2
Total 52.6 4.55
Source: City of Hoboken GIS
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
* - Park development in progress
23
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Fourteenth Street Viaduct Park
Northwest Pop-Up Park (Future NW
Resiliency Park)
In July 2017, the City opened a pop-up
park at a former 6-acre industrial site in
the northwest of Hoboken. The City had
acquired the site from BASF in December
2016 to become the Northwest Resiliency
Park, what will be the City’s largest public
park. The temporary pop-up park enabled
the community to enjoy the park while
the design and permitting phases of the
permanent park were taking place. The park
is also expected to manage at least 1 million
gallons of stormwater. Once the design is
complete, construction is anticipated to start
in 2019. The Northwest Resiliency Park is
discussed further in Section 5.
9-11 Memorial at Pier A Park
The City worked with the September 11th
Memorial Committee to complete a 9-11
Memorial at Pier A Park to honor the lives
of the Hoboken residents that were lost
Southwest Resiliency Park
24
on September 11, 2001. The memorial,
completed in 2017, is aligned in the direction
of the World Trade Center site, featuring
a steel beam base with glass panels that
identify each of the 56 Hoboken residents
lost on that day.
Southwest Resiliency Park
The City opened the 1-acre Southwest
Resiliency Park in September 2017, the
City’s first completed resiliency park. The
Southwest Resiliency Park features passive
recreational space, a dog run, restrooms,
moveable cafe tables, a pop-up market zone,
multi-level seating for small performances,
and a lawn with child-friendly interactive
park features. Integrated green infrastructure
(i.e. bioswales, rain gardens, permeable
pavement), and underground chambers
can store approximately 200,000 gallons
of stormwater runoff, a key strategy for
reducing localized flooding. The City
is currently in negotiations to acquire a
portion of Block 10 to expand the Southwest
Resiliency Park; see Section 5.
Seventh & Jackson Resiliency Park
Under construction and set to be completed
in 2018, a new 2-acre park and a public
gymnasium were negotiated as part of the
Redevelopment Agreement for the Monroe
Center/Seventh & Jackson Redevelopment
project. The 6,835-square-foot public
gymnasium near the existing Jubilee Center
hasa classic field house design with a tall first
story for basketball and similar indoor sports,
an indoor/outdoor deck for yoga and other
such exercise, and a second floor mezzanine
for viewing games and events. The public
park will feature an open grass area, public
seating and tables, a children’s play area,
step seating to achieve an amphitheater-like
effect, public restrooms, and a large plaza
area designed to accommodate vendors and
seasonal markets. The park will be one of
three “resiliency parks” in Hoboken, and
will be designed with green infrastructure
and nearly 470,000 gallons of underground
stormwater detention and infiltration to help
FT 8
address flooding issues.
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

Institutional/Municipal Facilities
Public Schools in Hoboken
Figure 4 shows Hoboken’s civic buildings
and institutions, which are generally are Pre-School
dispersed throughout the City. The steps ● Joseph F. Brandt Primary School
of City Hall meet lower Washington Street, Elementary schools
the Hoboken Library opens onto Church
● Salvatore R. Calabro Elementary School
Square Park, the Multi-Service Center is
located at Second and Grand Streets, the ● Thomas G. Connors Elementary School
Hoboken Police Department is located along
● Wallace Elementary School:
Hudson Street, and the five fire stations
are distributed throughout the City. Each ● Elysian Charter School
of Hoboken’s fire stations are listed on the ● Hoboken Charter School
National Register of Historic Places. The
Hoboken Department of Environmental ● Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa)
Services (Garage and Yard) is located Middle-High schools
at the corner of Observer Highway and
● Hoboken Middle School
Willow Avenue. The 2008 Public Works
Redevelopment Plan calls for the relocation ● Elysian Charter School (Middle)
of the Garage and Yar to a more suitable
● Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (Middle)
location and the redevelopment of the site
with residential uses; however, an alternative ● Hoboken High School
location for the Garage and Yard yard has ● Hoboken Charter School (Middle & High)
not yet been identified.

School buildings are also dispersed

throughout Hoboken. Local students
attend traditional public schools, charter
schools, and private schools. The City
has six schools operated by the Board of
Education. The Board of Education schools
had an enrollment of 2,541 students in
pre-kindergarten to 12th grade in 2016.3
Enrollment has steadily grown since the
2006-2007 school year, when 2,212 students
were in the Board of Education School
system. Hoboken High School uses JFK
Stadium for athletic events. The Board of Stevens Institute of Technology
Education allows the Parks Department
to utilize its recreation facilities through a and engineering university founded in
shared use agreement. 1870 located on Castle Point, a 55-acre
In addition to the public schools there are property overlooking the Hudson River.
several charter schools: HoLa Hoboken, As of the 2017-18 school year, there were
Elysian, and Hoboken Charter School Some approximately 5,816 students enrolled at
students in Hoboken go to the Ethical Stevens Tech, including 3,115 undergraduate
Community and METS Charter Schools students and 2,701 graduate students.
located in Jersey City. Including faculty and staff, the total
campus population swells to 7,159. The
The largest single institutional use in Stevens Tech campus includes educational
Hoboken is Stevens Institute of Technology and administrative buildings, laboratories,
(Stevens Tech or Stevens), a research athletic facilities, and dormitory buildings

3 Hoboken Public School District 2017-2018 Budget

A FT 8
25
DR 5/24/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST
L AVE

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
CENTRA

ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
S ST
ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
MORRI VD
BL

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST
YO

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH ST NHSA Sewage PSE&G
9TH ST
Treatment Electrical
ST

WING VIA
Plant Substation
WEST

8TH ST

15TH ST
Elysian
AVE

7TH ST
Charter School
ENLINE

UNION CITY
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

GRAND ST
5TH ST

CONSTITUTION CT
4TH ST 13TH ST
Ladder Co. 1
Engine Co. 3

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

Wallace
Elementary School 11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST
PSE&G
Electrical
Substation
NORTH
ST Garden St. 10TH ST
10TH ST
Garage

CASTLE POINT TER

E
ER AV
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET Brandt
CONG
LIGHT RAIL Hoboken Middle School
RESS
ST High School Rescue Co. 1
HUDSON ST

HOBS Engine Co. 4

ON ST 8TH ST

Hoboken Stevens
WITTPEN WALK

Charter School Tech

ADAMS ST

SOUT
H ST
Stevens
Tech
7TH ST
All Saints
E

Hoboken
RK AV

GRAND ST

WASHINGTON ST

Catholic Academy WILLOW CT Day School

HARRISON ST
YO
NEW

WILLOW CT

The Hudson School Stevens Tech

MONROE ST

6TH ST
PD
RIVER ST
WILLOW AVE

Calabro
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
Hoboken Primary School
SHA
PLANK RD

Public Library
MAR

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR

AJ Demarest
N

Middle
PATERSO

School
GARDEN ST

4TH ST

Stevens
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST Midtown
Garage Cooperative
RIVER ST

School
Garage G
JEFFERSON ST

SINATRA DR

HUTTON 3RD ST
ST
MADISON ST

Hoboken FD Hoboken
HARRISON ST

Conners Headquarters Charter LEGEND

PARK AVE

School School Garage D

2ND STREET 2ND ST
Park/Open Space
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL
FRAN
KLIN
ST Multi-Serve Garage B
Hola Community
AIN RD

Hoboken Hoboken Garage

N AVE

Center
MOUNT

PD
OGDE

1ST ST
City Civic Facility
PA
NEWARK ST Hall
TE
RS
ON DPW Police Department
AV
E Ladder Co. 2 HUDSON PL

Engine Co. 1 Fire Department

NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal

R KS
T Utility
WA
NE

KEN
AVE Hospital
BO
HO

Schools
JERSEY CITY
VE 18TH ST Schools - Daycare
LUIS MUNO

NA
KE
BO
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

SHORE LN
15TH ST L
HOLLAND TUN
E 78
INTERSTAT
N BLVD

14TH ST

FT 8
FIGURE 4. COMMUNITY FACILITIES
A
26
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT
and Greek housing. Stevens Tech also
currently leases space in apartment buildings
throughout the City, supplying nearly 700
student beds of undergraduate student
housing that it is unable to provide on
campus.
Hoboken University Medical Center
(HUMC) is Hoboken’s hospital, located
at Third Street and Willow Avenue. The
hospital counts 333 beds, a 34-bay emergency
Industrial Areas
Hoboken’s history is tied to its industrial
past, as is evidenced by the once busy
riverfront shipping docks and inland
factories. Factories moved out of the City
beginning in the mid-20th Century, and
global containerization moved shipping
from Hoboken’s waterfront to consolidated
ports in other parts of the region. Industrial
uses that remain today include a coffee
roaster, bus repair and storage facilities
in the North End. Light industrial uses
in the southern end of Hoboken include
the Neumann Leather tenants and the
businesses in the Chambord Place building.
Utilities
The major utilities that occupy land and/
or operate facilities in Hoboken include the
North Hudson Sewerage Authority (NHSA),
Suez Water, and Public Service Electric and
Gas (PSE&G).
NHSA processes sewage for Hoboken, Union
City, Weehawken and West New York. The
Adams Street Wastewater Treatment Plant is
located north of the intersection of Sixteenth
Street and Adams Street in the City’s North
End. NHSA owns and maintains the sewer
collection system infrastructure in Hoboken:
the combined storm and wastewater pipe
system, combined sewer outfalls (CSO), as
well as Hoboken’s H1 and H5 wet weather
pumping stations.
The water conveyance system in Hoboken
consists of a network of underground water
main pipes, some of which are more than 100
27
room, a dedicated OB/GYN emergency
department, and specialty medicine for
a variety of in-patient and out-patient
subspecialties.
The City is also home to dozens of
churches and houses of worship of various
denominations. Many of these buildings are
historic and showcase some of Hoboken’s
most inspiring architecture.
A Redevelopment Plan for the Neumann
Leathers property will preserve the existing
buildings and the light manufacturing and
arts businesses, as well as create new public
spaces and provide residential development.
The lone remaining industrial use on the
City’s waterfront is Union Dry Dock, a
boat repair and maintenance facility. The
City of Hoboken has expressed its desire
to acquire this property for the purpose
completing the “missing link” of the Hudson
River Waterfront Walkway and park within
Hoboken.
years old. The City owns the drinking water
pipe system, which is operated by Suez Water.
PSE&G operates an electrical substation
immediately east of the NHSA sewage
treatment facility. PSE&G also operates a
substation at Madison and Twelfth Streets
and a smaller substation along Marshall
Street, adjacent to the Second Street Light Rail
station. PSE&G is presently implementing
plans to upgrade and harden its substation
infrastructure. PSE&G has plans to
decommission the Marshall Street substation
and combine it with the substation located
on Madison Street. Once the Marshall Street
substation is decommissioned, ownership of
the property will be transferred to the City.
The City’s lighting, network of overhead
electric lines and telephone poles are also
owned by PSE&G.
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Transportation
Hoboken’s gridded street network is the
City’s largest transportation asset. There
are approximately 34.5 miles of streets in
Hoboken, with approximately 26 miles of
streets owned and maintained by the City
and 8.5 miles owned and maintained by
Hudson County. Encompassing an estimated
246 acres of land (street length x right-of-
way width), the street rights-of-ways are by
far the largest single category of land use in
Hoboken.
Beyond the City’s streets, the most
recognizable transportation land use in
Hoboken is the Hoboken Terminal and Rail
Yard. The Terminal has a long history as a
regional transportation hub. The Terminal
building was constructed in the Beaux-Arts
style in 1907, and is on the State and National
Registers of Historic Places. It serves as the
terminus for passenger railroad service from
areas west of the Hudson River to New York
City, a terminus for the Hudson Bergen
Light Rail (HBLR) line, a major station for
the Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH)
train service, and as a ferry terminal.
In 2014, the City adopted the Hoboken Yard
Redevelopment Plan which encompasses
land adjacent to the Terminal building
and along the southerly side of Observer
Highway between the Terminal and
Henderson Street/Marin Boulevard.
The Redevelopment Plan calls for the
development of a mixed use project with
residential, indoor public space, office
space, retail, and a variety of outdoor public
spaces, most notably, the transformed
pedestrian plaza at Hudson Place and
Warrington Plaza. NJ Transit, which owns
the land in the Redevelopment Area, would
use the profits from the redevelopment
to upgrade the Terminal building into a
world-class transportation hub, with a
new bus terminal and redesigned interior
with space for first and second story retail,
restaurants, commercial and public market
uses. The plan also includes additional
measures to address flood mitigation to
make the area more resilient and sustainable;
plans for redevelopment are currently
28
being coordinated with the Rebuild by
Design (RBD) project team to ensure
an appropriately aligned resist feature is
incorporated into this area.
There is a second ferry terminal in Hoboken
at Fourteenth Street and Sinatra Drive on a
Hoboken pier. The Fourteenth Street Ferry
is operated by NY Waterway and provides
service to West 39th Street in Midtown
Manhattan.
Encircling the southerly, westerly and
northerly edges of the City are the light trail
tracks that serve the HBLR system, operated
by NJ Transit. The HBLR connects Hoboken
to Weehawken and North Bergen to the
north, and to Jersey City and Bayonne to the
south, with station stops at Second Street,
Ninth Street and Hoboken Terminal.
NJ Transit has plans to extend the HBLR
north to Englewood in Bergen County, and
to points areas further west (towards the
Hackensack River) in Jersey City. Hoboken
residents have requested an addition Light
Rail station stop along the existing tracks in
the North End of Hoboken to support the
growing residential population in that area.
As part of the planning process for the North
End Area Redevelopment Plan, station stops
at Fifteenth Street and Seventeenth Street
have been proposed. NJ Transit has indicated
that any future development of a new station
and platform would need to be developed
through a public-private partnership that
includes financial support from involved
redevelopers.
FT 8
Hoboken Bus Terminal
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 2: EXISTING LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

Vacant and Underutilized Land

Hoboken has very little vacant or
underutilized land. Its proximity to New
York City and desirability have resulted in
high land costs, a homeowner vacancy rate of
1.2 percent, and a rental vacancy rate of 3.8
percent in 2015 according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. Notable vacant parcels include four
piers (Pier 11, 12, 15 and 16) on the northern
waterfront, which are in varying states of
disrepair, but have the potential to support
parks, marinas, or other uses that will
bring people to enjoy the waterfront. There
are very few vacant lots that do not have
approved plans for future construction.

In Hoboken, “underutilized” or
“underdeveloped” sites are more common
than vacant properties. These are properties
that contain single-story buildings or
surface parking lots, for example, where
development with higher intensity uses
could be expected to occur. Notable clusters
with underutilized land are found in the
Southwest (e.g., along Observer Highway
and Newark Street), along the City’s Western
Edge, and in the North End. Each of these
areas have been designated as Areas in
Need of Redevelopment or Rehabilitation.
There are also scattered sites with one-story
buildings and parking lots through the
interior of the City that present opportunities
for change.

A FT 8
29
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

2.2. RECENT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

Data from the NJ Department of Consumer

TABLE 3. CONSTRUCTED UNITS BY YEAR (SALE AND RENTAL)
Affairs shows that between 2005 and 2017,
700
4,071 dwelling units were constructed in 638
Hoboken. Table 3 shows the developments 600
555
by year. On average, approximately 313
residential units were added yearly during 500
this period. Development peaked in 407
400
2007 and saw a lull in 2010, which can be 331 319
296
largely attributed to the recession in 2008. 300 276 266
245
Development in the City has been in the 204
200
form of both high-rise developments and 145
infill residential on small lots. 98
100

Figure 5 shows large-scale developments 0

recently constructed in northeastern 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Hoboken and in the western portions of Source: NJ Department of Consumer Affairs: Certified Housing Unit Data for years 2005-2016,
the City. Developments in northeastern 2017 data from City of Hoboken
Hoboken reflect PUDs that are allowed
ST

19TH
19TH ST ST
WEST

15TH
ST
AVE

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE

19TH ST
AL

CK
14TH
ST
CENTR

ON

in the I-1(W) zone. The number of units

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
HUDS
IS ST

ST
UT ST

CK
CHESTN VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA

constructed in the central portions of the city

TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
E

E
RK AV

ADE AV

is much smaller than those on the periphery,

11TH
ST
11TH
ST

1600
Park
YO

PALIS
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH

which is likely due to the low amount of

ST
16TH ST
9TH ST
9TH ST
ST

WING VIA

underutilized land and smaller parcels in

WEST

8TH ST

UNION CITY
15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST

these neighborhoods.
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

5TH ST
GRAND ST

4TH ST 13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST

Pop-Up
ADAMS ST

Park
PARK AVE

3RD ST
BLOOMFIELD ST

12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell
Place Park

Elysian
NORT
H ST Park
10TH ST
10TH ST
Columbus

Union Dry
Park

Dock
CASTLE POINT TER
AVE
TER

9TH ST
WEBS

9TH STREET
Hoboken

LIGHT RAIL
CONG
H.S.

RESS
ST
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUT
H ST
Stevens
Tech
7TH ST
E
RK AV

WASHINGTON ST

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
YO
NEW

WILLOW CT
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST

Constructed Units
DR

BOWE
RS ST
HALL

2004 to 2017
GRAND ST
RD

MARS
N PLANK

5TH ST
New Construction
MARSHALL DR

Church Sinatra
Stevens Park
PATERSO

Square
Park
Park
Alterations With
New Units
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFF
ITH ST Pier C Park
HUMC

1 to 4
RIVER ST

SINATRA DR

HUTTO 3RD ST
N ST
4 to 8
MADISON ST
HARRISON ST

JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

8 to 20
2ND STREET 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

FRAN LIGHT RAIL

20 to 100
KLIN
Service

ST
Center
Multi-
TAIN RD
N AVE

Pier A Park
100 to 236
MOUN
OGDE

1ST ST

NEWARK ST
PA
TE
RS
Alterations
ON
AV
E HUDSON PL
With No New Units
SW
Park Source: City of Hoboken
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal
T Note: “New Construction” and
KS
AR
NEW “Alterations With New Units”
developments were classified based
AVE
HO
BO
KEN on their reported Work Type in the
City’s database. Developments
shown as “Alterations with No New
VE
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
Units” were listed on the City’s
LUIS MUNO

KE
NA database as having 0 units.
BO
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLVD

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

SHORE LN
15TH ST
HOLLAND TUNL

FT 8
78

FIGURE 5. CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS: 2004 TO 2017

INTERSTATE
N BLVD

14TH ST

A
30
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

3. EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT

AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

3.1. EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS

Hoboken regulates land use and development
in accordance with the City’s adopted
Zoning Ordinance (also referred to in this
document as “Zoning Regulations” and
“Zoning Code”), found in Chapter 196 of
the Hoboken Municipal Code.4 The locations
of each zoning district are illustrated on the
City’s Zoning Map, while the development
requirements for each corresponding District
are outlined in the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
The City’s adopted Zoning Map was last
updated in 2002 and does not reflect the
various changes that have occurred since
that time, such as the adoption of multiple
Redevelopment Plans that now replace some
Zoning Districts. As part of this Land Use
Element effort, a map showing all of the
City’s Zoning Districts, Sub-Districts and
Redevelopment Plan Areas has been prepared
(see Figure 4). Table 4 summarizes the zoning
districts and subdistricts, as represented in
§196-7 of the adopted Zoning Ordinance.
Each zoning district in Hoboken’s code allows
different primary, accessory, and conditional
uses. These uses generally align with the
stated purpose of the district. Each district
also contains provisions that regulate the size
and location of buildings on a property (e.g.,
set-backs, height, lot coverage, etc.).
The Ordinance presents confusion as to the
differences meant between “subdistricts”
and “overlay districts,” and in some cases
seem to use the terms interchangeably. Under
the Zoning Ordinance’s “supplementary
regulations,” for example, §197-27 is titled
“Overlay districts,” yet each sub-paragraph
uses the terminology “subdistrict.”

TABLE 4. ZONING DISTRICTS

Zoning Class Zone Subdistrict Subdistrict Description

R-1 (E) Higher Education Subdistrict
R-1 Conservation R-1(CS) Court Street Subdistrict
Residential R-1 (H)(CPT) Castle Point Historic Subdistrict
R-2 Stabilization
R-3 Redevelopment
I-1 Light Manufacturing I-1 (W) Waterfront Subdistrict
Industrial
I-2 Mixed Use
CBD Central Business CBD (H) Historic Subdistrict
Central Business
District CBD (H)(CS) Court Street Subdistrict
W(H) Historic Subdistrict

Waterfront W Waterfront W(N) Castle Point Subdistrict

W(RDV) Waterfront Redevelopment
Subdistrict (Special Review)

FT 8
4 Chapter 196 of Hoboken’s Municipal Code contains the City’s Zoning Ordinance adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the City of Hoboken on August 1, 1979 by Ordinance No. C-117, as amended.

A
31
DR 5/24/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
IS ST
ST

H UD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
E ST

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST
YO

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
WING VIA

8TH ST

North End Rehab I-1 15TH ST

I-1 (W)
E AVE

7TH ST
Zoning Districts
UNION CITY
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

CBD
5TH ST

CONSTITUTION CT
CBD (H)
GRAND ST
4TH ST 13TH ST

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
CBD (H)(CS)
I-1
ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST
DPW

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

I-1
11TH ST MAXWELL LN I-1 (W)
11TH ST
Northwest
Western Edge

I-2

R-1

R-1 (H)(CPT)
NORTH
ST 10TH ST
R-1
10TH ST R-1 (H)
R-1 (CS)

CASTLE POINT TER

W (N)
E
ER AV

R-1 (E)
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
CONG
LIGHT RAIL R-1 (H)
RESS
ST

R-1 (H)(CPT)
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST

R-1 (H)(CS)
WITTPEN WALK

R-2
ADAMS ST

SOUTH Stevens
ST
Tech R-1 (E)
7TH ST
AVE

R-3
WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST

W (N)
NEW

WILLOW CT
R-1 (H)(CS)
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

R-1 (CS)

6TH ST
RIVER ST

R-2 R-1
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
Redevelopment Plan Areas
GRAND ST
SHA
ANK RD

(Superseding)
MAR

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Observer Highway
PATERS

GARDEN ST

4TH ST
Northwest
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST
RIVER ST

Hoboken Yard
River Street

South
SINATRA DR

HUTTO 3RD ST
N ST
Waterfront Western Edge
MADISON ST

CBD (H)
HARRISON ST

JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

River Street
2ND STREET R-3 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

DPW
CBD (H)(CS)

FRAN LIGHT RAIL

KLIN
ST
AIN RD

South Waterfront
AVE

Post
MOUNT
OGDEN

1ST ST
Office
NEWARK ST
PA
TE
RS
ON CBD (H) Redevelopment Plan
AV
E CBD HUDSON PL Overlay Areas
DPW
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken Post Office
Terminal
SW Rehab I-2
WA
R K ST
Hoboken Yard Neumann Leathers
NE

AVE Neumann Leathers Southwest

KEN
BO
HO
Observer Highway
North End Rehabilitation
VE
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
Area; Redevelopment
LUIS MUNO

NA
BO
KE Plan In Progress
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST

FT 8
RIVER DR

FIGURE 6. EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, SUB-DISTRICTS AND REDEVELOPMENT AREAS

N BLVD

A
32
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

RESIDENTIAL ZONE DISTRICTS

R-1, R-2 and R-3 Districts

R-Zones Snapshot
● 3,442 properties
● 274 acres (37.5% of City, including
water)
● 19,672 existing dwelling units (DU)
● 540 additional approved dwelling
units
● 20,212 total DU
(existing and approved)
● 1.67 million sf commercial
N

There are three major residential zone
districts: R-1, R-2, and R-3, which generally
occupy the geographic center of Hoboken.
Accounting for each of the “subdistricts,”
however, there are essentially eight (8)
separate “R” districts. The discussion below
summarizes the R-zones and subdistricts
except for the R-1(E) Higher Education and
R-1(H)(CPT) Historic Castle Point Terrace
Subdistricts; these two R-zone subdistricts are
very different in their regulations and land use
character, and are discussed separately in the
next sections.

District Purpose
The purpose of this district is to conserve the architecture, scale and grain of residential blocks
and street patterns; reinforce the residential character of the district; acknowledge the traditional
R-1 District
relationship between Stevens Institute, adjacent residential neighborhoods, and neighborhood retail
businesses and services; and regulate buildings and activities not comparable with district objectives.
The purpose of the Court Street subdistrict is to preserve the architecture and scale of accessory
structures fronting on Court Street; encourage residential use; control height and density in relation
R-1 (CS) Subdistrict
to limited utility service and firefighting accessibility; limit vehicular through traffic; encourage
pedestrian use; and otherwise reinforce the scale and quality of this district.
N/A (This overlay exists on the Zoning Map, but it is not identified in Zoning Ordinance. The
R-1 (H) Ordinance does not specifically enumerate an “R-1 Historic Court Street Subdistrict” in Article III
Zoning Districts Established, nor in Article V: Schedule I: Residential Districts)
R-1 (H)(CS) N/A (This overlay exists on the Zoning Map, but it is not identified in Zoning Ordinance.)
The purpose of this district is to encourage neighborhood stability through conservation and reha-
bilitation of residential structures; facilitate conversion of nonresidential to residential space; and
R-2 District
otherwise reinforce the residential characteristics of this district by restricting uses and structures
not compatible with district objectives.
The purpose of this district is to advance the achievement of a viable residential neighborhood; to
encourage conservation and rehabilitation of existing sound residential blocks; to support residential
R-3 District revitalization by a variety of housing types and related uses; and to otherwise reinforce the resi-
dential characteristics of this district by regulating uses and structures not compatible with district
objectives.
Source: §196-14 - §196-16

A FT 8
33
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-1, R-1, and R-3 Permitted Uses and

Bulk Standards Permitted Uses:
Use Type R-1 R-1 R-2 R-3
The permitted (“P”) and conditional (“C”)
CS)
uses listed in the City’s Zoning Ordinance
have been organized into the table below. Residential buildings P P P P
Places of worship, schools C -- P P
The area, yard and building requirements as Public buildings, schools, rec
per §196-14E are summarized in the table C -- P P
centers, parks, assembly uses
below. Retail and service (where at
P P P P
least 2 exist on the block)
Hospital and related clinics -- -- P --
Accessory apartments -- C -- --
Loft building -- -- C C
PUD -- -- -- C
Educational uses C C C --
Instructional uses C C -- --
Funeral homes C C C --
Nursery School C C C --
Office Building C C C --
Office above street level C C C --
Bars C C -- C
Restaurants C C C C
Clubs, community centers C C C C
Public Utility C C C C
Clinics, nursing homes C C C C
Public parking facilities C C P/C C
Residential block

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard R-1 R-1 (CS) R-2 R-3

Lot Area, Min. 2,000 SF 2,000 SF 2,000 SF 2,500 SF
Lot Width, Min. 20’ 20’ 20’ 25’
Lot Depth, Min. 100’ 100’ 100’ 100’
60% Principal;
Lot Coverage, Max 60% 60% 60%
20% Accessory
40’ above grade Prin-
Building Height 40’ above DFE cipal; 40’ above DFE 40’ above DFE
30’ Accessory
0’ or match adjacent, 0’ or match adjacent, 0’ or match adjacent,
Yard, Front --
but not more than 10’ but not more than 10’ but not more than 10’
Yard, Side 0’ or 5’ -- 0’ or 5’ 0’ or 5’
Lesser of 30’ or 30% Lesser of 30’ or 30% Lesser of 30’ or 30%
Yard, Rear --
of lot depth of lot depth of lot depth
Site Area / 660 SF Site Area / 660 SF Site Area / 660 SF Site Area / 660 SF
Density & reduce for non-res- & reduce for non-res- & reduce for non-res- & reduce for non-res-
idential SF idential SF idential SF idential SF

A FT 8
34
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

R-1(H)(CPT) – Castle Point Historic Subdistrict

R-1(H)(CPT) Snapshot:
● 40 properties
● 5.7 acres
● 87 existing dwelling units

The Castle Point Historic Subdistrict is

located on the eastern side of Hudson
Street, north of Eighth Street and includes
Elysian Park; it encompasses a portion of
the properties on the westerly side of Castle N
Point Terrace. (The City’s Zoning Map does
not identify or delineate the Castle Point Through architectural and bulk controls, the
Terrace Historic Subdistrict) height and density will be limited to maintain
the historic character.
The purpose of the Castle Point Historic
Subdistrict is to reinforce and safeguard the
Permitted Uses
heritage of this area which has been one of
the most architecturally prestigious districts ● Detached single-family and two-
family residential buildings.
in Hoboken. This subdistrict, which is
also designated the “Castle Point Historic ● No conditional uses are permitted.
District” is distinguished by being the only ● The area, yard and building
neighborhood in the City typified by large, requirements as per §196-14E are
freestanding one- and two-family homes. summarized in the table below.

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard R-1 (H)(CPT)
Lot Area, Min. 2,000 SF (1F); 3,000 SF (2F)
Lot Width, Min. 20’ (1F); 30’ (2F)
Lot Depth, Min. 100’
Lot Coverage, Max 60%
Building Height Prevailing height; Rear additions: 40’ above grade
Yard, Front 10’ Min.
Yard, Side 0’ or 5’
Yard, Rear 30’ Min; Max bldg. depth 75’
Density 2,000 SF (1F); 3,000 SF (2F)

A FT 8
35
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-1(E) – Educational Subdistrict

R-1(E) Snapshot:
● 52 properties
● 41.6 acres
● 29 dwelling units (not associated
with Stevens Institute)
● 31 Stevens apartments and
faculty housing
● 1,424 student beds in group
quarters living (dormitories and
Greek housing)
● University buildings and facilities
(non-housing)
N
● 1.5 million square feet of campus
facility gross floor area1

1 Stevens re-zoning proposal, January 2017

provides that: “The R-1(E) Subdistrict

The R-1(E) Education Subdistrict is located
east of Hudson Street, north of Stevens
Park and south of the Castle Point Historic
District. It sits on the highest point in
Hoboken, a bluff overlooking the Hudson
River and is bounded on its easterly side by
Sinatra Drive.
The purpose of the educational subdistrict
is to acknowledge the interaction between
Stevens Institute and the remainder of
the R-1 District while at the same time
modifying the specific conditions of this
zoning district within the subdistrict
boundaries shown on the Zoning Map in
recognition of the unique requirements of
an institution of higher learning, which may
be inconsistent with standards prevailing
elsewhere in the district. The design of
buildings and uses in the R-1(E) Subdistrict,
particularly in portions of the buildings and
uses adjacent to the R-1 District, shall be
integrated with the prevailing character of
adjacent districts, streets, buildings and uses.
The higher education subdistrict appears on
the Zoning Map superimposed on the R-1
District, and its regulations supplement those
of the district on which it is superimposed.
isolates uses peculiar to higher education
from the remainder of the district while
acknowledging functional, economic, social
and geographical relationships between the
subdistrict and the larger district.”
Permitted Uses:
● Residential buildings for faculty and
staff.
● Other types of living quarters such as
dormitories, fraternities, sororities and
their houses.
● Non-residential uses including
buildings owned or leased for
administration and faculty offices,
classrooms, laboratories, chapels,
auditoriums, and lecture halls with
fewer than 100 seats, libraries, student
and faculty centers, dining halls,
campus stores, and athletic facilities.
Conditional Uses:
● Auditoriums and lecture halls with
greater than 100 seats
● Hospitals or health clinics
● Plant and facility maintenance
buildings

FT 8
Section §196-27 (Overlay districts) further
A
36
DR 5/24/1
 SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

● Scientific or research laboratories

● Parking facilities

The area, yard and building requirements as

per §196-14E are summarized in the table to
the below.

Stevens Institute

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard R-1 (E)
Lot Area, Min. 2,000 SF
Lot Width, Min. 20’
Lot Depth, Min. 100’
Lot Coverage, Max 50%
Building Height 10-stories or 100’, 4 stories or 40’ w/in 200’ of residence district
Yard, Front Prevailing, or 10’ Min.
Yard, Side 0’ or 5’
Yard, Rear 10’
Density Not specified

Stevens Institute
A FT 8
37
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

COMMERCIAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS

CBD Zones Snapshot:

● 176 properties
● 16.8 acres
● 885 existing dwelling units
● 10 additional approved dwelling
units
● 895 total dwelling unit(existing
and approved)
● 825,000 sf commercial CBD

The City’s Central Business District (“CBD”)
is located just north of the Hoboken
Terminal, primarily between Hudson Place
and First Street; and along Washington
Street and Court Street, between Observer
Highway and Fourth Street. Within the
CBD are two subdistricts: the CBD Historic
Subdistrict “CBD(H)” and the CBD Court
Street Subdistrict “CBD(H)(CS).”
N
Permitted uses:
● Residential buildings
● Retail and service, restaurants, bars,
offices, studios, clinics, commercial
recreation, instructional use, public
uses, parks and plazas, hotels and
motels
● Conditional uses in the CBD and
CBD(H) include public parking
garages and lots, outdoor restaurants
and markets, PUDs
● Conditional uses in the CBD (H)(CS)
include only accessory apartments and
home occupations

District Purpose
The purpose of this district is to encourage the location of regional and citywide services and
CBD commercial activities; facilitate the development of buildings for permanent and transient
residents appropriate to the proximity of the City’s transportation terminal; and support the
objectives of the City’s historic district.
The purpose of the Historic Subdistrict is to preserve and enhance the best elements of this sub-
district’s traditional character by architectural and other controls; protect against destruction of
or undesirable encroachment upon the area; and ensure that new structures and uses within the
CBD (H)
district will be in keeping with the character to be preserved and enhanced. The Historic Sub-
district appears on the Zoning Map superimposed on the CBD Central Business District, and its
requirements as set forth below and in Chapter 42 (Historic Preservation) supplement those of
the district on which it is superimposed.
The purpose of the Court Street Subdistrict is to preserve the architecture and scale of accesso-
ry structures fronting on Court Street; encourage residential use; control height and density in
CBD (H)(CS)
relation to limited utility service and firefighting accessibility; limit automobile through traffic;
to encourage pedestrian; use and otherwise reinforce the scale and character of this subdistrict.
Source: §196-19A(1-3)

A FT 8
38
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard CBD CBD (H) CBD (H)(CS)
Lot Area, Min. 5,000 SF 2,000 SF 2,000 SF
Lot Width, Min. 20’ 20’ 20’
Lot Depth, Min. 100’ 100’ 100’
80% commercial 60% principal; (not listed)
Lot Coverage, Max
60% res/mix-use 10% accessory 20% accessory
Prevailing; not to exceed 5 Prevailing, not to exceed 5
Building Height 16 Stories; 160’
stories stories; Accessory 30’
Yard, Front 10’ Min. Prevailing or 5’ Max. Prevailing or 5’ Max.
Yard, Side 0’ or 10’ 0’ or 10’ 0’ or 10’
Lesser of 30’ or 30% of lot
Yard, Rear 30’ Min. 20’ or 20% of lot depth
depth
Lot Area / 500 SF
Lot Area / 500 SF Lot Area / 500 SF (& reduce by non-res. SF)
Density
(& reduce by non-res. SF) (& reduce by non-res. SF) + 1 accessory apt. if all Dis-
trict bulk rqmts. Met

Washington Street

A FT 8
39
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

WATERFRONT DISTRICTS

W (N) Zone Snapshot:

● 3 properties
● 21.6 acres (8 acres land, 13 acres
water)
● 0 dwelling units
● 29,000 sf commercial / industrial

Hoboken’s Waterfront (“W”) Districts are

located along the water’s edge, where the
City’s landmass meets the Hudson River, N
east of Stevens Institute and the River Street
Redevelopment Area, and just north of the Permitted Uses:
Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area. Much Permitted principal uses in the W(N)
of the Waterfront District area is located District include educational uses, recreational
within the Hudson River. uses, marinas, and water-oriented uses
The 3 properties in the W(N) zone include (commercial, recreational, or passenger use).
the former Union Dry Dock and Repair Conditional uses include maritime industrial
Company site and two properties east of use and transportation terminal facilities.
Sinatra Drive that are owned by Stevens
Institute. The Stevens properties contain Bulk Standards:
segments of the waterfront walkway, a
surface parking area, and a maintenance Bulk Standard W(N) W(RDV) W(H)
building used by Stevens. Lot Area, Min. 40,000 SF
Lot Width, Min. 400’
Lot Depth, Min. 400’
See: South
30% principal See: Hobo-
Waterfront
Lot Coverage, Max ken Yard
10% accessory Redevelop-
Redevelop-
ment Plan,
Building Height 2 Stories; 35’ ment Plan,
adopted
adopted
Yard, Front N/A 11/17/89, as
12/16/2014
amended
Yard, Side N/A
Yard, Rear N/A
Density N/A

A FT 8
40
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

District Purpose
W
The purpose of this district is to promote comprehensive development which includes a mix of commercial
office, retail, and residential uses at varying densities; with visual and physical access to the Hudson River
waterfront and linking other commercial and residential areas of the City to the waterfront.

W(RDV) Development in the W(RDV) Subdistrict is subject to the to the special use, bulk and parking regulations of
the South Waterfront Redevelopment Plan adopted November 17, 1989, as amended.
W(H)
The W(H) Historic Subdistrict is subject to review procedures of the Historic Preservation Commission.

W(N) Development in the W(N) Waterfront North Subdistrict is subject to height limitations. Further, it is intend-
ed that the view of the bluffs associated with Castle Point along the Hudson River Waterfront be preserved
as a natural amenity of the City. Therefore, all development located within this subdistrict shall be subject to
a height limitation, restricting such development to no more than 35 feet in height. Permitted and condition-
al uses shall be otherwise the same as those established for the remainder of the W Waterfront District.
Source: §196-20 A-B

FT 8
South Waterfront Redeveopment Area

A
41
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS

I-1, I-1 (W) and I-2

Hoboken’s I-1 District is in the City’s “North
End,” north of Fourteenth Street and west of
Park Avenue. The I-1(W) District is located
immediately east of the I-1 District (east of
Park Avenue and north of Fourteenth Street)
as well as to the east of Hudson Street until
reaching Elysian Park to the south. The I-2
District is in the southwesterly portion of the
City, south of Paterson Avenue and between
Newark Street and Observer Highway. As
shown on the key-map above, there are also
N
two small isolated I-2 sites located mid-
block between Newark Street and Observer
Highway on Park Avenue and on Garden
Street.

I-Zone Snapshots
I-1 Zone I-1 (W) Zone I-2 Zone
● 88 properties ● 57 properties ● 59 properties
● 40.7 acres ● 133.9 acres (including water) ● 17 acres
● 148 existing dwelling units ● 3,045 existing dwelling units ● 359 existing dwelling units
● 44 additional approved ● 393 additional approved ● 676,732 sf commercial
dwelling units dwelling units
● 192 total dwelling units ● 3,438 total dwelling units
(existing and approved) (existing and approved)
● 605,377 sf commercial ● 395,860 sf commercial

District Purpose

The purpose of this district is to establish standards for urban industrial activity; acknowledge the City’s
I-1
traditional locational advantages for materials handling and fabrication; maintain employment opportuni-
ties for local residents while diversifying and strengthening the City’s economic base.

The purpose of the I-1(W) Subdistrict is to protect existing employment opportunities and to recognize
I-1 (W) alternative uses, such as residential developments with associated retail uses, should be encouraged near
the waterfront. In order to adequately guide the redevelopment of this district, all proposed developments
must undergo the urban design review procedures set forth in § 196-27.1.
The purpose of this district is to establish appropriate standards and uses for rail and other transporta-
I-2 tion-related commercial and light industrial activities; provide criteria for off-street parking and loading;
and otherwise facilitate the movement of vehicular traffic and materials transshipment.
Source: §196-17A(1),: §196-17A(2), §196-18A

A FT 8
42
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

Permitted uses:
The permitted uses in the I-1, I-1(W), and I-2
Zones have been organized into the table
below, where “P” means a use that is a
Principal Permitted Use and a “C” means a
use that is a permitted Conditional Use. As
for residential uses in the I-Zones, it should
be noted that:
● The I-1(W) District permits residential
development only as Planned Unit
Development (PUD).
● The I-1 and I-2 Districts do not
permit residential development.

I-1 (W) areas

N
Permitted Uses:
Use Type I-1 I-1(W) I-2
Planned unit development (PUD) -- P --
Food processing, storage, distribution -- -- P
Manufacturing, processing P/C P P/C
Office buildings P P --
Research laboratories P P --
Warehouses P -- --
Essential Utility, public services P C --
Wireless telcom towers P -- P
Auto service stations C -- C
Auto sales -- -- C
Car wash -- -- C
Commercial Garages C -- C
Building supply and lumber yards C -- --
Factory outlet stores C -- --
Planned industrial development C --
Public, Accessory parking facilities C C C
Solid waste material recovery facility C -- --
Marinas -- C --
Bars -- C C
Restaurants -- C --
Retail business or service -- C P
River borne public transportation -- C --
Public buildings and uses -- -- P
Railroad-related shipping terminals -- -- C
P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C = Conditional use, requiring compliance with
design standards and minor site plan approval.

A FT 8
43
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard I-1 I-1(W) I-1(W) as PUD I-2
10 Acre Tract
Lot Area, Min. 20,000 SF 20,000 SF 5,000 SF
(including water area)
Lot Width, Min. 200’ 200’ -- 50’
Lot Depth, Min. 100’ 100’ -- 100’
75% for a development block;
65% prin-
65% average for all development
65% principal 65% principal cipal
Lot Coverage, Max blocks; 100% for first 4 stories of a
10% accessory 10% accessory 10% acces-
parking structure under a princi-
sory
pal building
Mfg: 4 stories, 80’ Mfg: 4 stories, 80’ 2 stories;
4 stories; 80’- prin- Office: 8 stories, Office: 8 stories, 85’ 40’- prin-
cipal 80’ Marinas: 2 stories, 30’ cipal
Building Height Marinas: 2 stories, Retail: 2 stories, 30’
1.5 stories; 30’ - ac- 30’ Parking structure: 80’ 1.5 stories;
cessory Retail: 2 stories, Residential: 8 stories, 85’ (or 125’ 30’ - acces-
30’ with same density) sory
Yard, Front 10’ Min. 10’ Min. -- 5’ Min
Yard, Side 10’ Min. 10’ Min. -- 5’ Min’
Yard, Rear 20’ Min. 20’ Min. 70’ from any street 15’ Min
If bldg. height is 125’, Residential
SF Max = (Total SF of all develop-
ment blocks x 8 stories) x 51%
Density -- -- 1.25 FAR
Otherwise: residential GFA:
25-85%; non-residential GFA:
15%-75%
See Urban Design Review for
Other -- --
PUDs at §196-27.1
Source: §196-17E and §196-18E

Industrially zoned areas in North End of Hoboken

A FT 8
44
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

3.2. EXISTING HISTORIC DISTRICTS & HISTORIC SITES

Hoboken has an unusually intact collection City of Hoboken may designate properties
of historic buildings and neighborhoods that and districts by Ordinance for local historic
represent significant examples of residential, preservation status, individual property
commercial, industrial, and transportation- owners must apply for designation on the
related structures dating from the late 19th State and National Registers. To be eligible
and early 20th centuries. These historic for National Register listing, districts,
assets form a substantial part of the City’s buildings or structures must be over 50 years
identity, sense of place, quality-of-life, and old and meet at least one of the following
economic vitality, and are a source of civic criteria:
pride.
● Associated with events that have made
The City’s historic fabric has long generated a major contribution to the broad
patterns of U.S. history or with the
local interest in historic preservation efforts. lives of significant people;
In 1976, Hoboken designated Elysian Park
as its first historic site. Two years later, the ● Embody distinctive characteristics
City became one of the first municipalities in of a type, period, or construction
method; or
New Jersey to enact a Historic Preservation
Ordinance, establish a Historic Preservation ● Have yielded or may yield important
Commission (HPC), and adopt a Historic historical data.
Preservation Element of its Master Plan.
Since then, the HPC has functioned as an
important civic body, conducting design
reviews of proposed construction activities
within the City’s historic districts for
compatibility with the built environment and
streetscape. HPC oversight has been credited
with the preservation and enhancement of
Washington Street and other major elements
of Hoboken’s historic resources.

Hoboken has locally designated Historic

Districts and locally designated sites,
which are set forth in the City’s Historic
Preservation Ordinance, Chapter 42 of the
Hoboken City Code, and described below.
Locally designated properties and districts
must follow requirements as specified in the
Historic Preservation Ordinance, in addition
to meeting applicable standards in the City’s
Zoning Ordinance.

The State and National Registers of

Historic Places also designate specific sites
and districts that meet State and National
historic preservation criteria. Benefits of
National Register listing include eligibility
for tax credits and consideration for federal
grants administered by the State Historic

FT 8
Preservation Office (SHPO). Whereas the

A
45
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Local Designated Historic Districts

There are two locally designated historic
districts that are established by Chapter 42 of
the Hoboken City Code, and are under the
jurisdiction of the HPC:
Drive to the east. Moving north, the district
incorporates both sides of Washington Street
to Fourteenth Street, and includes the block
between Court and Hudson Streets from
First to Fourth Streets.

Central Business and Washington Street Castle Point Historic District:

Historic District:
This district covers the east side of Hudson
South of First Street, this district extends
Street between Eighth and Tenth Streets,
from Observer Highway and Hudson Place
both sides of Castle Point Terrace between
northward to encompass the blocks between
Ninth and Tenth Streets, and Elysian Park.
Bloomfield Street to the west and Sinatra

State and National Designated Historic Districts

A row of five-story buildings located at
1200, 1202, 1204, and 1206 Washington
Street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth
Street, formerly known as the El Dorado
Apartments, is designated as a historic
district on both the National and State
Registers of Historic Places. These properties
are encompassed within the boundaries of
the City’s locally designated Central Business
and Washington Street Historic District.

Historic Buildings and Structures

Designated Local Historic Sites sites are shown in Table 8. The City should
The City of Hoboken has designated a total encourage property owners of eligible sites to
of 37 individual sites as preservation sites apply for designation status.
under the jurisdiction of the HPC, as listed
in Table 8 below. Approximately two-thirds
of these sites are current or former houses of
worship, or a City firehouse.

Designated State and National Historic

Sites

Many of the locally designated sites are also

listed on the State and National Registers.
The Hoboken public library is listed on the
State and National Register but not locally
designated.

Eligible State and National Historic

Sites
In addition to the above sites, SHPO has
determined that additional sites are eligible
for listing, on the State and National
Registers, many reflecting the City’s long
history as an industrial and transportation
hub within the metropolitan region, as

FT 8
well as important community assets. These Castle Point Terrace

A
46
DR 5/24/1
 SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
ST IS ST

H UD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
E

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST
1600
YO

PALISA Park
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
WING VIA

8TH ST

15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST

UNION CITY
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST
Engine Co. 2
5TH ST Firehouse
4TH ST
GRAND ST 13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT

El Dorado Apts,

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
1202, 1204, 1206
Pop-Up Washington Street
ADAMS ST

Park

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell
Place Park

Elysian
NORTH
ST Park
10TH ST
10TH ST Castle Point
Historic District Union Dry
Columbus First Baptist Dock

CASTLE POINT TER

Park
E

Church
ER AV
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
CONG
RESS
ST
Hoboken
H.S.
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
Engine Co. 6
Saint Ann Roman Firehouse Central Business
Catholic Church and Washington Street
WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUTH
ST Historic District Stevens
Tech
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT
Church of the
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

Holy Innocents 6TH ST

RIVER ST
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
Edwin A.
GRAND ST

Church of
SHA
ANK RD

Our Lady Hoboken Stevens Hall

MAR

5TH ST
Grace Public Library
MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Church Sinatra
Stevens
Engine Co. 5 Square Park
Park
PATERS

Firehouse Park
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST Pier C Park
HUMC
RIVER ST

SINATRA DR

3RD ST
HUTTO
N ST Keuffel & Esser
MADISON ST

Manufacturing Engine Co. 4

HARRISON ST

Firehouse
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

Assembly of
2ND STREET Engine Co. 3 2ND ST Exempt Firemen
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL Multi-

FRAN
KLIN
ST Firehouse United Synagogue
Service
of Hoboken
AIN RD

Center
AVE

Pier A Park
MOUNT
OGDEN

1ST ST
Hoboken Land
Jefferson Trust and Imrovement
PA
NEWARK ST
Hoboken
TE
RS
ON
Company City Hall
AV HUDSON PL
Hoboken
E
SW Engine Co. 3 Terminal
Park
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY Truck 2 Firehouse OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal
S T
RK
WA
NE

AVE
HO
BO
KEN Locally Designated
Historic Districts

JERSEY CITY State Listed Historic

AV
E
18TH ST Properties
LUIS MUNO

EN
B OK
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D

Source: City of Hoboken, NJ Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office

COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

FIGURE 7. HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND DISTRICTS

FT 8
N BLVD

A
47
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

TABLE 7. LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC SITES

Site Location
Holy Innocents Church, Rectory and Parish Hall* Sixth Street from Willow Avenue to Clinton Street
Erie-Lackawanna Railroad and Ferry Terminal* Hudson Plaza and bank of Hudson River
Hoboken City Hall* 86-98 Washington Street
Hoboken Land & Improvement Co. Building* 1 Newark Street
Jefferson Trust Co. Building* 313-315 First Street
Keuffel & Esser Manufacturing Complex (includes Clock Tower
Third and Adams Streets, Third and Grand Streets
Apts.)*
Former El Dorado Apartments* 1200, 1202, 1204 and 1206 Washington Street
Assembly of Exempt Firemen* 213 Bloomfield Street
Engine Company No. 2 * 1313 Washington Street
Engine Company No. 3* 201 Jefferson Street
Engine Company No. 3, Truck No. 2* 501 Observer Highway
Engine Company No. 4* 212 Park Avenue
Engine Company No. 5* 412 Grand Street
Engine Company No. 6* 801 Clinton Street
Firemen’s Monument, Church Square Park* Garden and Fifth Streets
Edwin A. Stevens Hall* Fifth Street between Hudson and River Streets
Our Lady of Grace Church and Rectory* 400 Willow Avenue
First Baptist Church (aka Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church)* 901-907 Bloomfield Street
United Synagogue of Hoboken* 115 Park Avenue
St. Ann’s Church and Rectory* 700-706 Jefferson Street
Elysian Park Hudson Street between Tenth and Eleventh Streets
Christian Missionary Alliance 637 Garden Street
Sts. Peter & Paul Church and Rectory 400-404 Hudson Street
St. John Baptist Church 300 Bloomfield Street
Academy of the Sacred Heart 713 Washington Street
St. Francis’ Church and Rectory 308 Jefferson Street
St. Joseph’s Church and Rectory 61-69 Monroe Street
Mt. Olive Baptist Church 721 Washington Street
St. Matthew’s Church and Rectory 57 Eighth Street (at Hudson Street)
Hoboken Evangelical Free Church 833 Clinton Street
Community Church of God and Rectory 600-606 Garden Street
Society DM Santa Febronia 557 Fifth Street
First Church of Christ, Scientist 829 Bloomfield Street
All Saints Episcopal Church and Rectory 707 Washington Street
Plymouth Brethren Gospel Hall 641 Bloomfield Street
Former St. Paul Episcopal Church (Abbey) 816-820 Hudson Street
Former St. Matthew’s Baptist Church 131-133 Garden Street
*Also listed on the NJ State and National Registers of Historic Places
Source: Hoboken City Code, Chapter 41-17; NJ State Historic Preservation Office

A FT 8
48
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

TABLE 8. STATE AND NATIONAL ELIGIBLE HISTORIC SITES

Site Location
Fourteenth Street Viaduct Fourteenth Street over the Conrail River Line
501 Adams Street 501 Adams Street
Christopher Columbus Gardens 460 Eighth Street and 455 Ninth Street
Factory Terminal Loft Buildings 1500 Hudson Street, also known as Standard Brands & Lip-
ton Tea Plant Terminal
Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Co. 720-732 Monroe Street
Hoboken High School 800 Clinton Street
Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA 1301 Washington Street
Hoboken Public Library 500 Park Avenue
Bethlehem Steel Corp. Shipyard Machine Shop 1201-1321 Hudson Street
509 Madison Street 509 Madison Street
Martha Institute 214 Sixth Street
Old Hillside Road Trolley Horseshoe Curve Fourteenth Street in Hoboken to Palisades Avenue at Sixth
Street in Union City
P.S. #8 – Leinkauf School 450 Seventh Street
P.S. #5 122 Clinton Street at Second Street
P.S. #7 80 Park Avenue
R.B. Davis Co. 38-56 Jackson Street
R. Neumann & Co. Factory Complex Observer Highway, Willow Avenue, Newark Street
John Schmalz’s Sons Model Bakery 351 Eighth Street
Sybil’s Cave 800 Sinatra Drive
Trenton Building 600-602 River Terrace
800-810 Willow Avenue 800-810 Willow Avenue

TABLE 9. RECOMMENDED FOR LOCAL DESIGNATION

Site Block and Lot
Church Square Park; 400-422 Garden Street Block 191.01 Lot 1
Elysian Park; 10th & 11th Street & Hudson Street Block 239.01 Lot 1
Stevens Park; 401 Hudson Street Block 232 Lot 1
Columbus Park; 9th & 10th Street & Clinton Street Block 154 Lot 1.02
The Grand Adams; 300 Grand Street Block 51 Lot 1 (consolidated)
1422-1428 Grand Street Block 121 Lot 14 (consolidated)
Garden Street Mews; pedestrian public space along the Garden Street ROW. Block 126 Lot 5
Hostess Cake Kitchen, Continental Baking Co., Inc.; 200 14th Street Block 126 Lot 1 (consolidated)
Garden Street Lofts; former Coconut Factory; 1425 Garden Street Block 255 Lot 1
1414-1418 Willow Avenue Commercial-Industrial building Block 123 Lot 15
United States Post Office; Frank Sinatra Memorial Building; 85-89 River Street Block 231.01 Lot 1
The Trust Company of New Jersey Building, 12-14 Hudson Place Block 230 Lot 5
Hoboken Bank For Savings, 101-105 Washington Street Block 212 Lot 1
Thomas G. Connors Primary School, 201 Monroe Street Block 38 Lot 1
P.S. 1 (Currently HOPES), 301 Garden Street Block 190 Lot 1
Hoboken Middle School, 400 Bloomfield Street, aka 158 4th Street Block 191 Lot 1
The Hudson School, 601 Park Avenue Block 181 Lot 1
Brandt Primary School, 830 Garden Street, aka 215 9th Street Block 183 Lot 21

A FT 8
49
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

3.3. REDEVELOPMENT AREAS

There are 11 distinct areas in Hoboken with Plans that were adopted before 1990
that have been designated either as an have been fully built-out. Figure 8 and Table
“Area in Redevelopment” or and “Area 10 show the various Redevelopment and
in Need of Rehabilitation” by the City. Rehabilitation Areas and their respective
Redevelopment Plans have been adopted status.
for all areas except for the North End
Rehabilitation Area, where the process of
preparing a Redevelopment Plan is currently
underway. The three redevelopment areas

TABLE 10. REDEVELOPMENT PLAN STATUS

Redevelopment
Date Date Plan Designated
Name: or Rehabilitation Status: Construction
Designated: Adopted: Redeveloper(s):
Area:

Redevelopment
River Street Completed Complete
Area

Observer Redevelopment
Completed Complete
Highway Area

South Redevelopment
Completed Complete
Waterfront Area

Redevelopment
Northwest Adopted May 1998 May 1998 In Progress
Area

DPW Redevelopment
Adopted May 2006 May 2008 In Progress
Area

Redevelopment
Hoboken Yard Adopted Feb. 2007 Dec. 2014 In Progress
Area

Redevelopment
Western Edge Adopted July 2007 Aug. 2015 In Progress
Area

Neumann Rehabilitation 2011

Adopted Dec. 2015 In Progress
Leathers Area (Overlay) 2014 reconfirm

Rehabilitation
Southwest Adopted June 2012 June 2017 In Progress
Area (Overlay)

Rehabilitation
Post Office Adopted Oct. 2012 Mar. 2017 In Progress
Area (Overlay)

Rehabilitation
North End Designated Dec. 2013 In Progress
Area (TBD)

A FT 8
50
DR 5/24/1
 SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

19TH

ST
ST

WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
IS ST
ST

H UD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
E

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST
YO

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
WING VIA

8TH ST

North End Rehab I-1 15TH ST

I-1 (W)
E AVE

7TH ST

UNION CITY
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

5TH ST

CONSTITUTION CT
GRAND ST
4TH ST 13TH ST

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
I-1
ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST
Northwest
Western Edge

R-1

R-1 (H)(CPT)
NORTH
ST 10TH ST
10TH ST

R-1 (H)

CASTLE POINT TER

W (N)
E
ER AV
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
CONG
RESS
ST
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUTH Stevens
ST
Tech R-1 (E)
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT
R-1 (H)(CS)
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

R-1 (CS)

6TH ST
RIVER ST

R-2 R-1
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
GRAND ST
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
ON PL
PATERS

GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST
RIVER ST
River Street

SINATRA DR

HUTTO 3RD ST
N ST
MADISON ST

CBD (H)
HARRISON ST

W (RDV)
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

2ND STREET R-3 2ND ST

JACKSON ST

CBD (H)(CS)

FRAN LIGHT RAIL

KLIN
ST
AIN RD
AVE

Post Office
MOUNT
OGDEN

1ST ST

NEWARK ST
PA
CBD (H)
TE
RS
ON
AV
E CBD HUDSON PL Redevelopment Areas
DPW Construction
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal Complete
SW Rehab I-2 T

NE
WA
R KS
Hoboken Yard
Plan Adopted,
KEN
AVE Neumann Rehab Construction incomplete
BO
HO
Observer Highway
Redevelopment Plan
VE
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
in progress
LUIS MUNO

NA
KE
BO
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

FIGURE 8. ZONING: REDEVELOPMENT/REHABILITATION ZONES

FT 8
N BLVD

A
51
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Redevelopment Process
The redevelopment process in Hoboken the application for compliance with the
complies with the New Jersey Local Redevelopment Plan and determining that
Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL). the project meets its objectives, the City
In order for the Governing Body (Hoboken’s may enter into a Redevelopment Agreement
City Council) to declare an area as an “Area with a Designated Redeveloper. Once
in Need of Redevelopment” or an “Area in a Redevelopment Agreement has been
Need of Rehabilitation,” a study must be executed, the Designated Redeveloper may
prepared that determines whether an area apply to the Hoboken Planning Board for
meets specific statutory criteria as provided review and approval of the project.
for in the LRHL. The LRHL criteria for a
Rehabilitation designation is less burdensome
to meet than the criteria needed to achieve
a Redevelopment Designation. While both
designations allow a municipality to prepare
a Redevelopment Plan for that area, a
Rehabilitation designation does not authorize
the same powers as a Redevelopment
designation, such as the ability to offer
long-term tax abatements or the power to
authorize the use of eminent domain.

Once an area is designated as either a

Rehabilitation Area or a Redevelopment
Area, the Governing Body may adopt
a Redevelopment Plan that governs
development in that area. The LRHL is more
flexible than the Municipal Land Use Law
and allows greater municipal control over
the development of land, buildings, streets,
streetscape, etc. as well as matters of design,
construction phasing, community benefits,
and so on. A Redevelopment Plan may be
adopted as a “superseding” plan or as an
“overlay.” Superseding plans replace the
zoning in that area, whereas overlay plans
retain the underlying zoning and enable
property owners to develop in accordance
with the new Redevelopment Plan, or in
accordance with the underlying zoning. In
Hoboken, Redevelopment Plans for Areas
in Need of Redevelopment have largely been
adopted as “superseding” plans, whereas the
Redevelopment Plans adopted for in Areas
of Rehabilitation have traditionally been
adopted as “overlay” plans.

Upon the adoption of a Redevelopment

Plan, interested property owners within
the Plan Area may submit an application
to the City to be designated as the

FT 8
“Designated Redeveloper.” After reviewing

A
52
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

Redevelopment Area Status: Development Complete

River Street South Waterfront
The River Street Redevelopment Area is The South Waterfront Redevelopment Area
bound by River Street and Hudson Street is codified into the Zoning Code as the W
between First Street and Fourth Street. (RDV) zone. The redevelopment plan was
The Redevelopment Plan for the area adopted in 1989, and construction within
was adopted in 1967 and it has since been the area is complete. The development area
completely built-out. The buildings contain encompasses three (3) City blocks from
residential and office with first-floor retail First Street to Fourth Street and between
and restaurants. There are also three (3) River Street and Sinatra Drive, and includes
Hoboken Parking Utility (HPU) parking buildings with office, residential, and a hotel.
decks. If the terms of the Redevelopment Ground-floor commercial and restaurants
Agreement have been met and Certificates of front on River Street and Sinatra Drive. The
Completion have been issued by the City, the developments are buffered from the Hudson
area should no longer be considered in need River by a tree-lined waterfront walkway
of redevelopment; the regulatory mechanism that includes a bicycle greenway and a large
for this area should be brought under the pedestrian promenade. The Redevelopment
jurisdiction of the City’s Zoning Code. Plan designates the waterfront walkway and
Observer Highway its adjoining linear park, Pier A and Pier C
Parks, and Sinatra Field as recreational open
The Observer Highway Redevelopment Area spaces.
encompasses portions of two blocks between
Observer Highway and Newark Street and
between Park Avenue and Bloomfield Street.
The Redevelopment Plan was adopted in
1988 and the area has since been completely
built-out. The area includes high-rise
residential buildings. If the terms of the
Redevelopment Agreement have been met
and Certificates of Completion have been
issued by the City, the area should no longer
be considered in need of redevelopment; the
regulatory mechanism for this area should be
brought under the jurisdiction of the City’s
Zoning Code.5

5 As per LRHL 40A:12A-9, Agreements with redevelopers: “a provision that upon completion of the required
improvements, the conditions determined to exist at the time the area was determined to be in need of redevelopment

FT 8
shall be deemed to no longer exist, and the land and improvements thereon shall no longer be subject to eminent domain
as a result of those determinations;”

A
53
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Redevelopment Area Status: Plan Adopted, Development Incomplete
Northwest
The Northwest Redevelopment Area is
located north and west of the R-2 and
R-3 zones, and east of the Western Edge
Redevelopment Area. The zone is irregularly
shaped and generally zig-zags from its
northeast corner at Eleventh Street and
Clinton Street to its southwest corner at
Seventh Street and Hoboken’s western
boundary. The plan was adopted in 1998,
and since amended. There are only a few
properties that have not yet been redeveloped
in accordance with the Plan.
The purpose of this plan was to address the
declining property values, vacant land, and
diminishing prospects for manufacturing
businesses that had once been in the area.
The plan sought to improve Hoboken’s
tax base by promoting residential and
commercial development in the area. The
Plan divides the redevelopment area into
three (3) sub-zones that differentiate as to
permitted uses and building requirements.
Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works
Redevelopment Area is located in the
southern portion of Hoboken between
Willow Avenue, Park Avenue, Observer
Highway, and Newark Street. The
Redevelopment Area incorporates the
Illustrative rendering showing proposed redevelopment vision (Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan, 2014)
54
footprint of the City’s Garage and Yard
and a surface parking lot to the north.
The Redevelopment Plan was adopted
in 2006 and amended in 2008, but not
construction has taken place. The purpose
of this Redevelopment Plan is to develop
the current Garage and Yard site with
affordable and market-rate residential units
along Observer Highway. Up to 15,000
square feet of ground-floor retail, business
services, restaurants, community services,
artist galleries, studios, and other uses are
permitted to provide convenient shopping
and services to the community. The plan
is contingent on finding another suitable
location for the Garage and Yard, which has
not yet occurred.
Hoboken Yard
The Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area
encompasses the Hoboken Train Station
and Terminal, and NJ Transit-owned land
within the rail yard along the southerly side
of Observer Highway from Marin Boulevard
to the Hudson River. The area also includes
Erie-Lackawanna Park and Warrington
Plaza, which currently serve as surface
parking for NJ Transit employees. The Plan
for this Redevelopment Area was adopted in
2014, but no construction has taken place.
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS
The Redevelopment Plan splits the developable
land into three (3) Land Use Districts: Hudson
Place and Terminal District (TD), Commercial
Mixed-Use District (C-MU) and the Residential
Mixed-Use District (R-MU). The Plan allows
for affordable and market-rate residential,
commercial, retail, office, hotel, accelerator
space, and new public space. NJ Transit has
specified that with the agencies’ financial
shortfalls, the transformation of Hoboken
Terminal that is desired, would have to be
financed by the redevelopment project. The
Redevelopment Plan envisions a complete
re-design of the Terminal building’s first and
second floors with a public market and new
commercial amenities, as well as a re-designed
bus terminal and multi-modal access and
circulation plan.
The alignment for the southerly Resist
element to be constructed as part of the
Rebuild by Design resiliency project, will
impact the design, and potentially the
feasibility of, this redevelopment project.
The alignment and design is currently being
determined by New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection, in coordination
with NJ Transit and the conditionally
designated redeveloper.
Western Edge
The Western Edge Redevelopment Area
is located along the northwestern edge of
the City, between the Ninth Street Light
Rail Station and Fourteenth Street, with
blocks fronting on Monroe, Madison
and Jefferson Streets. The purpose of the
Redevelopment Plan is to create a mixed-use
neighborhood that is economically viable
with residential, commercial, retail, and
hotel uses, while providing for open space,
flood mitigation, park space for the “green
circuit” path, and adaptive reuse of industrial
buildings and features, where appropriate.
This Redevelopment Plan was adopted in
2015; the City is currently working with
a conditionally designated redeveloper to
negotiate redevelopment agreements for
the Madison Street and Jefferson Street
sub-areas, and is reviewing the proposal of
a developer interested in redeveloping the
Upper Monroe Street sub-area.
55
Neumann Leathers
Neumann Leathers
The Neumann Leathers Rehabilitation
Area is located on the site of the Neumann
Leathers campus, between the intersections
of Newark Street, Observer Highway and
Willow Avenue. A small portion of the I-2
zone between the intersections of Observer
Highway, Newark Street and Grand Street
is excluded from the Redevelopment Plan
Area. The purpose of this Redevelopment
Plan is to facilitate the rehabilitation of the
Neumann Leathers complex, promote its
continued use by light industrial and artisan
uses, and create unique public spaces. The
project will encompass the select demolition
of interior accessory structures and allow
new residential development and additional
commercial development, while retaining the
unique historic structures and the hub for
small businesses and artists, that began in the
1980s. The Redevelopment Plan was adopted
in 2015 and the City is currently reviewing
the redevelopment proposal submitted by the
property owners.
Southwest
The Southwest Rehabilitation Area is located
in the southwestern portion of the City,
and generally consists of the area south of
Paterson Avenue and Observer Highway,
and between the western edge of the City
and Jefferson Street to the east. The blocks
bound by Newark Street, Observer Highway,
Jackson Street, and Madison Street are not
included in the Redevelopment Area. The
Redevelopment Plan was adopted in 2017 as
an overlay to the underlying I-2 zoning and a
small section of the R-3 zoning. The purpose
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

of the Rehabilitation Plan is to create a

dynamic neighborhood that builds upon the
existing uses in the area, which include urban
manufacturing, art galleries, gyms, and dance
studios, while also permitting affordable
and market rate housing. The Plan splits
the Rehabilitation Area into six sub-areas; it
allows development clustering to promote
the expansion of Southwest Resiliency Park
and to create an alley south of Newark Street.
Multiple property owners in the Southwest
Rehabilitation Area have approached the
City with inquiries and interest in moving
forward.
Post Office
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is
located just north of the Hoboken Terminal
between Sinatra Drive, River Street, Newark
Street, and First Street. The Redevelopment
Area does not include the building located
on the block immediately north of the Post
Office. The Redevelopment Plan allows for
the development of a 170,000 square foot
hotel in the surface parking and loading
area to the east and north of the Post Office
building.
Post Office building
The purpose of the Redevelopment Plan
is to preserve the historic Post Office
building and improve the experience of
Hoboken’s gateway to the waterfront and
into Hoboken by advancing the potential
of needed hotel space in close proximity to
the Hoboken Terminal. The Redevelopment
Plan also focuses on transforming the
area’s streets into “complete streets” that
accommodate the needs of all users. The
Redevelopment Plan was adopted in
2017. The City is currently working with
a conditionally designated redeveloper to
negotiate a redevelopment agreement for the
construction of a full-service Hotel on the
site.

Redevelopment Area Status: Planning Ongoing

North End
The North End Rehabilitation Area is
located in the northern portion of Hoboken
and is roughly bound by the City’s western
boundary, the NJ Transit rail right-of-way
to the north, Park Avenue to the east, and
Fourteenth Street to the south. The 33-acre
area was designated as an Area in Need
of Rehabilitation in 2013. The City is in
the process of preparing a Redevelopment
Plan for the area. See Section 5 and 6 for a
discussion of recommendations for this area.

North End Area

A FT 8
56
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS

3.4. BUILD-OUT POTENTIAL UNDER EXISTING ZONING

The City completed a Build-Out Analysis in January 2018 that analyzed the remaining
development potential in Hoboken. The Build-Out Analysis projects how much development
could be built if all available land were developed to its full potential under current zoning. It
is important to note that the Build-Out Analysis is not a realistic scenario; Hoboken’s land will
never be built to its full potential under zoning because of market conditions, environmental
constraints and other factors. The tool helps to understand the distribution of land uses and
7.0
densitiesBUILD-OUT
and how that maySUMMARY
change over time so that the City can better calibrate development
regulations and adjust for spending needs.
The “City Wide Build-Out Summary Table” on the following page summarizes existing, approved and potential future development in the
There
City is very little
of Hoboken, basedvacant land
upon the left indata
available Hoboken, so the analysis
and the application focused
of current zoningmainly on
and redevelopment requirements. This Build-Out
understanding
Analysis theresidential
focussed on difference between the
development existingalthough
in Hoboken, amountsome of development and the allowable
commercial development information has also been provided.
amount of development on each parcel. For properties that may contain some development,
The Analysis estimates that there are approximately 30,000 dwelling units in Hoboken that exist today or are approved for development.
Ifbut
thedo notZoning
City’s contain the maximum
Districts permitted,
and Redevelopment Areasthe
areBuild-Out Analysis
fully built-out considers
to the maximum these sites
permitted under those District requirements,
”underbuilt.”
the Where adevelopment
City could anticipate onapproximately
housing stock of a property exceeds the maximum
36,000 units. See Map 20:permitted byFuture
Locations of existing
Development (Approved +
Potential) below.

FIGURE
Estimates 9. RESIDENTIAL
of future BUILD-OUT
City population size SUMMARYin the City’s “built-out” condition, are also described below.
and age characteristics

Residential Build-Out Summary (Dwelling Units):

Today 28,304

Pipeline 1,576 Properties approved for development by

the Planning Board, Zoning Board, or
Today+Approved 29,880 Construction Department.

Potential Future 6,102 The opportunities for new development are

(if all ‘underbuilt’ properties developed to the max. shown in the figure below, along with the
permitted under zoning, and all properties in
anticipated number of units that could be
redevelopment plan areas developed to the max.
allowed under those plans.; includes North End expected from each source.
assumptions)

Today+Approved+FuturePotential 35,982

Sources of Potential Future Development:

Vacant Sites Underbuilt
(Per Zoning) (Per Zoning)
• Any remaining vacant land or • Sites contain some
parking lots development, but could be
built-up further to the
maximum allowable
• Existing residential or
commercial sites
• Developing non-profit
/private schools/religious
Designated
Redevelopment Areas
• Redevelopment Areas, where
development is anticipated
based on adopted or future
redevelopment plans
• Assumptions for the North
End Redevelopment Area
have been made previously in
this Report.,
Other Sources
(Not Evaluated in this
Analysis)
• Future Conversions (e.g.
Commercial to Residential)
• Future Variance Approvals
• Future Redevelopment Plan
Amendments
• Future Re-Zoning
• Future Redevelopment Plans

236 1,444 475 2,831 + North

Units
(Resid. or
(Other)
(adopted End ?
Comm.) Plans) Redev

FT 8
Source: City of Hoboken Build-Out Analysis, Jan-2018

A
57
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

zoning, the Build-Out Analysis considers
these sites “overbuilt.” Estimates of future
City population size and age characteristics
in the City’s “built-out” condition are
described below.
Figure 10 shows the areas that would see
additional development if Hoboken were to
be fully built-out. The map includes parcels
that have approved development projects,
and areas where development could be
anticipated. Areas of Hoboken that have
the greatest potential for development are
concentrated in the northern, southern
and western portions of the City, in
Redevelopment Areas that have not yet
been constructed. In the interior residential
neighborhoods, the Build-Out Analysis
indicates that any substantial residential
development would only be likely to occur
if non-residential uses (e.g., commercial or
non-profit) were to convert to residential
development. As seen Table 11 and Table 12,
the Build-Out Analysis calculated possible
residential and non-residential development
in each of the existing zoning districts.
It should be stated that the results of the
Build-Out Analysis do not present a realistic
development scenario. Although many
residential buildings are allowed to build one
more additional unit, the costs of doing so
may be prohibitive, there may be other site or
building constraints, or the property owner
may simply not want to implement a change.
It is also unlikely that tax-exempt buildings
and non-residential buildings will convert
their uses on a large scale.

TABLE 11. POTENTIAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Zone/Redevelopment Area Existing Units Approved Units Overdeveloped Potential Future
Units Units
I-1 / NE Rehab 148 44 -192 954
Western Edge 135 0 0 936
R-2 6,049 328 -2,134 590
Hoboken Terminal 0 0 0 583
R-1 6,581 4 -2,497 580
R-3 5,216 198 -1,725 437
I-2 / SW Rehab 3 0 -3 350
Source: City of Hoboken

TABLE 12. POTENTIAL NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Zone/Redevelopment Area Existing Sq. Ft. Estimated Future Sq. Ft.

Hoboken Terminal 0 1,695,000

I-1 / NE Rehab 500,924 654, 246

Western Edge 134,850 395,150

I-2 / Neumann Leather 234,189 178,000

CBD (H)/Hotel Overlay 0 170,000

I-1 (W) / NE Rehab 51,970 143,760

I-2 / SW Rehab 427,697 22,303

Source: City of Hoboken

A FT 8
58
DR 5/24/1
 SECTION 3: EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS
Map 20: Locations of Future Development (Approved + Potential)

Source: City of Hoboken

Build-Out Analysis, Jan-2018

FIGURE 10. LOCATIONS OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT (APPROVED + POTENTIAL)

A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
City of Hoboken Build-Out Analysis, Jan-2018 71
59
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

4. 2018 MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

2018 Master Plan Reexamination Report

(2018 Reexamination Report) helped to
understand how the City has changed in
the last eight years and what its priorities
should be moving forward. The 2018
Reexamination Report distilled analysis of
existing conditions from the City, along with
input from the public and key stakeholders,
to develop a Vision for the City (see Figure
1 on page 12). The Vision includes
five themes, each with key strategies and
associated recommendations.

Many of the recommendations contained

within the 2018 Reexamination Report are
relevant to land use policies, and therefore
should be reflected in this Land Use
Element. Recommendations listed below
are those that pertain to land use issues
only. The 2018 Reexamination Report
should be referred to for the full list of
recommendations. Pier A Park

2018 Master Plan Reexamination Vision

Hoboken is:
1. A Complete Neighborhood
2. Shared Prosperity
3. A City of Connected Places
4. Becoming a Sustainabile and Resilient City
5. An Engaged and Eficient Partner

A FT 8
60
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 4: 2018 MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION RECOMMENDATIONS
A Complete Neighborhood
Promote the enhancement of facilities and programming for arts, culture, and education
● Renovate or redevelop the
Multi-service Center to create
a larger facility that better
caters to the recreation and
community needs of the
entire City.
● Support the renovation of the
former YMCA.
Maintain the scale and experience of the City’s shared streetscapes and built environment
● Ensure that new and infill
development within the
City’s central residential
neighborhoods is built
to a scale that matches
Hoboken’s pattern of historic
brownstone development.
● Require developers to
construct building typologies
that better engage with the
street, such as with stoop
entrances.
Preserve historic properties and protect architectural heritage
● Prepare an updated Historic
Preservation Element.
● Develop design guidelines/
standards for historic
properties and to guide
development of new
buildings harmonious with
historic fabric.
● Determine whether to
designate or expand local
Build, upgrade, and connect park and open space amenities
● Adopt a new Hoboken Open
Space & Recreation Master
Plan Element.
● Identify underutilized
street space that could be
repurposed for placemaking.
61
● Evaluate redeveloping one or
more City Parking Garages to
have multiple uses.
● Create a community center
to house performances,
community meetings, and art
exhibits.
● Develop incubator/
accelerator space, adult
education and training center
facility.
● Evaluate whether setting
back the uppermost building
story (“step-back”) would
be appropriate for certain
zoning districts.
● Allow bonus development in
exchange for public benefits
in some zoning districts.
● Preserve the interior “donut
hole” in residential blocks.
Historic Districts; or, if
protecting the City’s most
historically intact areas can be
achieved through re-zoning
alone (e.g., stricter bulk and
design limitations).
● Designate select buildings
and sites on the Stevens
campus as buildings and
landmarks of historic
significance.
● Evaluate the use of City-
owned rooftops (e.g., parking
structures) for new park and
recreation space.
● Establish new performing
venues, theaters and
additional gallery space
● Work with Hudson County
Community College to
identify a satellite location in
Hoboken.
● Restrict curb-cuts in
residential areas.
● Require the burial of
overhead utility wires,
particularly in historic
districts.
● Enhance physical and visual
connections to Hoboken’s
natural resources, particularly
the waterfront and the
Palisade Cliffs.
● Expand the Southern
Hoboken Historic District
to include historically
significant areas of Hudson
Street and Court Street.
● Encourage proper
maintenance and
reinvestment in older
buildings to prevent
unnecessary demolition.
● Establish park and open space
opportunities in the North
End as part of the North End
Redevelopment Plan.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
● Work with NJ Transit to
improve outdoor public
spaces around the Hoboken
Terminal.
● Prepare and implement a
Plan for realizing the “Green
Circuit” so that residents
could one day enjoy a
continuous recreation loop
around the City.
Shared Prosperity
Support local businesses, arts and industries
● Pursue the acquisition of
properties identified on the
City’s 2010 Open Space Map,
those needed to fill gaps in
the Green Circuit, and other
undeveloped parcels.
● Protect spaces where artists
and makers can work
affordably through zoning
and land development
regulations.
● Identify and support existing
small-scale manufacturing
businesses.
● Promote Hoboken as a
prime location for urban
manufacturing and maker-
space communities.
Provide affordable housing options for family and non-family households, and lower-income communities
● Work with the Hoboken
Housing Authority to
improve the campus,
refurbish units and rebuild
units.
● Inventory all of the City’s
affordable housing units and
indicate the status of each
unit, along with any dates
that affordability controls
expire.
62
● Complete the Southwest
Resiliency Park by
constructing its expansion
into adjacent Block 10.
● Complete the waterfront
walkway and park as one
continuous park.
● Rezone the entire waterfront
area as recommended in the
2004 Master Plan to only
allow park space and water-
dependent recreation uses.
● Reserve adequately sized land
in the North End for small-
scale manufacturing uses.
● Create space for business
incubators and accelerators in
other planned City projects
● Create space for coworking,
such as shared office space,
shared labs, and shared
kitchens.
● Consider allowing some
small-scale manufacturing
uses to fill retail “gaps” in
commercial districts.
● Determine if local artisans
would benefit from zoning
that allows “micro-retail”
storefronts.
● Maintain affordability
controls on existing housing
to protect the City’s existing
supply.
● Improve enforcement and
penalties for violations of rent
control laws and affordable
housing controls.
● Adopt new affordable
housing development fee
ordinances that require
● Work with Stevens Institute
to repurpose their waterfront
site for University Athletics
and consolidate the existing
parking spaces to their
upland campus.
● Repair the waterfront
walkway.
● Create more water-oriented
recreational facilities that
connect people to the
Hudson River.
● Assess the feasibility of
establishing a Special
Improvement District (SID)
in Hoboken.
● Provide schematic, user-
friendly illustrations of
Zoning Code, storefront
design, and signage
requirements.
● Create opportunities
for more overnight
accommodations.
● Allow home occupations
as long as any detrimental
impacts are mitigated.
developers to construct
or rehabilitate affordable
housing, or provide a
Payment in Lieu of affordable
housing.
● In appropriate locations,
modify the City’s zoning
regulations so that the market
can provide a variety of housing
types and sizes, and can cater to
different income levels.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 4: 2018 MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION RECOMMENDATIONS
● Encourage developers to
utilize incentive programs
such as the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit
Allocation Program.
Diversify the local economy by encouraging mixed-use development
● As development occurs
in Hoboken, it should
contribute to the City’s
tax base without draining
resources.
● Mixed-use development
should be allowed at greater
intensities near the Hoboken
Terminal and transit stops
along the periphery of the
City.
● In larger-scale developments,
encourage mixed-use
development, live/work
space, artist housing, and
ground floor cultural uses.
An Engaged and Efficient Partner
Improve public information sharing, engagement, and feedback
● Adopt a new, user-friendly
Zoning Code.
● Provide more information
about land use application
procedures so applicants
Increase municipal capacity, efficiently manage resources, and track government performance
● Develop a Community
Facilities Plan Element that
holistically assesses municipal
facilities and their ability to
meet City service needs.
● Develop a Utility Service
Plan Element that analyzes
the City’s utility services and
capital needs.
63
● As the baby-boomer
population ages, provide
additional special purpose
housing, such as a wider
range of senior housing,
● Allow retail uses to also
occupy upper stories in retail
“core” areas.
● Consider increasing the
maximum permitted floor
area of ground floor retail
uses in certain mixed-use
areas.
● Support Washington Street
as the shopping and social
“Main Street” of Hoboken
featuring a variety of local-
owned businesses.
● Create “secondary retail
streets” on First Street, 15th
Street, and on the west side,
such as along Monroe Street.
have a reasonable expectation
of the process, potential
outcomes, and expenditures.
● Create standard operating
procedures (SOPs) to better
● Consider redeveloping the
police headquarters in place,
or in the adjacent parking
lot property, and finance the
project with the sale of the
site not being used.
assisted living and nursing
homes.
● Allow retail and services
to be located at some street
corners in residential areas.
● Provide ground floor
convenience retail and
service amenities around
ferry and light rail stops.
● A wide mix of uses
that create daytime and
evening activity should be
considered for the North
End of Hoboken as the City
develops the North End
Redevelopment Plan.
capture development data
and track trends in the City’s
SDL (Spatial Data Logic)
enterprise software.
● Study whether the Garage
and Yard could be relocated,
or if the facilities can be
renovated and expanded in
place.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

A City of Connected Places

Make Hoboken a better place for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders, while improving conditions for
those who drive.
● Develop a Complete, Green, ● Convert Willow Avenue and ● Convert Observer Highway
and Smart Streets Plan. Park Avenue between 14th into Observer Boulevard to
Street and 16th Street into make it a defining, attractive
● Increase bicycle parking at boulevard-style streets as gateway into Hoboken.
private developments. attractive gateways into the
City.

Improve efficiency of the roadway network, particularly at gateways to City and the Central Business
District
● Develop a Circulation ● Create a new road that
Master Plan Element and connects Paterson Avenue in
Transportation Capital Hoboken to Coles Street in
Improvement Plan. Jersey City.

Use all available tools to efficiently manage and improve parking conditions
● Explore opportunities to
create public parking garages
in areas not currently served
by existing public parking
garages.
● Continue to implement the
relevant short, medium, and
long-term recommendations
from the 2014 Hoboken
Citywide Parking Plan.
● Update the City’s off-street
parking standards.
● As part of a Community
Facilities Plan, evaluate the
City’s existing public garage
facilities.
● Separate residential parking
into zones so that residential
parking is being used by
residents of nearby blocks.
● Evaluate locations
throughout the City to install
on-street electrical vehicle
infrastructure.

Becoming a Sustainable and Resilient City

Upgrade and innovate infrastructure systems

● Design “Parks as Defense.”
● Build resilient structures
against stormwater flooding.
● Enforce requirements that
new development mitigate
flooding problems and
improve drainage.
● Continue to use innovative
financing to help offset
the cost of new stormwater
infrastructure development.
● Develop a Stormwater Utility
Fee program.
● Adopt Green Design
Guidelines Similar to
Resilient Building Design
Guidelines.
● Continue to use
redevelopment agreements
as a tool to maximize the use
of green infrastructure and
stormwater detention.
● Link the Resilient Building
Design Guidelines to the
City’s Zoning Ordinance.

A FT 8
64
DR 5/124/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
5. LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
The following section outlines a series
of land use and zoning issues that were
identified as part of the 2018 Reexamination
Report and Land Use Element Update
process. It is intended that this discussion
provides the policy foundation for proposed
revisions to the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
As explained in the Municipal Land Use
Law (MLUL), a zoning code must be
based on a well-reasoned plan. Thus,
5.1. LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Hoboken’s zoning is outdated and contains numerous
inconsistencies.
Hoboken’s Zoning Code was last fully
revised in 1979, nearly 40 years ago. As City
policies have evolved or changed, the Zoning
Ordinance has been amended dozens of
times to replace or fine-tune sections, most
recently in 2015. The intermittent updates
and amendments, which also include the
adoption of superseding and overlaying
Redevelopment Plans, have created a
zoning code that is outdated, often times
inconsistent, and which may not succeed
in addressing current issues or desirable
development patterns. The code is in need of
a substantial overhaul to simplify the zoning
map; adjust the boundaries of existing zones;
create new zoning districts; incorporate
adopted Redevelopment Plans; and address
inconsistencies.
For example, in the I-1 and I-2 zones,
manufacturing, processing, producing or
fabricating operations are listed as both
permitted and conditional uses, and wireless
telecom facilities are both permitted and
accessory uses. In the R-2 zone, public
parking facilities are listed as both permitted
and conditional uses. There are also many
instances where the Zoning Ordinance
65
this policy discussion, and the resulting
recommendations contained in Section
6, should be used as a guide for making
necessary new zoning designations to
the City’s Zoning Code and development
regulations. Such zoning changes would be
the next step in the planning process and
should occur upon adoption of the Land Use
Element.
lists conditional uses, but does not provide
any actual conditions. The Zoning Code
is also inconsistent with other portions of
Hoboken’s Municipal Code that regulate
businesses and the public realm within the
City. For example, Chapter 168 (Streets and
Sidewalks) addresses cornices, window bays,
fences, and other building appurtenances
over the public right-of-way. However,
portions of Chapter 168 (such as in the case
of window bays) directly contradict the
provisions of Chapter 196.
Further, the Zoning Board of Adjustment,
in its most recent annual report for 2016,
has recommended a number of changes
to protect rear-yard open space; establish
lighting, landscape and streetscape standards;
and incorporate improvements routinely
requested that are not in the Zoning
Ordinance.
The City’s Zoning Map also needs
substantial updating. For one, the Map needs
to show the adopted Redevelopment Plan
Areas, which regulate land use in sizable
portions of the City. The Zoning Map does
not show the Western Edge, Hoboken
FT 8
A
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Yard, Neumann Leathers, Southwest,
River Street, Observer Highway and DPW
Redevelopment Plan Areas (“RPAs”). In
addition, the Zoning Map needs to be
The city’s existing zoning districts do not reflect Hoboken’s current
and desired development pattern.
In addition to updating the code to better
reflect existing and desirable land uses, the
City’s Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map
need overhauling to simplify the “gestalt,”
or overall organization of Hoboken’s zone
districts. The code lists four main zones:
Central Business, Residential, Industrial,
and Waterfront that are broken down into
a variety of subdistricts (confusingly, also
called “overlays” in the code). Incorporating
the City’s RPAs, the layers of regulation
result in 31 different zones, each with their
own land use regulations.6 One objective of
a rezoning initiative should be to consolidate
some of these districts, which will help to
provide consistency between districts and
also make the code easier to understand.
A prime example is the existing Central
Business District (“CBD”) zone, which
the Zoning Ordinance splits into the CBD
Zone, and the CBD (H) and CBD (H)
(CS) subzones. With the adoption of the
River Street Redevelopment Area, the
CBD Zone was supplanted so that only
a portion of one property still remains in
the CBD, leaving just the CBD (H) and
CBD (H)(CS) subzones. The subzones have
similar bulk and use regulations, but differ
slightly in their treatment of Court Street.
A consolidated CBD district can be written
with specific provisions for Court Street to
protect accessory buildings as the CBD (H)
(CS) currently does.
Although much of Hoboken has been
effectively “built-out” for decades, portions
of the City have substantially evolved in
use and character from what the area was
zoned for in 1979. For example, while
industrial zones (I-1, I-1(W), and I-2) cover
a large portion of northern Hoboken and
6 Hoboken Build-Out Analysis, January 2018
66
corrected to show all zoning districts (for
example, the R-CPT Historic District is not
shown on the map).
the southwestern corner of the City, the
existing land uses in these areas are no
longer predominantly of a heavy industrial
character. Furthermore, the adoption
of Redevelopment Plans that overlay
or supersede these areas have created a
complicated patchwork of regulation that
also leaves some “islands” of properties
in the I-zones that are not covered by a
redevelopment plan.
In the northeast corner of the City, the
I-1(W) subzone is largely comprised of
mixed-use or residential buildings that were
created by Planned Unit Developments
(PUDs), a development scenario allowed by
the I-1(W) zoning that requires a minimum
tract size of 10 acres. At the time of the
Land Use Element publication, the City’s
three (3) PUDs (Maxwell Place, Shipyard
and Hudson Tea) have been nearly built-
out in accordance with site plans developed
decades ago. Outside of a PUD, the I-1(W)
Subdistrict allows only manufacturing and
fabricating operations, office buildings,
and research laboratory uses as permitted
uses; and marinas, bars, restaurants, retail,
riverborne transportation, parking garages
and utilities as conditional uses. The dozen
or so properties located outside of the
PUDs in the I-1(W) Subdistrict, which
front on Fourteenth Street between Hudson
Street and Park Avenue, however, contain
apartments, retail, restaurant and service
station uses and none of the “permitted”
uses. In general, the zoning should be revised
to better reflect the existing conditions.
In the northwest corner of Hoboken, the
City is currently preparing the North End
Redevelopment Plan, which will encompass
the near entirety of the existing I-1 Industrial
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

zone. In prior years, the Zoning Board

of Adjustment approved some mixed-use
residential, and artist live-work space closer
to Fourteenth Street. Industrial uses that
remain include the North Hudson Sewage
Authority, PSE&G substation, Pan American
Coffee Co, bus storage, truck repair, service
stations and the Riverfront carwash. There
are also some retail and restaurant uses. It is
the City’s vision for this area to be developed
in accordance with a comprehensive plan,
however, rather than through the granting of
variances in a piecemeal fashion. In addition,
a future re-zoning effort should account for
the only remaining I-1-zoned areas that will
not be covered by a Redevelopment Plan: the
area north of the NJ Transit light rail tracks Existing Zoning Map for City of Hoboken
and the Northwest Resiliency Park and
complex, the Chambord Place building, and
PSE&G substation properties.
the Monroe Center. The City should change
In southern Hoboken, the original I-2 zone the permitted or conditional uses to reflect
is almost fully covered by the Southwest and modern industry, which may include uses
Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Plan such as industrial kitchens, the industrial
Areas, which overlay the I-2 zone, and by the arts and artisan spaces, innovation space,
Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan Area, and commercial recreation. Changes to the
which supersedes the I-2 zone. Still, there I-zones would require that Redevelopment
are a few scattered parcels that remain I-2, Plan Overlays, such as the Southwest
without being in a Redevelopment Plan Area. Redevelopment Plan and the Neumann
The I-2 zoning allows heavy industrial uses Leathers Redevelopment Plan, be amended
such as commercial garages, building supply to reference the new underlying zoning
and lumber yards, and automobile sales. district.
Considering the changing nature of this
The River Street and Observer Highway
area, that there are few remaining properties
Redevelopment Plan Areas present another
that contain these types of industrial uses,
opportunity to update the Zoning Code
and given the proximity to dense residential
to better reflect existing conditions. Each
neighborhoods, these types of uses may
of these areas are completely built out; the
no longer be appropriate, or should have
development projects as provided for in their
to adhere to strict performance standards
adopted Redevelopment Plans have been
that ensure they are high-quality and have
constructed and are in use. As such, these
minimal impacts on nearby residential uses.
areas should no longer be considered “areas
There is an opportunity to consolidate the in need of redevelopment.” Where possible,
industrial districts into a single district that zoning for completed Redevelopment/
recognizes the transitioning nature of these Rehabilitation Areas should be written
areas, and which contains updated use, bulk into the City Code. This Land Use
and performance standards. Furthermore, Element proposes re-zoning the completed
the zoning for these areas should be updated River Street and Observer Highway
to support the City’s efforts to expand Redevelopment Areas, along with the
existing industrial arts (“artisan”) and PUD areas in the I-1(W) subzone to a new
maker-type businesses in the City. Notable multi-family residential district that reflects
examples of these types of businesses in the existing land use pattern and building
Hoboken include the Neumann Leathers typologies.

A FT 8
67
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
TABLE 13. RESIDENTIAL DENSITY SCENARIOS
Scenario
A No Change (660 factor, round down)
B 660 factor, round up
C 500 factor, round up
D 330 factor, round up
E 800 factor, round up
The City’s density regulations are contributing to a proliferation of
very large housing units that may be inappropriate for some areas;
may not respond to market demands; and are less likely to be
affordable for singles, young adults and seniors.
Housing affordability is one of the key
issues facing Hoboken. Construction of new
apartments is booming, but cannot keep
up with demand. Hoboken has transitioned
from a majority working-class city to one
with income disparity brought on by an
influx of high-income residents, and housing
options marketed to that population. One of
the issues expressed by both residents and
developers is the lack of more affordable
smaller-sized apartments in the City
(studios and one-bedroom apartments)
compared with large two-, three- and
four-bedroom apartments. Recent trends
in infill development, as seen in site plan
applications, has shown that dwelling units
are getting larger with a growing supply
of three and four bedrooms units. There
is some concern that the City’s efforts to
promote larger, more “family-sized” dwelling
units has been so successful that smaller,
more affordable units may be even less
available due to high demand.
Maximum permitted density in the
residential districts (R-1, R-2, and R-3) is
currently calculated by dividing the total lot
area by a factor of 660 (or 66 dwelling units
per acre), and rounding down to the nearest
whole number. Based on this calculation,
a typical 25-foot by 100-foot lot (2,500 sq.
ft.) allows a maximum of three (3) units.
68
Available Units
Denominator
2,000 2,500 5,000
sq. ft. Lot sq. ft. Lot sq. ft. Lot
3 3 7 660
3 4 8 660
4 5 10 500
6 8 15 330
3 3 6 800
This results in three very large units, or has
often been the case, two expensive duplexes,
occupying a building. Developers have
indicated that in some situations they would
choose to construct smaller-sized studio-
and one bedroom-units, but the zoning
requirement encourages the construction of
just a few (and therefore, large) units, which
are then only affordable to the higher-end of
the market. Unit sales data from local realtors
corroborates this trend, showing that the
City’s housing stock inventory is heavy on
the 3-4+ bedroom side and undersupplied in
the smaller bedroom categories.
Recognizing this issue, this Land Use
Element recommends changes to density
requirements to allow for the building of
smaller apartment units in certain areas;
the real estate market could then be more
of a determining factor in the size of units
that are built. Table 13 shows the impact of
potential changes to the density calculation
on 2,000 sq. ft., 2,500 sq. ft., and 5,000 sq. ft.
lots in multiple scenarios.
As a result of these considerations, this
Land Use Element recommends updating
the calculation of residential density to
achieve a variety of unit sizes in Hoboken.
In areas where there are intact one- and
two-family homes, such as the historic
FT 8
A
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Castle Point residential district, higher
density factors that result in fewer units are
recommended. In areas where unit sizes have
historically been smaller, and in mixed-use
commercial districts, a smaller density factor
is recommended. These actions will help
to retain the character of Hoboken’s low
density areas, while also increasing housing
options and affordability in other areas.
The low-scale, historic neighborhoods of Hoboken must be
preserved.
Brownstone and row-homes on narrow lots
are the predominant type of building form
found in the residential areas in Hoboken’s
interior. As can be seen in the maps on
the following page, the built context on
the eastern side of Hoboken, largely along
Washington and Hudson Streets, reflects a
low-scale (3-4 stories), low-density pattern of
development on smaller lots (typically 2,000
sq. ft.). Much of this area was constructed
early in the life of the City, on high ground,
and is thus outside of the flood zone. In
much of the rest of Hoboken, the buildings
tend to be higher (4-5 stories), with greater
density, and on larger lots (typically 2,500
sq. ft. or greater). These portions of the City
were developed later, often on filled-in land,
and lie within flood zones.
Within this broad land-use context, there are
a few areas where the architecture is distinct,
or where the building form and architectural
details have been preserved through time.
The Willow Terrace neighborhood is unique
in Hoboken, due to its orientation on two
internal cobblestone streets and Seventh
Street, the very small lot sizes (approximately
600 square feet), and the low-scale rowhouse
character of its homes. The Castle Point
69
To alleviate confusion pertaining to the
issue of “rounding,” the calculation should
simply be rounded to the nearest whole
number. The gross floor area calculation
would only consider residential use as the
basis (denominator) for gross floor area
calculations. Commercial use in mixed-use
projects would not count toward the gross
floor area for residential density calculation.
Terrace neighborhood is another area that
has retained its distinct, historic character.
Castle Point Terrace is a cobblestone-
paved street lined with two- and three-
story mansions. This Land Use Element
recommends creating new, stand-alone
zoning districts for each of these areas to
provide more appropriate bulk controls that
would protect these properties from intrusive
and inappropriate development.
For the rest of the R-1 zone, the district
should be evaluated both in terms of the
boundaries of the district and the area and
bulk provisions controlling development.
Many areas of the R-1 have buildings that
exceed current regulations for height and/
or density. In other areas, existing height
and density controls may be too high for the
historic, low-scaled portions of the zone.
Boundary adjustments are needed for the R-1
district to ensure that future development
reflects the existing built environment.
Stricter height and density controls should
be considered for intact areas of low-scaled
historic development. This will disincentive
demolition of older existing buildings in the
district.
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

FIGURE 11. BUILDING HEIGHTS Soccer Field

FIGURE 13. LOT SIZES

Water/Pier
Water/Pier

Park
Buildings predominantly
Water/
Pie r
15th St
Lots predominantly

n St
Stories Lot Area (Square Feet)

Jefferso
2 - 2.5 3-4 stories
0 - 2100 20’ x 100’ (2,000 sq. ft)

Water/Pier
14th St
3
Garage 2101 - 2400

St
3.5

Adams
13th St
2401 - 2600

St
Grand
4 NW Par
k
Legion
Par k 13th St
HFD

2601 - 5000

HH A
12th St
4.5 de Pasca
Par k (Sh le Ln

k
SW Par
ipya rd)

5 Barry Ln 5001 - 10000

Ln
PSEG
12th St

N
y
McFeele

Dr
Water/Marina
Sinatra
5.5

BOE
11th St

6
11th St

7+
Dorm

Water/Pier
Rite

10th St
Lots predominantly
Sho p

Buildings predominantly

e
Sta dum

Park Av
4+ stories 25 x 100’ (2,500 sq. ft.)

Columbu s Park
10th St

City Park
Elks
HBLR
or larger
n St

Elysian
eleva Park
tor
Jackso

Garage Water/
Ctr

Pie r
Mon roe

Chu rch 9th St

Sin
HH A

rag e

atra
)
(HS
Self Sto

Dr
BOE
BOE
Ctr

r
Mon roe

Point Te
Par k

Dorm
St

HFD
Clinton

Dorm

Castle
Dorm
8th St

Dorm
Dorm
e

Chu rch Chu rch

Av

Dorm
Willow

Chu rch/ Dorm

St

Dr
Sch ool Dorm
Harrison

Rescue

Stanley
Chu rch Dorm
Par k

7th St

field St
Chu rch
St

n St
Sch ool Chu rch
Madison

Jubilee

ton St
Garde

Ctr
ACM E

Willow Bloom
Ct N Chu rch

St
Washing
Chu rch

Hudson

iv.
Willow Chu rch

Un
n St

Ct
e St

Walk
Jefferso

6th St
A

Monro
HH

Wittpen
Sch ool

Chu rch
ry
St. Ma
all Dr

Chu rch Dorm

5th St Dor
Chu rch Dorm m UniDorm
HH A

BOE
Marsh

Chu rch
Chu rch

v.
DormDorm
Apts.

Dorm
Tow ers rch
Apts.

Dorm
Tow ers rch

Chu
Chu
St

Chu rch
Univ.
Adams

Library
River St
St
Grand

Univ.

Dr
Chu rch

Univ.

Chu rch
all 5th St
rsh
Chu rch Chu rch
Sqr Par
Ma
HH A

r
tra D

k Sinatra
4th St Par k
Apts. er

BOE
Tow

Sina
Gar age
Chu rch

Par k
Clo ck

Commu
Garden n. Ste ven
l
n

s Par
Hospita
Midtow

k
all St

n St
PSEG

HH A
Marsh

PSEG Dorm
Jackso

HH A

3rd St
Hop es

BOE
Chu rch Garage
Pier C
Court St

Univ. Park
HFD
Jackso
St

St Par n
k
Harrison

2nd St
VFW

MSC
Cha rter

ry

Chu rch
St. Ma

HFD
HH A Garage
e

Playgr
Park Av

oun d
Mar ion
Tow ers
Pa
terso

River St

Temple
nA

1st St
ve

New
Garage

SJP
York
HPD
Par k

Ave
Chu rch

Mac-Ca
li
Observe Newark
r Hwy St
City
SJP

Hall
Pier A
Park
HFD
Post Offi
ce
bian

St
Newark
DPW

Tow ers
Colum

Observe
r Hwy
Hudson
Pl Term inal
Marin Blvd

Terminal
Grove St

FIGURE 12. RESIDENTIAL DENSITY FIGURE 14. PROPOSED REGULATORY FLOOD HAZARD MAP
d
o r Blv
Residential Density Harb
(Sq. Ft. per Unit) 1% High Flood Hazard Area (VE)
E E 1% Flood Hazard Area (AE)
16th St
1-300 sq. ft. / unit E E
0.02% Moderate Flood Hazard Area

#
301-500 sq. ft. / unit #
Limit of Moderate Wave Action
on St

#
501-700 sq. ft. / unit Design Flood Elevation
Jeffers

15th St # #
#
701+ sq. ft. / unit #
St

St
Adams

14th
.7
.7
.7
.7
.7

St #
12
13
14
18
19

Grand

General areas with lower densities

y Ln
700+ sq. ft. / unit

#
13th St

le
McFee
13th St

#
12th St
Barry
12th St #
e

Ln
Park Av

11th St

#
11th St
#

10th
a Dr N

St #
Ave

10th St #
Sinatr
Willow
n St

#
Jackso

9th St
St

r
Clinton

Point Te

#
St

8th St
on

Castle
on St

Madis

#
Harris

Dr

7th St
field St
St

St

Stan
#

Willow ley
Garden

ngton

St

Ct
on St

Bloom

Hudson

Walk
e St

N
Washi

#
Monro

Jeffers

6th St Dr
Wittpen

tra
#

5th St a
Sin
Lower Density Areas
St

#
River St
Adams

(Buildings generally
St
Grand

700+ sq. ft/unit) 4th St

5th St
n St

#
Jackso

#
#

3rd St
l St

Court St
al

on St
Marsh

2nd St
Harris

e
Park Av
Pa
ter

River St
so

1st St
nA

New Yo
ve

rk
Ave Observ
er Hwy Newar
k St
#

#
#
St
Newark
#
Observ
#

er Hwy Hudson #
Pl #
#
Marin Blvd

# #
Grove St

#
# #

FT 8
Source: Princeton Hydro, FEMA PFIRM, City of Hoboken, Esri, U.S. Census Bureau E 0.1
Miles

A
70
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
The R-2 and R-3 zones should allow for infill development that
ensures a high quality of housing stock while reflecting the
constraints of flood regulations.
While there may have once been differences
between the existing R-2 and R-3 Zones
that warranted their separate designations,
these distinctions have almost entirely
disappeared. The bulk regulations in the
Zoning Ordinance for these two districts
are the same, except that the R-2 requires a
2,000 square foot lot and the R-3 requires a
2,500 square foot lot. The R-3 is also more
permissive of non-residential ground-floor
uses than R-2, which encourages uses other
There is a need for more neighborhood retail to provide more options
for residents City-wide, strengthen neighborhood vitality, and
provide options for different types and scales of businesses.
The need for all residents to have convenient
access to neighborhood commercial amenities
was a consistent theme that emerged from the
public outreach activities conducted for the
2018 Reexamination Report and Land Use
Element. Today, the primary commercially
zoned areas are in the CBD around Hoboken
Terminal and along Washington Street. While
businesses are interspersed throughout the
interior of the City, there are no designated
“retail corridors” in the southern, northern,
and western portions of the city. This Land
Use Element recommends codifying the
retail districts already in place in residential
zones, and encouraging further mixed-use
development where it is naturally occurring
on: First Street, Fifteenth Street, the west
side of Washington Street from Seventh to
Fourteenth Street, and Monroe Street from
the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) to
the Monroe Center. A neighborhood business
zone in these areas would require ground
floor retail uses, while maintaining the scale
of the surrounding neighborhoods. Codifying
this new district could also help to generate
additional neighborhood retail in the western
portion of Hoboken, and help to connect
residents of the HHA campus with adjoining
neighborhoods.
71
than parking garages at the ground level in
flood-prone areas. This Land Use Element
recommends that the general height and
scale of these neighborhoods remain intact
and that zoning boundaries and regulations
better reflect actual differentiating factors
between R-zones, such as predominant lot
size, building height, density, and allowances
for non-residential uses.
Hoboken’s Zoning Code currently allows
ground-floor retail in the R-1, R-2, and
R-3 zones, but only if there are at least two
other ground floor retail businesses on
the same block. The existence of the first
two retail businesses on a residential block
would therefore have needed to be granted
approval by variance or pre-date the Zoning
Code. A more simplified and appropriate
approach would be to encourage corner
retail and services on appropriate residential
blocks. Allowing limited, small-scale
neighborhood retail that serves everyday
needs (e.g., restaurants, cafes, convenience
retail, cleaners, etc.) will help to reinforce
Hoboken’s residential neighborhoods by
providing shopping and services within
walking distance, increasing pedestrian
activity and opportunities for social
interaction, and adding to the vitality of the
neighborhood.
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Zoning for the Hoboken Terminal area should reflect the intensity
of development that currently exists, the anticipated future
redevelopment of NJ Transit-owned areas, and the proximity of a
world-class public transit terminal.
The Washington Street commercial corridor
and the area just north of the Hoboken
Terminal are both zoned CBD (H).
Despite these areas having the same zoning
regulations, their built form is very different.
Washington Street is typified by mixed-use,
4-5 story buildings on narrow lots; alternatively,
the area around Hoboken Terminal tends to
have taller buildings on larger lot sizes. This
Land Use Element recommends that the City
create two different zones for these areas.
The area north of the Hoboken Terminal
should be a Transit-Oriented Development
District (“TOD”), with taller buildings and a
high concentration of commercial and office
buildings, where employees can take advantage
of the nearby Terminal.
Gateways to the City should be recognized and strengthened.
There are three main gateways to the City,
in the southwest (around Paterson Avenue,
Observer Highway and Newark Street) the
north (at Park Avenye and Willow Avenue)
and at the Fourteenth Street Viaduct.
At present, the arrival in (and departure
from) Hoboken is not always an inspiring
experience. People driving into the City from
the southwest and north are greeted with
Hoboken’s industrial areas, which are not
representative of the character of Hoboken
as a whole.
Improving the buildings and streetscapes
in these areas would provide residents and
visitors with an improved first impression of
the City and would help to create a sense of
place. Gateway treatments can express the
history, culture or defining characteristics of
a community, as well as calm traffic speeds.
Streetscape improvements through improved
signage, lighting, landscaping, public art
and high quality building design can to help
improve the experience of entering and
leaving Hoboken.
72
The CBD along Washington Street, however,
should be zoned to reflect Hoboken’s
“main street” character. In addition to
requiring commercial uses on the ground
floor, the City should provide storefront
design guidelines, including requirements
for transparency and signage, to promote
an active and engaging streetscape. Unlike
the proposed “Neighborhood Business”
districts, the Washington Street CBD can
support larger commercial tenants. This
Land Use Element recommends allowing
retail uses to also occupy a building’s second
floor, thereby providing a market for larger
retailers that have historically been unable to
locate in Hoboken.
This Land Use Element recommends that
zoning districts be established that serve as
a transitional zone between areas of higher
intensity on the periphery of the City and
lower scale residential districts in the interior
of the City. In addition to requiring specific
gateway treatments and streetscape elements,
zoning provisions could provide additional
measures/guidelines to ensure buildings
create a vibrant and attractive entrance
into the city. The zoning guidelines would
help to create a more cohesive streetscape
by promoting buildings that will stitch
together interspersed redevelopment areas
such as along Observer Highway in areas not
included in the Hoboken Yard, Southwest, or
Neumann Leathers Redevelopment Areas.
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Hoboken and Stevens Institute of Technology must work in

partnership in developing new zoning that supports the University’s
growth needs, while also meeting City goals for preserving historic
neighborhoods, improving the waterfront and mitigating the impacts
of off-campus student housing.
Stevens Institute is located generally The City shares many of the same planning
between Sixth and Tenth Streets, east of goals as Stevens – in particular the reduction
Hudson Street/Castle Point Terrace and of off-campus beds and the use of TDM
west of Sinatra Drive. Stevens has expressed strategies to reduce traffic and parking
an urgent need for zoning changes to impacts. Furthermore, if there is any
accommodate the university’s planned new development on campus, Stevens is
growth as envisioned in their long term encouraged to ensure that buildings are
strategic plan. Stevens’ proposal includes: aesthetically interesting and pleasing, public
views of Manhattan and the Hudson River
● Increasing the number of student beds
on campus in an effort to reduce the are maintained, and gateways are enhanced
need for off-campus leased housing in to create more inviting environment at
Hoboken (the university currently leases important entrances.
space to accommodate approximately
700 student beds in 10 buildings To accomplish these goals, a proposed
throughout the City). zoning district includes three sub-areas
● Focusing new on-campus development to reflect varied height and density. A
at the easterly side of the campus, “Transition” subzone would be created along
away from low-density residential the westerly edge of the campus to ensure
neighborhoods, largely on sites with consistency in scale and character with
existing structures, and where tall the adjacent residential neighborhood. A
buildings would have minimal visual
impact from other vantage points within “Core” subarea would support development
the City. The first project the University in the internal portion of the campus that
is pressing to get off the ground is a new would preserve open space and maintain the
University Center and Student Housing existing character.
Project that would replace the Hayden
and Jacobus dormitories. The key proposed change from current
● Revising the University’s parking zoning is the creation of the “Edge” subarea
requirements in the City’s Zoning to direct more significant development
Ordinance to be demand-based, rather along the eastern edge, at taller heights than
than based on the square footage of currently allowed.
buildings and uses. Stevens proposes
to implement a transportation demand The zoning change would allow the institute
management (TDM) program that will to grow and work toward consolidating its
include strategies to reduce the need for
facilities on the main campus. However, the
student and faculty parking and car use,
thereby reducing traffic and on-street
parking impacts.
● Providing for new campus access points,
with a goal of reducing traffic on Eighth
and Ninth Streets.
● Maintaining campus open space and
implementing green infrastructure
measures to reduce stormwater runoff.
● Preserving six (6) historic buildings by
submitting them for inclusion on the
State and National Registers of Historic
FT 8
Stevens Institute
Places.
A
73
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

current proposal from Stevens to develop
the University Center/Student Housing
project, which would net the university 866
beds, would still leave a significant “bed
deficit” that Stevens would likely need to
accommodate through off-campus leased
housing. Enrollment and student housing
data provided by Stevens enabled the City
to understand the amount of additional
housing the university will need beyond the
proposed new University Center project
in order to accommodate even just 68% of
its undergraduate student body in campus
housing.7 Since the University would be
accepting additional students each year until
reaching its goal of 4,000 undergraduate
students, the bed deficit would still be nearly
500 by the 2024-25 school year, as calculated
by the City and shown in Table 14.

Historic sites and areas in Hoboken should be recognized and

protected.
The City has two locally designated
historic districts, the Central Business and
Washington Street Historic District and
Castle Point Historic District; the City’s
Zoning Code currently designates both
areas as subdistricts within other zones (R-1
and CBD). To eliminate the complicated
schedule of subdistricts, this Land Use
Element recommends that a Historic Overlay
be adopted that encompasses all historic
districts in the City.
An overlay zone is an additional layer of
regulation for a particular area which is laid

TABLE 14. PROJECTED ENROLLMENT AT STEVENS TECH

Projected
Projected Undergrad Number of Undergrad Projected
School Year Undergrad Enrollment On-Campus Bed Added or Housing Additional
Enrollment Yearly Beds Removed Demand Housing Need
% Increase at 68% of
Enrollment
2017-18 3,115 -- 1,361 2,118 -757
2018-19 3,250 4.33% 1,361 0 2,210 -849
2019-20
3,364 3.51% 1,227 -134 2,288 -1,061
(Hayden/Jacobs demo’d)
2020-21 3,481 3.48% 1,227 0 2,367 -1,140
2021-22
3,603 3.50% 2,227 1,000 2,450 -223
(Univ. Center opens)
2022-23 3,729 3.50% 2,227 0 2,536 -309

2023-24 3,860 3.51% 2,227 0 2,625 -398

2024-25 4,000 3.63% 2,227 0 2,720 -493

Source: Stevens Institute of Technolog y

7 The 68% figure is from a document submitted by Stevens to the City entitled, “Rationale for a University Center/
Student Housing Project (Proposed Zoning of 25 stories, 260 feet), where Stevens specified that 68% of undergraduate

FT 8
students currently live on campus (compared to 66% nationally), but that a 2014 survey of Stevens undergraduates revealed
that 87% would prefer to live on campus given sufficient inventory.

A
74
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
atop the base zoning regulations. Properties
located within an overlay must follow the
requirements of their base zone district, as
well as the additional requirements of the
overlay zone. The base zoning provisions,
which relate to use, height, bulk, density, etc.
continue to be administered by the zoning
authorities. The regulations contained in
the historic overlay zone would be reviewed
by the HPC. One benefit of this approach
would be that if there were changes to
the historic district, such as an expansion
of areas or properties in the district, the
boundaries of the underlying zoning districts
wouldn’t need to be changed, just the
boundary of the Historic Overlay District.
An overlay would achieve the same result
as the existing Zoning Code: providing
increased guidance/regulation to protect
designated areas having historic and
architectural significance against intrusion
of alterations, additions, new structures
and other designs that fail to respect such
significance. The Historic Overlay can
also have sections that provide different
requirements for different areas of the City,
and can include historic design guidelines
(discussed below).
In determining the geographic scope of the
Historic Overlay, the City should evaluate
whether the historic districts should be
expanded, or whether new historic districts
are warranted, to preserve areas that are
mostly historically intact or have a strong
historical genesis. The 2004 Master Plan
cited a number of studies that had been
conducted over the years, and used those
studies to recommend significant expansion
of historic districts. Unfortunately, many
of those studies, which were conducted
between 1980 and 1999, are significantly
out-of-date. Various buildings identified
in the studies have since been demolished,
substantially altered, or now contain other
uses.
The expansion of districts and sites and
other historic preservation priorities are
discussed below.
75
Demolition Ordinance
In 2016, in response to public concerns
about the loss of historic buildings for infill
development, the City Council adopted a
building demolition ordinance (Chapter 79A
of the City Code) that requires a permit for
demolition of structures within residential
zones, or for removal or substantial
deconstruction of the front façade of a
building. Prior to issuance of a demolition
permit, the application must be reviewed by
the HPC, Planning Board, or Zoning Board
of Adjustment. The ordinance requires a
public hearing by the HPC for demolition of
a building or structure, and grants authority
to the HPC to deny the demolition. The
applicant may appeal the HPC’s decision
to the Board of Adjustment. Since the
ordinance was adopted, the HPC and the
Planning Board have heard approximately
10 applications for demolition or substantial
demolition and alteration. None of the
applications to date have been denied. The
demolition ordinance has been an effective
tool for the City to take a hard look at
removal of potentially historic buildings, and
should continue to be supported. The City
should give consideration to codifying the
ordinance into underlying zoning provisions
for residential zones.
Design Guidelines for Maintenance/
Minor Renovations, Rehabilitation and
New Construction
The HPC is currently working on developing
design guidelines for maintenance work and
minor renovations of historic properties.
Lack of protection for the historic fabric
of Hoboken devalues the City’s cultural
currency, as well as the economic value
of properties. Typically, the Commission
reviews 6-8 applications per month, most of
which are for Washington Street, signage,
and storefronts on Washington Street. These
guidelines should help to streamline the
HPC’s current review and approval process
and should be completed before any historic
districts are expanded. To achieve a high-
quality product in a short timeframe, the City
could consider contracting with a historic
FT 8
preservation consultant to prepare the
A
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
guidelines.
Guidelines should also be developed to guide
the construction of additions, new buildings,
and exterior work on existing buildings in
historic areas. Designs for new construction
should complement historic buildings
without mimicking them, and diversity in
design and architecture should be supported.
Design that copies older historical styles
(“nostalgic mimicry”) dilutes the quality of
the limited remaining historical fabric of
Hoboken.
New / Expanded Historic Districts
This Land Use Element recommends
that specific areas be adopted as Historic
Districts and therefore be covered by the
Historic Overlay upon the adoption of
new zoning. The areas recommended to be
included within the Historic Overlay are as
follows:
● Hudson Street and Court Street:
The highest priority of the HPC has
been to incorporate areas of Hudson
Street and Court Street not previously
included in the Historic District. The
HPC has surveyed 171 buildings in
the proposed expansion area as part of
the research to support an expansion.
● Castle Point Historic District:
Although portions of Castle Point
Terrace are within this locally
designated district, other properties,
including some owned by Stevens
Institute, are not included in the
district even though they contribute
to the unique character of this area of
Hoboken.
● Willow Terrace: Another HPC
priority is Willow Terrace, a collection
of narrow, attached row houses
clustered along Willow Court North
and South, between Clinton Street
and Willow Avenue on and south
of Seventh Street. The complex
was constructed in the 1880s by the
Stevens family for its employees with
the Hoboken Land and Improvement
Company.
The proposed Historic Overlay is discussed
further in Section 6.
76
Updated Historic Inventory and
Historic Preservation Element
This Plan also recommends that the City
conduct a new citywide inventory of historic
sites and historic districts as part of a
comprehensive Historic Preservation Master
Plan Element. The outcome of that Element
should be the adoption of ordinances that
(1) “right-size” the boundaries of historic
districts, identifying where they need to
expand or contract based on updated
inventories, and (2) update the City’s list
of landmark properties. Specifically, the
inventory should assess areas of R-1 and
R-2, and specific blocks within Hoboken
that have particular significance and/or
architectural consistency and character that
should be preserved in their present form.
Several years ago, the City was informed
by the State Historic Preservation Office
(SHPO) that Hoboken would benefit from
$240,000 in CDBG-DR (Community
Development Block Grant-Disaster
Recovery) funds. Using this funding, SHPO
would be conducting a citywide historic
inventory of properties. If possible, the City
should coordinate this work being conducted
by SHPO when conducting its own local
inventory.
Historic Preservation through
Redevelopment
Recent redevelopment plans (the Hoboken
Yard Redevelopment Plan in 2014 and the
Western Edge and Neumann Leathers
Redevelopment Plans in 2015) have
incorporated requirements to preserve
historic buildings for adaptive reuse. In the
Hoboken Housing Authority Building
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
case of Hoboken Yard, the redevelopment
plan promotes adaptive reuse of the historic
ferry concourse to create public space such
as a public market or recreation facility.
For Neumann Leathers, the redevelopment
plan preserves much of the existing factory
complex for urban manufacturing and
artists’ use, focusing new development on
the existing surface parking area of the
site. In the Western Edge, developers are
encouraged to incorporate existing industrial
buildings and industrial elements into their
redevelopment projects to pay homage to
the City’s industrial past. Adaptive reuse
should continue to be encouraged, especially
for City- or Board of Education-owned
properties.
Stevens Institute of Technology
The 2004 Master Plan and SHPO have
recommended including the entire campus
as a historic district. However, such a
designation could hinder the ability for
Stevens to implement planned upgrades to
its campus. Therefore, the City recommends
the designation of 16-20 specific buildings
and sites of historic significance both to the
The City’s stock of public and subsidized housing should be
reinforced and better connected with the rest of Hoboken.
The Hoboken Housing Authority’s (HHA)
main campus, located generally west of
Jackson Street between Second and Sixth
Streets, is physically separated from the
rest of the City. The HHA buildings west
of Harrison Street, in particular, represent
a “tower in the park” style of development
common to public housing of the mid-
20th century. In this portion of Hoboken,
the street grid is disrupted and land use is
almost exclusively residential. There are few
commercial amenities for residents in the
vicinity of the HHA. The HHA supplies
1,353 units of housing; the waiting list for
HHA housing currently tops 600 families.
Many of the HHA’s buildings are now more
than 60 years old and in need of significant
repair and upgrades. The HHA’s expressed
77
university and to Hoboken. In 2017, Stevens
commissioned its own evaluation of historic
buildings on its site, and recommended
six buildings for listing on the State and
National Registers (in addition to Edwin A.
Stevens Hall, which is already listed). The
university’s historic preservation consultant
did not recommend creation of a historic
district for the campus, given the significant
presence of non-contributing buildings.
Clearly, the HPC and Stevens will need to
coordinate on the specific buildings and sites
to be recommended for such designation.
Landmark Buildings
Another HPC priority is to expand the list
of individual buildings granted landmark
status in the Hoboken Municipal Code. The
HPC has developed a preliminary list of
approximately 20 properties to consider for
local historic designation, most of which are
identified in Table 8 on page 49. SHPO
is planning to conduct an updated survey
of Hoboken’s historic properties, and it is
anticipated that they would work closely with
the HPC in that process.
desire would be to rebuild its main campus,
which it estimates would cost on the order
of $60 million. According to the HHA
Director, federal funding from HUD funds
only 80% of HHA operations, and does not
help with HHA’s capital needs. As a first
step, the New Jersey Housing Mortgage
Finance Agency (NJFMA) has granted the
HHA a $12 million bridge loan to assist in
replacing boilers, repairing roofs and other
improvements.
The HHA has applied for funding through
HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration
(RAD) program, which allows public
housing agencies to leverage public and
private debt and equity in order to reinvest in
the public housing stock. Through the RAD
program, units move to a Section 8 platform
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
with a long-term contract that, by law, must
be renewed, to ensure that the units remain
permanently affordable to low-income
households. Residents continue to pay 30
percent of their income toward the rent and
retain the same basic rights they possess
in the public housing program, and the
program maintains the public stewardship
of the converted property through rules on
ongoing ownership and use.
If the HHA is able to embark on a
revitalization program, the City of Hoboken
must be an engaged partner in that
process. The City believes this would be
an opportunity to integrate the main HHA
campus with the rest of Hoboken, with a
comparable scale, density, and architectural
character. Redevelopment of the property
could also allow for the introduction of
mixed-income housing and mixed uses
The City should increase the supply of much-needed affordable
housing by establishing an Affordable Housing Trust Fund and
adopting regulations requiring all residential and non-residential
projects to pay affordable housing development fees.
With the recent trend of converting the City’s
older rowhouse and brownstone housing
into large luxury homes, the booming luxury
multi-family housing market, and the high
cost of land and construction in Hoboken,
the City is reaching a housing affordability
crisis. Current regulations require only that
a developer provide an affordable housing
set-aside of 10% in buildings containing 10
or more units, where the applicant seeks a D
variance or as part of a Redevelopment Plan.
Developers often avoid this requirement
by building fewer, large-size units that are
generally less affordable.
The City could ensure all development is
paying for their fair share of affordable
housing by instituting a stronger inclusionary
requirement, and by adopting residential
and non-residential Development Fee
Ordinances. Development Fee Ordinances
require all developments that generate one
or more residential units or any amount of
additional non-residential square footage to
78
(e.g. retail and restaurants) to provide more
amenities to residents. At such time, the
City and HHA should develop a new vision
and master plan for the HHA campus and
properties. Implementation could be through
rezoning, Planned Unit Development (PUD)
or a redevelopment plan.
This Land Use Element recommends that a
new affordable housing overlay zone cover
all HHA properties and other housing
complexes that have rent controlled units.
The overlay zone would serve both to
recognize existing affordable housing and
to ensure that any future redevelopment
of those sites provide for the continued
provision of affordable units. The overlay
should require a set-aside of affordable units
in exchange for building at a height and/or
density greater than would be permitted by
the underlying zoning.
pay their proportional fair share as a payment
in-lieu of constructing affordable housing
units. Development fees would be deposited
into the Hoboken Affordable Housing Trust
Fund. The City would able to use these funds
for affordable housing rehabilitation projects,
new affordable housing construction, and
administering Hoboken’s affordable housing
program.
For the City to adopt Development
Fee Ordinances and require developer
contributions to the Affordable Housing
Trust Fund, the City must first adopt a
Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, and
a corresponding Spending Plan. Where
previously these plans would need approval
from the now-dissolved Council on
Affordable Housing (“COAH”), the plans
now need to be approved by the Superior
Court. The City is currently working on its
submission to the Courts.
FT 8
The City’s plan for affordable housing
A
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

should also consider locations for housing Services Center (MSC).

options that allow senior citizens to “age in
place” and remain in the community. For
example, an appropriate location to develop
age-restricted housing and assisted living
facilities could be in an area within a short
walk of the Hospital (HUMC) and Multi-
The Affordable Housing Overlay (AH-O)
District proposed in Section 6 includes
sizable properties in various locations
throughout the City, which if ever
redeveloped, should have an inclusionary
requirement.

The Hoboken waterfront is a significant public resource that should

be preserved and enhanced for the use and enjoyment of the City’s
residents, workers, and visitors.
It is the City’s expressed desire that the
Hudson River waterfront be used for
park and open space, with limited other
uses that bring visitors and activity to the
waterfront. Minimizing development within
the floodplain and maintaining a natural
coastal buffer is also consistent with the
City’s resiliency and storm surge protection
strategy. In the past two decades, the City
has worked tirelessly to make the Hudson
River waterfront as publicly accessible as
possible by creating a world class waterfront
park.

To protect this important asset, this Land

Use Element recommends that the City’s
waterfront parcels be placed into a new
Waterfront Zone that permits only open
space, publicly accessible recreation, and
limited water-oriented commercial activities
within strict parameters. This was also a
recommendation of the Land Use Plan for
the Hoboken 2004 Master Plan. The new
district would encompass portions of the
present-day I-1(W) Zone, which contains
waterfront open space parcels created as
part of PUDs, and the W(N) zone, which
contains the site of the former Union Dry
Dock property, a stretch of the waterfront
walkway, and surface parking lots owned
by Stevens Institute. The waterfront parcels
encompassed within the W (RDV) zone
(South Waterfront Redevelopment Plan)
could also transition into this new waterfront
zone once the terms of that redevelopment
agreement have been reached.

A FT 8
79
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
Hoboken’s parks and recreation facilities are a major quality-of-
life amenity for residents and should be improved and expanded
to increase public open space, enhance connectivity, and address
resiliency needs.
In recent years, Hoboken has made the
expansion of public open space and
recreation sites a top priority. Despite its
limited land area, the City boasts a variety
of indoor and outdoor recreational sites
including neighborhood parks, community
parks, community facilities, open space areas
and the waterfront walkway. The City has
been creative in finding places for new park
and recreation, such as under the Fourteenth
Street Viaduct and in Redevelopment Plan
Areas; however, with population growth
on its current trajectory, the City will need
to continue to be imaginative in finding
locations to increase access to parks. The
2018 Reexamination Report and updated
Land Use Element support the continued
efforts to take advantage of opportunities
to increase public open space so that every
resident will be within a 5-minute walk of a
park.
Figure 15 highlights existing open space
and recreation areas, as well as potential
opportunities for the creation of new
parks and community facilities. These
potential parks are explained in further
detail on the following pages. One of the
next steps for the City will be to adopt a
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element
that shows recreation areas and programs,
maintenance needs, and opportunities for
land acquisitions, facility improvements,
programs, and partnerships. New parks
should be prioritized in areas of the City that
have a shortage of open space.
Green Circuit and Western Edge
Linear Park
This proposed pathway would provide
a continuous walkway on the west side
of the City that mirrors the Hudson
River Waterfront Walkway. While the
exact alignment for this path has yet
to be delineated, there are a number of
opportunities to link together parks, transit
80
stops (i.e. HBLR stations), commercial
areas and other major destinations. The
creation of a portion of the linear park is
also a required component of the Western
Edge Redevelopment Plan. The linear
park would run along the HBLR right-of-
way for the length of the Western Edge
Redevelopment Area, between Ninth Street
and the Fourteenth Street Viaduct, and
could potentially link the HBLR Stations
to a future potential Fifteenth Street HBLR
station with open space and a greenway. It
would also play a role in making Hoboken
more resilient through stormwater storage
underneath the park and feature bioswales
and rain gardens. Other proposed features
include public plazas and market space. The
Green Circuit concept should be further
developed by the City, potentially as part of a
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element.
Cove Resiliency Center and
Boathouse
In 2012, the City of Hoboken created a
master plan for the Hoboken Cove and
1600 Park Ave areas which envisioned new
park space and waterfront access along the
Hudson River. Following Hurricane Sandy,
the City completed the conceptual design
for a boathouse adjacent to Weehawken
Cove that creates a dual-purpose flood risk
reduction feature with parks and recreational
facilities.
The proposed boathouse will be
incorporated into the public design process
for Harborside Park as part of the Rebuild by
Design project. The City has already secured
funding for a portion of the project cost
from the New Jersey Green Acres program
and Hudson County Open Space Trust
Fund.
FT 8
A
DR 5/14/1
 SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

ST
WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
ST

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
ST IS ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST
1600 Park
AVE

E
DE AV
11TH
ST
YORK

11TH
ST

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST Hoboken
16TH ST
Cove Hoboken Cove
9TH S
(Undeveloped)
T
9TH ST
RBD
WING VIA

8TH ST
Park
UNION CITY
15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST
ENLIN

14th Street Viaduct Harborside Pier 14

BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST Park 14TH ST Hoboken Cove
Alley NY Waterway Ferry

CLINTON ST
GRAND ST
5TH ST 14th Street
13TH ST
YMCA
CONSTITUTION CT
Pier 13

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN
Shipyard

12TH ST
Legion Park
Park
ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST
Western Edge

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST Redevelopment 12TH ST Northwest Maxwell Place

Resiliency Park Park

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST

Shop Rite
NORTH
ST Green Plaza Maxwell Place
10TH ST
Lawn
10TH ST
Columbus Elysian
9th St. Park Park Union Dry Dock
JFK

CASTLE POINT TER

LRT plaza
E
ER AV

Stadium
Castle Point
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
Skate Park
CONG
RESS
ST Sybil's
Cave
HUDSON ST

HOBSO
N ST 8TH ST

MetroStop 7th & Jackson

Public Plaza Park Stevens
WITTPEN WALK

Tech
ADAMS ST

SOUTH
ST
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST

Stevens
NEW

WILLOW CT

Parking Lot
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST

Hoboken
R

BOWER Public
LL D

S ST
Library
GRAND ST

Sinatra Park
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

Mama Johnson 5TH ST

MARSHALL DR

Field
ON PL

Church Sq. Stevens

Park Park
PATERS

GARDEN ST

4TH ST
Pier C Park
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST
Madison St.
Park
RIVER ST

Waterfront
SINATRA DR

3RD ST
Municipal
Walkway
MADISON ST

GaragesBlock B
HARRISON ST

Jackson St.
JEFFERSON ST

Pier A Park
PARK AVE

Community
Garden 2ND ST
LEGEND
JACKSON ST

FRAN
KLIN
2ND STREET
LIGHT RAIL Multi-Service
ST
Center Park Park/Open Space
D
TAIN R
AVE

Jackson St.
OGDEN

Warrington
MOUN

1ST ST
Park Jefferson St. Plaza Planned Park
PA
Park NEWARK ST
TE
Southwest 77 Park Ave
RS
ON
Park Open Space
AV
E Resiliency Park 77 Park Ave
HUDSON PL
Opportunity
Roofpark
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Community Facility
Block 10 Hoboken
Terminal
Improvement Opportunity
Park EW
AR
K ST
N
Gateway Hoboken Terminal Waterfront Walkway
AVE Park Redevelopment
KEN
OB
O Protected Bike Path
H
Long Slip Off-Street
Pedestrian Bridge

AV
E
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
Bike Lane
LUIS MUNO

EN
B OK Shared Lane Marking
JERSEY AVE

HO

Concept for
Z MARIN BLV

“Green Circuit”
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D

FT 8
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST

FIGURE 15. OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITY OPPORTUNITIES

A
N BLVD

81
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Warrington Plaza
The Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan
adopted in 2014 envisions a transit-oriented
mixed-use development strategy within
steps of the Hoboken Terminal. The
redevelopment provides an opportunity
to improve pedestrian conditions along
Observer Highway and the entrance to the
Terminal at Hudson Place and Warrington
Plaza; re-configure the circulation patterns
and drop-off-/pick-up locations of taxis,
jitneys, buses, vehicular drop-off, and
pedestrian crossings; redevelop Warrington
Plaza into a true public space and pedestrian
plaza and a location to host public markets Open Space Improvments at Warrington Plaza and Adjacent Areas
and festivals; improvethe historic Terminal (Source: Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan (2014)
building to make it a world-class destination
and multi-modal transit facility.

As a budget-strapped agency, NJ Transit

has indicated that these improvements and
the revitalization of the historic Terminal
building would have to be financed through
the profits achieved from the mixed-use
development within the Redevelopment Plan
Area. Currently, NJ Transit uses Warrington
Plaza for employee parking.

Seventh and Jackson Park

Under construction and set to be completed Illustrative rendering of 7th and Jackson Park
in 2018, a new 2-acre park and a public (Source: City of Hoboken)
gymnasium were negotiated as part of the
Redevelopment Agreement for the Monroe
Center/Seventh & Jackson Redevelopment
project. The 6,835 square-foot public
gymnasium near the City’s existing Jubilee
Center will have a classic field house design
with a tall first story for basketball and similar
indoor sports, an indoor/outdoor deck for
yoga and other such exercise, and a second
floor mezzanine. The public park will feature
an open grass area, public seating and tables, a
children’s play area, step seating to achieve an
amphitheater-like effect, public restrooms, and
a large plaza area designed to accommodate
vendors and seasonal markets. The park will
be one of three “resiliency parks” in Hoboken,
and will be designed with green infrastructure
Southwest Resiliency Park Expansion Plan (2017). Block 12 has been
with nearly 470,000 gallons of underground completed. (Source: City of Hoboken)
stormwater detention and infiltration to help
address flooding issues.

A FT 8
82
DR 5/14/1
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Block 10 – Southwest Resiliency Park
In September 2017, the City opened the
Southwest Resiliency Park, a 1-acre park
located between Jackson Street, Harrison
Street, Observer Highway, and Paterson
Avenue. The park features passive
recreational space, a dog run, moveable
café tables and chairs, a pop-up market
zone, restroom, multi-level seating for
performances, and a solar-powered mobile
device charging table. A key focus of
the Southwest Resiliency Park is green
infrastructure, including rain gardens,
shade tree pits, porous pavers, and a cistern
for rainwater harvesting and reuse, as well
as a 200,000-gallon underground storage
detention system to hold stormwater runoff.
The City has identified Block 10, a nearly
1-acre vacant property located across
Harrison Street along Observer Highway,
to be used for the expansion of Southwest
Resiliency Park. The property is currently
owned by Academy Bus, and the City is in
negotiations to purchase the site.
Northwest Resiliency Park
The City is in the planning stages to
transform an approximately 6-acre former
industrial site in northwest Hoboken into the
City’s largest park. The site, formerly owned
by BASF, has been remediated to safely allow
for use as passive and active recreation. The
City opened a temporary pop-up park at the
site in July 2017, providing amenities including
tennis, basketball, volleyball, and bocce ball
courts; a playground; spray water feature; rock
climbing facilities; community garden; and
other features. An extensive public process
for the concept design of the permanent park
has resulted in the selection of the preferred
alternative. The concept design combines
athletic and cultural spaces encircled by natural
amenities of shady groves, woodland walks,
and adaptive gardens. A central terrace is
the platform for cultural events and seasonal
uses, highlighted by a flexible park building
that provides food, comfort, and community
facilities. The multi-purpose field to the south
and fitness loops throughout the park offer
needed space for team sports and to support
83
Stevens Institute owned waterfront parcels
community health. The park is expected
to manage at least one million gallons of
stormwater. Once the design is complete,
construction is anticipated in 2019.
Future development of the “north lot”
could include a public parking garage in
combination with other uses, such as retail,
offices, community recreation, innovation or
educational space.
Stevens Waterfront Parcels
Stevens Institute owns waterfront property
on the eastern side of Sinatra Drive,
immediately north of the Sinatra Park Soccer
Field. Stevens uses the property as a surface
parking lot for 176 spaces; there is also a
single-story building (Griffith Building)
used as the university’s physical plant and
for academic purposes. Surface parking is
not a desired use for Hoboken’s waterfront,
and the current condition and configuration
of the surface parking detracts from the
experience of the riverfront walkway
immediately adjacent to the east.
In the near-term, the university has
verbalized a proposal to aesthetically
improve the lots with additional landscaping
and green infrastructure elements to better
buffer the parking lots from the waterfront
walkway and park. The university claims that
the site will need to remain a parking area
A FT 8
DR 5/14/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST
AVE

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST
AL

CK
14TH
ST
CENTR

SON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
IS ST
ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
AVE ST

E
DE AV
11TH
ST
YORK

11TH
ST
1600
PALISA NHSA PSE&G Park
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
ST

WING VIA

19
WEST

8TH ST

UNION CITY
15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

5TH ST
18
1 2 GRAND ST CONSTITUTION CT
4
4TH ST 13TH ST
YMCA

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
Pop-Up
ADAMS ST

Park

PARK AVE
3RD ST
20

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

3 11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell Legend
Place Park

Elysian
Redevelopment
NORTH
ST 10TH ST
Park Plan Area (Ongoing)
10TH ST

5 Open Space
Columbus Opportunity

CASTLE POINT TER

Park
E
ER AV

Community Facility
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
Improvement Opportunity
CONG
RESS
ST
Hoboken
H.S.
HUDSON ST

Opportunity Areas
HOBSO
N ST 8TH ST

17 Housing Authority
WITTPEN WALK

Main Campus
ADAMS ST

SOUTH Stevens
ST
Tech
21 7TH ST
AVE

Vacant Parcel
WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT

Green Circuit concept

6
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST

Hoboken
R

BOWER Public
LL D

S ST
Library
GRAND ST
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

5TH ST Opportunity Areas

MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Church Sinatra
Stevens Park
Square Park 1. Western Edge
PATERS

Park
Redevelopment Area
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

2. Northwest Resiliency Park

GRIFFI
TH ST
14 Pier C Park
HUMC

G North Lot
RIVER ST

3. Northwest Resiliency Park

South Lot
SINATRA DR

3RD ST
HUTTO
N ST Municipal
MADISON ST

Garages 4. Piers
HARRISON ST

22 D 5. Union Dry Dock

JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

12 6. Surface Parking (Stevens)

2ND STREET 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL 7. Post Office

15
FRAN
KLIN
ST
B
9 8. Underdeveloped Commercial
IN RD

Multi-
7
AVE

Service Pier A Park 9. Police Department

TA
OGDEN

Center
MOUN

1ST ST
11 10. Hoboken Yard
PA
NEWARK ST 11. DPW Site
13
TE
12. Multi-Service Center
24 8 23
RS
ON

16 SW
AV
E HUDSON PL
13. Southwest Park - Block 10
Park 14. HHA Main Campus
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal 15. Marshall Street Substation
KS
T
16. Southwest Redevelopment Area
NE
WA
R
10 17. Stevens Tech
AVE
BO
KEN 18. YMCA
HO
19. North End Redevelopment Area
20. Western Edge Linear Park
VE
JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
21. 7th & Jackson Park
LUIS MUNO

NA
KE
BO 22. Municipal Garages
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000 23. Warrington Plaza

Z MARIN BLV

Feet 24. Neumann Leathers

GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D

FT 8
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

SHORE LN

FIGURE 16. DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY AREAS

A
15TH ST L
HOLLAND TUN
E 78
INTERSTAT

DR 5/14/1
N BLVD

14TH ST

84
SECTION 5: LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

until alternative parking can be provided

through future university development
projects. Since the development of parking
on the Stevens campus is not part of any near
term proposal, the City has asked Stevens
to determine ways to reduce its parking
demand, and therefore reduce its parking
supply, by providing transportation demand
management (TDM) alternatives. For the
long-term use of the site, Stevens proposes
university recreation facilities, such as tennis
courts, as well as a building for additional
academic facilities, such as a marine-related
research facility. However, the parcel has
limited development potential, because it
is located in a V flood zone, which has a 1
percent annual chance flood hazard with
wave action.8 Union Dry Dock

The City supports the long-term use of the
Stevens waterfront parcel for university
recreation use, as well as publicly accessible
recreation use, in order to achieve the City’s
vision for a connected waterfront walkway
and park along the entire Hudson River
waterfront. Stevens should prioritize ways
to reduce parking demand and relocating
parking away from the waterfront.
Union Dry Dock
Union Dry Dock is a former shipyard and
dry dock located on Hoboken’s northern
waterfront, between the Castle Point
Skatepark and Maxwell Place Park. The
property is the last vestige of the City’s
industrial waterfront, and represents the
most significant missing piece of the
waterfront walkway. The City remains
committed to acquiring the former Union
Dry Dock property and converting the site
into a park and expansion of the waterfront
walkway.

The City needs to improve and expand community facility resources

to meet the growing demand.
To respond to the demands of Hoboken’s
growing population and the changes in
population age dynamics, the City needs
to look inward to upgrade and expand its
own facilities to better cater to residents.
A comprehensive Community Facilities
Element of the Master Plan is recommended.
Specific projects that constituents voiced
support for during the public outreach
process are discussed below.
Multi-Service Center
The City-owned Multi-Service Center,
located on Grand Street between First and
Second Streets, serves as the City’s only
public indoor recreational complex, and also
operates as a senior center. The complex has
a large outdoor roller rink on its property,
as well as outdoor basketball. Although it
has been renovated since flooding during
Hurricane Sandy, the Multi-Service Center
is outdated and cannot meet Hoboken’s
growing need for active recreational

8 Flood zones in Hoboken are assigned using the Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps that were assigned to

FT 8
communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. The maps have an effective date of February 22, 2013. For more information, see:
http://hobokennj.gov/departments/environmental-services/storm-flood-zones/.

A
85
DR 5/14/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

activities. In 2017, a group of Stevens

Institute students worked with City staff to
develop a concept for a new six-story facility,
covering the entire parcel, that would include
two soccer fields; two basketball courts;
wrestling mats; open turf space for baseball
practice; a hockey rink; a full-size parking
garage; and two floors of public-use space,
to be used for senior services, community
meetings, a library annex, or school space.
The City plans to conduct a Feasibility Study
and Alternatives Analysis to determine how Multi-service Community Center
the site could best accommodate existing and
expanded community service and recreation
needs in a completely redesigned, state-of-
the-art community and recreation facility.

Former YMCA Building

Similar to the Multi-Service Center, the
former YMCA building at Thirteenth and
Washington Streets could be renovated
for use as indoor recreation. A portion of YMCA Building
the current building is used as low-income
housing for male residents; however, the
former recreational space is in disrepair and
currently vacant. The City could partner with
the current owner, Hoboken Community
Center to renovate the space for indoor
recreation and meeting space. This initiative
could create an opportunity to preserve an
important historic building and provide new
recreational amenities for residents of the
northern portion of the City.
Public parking garage
Municipal Parking Garages
Hoboken owns and operates five parking
garages for resident and visitor parking.
There are three garages that serve the
Central Business District located on River
Street between First Street and Fourth
Street. The city should determine whether
these facilities are in the most strategic
locations, or if they should instead be located
in other parts of the City. At a minimum, the
City should improve the facades and explore
redevelopment as they reach the end of their
lives and based on current transportation
trends and technologies.

A FT 8
86
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Marshall Street Substation

PSE&G is consolidating and combining the
Marshall and Madison Street Substations
into a single expanded Madison Street
Substation, raised to an elevation that makes
it resilient against flood waters. Those
projects would significantly improve the
reliability of electricity service in Hoboken
and prevent electrical outages caused by
flooding, such as experienced during
Hurricane Sandy. Once the Marshall Street Police Department Building
Substation is decommissioned, ownership The Redevelopment Plan provides for the
of the property will be transferred to the replacement of the municipal facility with up
City. The City should then undertake a to 240 multifamily units with ground-floor
public planning process to determine the retail, community services, artists’ studios,
most appropriate use for the site. During the restaurants and similar uses.
planning process for the 2018 Reexamination
Report and Land Use Element, the Planning Implementation of the Redevelopment
Team heard recommendations for the site, Plan has not progressed, primarily due to
such as a satellite campus for Hudson County the difficulty in identifying an alternative
Community College; a community center; an location for the Garage and Yard.
education and innovation center; and other However, the goals and provisions of the
uses that would complement and serve the Redevelopment Plan remain valid, even more
residents of the nearby Hoboken Housing so because of the adoption of the Neumann
Authority. Leathers Redevelopment Plan, which will
create new residential units, upgraded light
Department of Environmental manufacturing/artists’ space, and outdoor
Services Garage and Yard public plaza space, immediately across
Willow Avenue. The City should continue
The Hoboken Department of Environmental
to investigate alternative sites for the Garage
Services Garage and Yard encompasses
and Yard – such as other locations along
most of the block bounded by Observer
the southern portion of Observer Highway,
Highway, Park Avenue, Willow Avenue, and
in the North End near other utilities
Newark Street. In many ways, this location
(NHSA and PSEG) or even in adjoining
is ideal for storage and maintenance of
municipalities where land can be acquired
municipal vehicles, as it provides access
or leased. In the short-term, the facility
to key roadways. However, the needs of
should be upgraded, with a particular focus
the Garage have outgrown the available
on improving the façade along Observer
space, particularly as the City increases its
Highway and creating more of a buffer to
fleet of vehicles, trucks, and equipment.
adjacent and nearby residential uses. This
The building is also in need of substantial
should include, at a minimum, planting
repair or reconstruction, and does not have
trees along Willow Avenue and preventing
the storage and functional space needed to
vehicles from parking on sidewalks next to
service the City. Furthermore, the facility’s
the garage building.
proximity to residential uses creates potential
for conflicts, and the single-story building
is significantly underutilized, considering its Police Headquarters
location near transit and as a gateway to the The Hoboken Police Department occupies
City. In 2006, the City Council designated most of the block bounded by Second
the Garage and Yard and most of its block Street to the north, First Street to the
as an area in need of redevelopment and south, Hudson Street to the east, and Court

FT 8
adopted a Redevelopment Plan for the area. Street to the west. The two-story building,

A
87
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

a former union hall, has been the Police development that complements the facing
headquarters since 1993. It also houses a Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area or a
small police museum on the second floor. new Hoboken Fire Department headquarters
The facility is outdated and no longer meets facility that enables the consolidation of
the department’s needs. Permanent storage other fire department facilities. The location
trailers have been set up in the adjacent adjacent to both Washington Street and
parking lot; the condition of the property Observer Highway provides for good road
along Court Street is in poor condition; and access and minimal disturbance of residential
the building itself is in need of substantial neighborhoods. With a relocation of some
upgrades, such as improved communications Hoboken Fire Department
infrastructure. The City’s ownership of the
building and parking lot to the north creates
an opportunity to construct a new, multi-
story building on the surface parking lot,
including structured parking, which could
serve all of the department’s current needs.
The new building could also accommodate
the City’s Office of Emergency Management
(OEM), which is currently housed in an
undersized area in the basement of City Hall.

Construction of a new police headquarters CVS Building

building on the surface parking lot could fire department facilities to this site, one
allow the City to sell off the portion or more of the City’s existing fire stations
of the property where the building is (which are all housed in buildings listed
presently located, for future private-sector on the National Register) could be used
development. The site’s proximity to for other municipal purposes or sold to
Hoboken Terminal also makes it a prime the private sector with deed restrictions
candidate for mixed-use development. providing for adaptive reuse of the historic
buildings.
Fire Department Headquarters
While there is little vacant land in the City,
there are some larger-sized properties that
contain one-story commercial buildings or
surface parking lots. One example is the CVS
building (59 Washington Street), located
at the southeast corner of Washington and
Newark Streets, a prominent location at the
foot of Washington Street and the gateway
to the Central Business District. The one-
story building, which also houses New York
Sports Clubs and an urgent care facility of
Jersey City Medical Center, is underutilized
and inconsistent with the surrounding built
environment, which is generally 3-5 stories.
The southern portion of the site is utilized
as surface parking by a private operator.
Future development of the site at the height
and density allowable under the CBD zone
is complicated by the potential presence of
underground PATH tracks. However, the

FT 8
property would be ideal for a new mixed-use
A
88
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

6. LAND USE PLAN AND ZONING

RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1. LAND USE APPROACH AND LAND USE PLAN

Figure 17 illustrates the land use approach

based on the policy discussion of issues and
opportunities from Section 5. This approach
to the organization of land uses forms
the basis for the City’s Land Use Plan and
re-zoning proposals discussed below. The
recommendations within this chapter also
take into consideration recommendations
identified in the 2018 Reexamination Report
that specifically relate to land use and zoning
issues (as summarized in Section 4).

The Land Use Plan illustrates the proposed

zoning districts on a map (essentially,
recommendations for a new Zoning Map),
then describes each of the proposed land
use/zoning districts. In some cases, existing
zoning districts have been consolidated;
in others, entirely new districts are
recommended. Each proposed district
includes a description of the “purpose”
or objectives for that district, examples of
recommended permitted uses, recommended
area and bulk controls, and some further Central Business District
explanation as to the reasoning behind the
proposed changes. densities, required setbacks, etc.) may
After the zone-by-zone descriptions, other ultimately vary from these proposals. They
“global” recommended changes to the City’s were determined based on the Planning
Zoning Ordinance and land use policies Board’s understanding and current approach
are provided- such as new definitions, of how development objectives can best
clarifications, and zoning concepts for the be met for each district. The permitted use
City to consider. tables are representative samples of uses that
might be appropriate in each district.
Finally, the recommendations in this section
are just that- recommendations. When The Proposed Zoning Districts Map (see
preparing the City’s updated Zoning Code Figure 18) Illustrates the proposed zoning
or adopting zoning amendments, the intent plan for the City. A general overview of the
and purpose behind these recommendations land use district proposals is described below.
is the more important aspect to consider.
The specific permitted uses and the bulk
standards (permitted heights, allowable

A FT 8
89
DR 5/24/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST
L AVE

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
CENTRA

ST
WEEHAWKEN TWP

S ON

SA
Planning Ongoing

GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
IS ST
ST
Enhance gateway with

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
PUD’s are near fully
MORR

HA
for North End
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
RB
high quality urban
AVE
18TH ST HA

Rehabilitation Area
TOUR
NADE
LN developed, change zoning
design, improved
12TH
ST

to reflect current mixed-use

12TH
ST

AVE streetscapes, and

E
DE AV
11TH
ST
development
YORK
11TH
ST
1600
mixed-use developoment
PALISA
Promote NHSA PSE&G Park
NEW

10TH
ST

development of
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH ST
green circuit 9TH ST
ST

Support neighborhood
WING VIA

pathway
WEST

8TH ST

UNION CITY
15TH ST
business corridor on 14th
E AVE

7TH ST

Street
ENLIN

Encourage west
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

side neighborhood5TH ST

business node CONSTITUTION CT

GRAND ST
4TH ST 13TH ST
YMCA Connect gaps in Hudson

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
Pop-Up River Waterfront Walkway
Be an engaged
ADAMS ST

Park

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

partner in Hoboken
2ND ST 12TH ST

Housing Authority’s
Develop zoning specific to
future rehabilitation 11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell
protect the City’s intact
plans Place Park

Elysian residential historic areas

NORTH
ST Park
10TH ST
10TH ST

Columbus

CASTLE POINT TER

Park
E
ER AV

Support ground-floor
WEBST

9TH ST

CONG
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL neighborhood scale
RESS Hoboken
ST
H.S. businesses on the west side
HUDSON ST

of Washington St.
HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST

SOUT
H ST
Stevens
Tech
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST

Recognize Stevens Tech

YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT
campus needs while
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST

protecting surroudning
RIVER ST

Hoboken
R

BOWER Public
LL D

S
neighborhoods
ST
Library
GRAND ST
SHA
ANK RD

MAR

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Church Sinatra
Stevens Park
Square Park
PATERS

Park
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
Waterfront and recreation
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST Pier C Park
HUMC

G
access area
RIVER ST

SINATRA DR

3RD ST
HUTTO
N ST Municipal
MADISON ST

Garages
HARRISON ST

D
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

2ND STREET 2ND ST

Reinforce ground and
JACKSON ST

FRAN
KLIN
ST
LIGHT RAIL
B second-floor retail/office
AIN RD

Multi-
uses
N AVE

Service Pier A Park

MOUNT

Center
OGDE

1ST ST

NEWARK ST
PA
TE
RS
ON
AV HUDSON PL
E
SW
Park
Redevelopment is complete,
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal create zoning that reflects
NE
WA
R KS
T
existing development
AVE
JERSEY CITY
KEN
BO
HO

Promote streetscapes, Support Expand historic

urban design to neighborood preservation
VE 18TH ST
Develop Transit-oriented
LUIS MUNO

NA
BO
KE
create a gateway to business corridor efforts through
JERSEY AVE

HO

the City Terminal District zoning

on 1st Street zoning
Z MARIN BLV
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

SHORE LN
15TH ST L
HOLLAND TUN

FT 8
FIGURE 17. LAND USE APPROACH INTERSTAT
E 78
N BLVD

14TH ST

A
90
DR 5/124/1
 SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST
L AVE

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH
CENTRA

ST

SON
Zoning Districts

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
S ST
ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
MORRI VD
BL

HA
18TH ST R

ST
13TH BO
AVE
TOUR
18TH ST HA
R
R-CP, R-WT, R-WH
NADE
LN
C-LIMU
12TH
ST
12TH
ST R-1N & R-1S
W (OS)
E

E
RK AV

DE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST R-2
YO

PALISA
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST R-3
9TH ST
North End 16TH ST

(Planning
9THin Progress)
ST R-4
ST

WING VIA
WEST

8TH ST
C-LIMU 15TH ST
R-4 C-HT (Hoboken Terminal)
AVE

7TH ST
C-CB (Central Bus)
ENLINE

UNION CITY
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
C-NB14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST
C-NB (Neighborhood Bus.)
5TH ST
C-LIMU (Commercial –
GRAND ST
13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT
4TH ST
Light Industrial Mixed Use)

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
HE (Higher Education)
C-LIMU
ADAMS ST

R-1N

PARK AVE
3RD ST
Lorem ipsum

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST W (OS)

Redevelopment Plan
11TH ST MAXWELL LN Areas
11TH ST
W (OS)
Western Edge

Northwest Redevelopment Plan

Overlay

C-NB
NORTH
ST
10TH ST
10TH ST
North End Redevelopment
R-CP Plan - in Progress
R-WH

CASTLE POINT TER

E
ER AV

Historic Overlay (HO) and

WEBST

9TH STREET
9TH ST
Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO)
CONG
RESS
LIGHT RAIL Districts are not shown in this map
ST
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
R-1S WITTPEN WALK
HE
ADAMS ST

SOUT
H ST
Stevens
Tech
7TH ST
E
RK AV

R-WT

WASHINGTON ST

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
YO
NEW

WILLOW CT
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
R-3
GRAND ST
SHA
PLANK RD

MAR

C-NB

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
N
PATERSO

GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFFI
C-CB

TH ST
RIVER ST

Hoboken R-2 R-4

SINATRA DR

HUTTON
ST
Housing 3RD ST
W (RDV)
MADISON ST

Authority
HARRISON ST

JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

2ND STREET 2ND ST

JACKSON ST

FRAN LIGHT RAIL

KLIN
ST
AIN RD
N AVE

MOUNT

Previously
C-NB
OGDE

1ST ST
River Street
RPA
PA
NEWARK ST
R-2
TE
RS
ON
R-3 C-HT
AV HUDSON PL
E

C-LIMU R-4
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
C-LIMU Terminal
K ST
AR
N EW
SW Rehab
BO
KEN
AVE Neumann
HO
Leathers DPW Previously
Observer
JERSEY CITY Highway RPA Hoboken Post
AV
E
18TH ST Yard
LUIS MUNO

B OK
EN
Office
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

SHORE LN
15TH ST L
HOLLAND TUN
E 78
INTERSTAT
N BLVD

14TH ST

FT 8
FIGURE 18. PROPOSED ZONING DISTRICTS
A
91
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
6.2. PROPOSED LAND USE AND ZONING DISTRICTS
Residential Districts
Hoboken’s three existing residential zones,
R-1, R-2, and R-3 – are proposed to be
retained. However, district boundary
changes are proposed; the R-1 district will
be split into R-1 North (R-1N) and and
R-1 South (R-1S) zones, considering the
height and density differences in each area,
and the importance of preserving existing
historic streetscapes. Some portions of the
existing R-1 zone that contain buildings at a
greater height and/or density than permitted
under R-1 will be moved into the R-2
district. In addition, three new residential
districts are proposed to reflect the unique,
low-density, low-scale neighborhoods in
Hoboken: Castle Point, Willow Terrace,
and portions of Washington and Hudson
Streets. A new Residential- Castle Point
(R-CP) zone would encompass the existing
R-1(H)(CPT) subdistrict and portions of
the existing R-1(E) subdistrict, while a new
Residential-Willow Terrace (R-WT) zone
could be designated for that small area
Commercial Districts
Today, there are essentially no areas of
the CBD zone that are not covered by
the CBD(H) or CBD(H)(CS) Subdistrict
requirements. This Land Use Element
proposes that these CBD Subdistrict areas
be split into two new zoning districts: 1)
a new Commercial – Hoboken Terminal
(C-HT) district just to the north of the
Terminal building, and 2) a new Commercial
- Central Business (C-CB) district for the
lower portion of Washington Street, south
of Seventh Street. In addition, a separate
Historic Overlay (HO) would cover all
areas that are locally designated as a historic
district.
92
currently zoned R-1, and a new residential
- Washington/Hudson district would be
designated for areas currently zoned R-1, R-1
(E), and CS (H). In addition, a new R-4 zone
would be created to incorporate built-out
PUD areas in the northeastern portion of
the City and the River Street and Observer
Highway Redevelopment Plan areas. The R-4
zone would have height, area/ bulk, and use
regulations intended to reflect the existing
buildings in those areas and acknowledge
them through conventional zoning districts.
Various height and area/bulk changes
are proposed within each of the existing
residential zones, to better reflect the
distinct development pattern envisioned for
each zone and differentiate them from one
another. In addition, some changes to use
regulations are proposed, such as eliminating
retail as a conditional use in the proposed
R-1N district but relaxing some conditions
for corner retail in the R-2 and R-3 districts.
The C-HT district would allow a diverse
array of uses and more development intensity
that is appropriate for an area in such close
proximity to multi-modal transit hub. The
C-CB district would instead reflect the
characteristics of Hoboken’s downtown
“Main Street.”
In addition, a new zone to support secondary
retail corridors in the City is proposed within
areas that are currently zoned as residential
districts. The Commercial – Neighborhood
Business (C-NB) zone is proposed along
portions of First Street, Fourteenth Street,
Jackson Street, and the upper portion of
Washington Street (west side only). These
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

areas are lower in intensity than the C-HT consistent with adjacent neighborhoods.
and C-CB zones, and building scale is more

Industrial District
A new Commercial- Light Industrial
Mixed Use (C-LIMU) district is proposed
to encompass northerly and southwesterly
portions of the City that are currently zoned
I-1 and I-2; in the southwesterly portion
of the City, the C-LIMU zone would also
include portions of the existing R-3 along
Observer Highway, Newark Street, and
Paterson Avenue that are more commercial
in nature. These streets, as well as Park
and Willow Avenues in the northerly
portion, would also have separate “gateway”
requirements to improve the appearance of
streets in and out of the City.
The C-LIMU district seeks to maintain these
areas as light industrial in nature, but also
accommodate new uses such as artisan and
maker spaces, commercial recreation, office
buildings, urban farming, and industrial
kitchens, as the area gradually transitions to a
modern mixed-use industrial environment.
In the northerly portion of the City, this
updated industrial zoning would be in
place until the City adopts a comprehensive
Redevelopment Plan for the North End
Rehabilitation Area that is based on a
community-driven process, and which
enables a greater range of uses to make that
area a 24-7 mixed-use destination.

Waterfront District
Portions of areas currently zoned I-1(W)
and W(N) would be merged into a new
Waterfront Open Space (W-OS) district.
Permitted uses would be limited to park
space and recreation, marina facilities and
fishing piers, water-oriented supportive uses,
and educational uses. Maritime industrial
uses would no longer be permitted in these
areas. Over time, the water-oriented portions
of the existing W-(RDV) district could be
brought into the W-OS zone, once the terms
of the Redevelopment Agreement for that
area have been met.

Higher Education District

The Higher Education (HE) district is being
established to support Stevens Institute
in its current operations and anticipated
expansion. The zone largely coincides with
the existing R-1(E) district, minus some
properties along Castle Point Terrace that are
proposed to be moved into the new R-CP
district. Key provisions of the HE district
include the creation of three sub-zones to
provide for varying uses, building heights,
and design requirements. The sub-zones are
organized so that the areas closest to existing
residential neighborhoods have the least
development intensity and lowest-intensity
uses.

A FT 8
93
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-CP: RESIDENTIAL - CASTLE POINT

District Change:
Proposed new zoning district for an area
currently a historic sub-district of R-1, and
expansion of the district to include original
historic homes on Castle Point Terrace
previously zoned R-1(E).

Purpose:
The purpose of the Residential-Castle
Point (R-CP) district is to reinforce
and safeguard the heritage of this area,
which is distinguished by being the only
neighborhood in the City typified by large,
freestanding and semi-detached homes on
large lots. This original “gated community”
Recommended R-CP Uses:
was home to Hoboken’s earliest founders
and wealthy captains of industry who Use Type
built mansions at the time of, or which Residential buildings, 1- and 2-family P
predate, the founding of Stevens Institute Residential, 3 or more units C
of Technology. The area is also covered by Existing Fraternity & Sorority Houses C
the Castle Point Historic District, a local Stevens Auxiliary Housing (non-student) C
designation that ensures that the early
Stevens Academic & Administrative Offices C
architectural details of these unique homes,
which range in style from Beaux Arts to Professional Offices C
Gothic Revival, remain intact. Bed and Breakfasts C
Parks and Open Space P
P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 3,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 30’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Building Height Max* 40’ or 3.5 stories above average grade, whichever is greater
Building Height Step-back: --
Lot Coverage, Max: 50%
Front Yard Prevailing or 10’
Side Yard Prevailing or 5’ on at least one side
Rear Yard 30% Min
Density Factor, Max.** 2,000
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher.
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
94
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
● The new R-CP district is being
created to preserve and regulate the
unique residential structures east
of Hudson Street, and expanded to
include all properties fronting on
Castle Point Terrace and in the area
of Ninth Street. The expanded R-CP
includes lots within the existing
R-1(E) Subdistrict that had previously
contained residential uses, but now
house Stevens’ office and academic
uses.
● New conditional uses are allowed
that support a healthier compatibility
between Stevens-related properties,
and those owned by private citizens.
● Existing Greek Housing (sororities
and fraternities) should be allowed to
continue if group housing building Castle Point Terrace
code is met; however additional group
housing quarters, such as dormitories, including facade color and materials,
should not be permitted. fenestration, entrances and stoops,
roofs, and architectural elements
● Bed and breakfast accommodations should be developed to reflect the
within existing buildings should be variety of early architectural styles of
considered as a conditional use. the R-CP District, which are meant
to be preserved. Design standards
● Buildings originally constructed as that address non-residential use
residences that are being used for non- of residential buildings, are also
residential purposes (e.g., professional recommended.
office, academic, bed and breakfast)
should retain the exterior residential ● The proposed Historic Overlay
appearance of the structure; this encompasses the entirety of the
should be a primary condition of non- proposed R-CP District; this expands
residential uses in the R-CP District. the local historic designation to
properties previously not covered.
● The R-CP contains some of the largest
lots and lowest-density residential uses
in the City. The bulk regulations are
tailored to reflect this unique scale
and character.
○ Existing lot area, width and depth
vary from lot to lot in this District;
the lot width with the most
occurrences is a 30-foot-wide lot.
○ A density factor of 2,000 allows up
to 2 units on a 3,000 square foot
lot, rounding up as permitted. A
lot size of at least 5,000 square feet
would be needed for more than 2
units.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-based
code) should illustrate styles of R-CP
building form and the building’s
position on a lot.

FT 8
● Architectural design standards-

A
95
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-WH: RESIDENTIAL – WASHINGTON HUDSON

District Change:
Proposed new zoning district for an area
currently zoned R-1, partially covered by
existing Historic Subdistrict, and partially
covered by the Court Street Subdistrict;
also includes properties on the east side of
Hudson Street currently R-1(E).

Purpose:
The purpose of the Residential – Washington
Hudson (R-WH) district is to safeguard the
residential character and the rich historic
detail and elegance of the buildings that line
Washington and Hudson Streets. The district Recommended Uses:
is characterized by multi-family buildings
and brick and brownstone rowhouses that Use Type
are larger in scale and density than those Residential Buildings P
found in other residential districts. The Mixed-Use: Commercial/Residential C
buildings in the R-WH district are some of Professional Office, corner lots only, 1,000 SF
C
the oldest in the City, with most built prior or less
to the turn-of-the-century. They exemplify Civic Buildings P1
the craftsmanship and architectural detail Schools, K-12 C
typical of the period and are justly deserving
Community Centers C
of preservation. The district also includes
the east side of historic Court Street and Funeral Homes C
the carriage houses accessory to row houses Bed & Breakfasts C
fronting on Hudson Street. P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,500 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 30’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
May match the height of the highest adjacent structure or 45’ above side-
Building Height Max*
walk grade; Buildings fronting on Court Street: 30’
Building Height Step-back: --
60%; except for through-lots that front on both Hudson Street and Court
Lot Coverage, Max:
Street, then 60% for principal building and 20% for accessory building
Front Yard 0’ or prevailing but not to exceed 10’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 40%; except for through-lots, then 20% rear setback between buildings
Density Factor, Max.** 600
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher, *

FT 8
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A
96
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
● The new district and use regulations
set apart an area that is nearly
exclusively residential, despite its
proximity to commercially vibrant
Washington Street
● Updated use and bulk regulations
are tailored to the scale, density and
character of the zone, which differs
significantly from other residential
districts and warrants separation. For
example:
○ Lot sizes vary from lot to lot
in the R-WH Zone, but are
predominantly between 2,000 SF
and 3,000 SF. Future subdivisions
are not anticipated.
○ Existing building heights within
Residential block in proposed R-WH zone
the R-WH Zone are predominantly
4-story, with some 5-story including facade color and materials,
sections. fenestration, entrances and stoops,
roofs, and architectural elements-
○ Existing residential density also
should be developed to reflect the
varies considerably in the R-WH highly stylized buildings in the R-WH,
zone. For example, 4-story which are meant to be preserved.
buildings with lot sizes less than
3,000 SF may have between 1 ● The proposed Historic Overlay
and 10 dwelling units. A density encompasses the entirety of the
factor of 600 is approximate to proposed R-WH District; this expands
the median existing density in this the local historic designation to
properties previously not covered.
zone.
● Within the R-WH zone requirements,
the Ordinance should include an
additional set of bulk requirements
that must be applied to through-lot
properties that also have frontages
on Court Street (e.g., addressing lot
coverage, building heights, access,
etc.). The requirements should
encourage the appropriate design of
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
over a 1-story building fronting
on Court Street (such as a garage).
Adequate space between upper stories
of the building fronting on Hudson
Street and an ADU fronting on Court
Street should be provided.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-based
code) should illustrate styles of R-WH
building form and the building’s
position on a lot. Specific illustrations
should be provided for through-lots
having frontage on both Hudson
Street and Court Street.
● Architectural design standards-

A FT 8
97
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-WT: RESIDENTIAL – WILLOW TERRACE

District Change:
Proposed new zoning district for properties
in the Willow Terrace neighborhood
currently zoned R-1.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Residential - Willow
Terrace (R-WT) district is to protect the
unique architecture and built form of the
historically significant neighborhood known
locally as Willow Terrace, which is generally
located between Willow Avenue and Clinton
Street and from Sixth Street to Seventh
Street. Originally constructed in the mid
1880’s, the compact rows of attached homes
stand on Hoboken’s narrowest residential Recommended Uses:
lots; most homes are less than 13 feet wide.
The neighborhood includes two alley-style Use Type
cobblestone lanes, which also function as
stormwater drainage, protecting the homes Residential Buildings, Attached 1-Family P
from flooding. The regulations address P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
the unique circumstances of these small Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
properties.

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As Existing. Min. 600 SF, Max. 650 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 12’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 50’ for subdivision
Building Height Max* 30’ and/or 3 stories above average grade
Building Height Step-back: --
Lot Coverage, Max: 80% 1st Floor; 60% Upper floors
Front Yard 0’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 10’ or 10%, whichever is greater
Density Factor, Max.** 1 dwelling unit per lot
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
98
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
● The new R-WT district provides
zoning requirements that are distinct
to the Willow Terrace neighborhood
characteristics, reflecting the unique
scale and character of the area.
○ Parcels in the proposed R-WT
District, which predominantly
range in area from 600 SF to 650
SF, for example, are about a third
of the size of a standard residential
lot in the existing R-1 district.
Nearly all properties contain one
(1) dwelling unit.
○ Existing building heights are
consistently 2.5 to 3 stories
● Use and density in the R-WT
District remain restricted to single- Willow Terrace
family homes, whereas current R-1
requirements allow retail uses and a
host of conditional uses.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-based
code) should illustrate the unique
R-WT building form, the building’s
position on a lot, and its relationship
to adjacent lots.
● Architectural design standards that
reflect the unique R-WT building
characteristics should be developed.
● Requirements for the maintenance
of the two existing, privately-owned
cobblestone streets, Willow Court
North and Willow Court South,
should be provided in the updated
zoning for this area and/or within
an updated Streets Ordinance.
The standards could address street
cleaning, snow removal, restricting
unauthorized blockades, and
maintaining the cobblestone bed. It
is recommended that a homeowners
association be formed to oversee
maintenance on the privately-owned
streets.
● The proposed Historic Overlay
encompasses the entire R-WT
District. This is a new local historic
district designation.

A FT 8
99
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-1N: RESIDENTIAL – PRESERVATION NORTH

District Change:
Proposed new zoning district for properties
currently zoned R-1.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Residential –
Preservation North (R-1N) district is to
preserve the intact historic nature and
cohesiveness of the low height, low density
residential blocks generally located north of
Eleventh Street between Park Avenue and
Bloomfield Street. The rowhomes in the
R-1N District share a consistent three-story
building height, and by and large, carry
through a shared, uninterrupted horizontal
cornice line for the length of each block. Recommended Uses:
The row homes in the R-1N District are
distinguished from other residential areas by Use Type
collections of adjacent buildings that have Residential Buildings P
preserved original architectural details.
P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 20’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Lesser of Prevailing or 35’ but no more than 3 habitable floors above
Building Height Max*
grade or DFE, whichever is higher
10’ step-back above prevailing height of adjacent buildings or 40’ above
Building Height Step-back: sidewalk grade, whichever is less, and which maintains existing roofline/
cornice
Lot Coverage, Max: 60%
Front Yard Prevailing, but not greater than 10’
Side Yard 0’
40%; Adjusted by amount of front setback that is pervious; in no case less
Rear Yard
than 35’
Density Factor, Max.** 800
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
100
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations
● The uniform consistency in use,
height, density, and architectural
character distinguish the R-1N
District from other R-Districts.
○ Narrow lots of 15 to 16 feet in
width are common; as such, all
but 20 of the more than 300 lots
in the R-1N District have a lot size
less than the 2,000 SF required.
While these lots would be in
conformance with the zoning, any
new subdivision would need to be
a minimum of 2,000 SF.
○ Existing buildings are
predominantly 3-stories in height
(84%). As such, the proposed
building height is reduced from 40 Residential buildings in proposed R-1N zone
feet above DFE to a maximum of
3 habitable floors, and additionally ● Rear yard regulations have been
restricted to preserve the revised to preserve open space
prevailing height. between buildings (the “donut hole”).
○ The predominant density (85%) ● The R-1N District is nearly completely
in the R-1N is 1- and 2-family residential; new retail uses would not
housing. As such, the proposed be permitted.
density divisor is increased to ● At such point that the City prepares
preserve the low-intensity 1 and an updated Historic Preservation
2-family nature of the R-1N Element, the entirety of the R-1N
District. District should be evaluated for future
inclusion in the Historic Overlay
● Building height additions above a (HO) District.
prominent cornice line, when in
compliance with maximum height
requirements, must have the required
step-back; the step-back reduces the
visual impact of the addition and
reinforces the block’s appearance as
a single entity by maintaining the
horizontal alignment of the existing
cornice lines. A portion of the roof
step-back area should be required to
be a green roof.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-
based code) should illustrate the
predominant style of R-1N building
form and its position on a lot;
depictions of a stepped-back building
height addition should also be
provided.
● Architectural design standards,
including facade color and materials,
fenestration, entrances and stoops,
roofs, and architectural elements,
should be developed for the consistent
residential architecture of the R-1N
District that is meant to be preserved.
A FT 8
101
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-1S: RESIDENTIAL – PRESERVATION, SOUTH

District Change:
New District that amends existing R-1
boundaries and regulations and includes half
of one block that is currently R-3.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Residential –
Preservation South (R-1S) district is to
recognize and preserve the historic nature
of the predominantly 3- and 4-story, low
density residential blocks generally located
between Fourth Street and Eleventh Street,
and between Park Avenue and Bloomfield
Street. In the R-1S District, the retention of
architectural details of the original rowhouse
structures, including the perpetuation of
uninterrupted cornice lines, should be a
priority. Storefronts that open onto street
corners, containing retails shops or eateries,
provide a neighborhood convenience
for residents, and contribute to the
particular character and livelihood of each
neighborhood.

Residential buildings in proposed R-1S zone

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 20’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Lesser of Prevailing or 40’, but no more than 3 habitable floors above
Building Height Max*
grade or DFE, whichever is higher
10’ step-back above prevailing height of adjacent buildings or 40’ above
Building Height Step-back: sidewalk grade, whichever is less, and which maintains existing roofline/
cornice
Lot Coverage, Max: 60%
Front Yard Prevailing, but not greater than 10’
Side Yard 0’
40%; Adjusted by amount of front setback that is pervious; in no case less
Rear Yard
than 35’
Density Factor, Max.** 660
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
102
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
Recommended Uses:
● The R-1S District requirements
are proposed to protect this area Use Type
from further fragmentation of the
consistent architectural character of Residential Buildings P
the district. Mixed-Use: Commercial / Residential C
● Non-residential uses should have Retail Business and Service P1/C
specific location/size requirements,
Restaurants, Class I, II, III, IV C
such as being located on a corner
lot, at street-level and be 2,000 SF or General, Professional Offices P1/C
less in area; professional and medical Medical and Dental Offices P1/C
offices can be smaller at 1,000 SF or
less in area. Ground floor commercial Health Clubs, Exercise Facilities C
uses with mid-block locations could Childcare Facility P1/C
be permitted as conditional uses. Civic Buildings, Libraries C
● Proposed bulk requirements reflect Places of Worship C
the City’s intent to preserve the Schools: K-12 C
existing character of the R-1S District.
Clubs & Community Centers C
○ There is considerable variation in Educational Uses C
lot sizes; 66% of lots are smaller
than the 2,000 SF minimum lot Essential Utilities, Public Services C
size requirement. While these lots P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
would be in compliance, any new
subdivision would need to be a
minimum of 2,000 SF. including facade color and materials,
fenestration, entrances and stoops,
○ The predominant building height roofs, and architectural elements-
of existing buildings throughout should be developed for the residential
the various blocks of R-1S is 3 and architecture of the R-1S District that
4 story (85%) Approximately half is meant to be preserved. Attention to
of all buildings (51%) are 4-story story additions, whether set back or as
in height. a mansard-style should be included.
○ Residential density also varies ● Rear yard regulations have been
considerably in this area. The revised to preserve open space
majority of properties (70%) between buildings (the “donut hole”).
have between 1 and 3 units. ● At such point that the City prepares
The proposed density divisor is an updated Historic Preservation
intended to preserve the low- Element, the entirety of the R-1S
intensity 1-, 2- and 3-family nature District should be evaluated for future
of this district. inclusion in the Historic Overlay
(HO) District.
● Building height additions, when in
compliance with maximum height
requirements, can be either mansard
style (without step-back), or of a
contemporary style with the required
10’ step-back. A portion of the roof
step-back area should be green roof.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-
based code) should illustrate the
predominant style of R-1S building
form and its position on a lot;
depictions of building additions
should also be provided.
● Architectural design standards-

A FT 8
103
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-2: RESIDENTIAL – CONTEXTUTAL

District Change:
Amended district area from existing R-1; also
includes two parcels currently zoned I-2.

Purpose:
Generally located south of Fourth Street
between Willow Avenue and Bloomfield
Street, the purpose of the Residential –
Integration (R-2) District is to ensure
the perpetuation of the 3- to 5-story row
house building form, while recognizing
that the architectural character of the
housing stock has diversified over time.
A mingling of architectural styles and
treatments are visible from block to block,
and oftentimes, building to building. A
wider range of appropriate, neighborhood-
oriented retail and commercial storefronts
are permitted. The majority of the R-2
zone is concentrated around areas where
mass transportation is most accessible. The
zone is substantially built-out but is still
subject to in-fill redevelopment. Regulations
encourage neighborhood stability through
conservation and rehabilitation of slightly
larger, residential and mixed-use buildings
Residential buildings in proposed R-2 zone
with moderate density.

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 20’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
May match the height of the highest adjacent structure or 40’, whichever
Building Height Max*
is higher
10’ step-back at 5th floor and above; a step-back is not required where the
Building Height Step-back: additional building height would match the height line of both adjacent
buildings
Lot Coverage, Max: 60%
Front Yard Prevailing, but not greater than 10’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 40%; Adjusted by amount of front setback that is pervious
Density Factor, Max.** 500
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,

FT 8
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A
104
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
● South of Church Square Park, there Recommended Uses:
is substantially less continuity in the Use Type
traditional historic rowhouse and
brownstone architecture, as homes Residential Buildings P
have contemporary renovations stand
aside traditional brick rowhouses, Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential P1
creating an eclectic neighborhood Retail business and service P/P1
mix. Restaurants: Class I, II C
● New businesses and housing types are Restaurants: Class III, IV P1
allowed as permitted or conditional Bar: Class I, II C
uses that previously required a use
variance. Catering P1
General, Professional, Shared Offices P1/C
● Non-residential uses should have
specific location/size requirements, Medical and dental offices P1/C
such as being located on a corner lot, Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center C
at street-level and be 2,000 SF or less
in area. Ground floor commercial Childcare Facility P
uses with mid-block locations could Veterinary Services C
be permitted or conditional uses with Health club & Exercise Facilities P1
1,000 SF or less area.
Bed & Breakfast C
● Proposed bulk requirements reflect Spa P
existing R-2 conditions.
Places of Worship C
○ There is considerable variation in Schools: K-12 C
lot sizes; 61% of lots are smaller
Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C
than the 2,000 SF minimum lot
size requirement. While these lots Civic Buildings, Libraries P
would be in compliance, any new Clubs, community centers C
subdivision would need to be a Public Parking Facilities C
minimum of 2,000 SF.
Event Spaces, Movie & Performing Art The-
C
○ The predominant building height aters
of existing buildings is 3 and 4 Parks & Open Space P
story (74%). 5-story buildings P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
make up the next largest category Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
of building height.
○ Residential density also varies ● Graphic depictions (in a form-
considerably. A substantial number based code) and architectural design
of properties (45%) have 4 or guidelines should show examples of
more units. The proposed density how differing architectural styles may
divisor is intended to allow 4 stand side-by-side while meeting the
units on the typically-sized lot. A bulk requirements of the District,
higher residential density in the and how appropriate building height
R-2 is appropriate considering additions would be implemented.
the district’s proximity to public
transit and the Central Business
District, and the nature of existing
conditions.
● Building height additions, where in
compliance with maximum height
requirements, may be either mansard
style (without step-back), or of a
contemporary style with the required
10’ step-back.

A FT 8
105
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-3: RESIDENTIAL – DIVERSIFICATION

District Change:
Amended district area that presently
encompasses R-2 and R-3 areas, to a
combined R-3 zone.

Purpose:
Generally encompassing the residential
neighborhoods west of Willow Avenue, the
purpose of the Residential – Diversification
(R-3) District is to ensure a varied housing
stock and a mix of unit sizes that will
support a diverse array of household types,
sizes and income levels. Lot sizes are
generally wider and larger than R-1 and R-2
Districts; and building heights, density and
architectural styles mix compatibly in the
R-3 District. This Residential District allows
the greatest variety of non-residential uses,
and supports a greater density of commercial
uses than other residential districts; it also
accommodates the City’s Hospital and a host
of public and quasi-public uses.
Additional Considerations:
● Based on the existing pattern of
land uses, lot configurations and
development intensities, a merging of
the existing R-2 and R-3 Districts into
a new R-3 Zone is recommended.
● The proposed R-3 Zone allows ground-
floor non-residential uses with fewer
limitations. The purpose is to enliven the
streetscape, promote pedestrian activity
and encourage non-residential uses on
ground floors in flood-prone areas.
● Additional conditional uses include
bed and breakfast accommodations;
senior housing and assisted living
facilities; veterinarian and pet care;
commercial recreation, and others.

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,500 for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 25’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Building Height Max* 45’ above DFE, but no more than 5 stories
Building Height Step-back: --
Lot Coverage, Max: 60%
Front Yard Prevailing, but not greater than 10’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 40% adjusted by amount of pervious front setback
Density Factor, Max.** 330
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
106
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommended Uses:
Use Type
Residential Buildings P
Live-Work Units C
Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential P1
Retail business and service P/P1
Restaurants: Class I, II C
Residential buildings in proposed R-3 zone
Restaurants: Class III, IV P1
● West of Willow Avenue, the scale, Bar: Class I, II C
height and style of residential Catering P1
development is considerably diverse.
Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries C
○ Nearly half of lots (48%) have General, Professional, Shared Offices P1/C
a lot area less than the required
2,500 SF. While these would be Medical and Dental offices P1/C
in compliance with the proposed Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center C
zoning, any new subdivision would Printing & Publishing C
need to be a minimum of 2,500 Research Facilities C
SF.
Childcare Facility P
○ The predominant building heights Animal Veterinary Services C
are 4- and 5-stories (62%).
Animal Boarding & Day Care C
○ There are a number of taller, Funeral Homes C
large-scale apartment buildings
Hospitals C
throughout this district; for
example, 36 properties have 40 or Adult Day Care, Assisted Living, Nursing
C
more units. Homes
Health Club & Exercise Facilities P1
○ Historically, the typical row-house
Indoor Recreation / Fitness Facilities C
residential buildings in this area
were constructed as 4 stories with Bed & Breakfast C
two units per floor, for a total of Spa P
8 units. By preserving this density, Places of Worship C
the R-3 District can provide a
Schools: K-12 C
broader range of housing options
and price points. As such, the Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C
density divisor is reduced to allow Civic Buildings, Libraries P
up to 8 dwelling units per lot. A Clubs, community centers C
minimum unit size, consistent with
Public Parking Facilities C
the existing predominate unit size
in the 8-unit buildings should be Event Spaces, Movie & Performing Art The-
C
imposed. aters
Light Industrial / Manufacturing C
● A form-based code should graphically
depict examples of how differing Essential utilities, public services C
building heights and architectural Parks & Open Space P
styles may stand side-by-side while P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
meeting the bulk requirements of the Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
District.
● Portions of this district would also be
covered by the proposed Affordable
Housing Overlay (AH-O) zone. Many
of the larger-sized properties would

FT 8
be included in the AH-O.

A
107
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

R-4: RESIDENTIAL – 4, HIGH RISE

District Change:
Proposed new district that would include
PUD areas currently in the I-1(W) zone; a
portion of the River Street Redevelopment
Area; the Observer Highway Redevelopment
Area; and high rise lots adjacent to the
Observer Highway Redevelopment Area that
are currently split among CBD, I-2 and R-2
zones.

Purpose:
To create a residential district that
encompasses the existing high-rise, higher-
density residential buildings in multiple
locations along the City’s waterfront and
periphery. The R-4 areas were planned
comprehensively as a series of Planned Unit
Development (PUD) projects in the City’s
northeast and through Redevelopment
and Urban Renewal initiatives to the
north and west of the Hoboken Terminal.
The residential high-rise and mixed-use
residential high-rise envisioned in the PUD
zoning and Redevelopment Plans are now
fully built out. A simplified zoning district
that is specific to these more intensely
Residential buildings in proposed R-4 zone
developed areas of the City is warranted.

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 17,250 SF – 110,000 SF
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 100 SF – 400+ SF
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100 SF – 400+ SF
As existing. PUD: 12 stories; River Street: 25 stories; Observer Highway:
Building Height Max*
12-16 stories
Building Height Step-back: As existing
Lot Coverage, Max: As existing
Front Yard As existing
Side Yard As existing
Rear Yard As existing
As existing. PUD: 200-550, River Street: 120 – 174,
Density Factor, Max.**
Oberver Highway: 200-250
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
108
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations:
Recommended Uses:
● Having been fully built-out through
PUD and redevelopment initiatives Use Type
over last few decades, these areas are
not expected to dramatically change. Residential Buildings P
● In the northeast portion of the City, Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential P1
the existing I-1(W) requirements Retail business and service P/P1
for developing a PUD are no
Restaurants: Class I, II C
longer relevant; there is no vacant
or underutilized land in this area Restaurants: Class III, IV P1
for new PUD development. The Bar: Class I, II C
zoning regulations should be updated
to reflect as-built conditions and Catering P1
situations where minor changes may General, Professional, Shared Offices P1C
be anticipated to individual buildings Medical and Dental offices P1C
and lots.
Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center C
● As redevelopment is complete Printing & Publishing C
within the areas along River Street
and Observer Highway, these areas Childcare Facility P
should be incorporated into the Veterinary Services C
City’s zoning ordinance; this would Animal Boarding & Day Care C
eliminate the need to locate or
interpret older redevelopment plans Health Club & Exercise Facilities P1
and amendments, which were meant Indoor Recreation / Fitness Facilities C
to guide new development but are no
longer material to as-built conditions. Bed & Breakfast C
Certificates of completion will need Spa P
to be located for completed projects in Places of Worship C
Redevelopment Plan Areas.
Schools: K-12 C
● The proposed lot area, building height Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C
and residential density requirements
are in line with the existing conditions Civic Buildings, Libraries P
of these areas. Clubs, Community Centers C
● Minimum unit sizes should be Public Parking Facilities C
established to avoid “micro units Event Spaces, Movie & Performing Art The-
and ensure that residential density is C
aters
consistent with that estabished by the
relevant PUD or Redevelopment Plan. Water Dependent Recreation C
Marinas P
● Parking requirements may need to be
updated based upon actual utilization Parks & Open Space P
and whether site owners and operators P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
can use TDM strategies, potentially Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
freeing up garage space for public use.
● A form-based code should graphically
depict the high rise building typology
that reflects the R-4 District.
Design standards should address
improvements to and maintenance
of existing buildings; streetscape
improvements; and site improvement
for landscaping, lighting, parks and
plaza spaces.

A FT 8
109
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

C-CB: COMMERCIAL – CENTRAL BUSINESS

District Change:
A District that occupies areas currently
zoned CBD (H), CBD-H(CS), R-1(H), and
R-1(H)(CS).

Purpose:
Spanning both sides of Washington Street
between First Street and Seventh Street, the
Commercial – Central Business (C-CB) District
serves as Hoboken’s thriving “Main Street”
and core downtown shopping district. Historic
buildings that share a consistency in scale
and proportion create a strong visual image
from block-to-block. Commercial storefronts
and display windows engage with pedestrians
strolling the wide sidewalks on both sides of
Washington Street. Upper stories accommodate
residential uses, and some second floor
commercial or office uses. The streetscape
elements, including lighting, signage, plantings,
street trees, holiday decorations, and public art,
are perhaps most important in this district. The
diverse array of shops, restaurants, cafes, and
commercial businesses strengthen Hoboken’s
economic base and attract visitors to the City
from across the region.

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 20’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Building Height Max* 55’ or 5 stories, Court Street: 30’
Building Height Step-back: --
60%; except for through-lots that front on both Washington and Court
Lot Coverage, Max: Streets, then 100% 1st floor and 60% upper floors on Washington, 20%
upper floors on Court
Front Yard 0’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 40%; except for through-lots, then 20% rear setback between buildings
Density Factor, Max.** 330; Court Street: +1 ADU; Court Street: +1 ADU
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
110
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional Considerations
Recommended Uses:
● The “Purpose” statement for the
C-CB District could be expanded in Use Type
the Zoning Ordinance to include a
bulleted list of goals that capture the Residential Buildings P1
many objectives of the C-CB: historic Commercial Buildings P
preservation, economic development,
serving resident needs, maintaining Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential P
character to minimizing negative Retail business and service P/P1
impacts, regulating parking and
Restaurants: Class I, C
loading, enhancing the streetscape,
encouraging public gathering, urban Restaurants: Class II P1
design, etc. Restaurants: Class III, IV P
● The C-CB allows new businesses that Bar: Class I C
were previously not identified in the Bar: Class II P1
Ordinance.
Catering P1
● Updated zoning for the C-CB should Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries C
consider allowing larger size ground
floor footprints to accommodate General, Professional, Shared Offices P
a wider range of businesses and Medical and Dental offices P
restaurants; larger commercial uses Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center P1
that span the first and second story
should also be considered. Printing & Publishing P
● Within the C-CB Zone requirements, Arcade, Games, Internet Cafes P
the Ordinance should include an Billiards/Pool Halls C
additional set of bulk requirements Bowling Center C
that must be applied to through-lot
properties that also have frontages Childcare Facility P
on Court Street (e.g., that address lot Veterinary Services P1
coverage, building heights, access, Animal Boarding & Day Care C
etc.). The requirements should
encourage the appropriate design of Health Club & Exercise Facilities P
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) Bed & Breakfast C
over a 1-story building fronting on Hotels C
Court Street (either garage or through-
lot building). Adequate space between Spa P
upper stories of the building fronting Meeting & Convention Facilities C/P1
on Washington Street and an ADU
Event Spaces C/P1
fronting on Court Street should be
provided. Movie & Performing Arts Theaters C
● Proposed building height and Places of Worship C/P1
residential density requirements align Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C/P1
with existing conditions: Other Institutional & Training Facilities C/P1
○ Many existing properties in the Civic Buildings, Libraries P
C-CB District have lot areas less Private Membership Clubs C/P1
than the 2,000 SF requirements
Community Centers C
(45%). These properties would
be in compliance, but any new Public Parking Facilities C
subdivision would require a Parks & Open Space P
minimum lot area of 2,000 SF. P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
○ Most existing buildings in the
C-CB District along Washington
Street range in the 4 to 5-story
height, with some interspersed 1 to
3-story buildings. As Washington

A FT 8
111
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Street has a 100-foot-wide ROW,

the proposed maximum building
height of 5-stories/55 feet, results
in a height-to-street width ratio
of just 0.55. Along Court Street,
a 2-story ADO is permitted over
a 1-story garage, for a maximum
height of 30 feet.
○ Most properties in the C-CB
contain residential units on upper
stories (86%), in addition to
ground-floor commercial space;
however, residential density
varies considerably. The proposed
residential density is increased
slightly in this district to permit
up to 4 dwelling units on a 2,000
SF lot. With 5 stories permitted (1
commercial and 4 residential), a
typical arrangement might include
1 dwelling unit on each floor.
Shorter buildings with 4 units
would have smaller unit sizes.
Where just 34% of properties
in the proposed C-CB currently
exceed this density, approximately
half of properties would exceed
a density of 600. One additional
dwelling unit is permitted along
Court Street as an ADU. In this
zone, the City could consider a
base density and allowing bonus
density in exchange for certain Mixed-use buildings on Washington Street in proposed C-CB zone
public benefits (e.g., public
plaza, open space, green design,
infrastructure improvements,
workforce housing units, etc.).
In such cases, the City should
consider minimum unit sizes.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-
based code) and architectural design
guidelines should be provided for
storefronts and mixed-use buildings in
the C-CB District.
● Design standards for the streetscape
and public realm should also be
provided.

A FT 8
112
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

C-NB: COMMERCIAL – NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS

District Change:
Proposed new district for secondary retail
corridors along Washington Street (east side),
First Street, Fourteenth Street and Jackson
Street that are currently zoned R-1, R-1(H),
R-2, and R-3.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Commercial –
Neighborhood Business (C-NB) District is
to provide a range of shopping goods and
convenience services that cater largely to
residents in the surrounding neighborhoods,
and visitors looking for unique specialty
items “off the beaten path” of the C-CB. The
streets in the C-NB are lined with storefronts
accommodating small-scale shops with lower
commercial intensity than the C-CB District.
Upper stories typically accommodate residential
uses. Provisions regulating the store size,
intensity of use, and manner of operation are
intended to prevent undesirable impacts to
nearby residential neighborhoods.
Additional Considerations
● The C-NB creates an entirely new
business district to support Hoboken’s
secondary retail corridors along 1st
Street, 14th Street, the west side
of upper Washington Street, and
portions of Jackson Street.
● The C-NB permits a range of
retail and service uses, but is more
restrictive than the City’s other
commercial districts; smaller
storefronts of 1,000 SF or less create
compact, walkable retail corridors.
Larger ground-floor commercial uses

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 2,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 20’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
Washington St. & 14th St: 55’ or 5 stories;
Building Height Max*
1st St. and Jackson St.: 40’ above grade or DFE, whichever is higher
10’ step-back above prevailing height of adjacent buildings, and which
Building Height Step-back:
maintains existing roofline/cornice line
Lot Coverage, Max: 60%
Front Yard 0’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 40%
500 for lots lots in the R-2 zone and along Washington and 14th Street;
Density Factor, Max.**
330 for lots with immediate adjacency to R-3 residential areas
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
113
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

could be allowed as conditional uses

so long as conditions address potential Recommended Uses:
neighborhood impacts associated
with larger size uses, and ensure that Use Type
residential uses on the east side of
Residential Buildings P1
Washington Street between Ninth and
Tenth Streets are protected. Commercial Buildings P1
● Proposed building height and Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential P
residential density requirements align Live-Work Units C
with existing conditions: Retail business and service P/P1
○ Many properties in the C-NB Grocery Stores C
District have lot areas less than the Restaurants: Class I, II C
2,000 SF requirement (41%). These
Restaurants: Class III P1
properties would be in compliance,
but any new subdivision would Restaurants: Class IV P
require a minimum lot area of 2,000 Bar: Class I, II C
SF. Catering P1
○ Existing building heights along Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries C
the west side of Washington Street General, Professional, Shared Offices P/P1
range from 3 to 5 stories and Medical and Dental offices P1
along Fourteenth Street they are
predominantly 5-stories. Being that Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center C
these are such wide streets (100’ Printing & Publishing P
ROW for Washington Street and Arcade, Games, Internet Cafes P1
74’ ROW for Fourteenth Street), Childcare Facility P
buildings can be taller along these
corridors, whereas lower-height Veterinary Services P1
buildings are more appropriate Animal Boarding & Day Care C
for the 50-foot wide First Street Health Club & Exercise Facilities P
corridor. Bed & Breakfast C
○ Most properties in the C-NB (93%) Hotels C
contain dwelling units in addition Spa P
to commercial space; however,
Meeting & Convention Facilities C
existing residential density varies
considerably. Approximately one- Event Spaces C
third of properties exceed a density Movie & Performing Arts Theaters C
factor of 330; 58% of properties Places of Worship C/P1
currently exceed a density factor of
Funeral Homes C
500. In this zone, the City could
consider a base density and allowing Schools: K-12 C
bonus density in exchange for Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C
certain public benefits (e.g., public Other Institutional & Training Facilities C
plaza, open space, green design,
Civic Buildings, Libraries P
infrastructure improvements,
workforce housing units, etc.). In Private Membership Clubs C
such cases, the City should consider Community Centers C
minimum unit sizes. Parks & Open Space P
● Graphic depictions (in a form-based P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
code) and architectural design guidelines Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
should be provided for storefronts
and mixed-use buildings in the C-NB
District.
● Design standards for the streetscape and

FT 8
public realm should be provided, as well.
A
114
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

C-HT: COMMERCIAL – HOBOKEN TERMINAL

District Change:
Proposed new district for the area
immediately north of the Hoboken Terminal
currently zoned CBD(H), CBD(H)(CS),
and the southerly block of the River Street
Redevelopment Plan Area.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Commercial-Hoboken
Terminal (C-HT) District is to promote
economic job growth and a vibrant business
environment closest to the transit hub;
NJ’s second busiest transit terminal. The
high density of businesses, jobs, and other
destinations within the compact District the Terminal Building and the Hudson River
serve to increase transit ridership to and from Waterfront, is deserving of special treatment to
Hoboken, and simultaneously, decrease auto- create a welcoming sense of place for residents
dependency, congestion, and pollution within and visitors to enjoy. This area is also fully
the City, key principles of Transit-Oriented covered by the Historic Overlay (HO).
Development (TOD). New and remodeled
buildings work together to define the
pedestrian-oriented space of the public streets
and to support and strengthen the existing
character of the C-HT District. The C-HT
District is the gateway to Hoboken for those
arriving and departing through the Terminal.
The District’s distinct location, bounded by

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. As existing. 5,000 SF for subdivision
Lot Width, Min. As existing. 50’ for subdivision
Lot Depth, Min. As existing. 100’ for subdivision
60’ and/or 5 stories; 10’ step-back above prevailing height of adjacent
Building Height Max*
buildings and which maintans existing roof/cornice line.
Building Height Step-back: --
Lot Coverage, Max: 80% ground floor; 60% upper floors
Front Yard 0’
Side Yard 0’
Rear Yard 20%
Density Factor, Max.** In accordance with use conditions
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
115
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Additional Considerations
Recommended Uses:
● The C-HT District recognizes
the area’s immediate proximity Use Type
to Hoboken’s transit hub. Higher
intensity commercial development Commercial Buildings P
in taller buildings maximizes the Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential C
benefits of transit-accessibility for
more businesses, while benefiting the Live-Work Units C
City’s economy and its sustainability Retail Business and Service P
Restaurants: Class I P1
Restaurants: Class II, III, IV P
Bar: Class I C
Bar: Class II P1
Catering P1
Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries C
General, Professional, Shared Offices P
Medical and Dental offices P
Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center P
Printing & Publishing P
Arcade, Games, Internet Cafes P
Billiard/Pool Halls C
Bowling Center C
objectives. Childcare Facility P
● Proposed building height in the C-HT Veterinary Services P
is appropriate for a transit-oriented Animal Boarding & Day Care P1
development (TOD) district. Street
width ROWs tend to be wider in Health Club & Exercise Facilities P
the C-HT than in other areas (e.g., Indoor Recreation, Fitness Facilities C
Washington Street: 100’; Hudson Bed & Breakfast C
Place: 75’-97’; Hudson Street: 64’ –
80’; River Street: 82’ – 94’ and Newark Hotels C
Street: 50’ – 76’). Considering the Spa P
wider street widths, taller buildings in
Meeting & Convention Facilities P1
the C-HT can exist without creating
a narrow “canyon effect” or loss of Event Spaces C/P1
sky plane. Existing building heights Movie & Performing Arts Theaters P1
range from 1 story to 8 stories in this
area. In this district, there are several Places of Worship P1
sites where future infill redevelopment Funeral Homes C
could be expected. In addition, Schools: K-12 P1
contemporary additions atop existing
historic buildings would not be Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities P1
visually obtrusive to the sidewalk level Other Institutional & Training Facilities P1
if the additions are stepped back from Civic Buildings, Libraries P
the predominant roofline. This would
also create some open air rooftop Private Membership Clubs P1
space for outdoor restaurants, for Community Centers P
example. In this zone, the City could
Light Industrial, Manufacturing C
consider a base height and allowing
bonus height, whether or not stepped Public Parking Facilities C
back, in exchange for certain public Parks & Open Space P
benefits (e.g., public plaza, open- P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
air rooftop space, public art, green Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
design, infrastructure improvements,

FT 8
etc.). In such cases, the City should

A
116
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

consider minimum unit sizes.

● There is presently limited residential
in the C-HT District. Approximately
23 of 54 properties (44%) contain
dwelling units. Three (3) buildings
contain between 20 and 28 units, with
the balance having fewer than 6 units
each. Where residential uses dominate
most other districts in Hoboken, it is
the City’s objective to preserve this
area for commercial, job-generating
uses.
● Graphic depictions (in a form-
based code) and architectural design
guidelines should be provided for the
C-HT District, highlighting examples
of infill and overbuilding in a historic
district.
● Design standards for the streetscape
and public realm should be provided
for this District.
● Pedestrian amenities should be
encouraged to ensure a safe and
appealing environment for walking
and gathering. Amenities such as
street furniture, public art and open
and landscaped areas are encouraged.
● The C-HT would be covered by the
Hoboken Historic Overlay (HO)
District. Historic Design Standards
should illustrate appropriate building
rehabilitation, infill redevelopment,
and examples of incorporating
‘overbuilds’ to preserve existing
buildings.

Existing buildings in proposed CHT zone

A FT 8
117
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

C-LIMU: COMMERCIAL: LIGHT INDUSTRIAL MIXED USE

District Change:
This zone encompasses portions of the
northwesterly and southwesterly corners of
the City. In the south, the C-LIMU District
covers portions of the I-2 and R-3 Zones;
the Southwest Redevelopment Plan Overlay
and the Neumann Leather Redevelopment
Plan Overlay would also lie on top of the
underlying C-LIMU zone.

In the northerly portion of the City, the

C-LIMU is covered by portions of the
existing I-1 zone and I-1(W) subzone, as well
as the North End Rehabilitation Area, where
a Redevelopment Plan is currently being
prepared by the City.
Purpose:
The purposes of the C-LIMU district are to
create attractive, welcoming gateways into
the City; to protect and modernize the City’s
light industrial areas as dynamic employment
centers; to promote light industrial job growth
and increase Hoboken’s economic diversity;
and to ensure that these core light industrial
areas provide businesses the opportunity
to thrive. 21st Century light industrial uses
tend to be more technology driven, are
more “clean” and have little to no impact on
neighboring uses, including residential areas.
The requirements of the C-LIMU District
are meant to support modern businesses and
jobs in areas that mix light industrial, creative
industries, innovative sectors, high technology,
and commercial office space; as well as
uses that will complement, but not erode,
space available for industrial uses, such as
supportive retail and restaurant, entertainment,
commercial recreation, community facilities,
and some residential development along certain
streets where it currently exists. It is the City’s
objective to protect these limited remaining
industrial areas from being replaced by new
residential developments, while recognizing

Bulk Standards:
Bulk Standard
Lot Area, Min. 10,000 SF
Lot Width, Min. 100’
Lot Depth, Min. 100’
Building Height Max* 60’ and/or 5 stories
Building Height Step-back: --
60%; lot coverage bonuses up to 100% for 1st floor (in accordance with
Lot Coverage, Max:
zone details)
Front Yard 0’ or prevailing, but not greater than 10’, plus sidewalk requirement
Side Yard 5’
Rear Yard 40%, adjusted for lot coverage bonuses
Density Factor, Max.** In accordance with use conditions
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
118
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

that there may be opportunities for mixed-

use, mixed-income residential development Recommended Uses:
that incorporates appropriate light industrial Use Type
businesses; and furthermore, that portions of
this district may be developed in accordance Commercial Buildings P
with adopted Redevelopment Plan Overlays. Mixed Use: Commercial/Residential C
Other goals of this district are to improve the Retail business and service P/P1
quality of life for workers and residents within Restaurants: Class I, C
the area and nearby, address the potential for
Restaurants: Class II P1
conflicts between industrial and non-industrial
Restaurants: Class III, IV P
uses, and address environmental and resiliency
challenges. Bar: Class I C
Bar: Class II P1
Catering P1
Additional Considerations
Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries C
● The proposed regulations for
the C-LIMU District ensure the General, Professional, Shared Offices P
availability of space for light industrial Medical and Dental offices P
businesses, and update the permitted Clinic, Lab, Diagnostic Imaging Center P1
uses to fit current industrial trends.
It is important that industrial and Printing & Publishing P
manufacturing businesses have Arcade, Games, Internet Cafes P
access to ground floor spaces, which
Billiards/Pool Halls C
is typically needed for loading and
unloading of materials and equipment. Bowling Center C
● In the past, conversions to Childcare Facility P
commercial or residential uses have Veterinary Services P1
reduced the availability of industrial Animal Boarding & Day Care C
space in Hoboken. Whereas upper
story floor space may be used as Health Club & Exercise Facilities P
commercial, office, storage, and non- Hotels C
industrial purposes, ground-floor Spa P
non-industrial uses should only be
permitted as conditional uses. Meeting & Convention Facilities C/P1
Event Spaces C/P1
● To the extent possible, building form
should be open concept “flex space” Movie & Performing Arts Theaters C
to be able to accommodate a variety Places of Worship C/P1
of industrial business models; as
Vocational & Trade Schools; Training Facilities C/P1
technological processes change over
time, the space and building can Other Institutional & Training Facilities C/P1
adapt to new businesses and does not Civic Buildings, Libraries P
become obsolete.
Private Membership Clubs C/P1
● Specific zoning requirements for Community Centers C
properties along certain “Gateway”
streets should be provided in the Public Parking Facilities C
C-LIMU District Ordinance. Parks & Open Space P
Gateway Streets are those streets P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
that cross the municipal boundary, Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.
providing visitors with their first
and last impressions of the City. In
exchange for implementing attractive a complicated scenario in areas that would
gateway treatments (e.g., welcoming be covered by both a Redevelopment Overlay
signage, public art, landscaping and and a Gateway Overlay. Instead, provisions
planters, banners, decorative lighting), for Gateway Areas can be a subsection of
bonus height or use types could be the C-LIMU District that applies only to
considered. (Note: A “Gateway Overlay” properties on identified street sections.)
FT 8
zone is not recommended since it would create
A
119
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

● The Zoning Ordinance update should

also consider providing incentives for
sites not located on Gateway Streets,
for off-site infrastructure upgrades;
as well as incentives that would
encourage “stewardship ownership”
by mission-driven non-profit owners,
which would manage these spaces
and ensure rents remain affordable to
industrial and artisan uses.
● To manage land use conflicts, the
C-LIMU Zone should require
adherence to strict performance
standards
● A form-based code should graphically
depict industrial and mixed-use
industrial building typologies.
● Design standards should address
industrial building architecture,
as well as examples of appropriate
gateway treatments.

A FT 8
120
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

W – OS: WATERFRONT OPEN SPACE

District Change:
Proposed new district that encompasses the
waterfront portions of the existing PUDs
in the I-1(W) Subdistrict and the properties
within the W(N) Subdistrict.

Purpose:
The purpose of Waterfront – Open Space
(W-OS) District is to preserve and maximize
the public’s access to, and enjoyment of, the
City’s Hudson River waterfront resource.
There is an emphasis on uses that create
both an active and passive waterfront
environment in a unique natural setting
that provides contrast to and respite from waterfront land parcels, as well as to piers,
the surrounding urban built environment. platforms and floating structures, and under-
The W-OS District is a place for waterfront water parcels. To protect this important
recreation, informal play, public gathering, public open space resource, and to provide
community events, picnicking, sitting, a natural buffer against flooding caused by
strolling, and observation. This zone storm surge, building development in the
provides public access to the waterfront W-OS is extremely limited.
along the water’s edge, inviting and well-
designed public open spaces, enhanced
bicycle and pedestrian connections, and
links to upland residential and commercial
areas. The District requirements apply to

Bulk Standards:

Bulk Standard
50,000 SF of land area for subdivision (excludes water portion of proper-
Lot Area, Min.
ty, piers, and platforms)
Lot Width, Min. 400’
Lot Depth, Min. 400’
Building Height Max* 25’ but no more than 2 habitable floors above DFE
Building Height Step-back: --
20% of land area (excludes water portion of property, piers and plat-
Lot Coverage, Max:
forms)
20’ setback from curb-line where fronting on a public street; a 10’ min.
Front Yard
sidewalk must be included in the setback area
Side Yard 25’ between buildings
Rear Yard 100’ to water’s edge, except for water-dependent uses
Density Factor, Max.** N/A - non-residential zone
* - Measure from DFE or average grade, whichever is higher,
** - Lot area divided by factor, round to nearest whole number, calculated to the thousandths place.

A FT 8
121
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Additional Considerations:
Recommended Uses:
● North of Tenth Street, the properties
in the W-OS District are largely Use Type
waterfront areas of the Shipyard,
Maxwell Place, and Hoboken Cove Civic buildings C
PUDs; south of Tenth Street, the Water-dependent businesses, services C
W-OS properties include Stevens
Institute owned surface parking , the Ferry services C
waterfront walkway, and the former Community centers C
Union Dry Dock site. The areas in
Marinas P
the W-OS zone that are susceptible
to change are located south of Tenth Park, open space P
Street, where industrial uses and Water-depended recreation P
parking lots should be converted
to park and recreation space in line Hotels C
with the City’s Hudson Riverfront Restaurants, class I, II, III, IV P1/C
objectives. Catering C
● Private development is limited to University athletics C
those that support waterfront open P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C =
space and recreation. Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan approval.

● Standards for planting, seating,

tables, shaded areas, bike racks, trash
receptacles and the “greening” of the
waterfront should be provided.

Maxwell Place Park

A FT 8
122
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

HE: HIGHER EDUCATION

District Change:
Proposed new district that encompasses
much of the existing R-1(E), Residential-
Education Subdistrict.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Higher Education
(HE) District is to support the appropriate
growth and development of the Stevens
Institute of Technology campus, while
maintaining its historic nature and protecting
adjacent residential neighborhoods. The
HE Zone establishes three (3) sub-areas
for the purpose of applying land use and
bulk regulations that recognize conditions
specific to each area with respect to planning
objectives, opportunities, development
constraints, and potential impact
considerations (see Figure 19).

Transition Sub-Area: The purpose of the

Transition Sub-Area is to create a buffer
between residential areas of Hudson Street
and Castle Point Terrace and the higher-
intensity uses typical of a university campus.
Development in this Sub-Area should
include land uses, building design and scale
that is harmonious with the surrounding
non-university neighborhood and respect the
character of adjacent historic neighborhoods.
Core Sub-Area: The purpose of the
Core Sub-Area is to allow for appropriate
development within the internal portions
of the campus. The scale of buildings and
intensity of uses are less restricted, making
the center of campus the nucleus of student
life.
Edge Sub-Area: The purpose of the Edge
Sub-Area is to accommodate new growth
and development of high rise structures in a
portion of the campus that is furthest from
residential neighborhoods and which may
create a stunning skyline as viewed from
Manhattan.
Stevens Institute
Additional Considerations
● In the Transition Sub-Area , special
consideration should be given to
hours of operation, vehicular and
pedestrian circulation, and light
pollution. Furthermore, the Transition
Sub-Area should create an inviting
and pedestrian-friendly edge to the
campus. Buildings in this area should
be oriented to the street and special
care should be given to design and
maintenance of the streetscape,
including sidewalks, fences, and
landscaping that highlight the campus
setting within the urban environment.
● In the Core Sub-Area , development
of new buildings, as well as the
renovation and adaptation of existing
structures is encouraged, while still
maintaining view corridors to the

A FT 8
123
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Recommended Uses:
Use Type Transition Core Edge
Academic & Administrative Offices P1 P P
Athletic Facilities - P P
Auditorium & Lecture Halls P1 P P
Auxiliary Housing P1 P P
Classrooms P P P
Dormitories - P P
Fraternity & Sorority Houses C C C
Health Care Services P1 P P
Incubator & Accelerator Facilities C P P
Infrastructure Support Facilities - P C
Laboratory & Research Facilities: Wet - C C
Laboratory & Research Facilities: Dry C P P
Student Life Facilities - P P1
P = Permitted use. P1 = Permitted subject to compliance with design standards. C = Conditional use, requiring compliance with design standards and minor site plan
approval.

Bulk Standards:
Use Type Transition Core Edge
10’ from lot line, or 20’ 10’ from lot line, or 20’
Front setback; applicable when from curb-line of street, from curb-line of street,
adjacent to a public right-of- whichever is greater; set- N/A whichever is greater;
way back shall include a mini- setback shall include a
mum 10’ sidewalk minimum 10’ sidewalk
Distance between buildings,
10’ 10’ 25’
Min.
50%; up to 70% with 25%; up to 50% with
green infrastructure bo- green infrastructure bo-
Impervious cover, Max.(1) 50%
nuses as approved by the nuses as approved by the
Planning Board Planning Board
No more than 4 stories
Building height, measured 10 – 12 stories, 120’ above 16 stories, 160’ above aver-
and 40’above average
from average grade average grade age grade
grade
(1) Impervious coverage requirements for these Sub-Areas will need to be refined once the City receives survey data from Stevens that indicates what the existing impervious
coverage calculations are in each Sub-Area.

A FT 8
124
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

10th Street
5th Street

6th Street

7th Street

8th Street

7th Street
Hudson Street

Transition Sub-Area R-CP

Castle Point Terrace

Core Sub-Area T
T
Ed
ge
Su
b-A
HE
rea

W (RDV) Frank Sinatra Blvd

W (OS)

FIGURE 19. PROPOSED HIGHER EDUCATION (HE) SUB-AREAS

Hudson River and New York City.
The Core Sub-Area focus should
be on cutting edge architecture,
high-tech design, innovation and
creating a sense of place reflective of
the educational mission of Stevens
Institute of Technology. Attention
should be paid to enhancing the
student experience beyond the
classroom; improving the pedestrian
experience, accessibility and
circulation; and creating spaces for
collaboration and assembly. The park-
like setting of the campus should be
maintained to the maximum extent
possible.
● In the Edge Sub-Area , some areas of
development may take advantage of
the sloping topography to maximize
usable space while minimizing the
height impact. New buildings in the
Edge Sub-Area should be oriented to
the waterfront; like the Core Sub-
Area, buildings should use cutting-
edge architecture and high design.
The Sub-Area should provide new
points of entry for cars and trucks
needing to access the campus to
reduce commercial traffic through
the neighboring residential areas.
0Development
125 250 of500 the area750
should1,000
also
experience along Sinatra Drive with
new sidewalks, points of access, and
landscaping.
● New definitions for permitted
and conditional uses should be
incorporated into the updated
zoning ordinance. Conditional use
requirements will be needed for all
conditional uses. For example, in
the case of Fraternity and Sorority
Houses, conditions should address
residential occupancy per bedroom
and noise mitigation plans.
● The required building heights may
need to be refined based on additional
information.
○ In the Transition Sub-Area, the
objective is to be consistent with
the building height character of
the adjacent zones, such as the
buildings facing this zone along
Hudson Street.
○ In the Edge and Core Sub-
Areas, the City may want to
consider taller building heights if
uppermost stories have smaller
footprints and present greater
architectural interest and if public

FT 8
promote and enhance the pedestrianFeet benefits can be included. Buildings
A
DR 5/24/1
Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS,
125 USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS Use
Community
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
that are taller, but slimmer will
better preserve sight lines to the
waterfront. Furthermore, the
additional square footage gained
from additional height will serve
the City by allowing Stevens to
move more of its off-campus
facilities and leased student
housing back onto campus.
● Design standards should address
innovative university building
architecture, as well as examples of
appropriate gateway treatments.
● Parking requirements for the HE
Zone should be revised to reflect
the actual demand of parking
users, rather than being tied to
static attributes, such as the size of
buildings. Requirements should be
tied to the University’s policies for
issuing parking permits; for example,
where fewer parking permits are
issued, fewer parking spaces will
be needed. Furthermore, parking
requirements may be reduced based
on the University’s implementation of
Transportation Demand Management
(TDM) strategies, such as the
expansion of the campus shuttle
program; university subsidization of
student transit passes; subsidization of
ride share programs and on-demand
transportation resources; expansion of
a bike share program; and others.
● Specific signage requirements for
the HE Zone should be developed
that includes permanent as well as
temporary signage- for wall signs,
freestanding signs, wayfinding signs,
event signs, etc.
● There are a number of Stevens-owned
buildings and structures that are
proposed to be locally designated as
historic landmarks. Any alteration,
renovation or maintenance work that
would affect the exterior of these
buildings would require Historic
Preservation Commission review and
approval. These include:
○ Edwin A. Stevens Hall (already
listed)
○ Carnegie Laboratory
○ Morton-Peirce-Kidde Complex
○ Davidson Laboratory
126
○ Sixth Street Gate & Gatehouse
○ Castle Point Lookout
○ Walker Gymnasium
○ Trenton Building
○ 604-606 River Terrace
○ 1 Ninth Street
○ 2 Ninth Street
○ Pond House
○ Hoxie House
○ Alexander House
○ Colonial House
○ Palmer Hall
○ Humphreys Hall
● Annual Reporting: Each year,
Stevens should be required to provide
the City with an annual report, that
encompasses:
○ A count of the student, faculty, and
staff population, broken down by
year.
○ A student housing report including
the on-campus and off-campus
inventory, with the number of beds.
○ A reporting of building space
allocation and uses with the square
footage of each type of use.
○ A public safety report of on-campus
and off-campus incidents involving
campus or Hoboken police.
○ A parking report that includes
an inventory of parking spaces,
parking space utilization rates,
parking permits issued, TDM
strategies, TDM utilization rates,
etc.
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

6.3. PROPOSED OVERLAY DISTRICTS

H-O HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT

The proposed Historic Overlay (HO)
District encompasses those areas of the
City that are most historically significant
and where the historic character is to be
most highly regarded and protected. The
areas covered by this Overlay include the
City’s locally designated Historic Districts,
which includes the following zones: C-HT
(Hoboken Terminal); C-CB Central
Business; C-NB (Neighborhood Business)
in areas along Washington Street; R-WH
(Washington-Hudson); R-CPT (Castle
Point Terrace); and R-WT (Willow Terrace).
The City should determine whether locally
designated landmark sites should also be
included in the Historic Overlay.
historic district;
● The west side of Hudson Street from
Fourth to Fourteenth Streets; and
● The Willow Terrace (R-WT) District.
There are additional areas of the City that
should be explored for future inclusion,
but where a more current inventory is
recommended to be conducted as part of an
updated Historic Preservation Element of
the Master Plan. Expansion areas to consider
include all or portions of the proposed R-1N
and R-1S Districts and individual sites,
landmarks, and structures as recommended
by the Historic Preservation Commission.

Whereas presently there are a number of

zoning districts with the “(H)” designation
(e.g., R-1(H), R-1(H)(CPT), CBD(H),
and CBD(H)(CS)), the proposed Historic
Overlay would create just one encompassing
overlay zone; Properties that fall within
the HO District would need to comply
with the requirements of their underlying
zone district, as well as the additional
requirements developed for the Historic
Overlay, under the jurisdiction of the
Historic Preservation Commission. Within
the HO District, requirements may be
specific to each historic district or area.
Historic Building Design Guidelines and
specific site plan submission items could be
included. As a benefit of this approach, if the
boundaries of a locally designated historic
district change, the underlying zoning does
not need to be amended: only the extent and
content of the Historic Overlay.

As shown on the Historic Overlay (HO)

Map (Figure 20), this Land Use Element
recommends that the City’s local historic
districts be expanded as follows:
● The remainder of the R-CP District
that is not presently within the

A FT 8
127
DR 5/24/1
 CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

19TH

ST
19TH ST ST

WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

VE
VE

KA
19TH ST

NA
14TH

C
ST

SA
SO

GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
IS ST
ST

HUD
UT ST
CHESTN

CK
VD
BL
MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
18TH ST HA
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
AVE ST

E
DE AV
11TH
ST
YORK

11TH
ST
1600
PALISA Park
NEW

10TH
ST
10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH S
T
9TH ST
ST

WING VIA
WEST

8TH ST

15TH ST
E AVE

7TH ST

UNION CITY
ENLIN
BERG

6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST
Engine Co. 2
5TH ST Firehouse
4TH ST
GRAND ST
13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT

El Dorado Apts,

MCFEELEY LN
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
1202, 1204, 1206
Pop-Up Washington Street
ADAMS ST

Park

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

2ND ST 12TH ST

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST Maxwell
Place Park

Elysian
NORTH
ST Park
10TH ST
10TH ST
Castle Point
Historic District Union Dry
Columbus First Baptist Dock

CASTLE POINT TER

Park
E

Church
ER AV
WEBST

9TH ST
9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
CONG
RESS
ST
Hoboken
H.S.
HUDSON ST

HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST
Engine Co. 6
Saint Ann Roman Firehouse Central Business
Catholic Church and Washington Street
WITTPEN WALK

Historic District Stevens

ADAMS ST

SOUTH
ST
Tech
7TH ST
AVE

WASHINGTON ST
YORK

WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
NEW

WILLOW CT
Church of the
Holy Innocents
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

6TH ST
RIVER ST
R

BOWER
LL D

S ST
Edwin A.
GRAND ST

Church of
SHA

Stevens Hall
ANK RD

Our Lady Hoboken

MAR

5TH ST Grace Public Library

MARSHALL DR
ON PL

Church Sinatra
Stevens
Engine Co. 5 Square Park
Park
PATERS

Firehouse Park
GARDEN ST

4TH ST
COURT ST

GRIFFI
TH ST Pier C Park
HUMC
RIVER ST

SINATRA DR

3RD ST
HUTTO
N ST Keuffel & Esser
MADISON ST

Manufacturing Engine Co. 4

HARRISON ST

Firehouse
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

Assembly of
2ND STREET
Engine Co. 3
2ND ST Exempt Firemen
JACKSON ST

LIGHT RAIL Multi-

FRAN
KLIN
ST Firehouse Service
United Synagogue
of Hoboken
AIN RD

Center
AVE

Pier A Park
MOUNT
OGDEN

1ST ST
Hoboken Land
Jefferson Trust NEWARK ST
and Imrovement
PA
TE Company Hoboken
RS
ON
City Hall
AV HUDSON PL Hoboken
SW
E
Terminal
Park
Engine Co. 3
Truck 2 Firehouse Existing Locally
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal
Designaged
ST
NE
WA
R K
Historic District

KEN
AVE Proposed Expansion
BO
HO of Historic Overlay

JERSEY CITY State Listed Historic

AV
E
18TH ST Properties
LUIS MUNO

EN
B OK
JERSEY AVE

HO

0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLV

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

16TH ST
D
COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST

FT 8
FIGURE 20. PROPOSED HISTORIC OVERLAY DISTRICT
N BLVD

A
128
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

AH-O AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY DISTRICT

The City should consider estabishing an
affordable housing overlay district (AH-O
District) both to recognize existing public
and subsidized housing in Hoboken and
ensure that any future redevelopment of
those properties retains affordable housing
and successfully knits those properties into
the surrounding neighborhood fabric.

The district could include all HHA

properties (includes main campus as well as
Christopher Columbus Gardens, Fox Hill
Gardens, and Adams and Monroe Gardens),
and other subsidized housing complexes in
the City. Many of these complexes are built
at a height and/or density that exceeds that
allowed by the underlying residential zoning.
The City should consider other comparable
properties that might be appropriate for this
zone.

The underlying zoning would remain

intact for these areas, but the overlay
would encourage future revitalization of
those properties by allowing for them
to be redeveloped at heights of up to 10
stories, subject to satisfaction of a 20%
set-aside for affordable units. In addition,
use of the overlay provisions would require
adhering to design guidelines that promote
clustered buildings that are knit in with the
surrounding community, re-establishment
of the street grid, common open spaces,
and provision of a mix of uses (residential,
commercial/retail, and community space).

A FT 8
129
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

6.4. REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND REHABILITATION OVERLAY

AREAS

In addition to the proposed zoning districts

ST
19TH
ST

WEST
15TH
ST

WEEHAWKEN TWP

E
AV
AVE
19TH ST

CK
14TH

discussed in the preceding pages, all of

ST

ON

SA
GRAND

KENNEDY BLVD
13TH

EN
HUDS
IS ST
ST
UT ST

CK
CHESTN VD
BL

MORR

HA
18TH ST OR

ST
13TH
AVE RB
HA

the City’s existing Redevelopment Plan

18TH ST
TOUR
NADE
LN
12TH
ST
12TH
ST

E
Areas should be included on an updated

RK AV

ADE AV
11TH
ST
11TH
ST

YO

PALIS
NEW
10TH
ST

Hoboken Zoning Map. (See Figure 18:

10TH
ST
16TH ST
9TH ST
9TH ST

WING VIA
Proposed Zoning Districts Map, which
8TH ST

North End Rehab I-1 15TH ST

I-1 (W)

E AVE
7TH ST

shows proposed zoning districts and existing UNION CITY

ENLIN
BERG
6TH ST 14TH ST
14TH ST VIADUCT 14TH ST 14TH ST

Redevelopment Plan Areas). The updated 5TH ST

GRAND ST
4TH ST 13TH ST CONSTITUTION CT

MCFEELEY LN
City of Hoboken Zoning Map should show
13TH ST BARRY LN

12TH ST
CLINTON ST
I-1

ADAMS ST

PARK AVE
3RD ST

BLOOMFIELD ST
12TH ST

Redevelopment Plans that were adopted to 2ND ST 12TH ST

both supersede the prior zoning, as well as

11TH ST MAXWELL LN
11TH ST

Northwest
Western Edge

R-1
Redevelopment Plans that were adopted as

R-1 (H)(CPT)
NORT
H ST
10TH ST
10TH ST

R-1 (H)
“overlay” zoning areas.

CASTLE POINT TER

W (N)
AVE
TER

9TH ST
WEBS

9TH STREET
LIGHT RAIL
CONG
RESS
ST

This Land Use Element does not propose

HUDSON ST
HOBS
ON ST 8TH ST

specific changes or amendments to adopted

WITTPEN WALK
ADAMS ST
SOUT Stevens
H ST
Tech R-1 (E)
7TH ST
E
RK AV

Redevelopment Plans, except that where

WASHINGTON ST
WILLOW CT
HARRISON ST
YO
NEW

WILLOW CT

R-1 (H)(CS)
Redevelopment Plans overlay underlying
MONROE ST

WILLOW AVE

R-1 (CS)
6TH ST

RIVER ST
R-2 R-1
DR

BOWE
RS ST
HALL

GRAND ST
zoning, those plans may need to be amended
NK RD

MARS
N PLA

5TH ST
MARSHALL DR
PATERSO

to reference the name(s) of newly proposed

GARDEN ST
4TH ST

COURT ST
GRIFF
ITH ST

underlying zoning districts. For example,

RIVER ST
River Street

SINATRA DR
HUTTO 3RD ST
N ST
MADISON ST

where the Southwest and Neumann Leathers

CBD (H)
HARRISON ST

W (RDV)
JEFFERSON ST

PARK AVE

Redevelopment Plans reference the existing

2ND STREET R-3 2ND ST
JACKSON ST

CBD (H)(CS)
FRAN LIGHT RAIL
KLIN
ST
TAIN RD
N AVE

I-2 zone District, they will instead need to Post Office

MOUN
OGDE

1ST ST

reference the C-LIMU District.

NEWARK ST
PA
CBD (H)
TE
RS
ON
AV
E CBD HUDSON PL Redevelopment Areas
DPW Construction
NEW YORK AVE OBSERVER HWY OBSERVER HWY Hoboken
Terminal Complete
I-2
In the case of completed Redevelopment SW Rehab
NEW
AR
KS
T
Hoboken Yard
Plan Adopted,
AVE Neumann Rehab Construction incomplete
Plan Areas, where construction is complete,
KEN
BO
HO
Observer Highway
Redevelopment Plan

redevelopment agreements have been VE

JERSEY CITY 18TH ST
in progress
LUIS MUNO

NA
KE
BO
JERSEY AVE

HO

fulfilled, and such areas are no longer 0 500 1,000 2,000

Z MARIN BLVD

Feet Municipalities
GROVE ST

17TH ST

“in need of redevelopment,” these areas 16TH ST

COLES ST

WASHINGTON BLVD
WASHINGTO

NORTH BLVD
ERIE ST

15TH ST
14TH ST
RIVER DR

should be incorporated into the City’s Redevelopment Plan Areas

N BLVD

Zoning Code (and therefore be under the

jurisdiction of the Municipal Land Use
Law enabling legislation, as opposed to the
Local Redevelopment and Housing Law
legislation). As indicated on the Proposed
Zoning Districts Map, these areas, which
include the River Street and Observer
Highway Redevelopment Areas, are
recommended to be part of a new R-4: High
Rise zone.

North End Rehabilitation Area

At the time of the preparation of this Land
Use Element, there is one remaining area
in Hoboken that has been designated as an
“Area in Need of Rehabilitation” for which
a Redevelopment Plan has not yet been
adopted— the North End Rehabilitation
background research, stakeholder interviews,
a public survey, and a public workshop in
planning efforts for the North End. The
City is currently in the process of selecting
a consulting firm to complete the planning
process and prepare the Redevelopment

FT 8
Area. The City has previously competed Plan.
A
130
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS
Encompassing an area of approximately
30 acres in the northwesterly corner of the
City, the North End is the last remaining
“underdeveloped” portion of Hoboken.
Existing uses include light industrial, surface
parking lots, and public utilities, intermixed
with some newer commercial uses and
residential developments that were previously
approved by use variance. This Land Use
Element reiterates the City’s commitment
to developing this area thoughtfully,
through a comprehensive, public-driven
Redevelopment Plan process.
Having reviewed the North End public
survey responses and stakeholder and
public comments from meetings on the
North End held to date, and having heard
from community stakeholders as part of
this master planning effort, it is the Project
Team’s understanding that key community
objectives for this area may include:
● To allow new uses that serve to
expand and diversify the City’s
economy, including those in important
sectors such as science, technology
and innovation, which could be
consolidated into an “innovative
campus” if possible.
● To create spaces for “maker depots”
and shared co-working space that
encourage a creative, collaborative,
and applied learning and working
environments.
● To create a 24/7 community with
day-time and night-time populations
so as not to create “dead space” after
working hours.
● To provide for uses that do not
presently exist, but would be welcome
in Hoboken, such as those requiring
larger footprints that simply are not
available in other parts of the City
(e.g. larger entertainment venues,
restaurants, and theaters.)
● To create a dynamic neighborhood
that does not try to replicate or mimic
Hoboken’s historic brownstone
character but incorporates innovative
and interesting architecture to create
its own sense of place.
● To maximize the potential for
developers to include public plaza,
community gathering and unique
131
open spaces in their developments.
● To provide for a northerly connection
of the proposed Green Circuit that
would connect the western portion of
the City to the waterfront. The multi-
use path could be developed similar to
the Indianapolis Cultural Trail- lined
with restaurants, cafes and shops with
an outdoor presence, as well as public
art and copious landscaping and
greenery (see image below).
● To build buildings that are flexible
in how their interior spaces can be
configured, but where attention is
paid to their exterior designs to meet
community objectives. For example,
designs that incorporate height
setbacks can maximize the sky view
plane, while designs that incorporate
chamfer corners (as defined on page
135) can maximize public space at the
street level.
● To utilize redevelopment negotiation
tools that enable developers to
contribute to the financing and
construction of a new North End
light rail station, in partnership with
NJ Transit.
● To require developers to construct
roadway improvements and new
streetscapes in accordance with a
comprehensive circulation plan for
the North End that accounts for all
users, industrial truck traffic, vehicles,
bicycles, and pedestrians
● To improve the gateway experience
(e.g., along Park and Willow Avenues)
to and from the City.
While this is by no means a comprehensive
list, some of the types of uses identified
by stakeholders as being desirable or
FT 8
Source: www.wfyi.org
Cultural Trail (Indianapolis, IN)
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

recommended for this area are listed below.

● Urban manufacturing
● Indoor public market and food halls
● Distilleries, breweries and wineries
● Performance, event space and theaters
● Office and shared office/co-working
spaces
● Business incubator space
● Research and laboratory
● Health care uses
● Indoor recreation
Food hall (Nashville, TN) Source: www.tennessean.com
● Public parking facility (e.g., relocating
existing downtown garages to the hours. There was also concern that with the
periphery to reduce vehicle usage in high cost of land, lenders would be more
the interior of the City.)
supportive of a mix of uses that include some
● Live-work units amount of residential development. Finding
● Mixed-use residential the right balance will be an important
outcome of the North End Redevelopment
● Street-level retail, restaurants and Plan process and should be informed by a
services that can serve the local
community market feasibility study.

Other concepts that were explored included
the idea of creating sub-areas that vary
the intensity of uses. For example, the
North Hudson Sewage Authority (NHSA)
and PSE&G Substation properties will
likely continue to operate in their current
locations at the northerly border of the
North End area; as such, building sites
next to these properties should be reserved
for the higher intensity light industrial and
urban manufacturing uses, where noise and
other nuisance-type impacts would be less
of an issue. If the City determines that an
alternate location for the existing Garage
and Yard should be explored, this would
be an appropriate location. Expanding
outward, uses could transition to office,
business and indoor recreation, for example,
to create a buffer between more industrial
uses and areas for residential and mixed-use
residential.
While concerns were expressed as to the
fiscal impact and traffic impact of adding
residential uses in this area, others expressed
concern that a lack of residential would
leave the area a “ghost town” after working
Where there seems to be general consensus,
is that uses in this area should contribute to
the City’s tax base in such a way that, overall,
the fiscal benefits of development in this area
outweigh the costs to the City. Where the
City currently has a substantial percentage of
its land area having tax exempt status (e.g.,
land owned by the City, Stevens Institute,
Schools, Houses of Worship, HHA, non-
profits, etc.), redevelopment in the North
End should not increase these numbers.
In fact, even while higher educational or
medical uses, which can come with a tax
exempt status, may be appropriate for these
areas, they should not be exempt from
contributing to the City’s tax rolls, either by
standard assessment or through municipal
contribution agreements.
These ideas and recommendations are
included here to provide timely guidance
as the North End Redevelopment Plan is
prepared.

A FT 8
132
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS
6.5. OTHER ZONING ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FORM-BASED CODE
Form-based codes, unlike conventional
zoning regulations, focus on physical
form of buildings and spaces, rather than
the separation of uses, as the organizing
principle for the code. In a form-based code
(“FBC”), regulations address the relationship
between building facades and civic spaces,
the form and mass of buildings in relation
to one another, and the scale and types of
streets and blocks. The regulations and
standards in form-based codes are presented
in narrative text as well as diagrams and
other graphic elements. They are tied to
a “regulating plan” that designates the
appropriate form and scale of development,
rather than distinctions by land-use types.
Form-based codes can be ideal for
communities like Hoboken where much of
the built environment is well-established and
has a strong character- and where building
“typologies” and architectural character are
sometimes more important than the interior
uses. The regulating plan under a form-
based code can protect the existing scale and
character of buildings and public spaces,
while promoting economic development and
flexibility for changing tenants in retail areas,
and creating a predictable environment for
private investment. Form-based codes can also
provide for more nuanced thinking of building
form than is possible under conventional
zoning. For example, the FBC could provide
for taller buildings at street intersections to
create points of visual interest or as a way to
provide public space at street intersections.
A FBC commonly includes the following
elements:
● Regulating Plan. A plan or map of
the regulated area designating the
locations where different building
form standards apply, based on clear
community intentions regarding the
physical character of the area being
coded.
133
● Public Space Standards. Specifications
for the elements within the public
realm (e.g., sidewalks, travel lanes,
on-street parking, street trees, street
furniture, etc.). This should be tied to
the Complete Streets Plan the City is
currently preparing
● Building Form Standards.
Regulations controlling the
configuration, features, and functions
of buildings that define and shape
the public realm. Specific illustrations
and requirements would be provided
for each building type - e.g., attached
brownstone, tower apartments,
shopfront buildings, etc.
● Administration. A clearly defined
application and project review process.
● Definitions. A glossary to ensure the
precise use of technical terms.
Given the advantages of focusing on physical
form and the visual aspects of using a
FBC as a regulatory tool, the City should
consider the use of form-based zoning in
select areas of Hoboken, or on a city-wide
basis when preparing its comprehensive re-
write of the Zoning Code. There are many
options to consider in exploring the use
of form-based codes, ranging from a full
form-based methodology with a regulating
plan, to a hybrid approach with standards
for building form and design, public spaces
and landscaping, signage, and environmental
resource protection.
FT 8
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
INCENTIVE ZONING
Incentive zoning provides a bonus, usually in
the form of additional height, lot coverage,
density, or floor area, in exchange for the
provision of a public amenity, such as a
publicly accessible plaza (privately owned
public space), visual or performing arts
spaces, community space, transportation
improvements, or affordable housing. The
City could give consideration to the use of
incentive zoning in certain zone districts
to accomplish specific policy objectives.
CONSISTENCY AND CLARITY OF ZONING CODE
In speaking with Planning Board members,
City Officials, the Zoning Officer,
developers, business owners, and members
of the public, the Project Team has been
able to assemble a number of issues with the
current Zoning Code, presented herein.
Furthermore, one of the responsibilities of
the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) is
to prepare an annual report or summary
of the decisions made during the year. The
report provides an opportunity for the
Zoning Board to transmit information and
Definitions
There are a number of terms that need
defining in the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
Some of these include:
● Child care facilities
● Child play facilities (e.g., trampoline
park)
● Commercial recreation (e.g. bowling,
rock climbing, mini- golf, etc.).
● Public services & utilities
● Shared parking
● Community centers
● Event space
● Factory outlet stores
● Industrial development
● Manufacturing
134
In these districts, the zoning ordinance
would specify a “base” allowance for
height, density, floor area, etc., as well as a
bonus allowance if the public amenity can
be provided and meet the approval of the
reviewing boards. The use of such incentives
would need to be balanced with the need to
protect the City’s historic and architectural
character.
their knowledge gleaned from the hearings
in the previous calendar year. The intent is
that through this sharing of information, the
governing body can re-evaluate the Zoning
Ordinances and improve the code if and as
they see fit. This section includes a number
of potential zoning changes to be considered
for clarification and to address specific
issues that were specified within recent ZBA
annual reports.
● Night club
● Overlay district
● Places of worship
● Public buildings, park, playground
● Studios
● Warehouse
Other existing definitions should be revised
to reflect current conditions and best
practices. Examples include:
● Restaurants: the code should
differentiate among different “classes”
of restaurants based on their size/
occupancy, and whether they have full
cooking facilities or the focus is on
pre-packaged food that is not prepared
or cooked on-site. Where allowed in the
FT 8
zone, smaller-sized restaurants/cafés in
A
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS
the latter category could be permitted
without Planning Board review.
● Bar or tavern: Similar to restaurants,
the approval process for bars/taverns
may be different depending on the type
and size of the establishment. Smaller-
neighborhood-oriented bars may be
permitted in some residential districts,
whereas larger-sized outfits would be
permitted in commercial districts.
● Retail business and service: the City
may consider whether some uses that
function similarly to retail, such as
small gyms and fitness studios, could be
included in this definition.
● Light industrial/small-scale
manufacturing: This definition should
be updated to refer to all types of small
businesses that produce tangible goods
such as textiles, hardware, woodworking,
metalworking, 3-D printing, consumer
Missing Uses
There are examples of businesses and
uses that are not identified in the zoning
ordinance simply because they are newer-
type uses, or had not been included in any
prior City code update. Since uses that
are not specifically listed as permitted or
conditional in the zoning ordinance, must
make an application for zoning relief, this
creates an unnecessary burden for certain
businesses that are unintentionally left out of
the code. Other uses should be considered in
an updated Zoning Code to be clear as to the
City’s policies related to these uses.
Examples include:
● Bed and breakfast accommodation:
Allowing bed and breakfast
accommodations can serve a need
for more overnight accommodations
in the City and provide visitors with
an alternative to corporate hotel
accommodations. They can also
be part of a tourism and economic
development strategy. Conditions
should be related to protecting the
residential character of buildings and
the size and number of rooms, and
specifying how parking, food service,
owner occupancy, sign regulation,
outdoor lighting, and other matters
are to be handled.
135
product design and prototyping,
food and beverage production, etc..
Businesses may be consumer-facing or
provide products to other businesses and
often have onee to 30 employees.
● College and university facilities: The
definition should not be exceptionally
broad and inclusive of uses and
activities that the City may not wish
to be principally permitted without
some conditional oversight. This is
specifically relevant for laboratory
and research facilities that would be
operated by outside research and for-
profit companies; dining, recreation
and entertainment facilities; facilities
for storing and using chemical; and
others. The definition may be more
appropriately broken into low impact
and high-impact uses.
● Childcare or daycare facilities.
The Zoning Ordinance does not
address childcare or daycare facilities.
Depending on the zoning district
and facility size, these uses should be
permitted or conditional. Site plan
requirements for large facilities should
address drop-off, parking, outdoor
play space, and security.
● Animal & pet services: As a pet-
friendly City, the Zoning Ordinance
needs to address pet care industry
services such as grooming, dog day
care and overnight boarding. These
services range from “sitters” who
come to your house or have pets stay
with them, up to large-scale facilities.
Conditions for these uses should
address sanitation, noise, licensing,
and employee training.
● Markets and street vendors: Public
markets- such as craft markets, flea
markets and farmers markets- can
be year-round or seasonal, indoors
or outdoors, daily or occasionally.
Conditional use standards may impose
specific requirements for lighting,
hours of operation, maintenance, or
other business operations.
● Marijuana Dispensaries: The State
of New Jersey is currently evaluating
the potential to increase the number
FT 8
of businesses with medical dispensary
A
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT
licenses. Right now, there are six
across the state; however, it is
possible that barriers to entry for
this particular use will be reduced in
the future. As in other States, New
Jersey may also ultimately legalize
recreational cannabis. Hoboken may
wish to consider allowing this use
in certain districts as a “conditional
use,” which has an added level of
oversight. The City should evaluate
model Ordinances used in other
States that have legalized marijuana
dispensaries for “best practices.”
Some considerations for the location
and regulation of this use could
include the following, for example:
○ Locations should not be within
a half-mile of each other with a
maximum number of three (3)
dispensaries anywhere within
city limits (possible exception if
directly associated with a medical
office).
○ Locations should not be within a
quarter-mile of a school zone.
○ Locations should be street-
level storefronts; not located on
an upper floor in an office or
commercial building.
○ Security measures and operating
procedures for the location should
have to be signed-off by Hoboken
Police Department.
○ Dispensary should be a stand-
alone business not combined with
any other retail activity; i.e. a
regular smoke or vape shop.
● Temporary Lodging: Many
communities throughout the world,
including Hoboken, are dealing with
the impacts of short-term rentals
(STRs), which typically includes
housing rented for periods of less than
30 days through online platforms such
as Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway.
Conditional Uses
In most zoning districts, the Zoning
Ordinance allows some uses subject to
specific conditions, known as conditional
uses. While conditional uses are often listed
in the zone, the Zoning Ordinance does not
136
STR platforms allow homeowners and
renters to participate in the sharing
economy by “hosting” guests in
spare bedrooms within their primary
residences, or to rent their entire
homes while they are away.
○ STRs may provide long-term
residents with additional revenue
to make ends meet by renting
out their property for short time
periods. They may also contribute
to local economic growth due
to higher visitation levels and
increased spending at shops,
restaurants, and entertainment
venues. However, STRs can have
many negative impacts, including
reducing housing inventories,
making housing less affordable
for local residents, potentially
allowing investors to circumvent
zoning regulations, and placing
local hotels at a competitive
disadvantage.
○ While outright prohibitions of
STRs are difficult to enforce and
may not be desirable given some
potential positive impacts, many
communities have addressed the
issue by requiring registration or
licensing of short-term rentals. For
example, the City of San Francisco
adopted a law in 2018 requiring
Airbnb to register its hosts in the
city. The new regulation allows
for better tracking of short-term
rentals and has had the effect of
reducing Airbnb listings by about
half. Hoboken should consider
a similar approach for bed-and-
breakfasts as well. These uses may
be appropriate in certain areas of
the City, but should be registered
to ensure they are complying with
applicable regulations and are
paying the appropriate hotel tax.
actually specify any conditions. As part of
the Zoning Code update, all uses that are
allowed as conditional uses need to have
conditions associated with them. If there are
no conditions needed, consideration should
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS
be given to making these uses permitted.
Examples of uses listed that are in one or
more zoning district as conditional uses, but
do not have conditions include: educational
uses, health clinics, places of worship, public
OTHER ZONING CONCEPTS:
Building Encroachment Compensation
The City should consider allowing awnings,
signage, bay windows, and balconies to
encroach into the required setback or street
right-of-way (i.e. the sidewalk), subject
to specific requirements and limitations
outlined in the zoning ordinance, and with
compensation to the City for the value
of the granted easements and processing
fees. The City would need to develop a
standard process for such transactions with
fees to cover the cost of staff review. The
creation of graphic illustrations of allowable
encroachments, which would be adopted into
the Zoning Code, would help to facilitate the
consistent review and approval by reviewing
entities- including the zoning officer,
the Planning and Zoning Boards when
approving projects, and the City Council
and legal department when approving
encroachment requests.
Impervious Coverage
Several changes could be explored to reduce
the amount of impervious coverage on a
lot and improve stormwater management
conditions, including:
● Developing separate permitted
maximum amounts for building
coverage (the amount of a lot devoted
to principal or accessory structures)
and lot coverage (the amount of a lot
covered by impervious surfaces).
● Potentially allowing the use of green
roofs to count toward pervious
coverage of a lot, thereby mitigating
the use of impervious surfaces at
ground level.
● Allowing the required rear yard to be
reduced proportionally by the amount
of pervious coverage provided in the
front yard.
137
buildings, professional or business offices,
retail business and service, scientific and
research facilities marinas, and accessory
apartments on Court Street.
Existing non-conforming lots
There are many properties in Hoboken
that have existing lot areas, widths and
depths that do not meet the minimum
requirements for their zoning district. These
are existing non-conforming situations,
which alone, should not trigger c-variances
when applications for development on these
properties are submitted to the City. For this
reason, most zones in the City now allow
existing lot area, lot width and lot depth
to conform, while requiring that any new
subdivisions meet minimum requirements.
Rear Yard
Many of the zone districts propose that the
minimum rear yard size meet a percentage,
rather than a strict number. This equalizes
the amount of rear yard space that property
owners need to provide whether they have a
conforming or undersized lot depth. A 30%
rear yard setback on a 100-foot-long lot would
be 30 feet and on a 90-foot-long lot would
be 27 feet, for example. In addition, where a
property has pervious area in the front yard
setback, the rear yard setback requirement
could be allowed to be reduced by the amount
of the pervious front yard setback.
Chamfer Corner
In architectural terms, a chamfered building
is typically located at a street corner where
the building footprint at the corner is
beveled at a 45-degree angle to create plaza
space for pedestrians. The chamfer design
opens up broader perspectives, provides
pleasant pedestrian areas and allows for
greater visibility while drivers are turning.
Chamfer corners are popular in Barcelona,
Valencia and other cities in Spain (see image
on following page).
A FT 8
DR 5/24/1
CITY OF HOBOKEN — LAND USE ELEMENT

Height Stepback
Building height “step-backs” have many
advantages and should be clearly defined
in the Zoning Ordinance. They help to get
more daylight and fresh air to the street level
and reduce a sense of enclosure at the street
level. Where the front wall of a building may
be limited to a certain height or number of
stories at the street line, above that height,
the building may be set-back and rise to
additional height, without impacting the
view at the street level. They can also add to
the value of the property by creating usable
exterior spaces, enabling residnets to have
direct access to fresh air, views, gardening
and outdoor dining.
A chamfered building and street corner on Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia. Here
the building is chamfered but the sidewalk / street has taken on a conventional,
Rooftop Uses and Design 90-degree layout, eliminating the loading zone or parking spaces.
With limited land available in the Mile- Source: Wikipedia
Square City, the use of building rooftops
is a potentially underutilized amenity.
Requirements and design standards for
the treatment of rooftops should be
provided in the zoning ordinance. This
includes developing industry-accepted best
management practices (BMPs) for the design
and maintenance of green roofs, rooftop
gardening, urban farming, or amenity space.

Skyview or Sky Exposure Plane

Buildings should be located and designed
to protect access to sunlight and sky view
within the surrounding context of streets,
parks, public and private open space,
and other shadow sensitive areas, such as
school yards, and playfields. To protect
this space, the City could consider “sky
view” requirements in an updated Zoning
Ordinance. Sky view is the measurable
amount of sky seen from a street, park, or
other open space above and in between
Height setback example.
building masses. Loss of sky view reduces Source: Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan
access to light, which affects the comfort,
quality, and use of the public realm.

“Amenitizing” Residential Buildings conveniences of less urban communities.

To improve the experience of residents Amenities should include, for example-
living in an urban environment, and to indoor bike parking and bike maintenance
keep families from relocating, new and rooms, areas for simple home maintenance
refurbished apartment/condo buildings projects or gardening, dog washing/dog care,

FT 8
should be highly amenitized and offer the social gathering rooms, and outdoor space.
A
138
DR 5/24/1
SECTION 6: LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

LANDSCAPE, STREETSCAPE, SIGNAGE, AND LIGHTING

STANDARDS
Where many properties in Hoboken are
located up to the street right-of-way (ROW)
without a front “yard” or setback, the design,
treatment and landscaping of the street ROW
itself, becomes extremely important. Despite
being the largest category of land use in the
City, the public street ROW (essentially, the
area from building face to building face,
including streets and sidewalks) is only
minimally addressed in the existing Zoning
Ordinance.
The City should develop ordinance
requirements and design guidelines that
address the streetscape realm, including
ways to maximize the amount of open space
and greenery in these areas. The Ordinance
should include BMPs for planting materials,
street furniture, sidewalk patterns and width;
rain garden materials, etc. It should include
minimum landscaping requirements based
on sidewalk widths for areas both adjacent
to a building, in open space and green
areas, and within the street tree pit area,
and provide recommended native species of
plants and planting bed materials appropriate
for Hoboken’s streets and rear yards.
The work currently being prepared by
the City’s Transportation Department to
develop Complete Street guidelines, should
be incorporated into the City’s codified
requirements for the public ROW.
Also incorporated into the standards should
be guidance for signs on awnings, walls,
facades, windows and marquee projections,
as well as freestanding and wayfinding signs.
Signage requirements may be different for
each zoning district.
The City should also consider revising
lighting standards to mandate dark sky
compliant installations, limit pedestrian
glare, and reduce/eliminate light trespass.
Finally, the City should encourage new
utilities to be placed underground, as
practicable.

PARKING
The City conducted a detailed, data-driven in-lieu fees, as is currently provided for in
Parking Master Plan in December 2014, the City’s most recent Redevelopment Plans.
and has continued to undertake additional Such reductions are often accomplished as
analysis and data-gathering to understand part of the site plan process, but the process
the complex issues. This Land Use Element should be formalized in the Zoning Code.
recommends that the City revisit the 2014
Other aspects of parking that need
study, with the goal of updating and adopting
addressing in the updated Zoning Code
it as an element of the Master Plan (e.g., in a
include requirements for the installation of
new Circulation and Parking Element). A key
electric charging stations as well as minimum
provision of the Parking Element would be a
parking requirements for both indoor and
detailed, City-wide parking utilization study
outdoor bike parking. The Zoning Board of
to determine actual parking utilization rates.
Adjustment also recommends that standards
The results of this analysis, and current best
for visual ground-lit warning strips be put in
practices, could be used to develop revised
place for parking egress.
parking ratios for various uses.
In addition, the City could consider allowing
developers to reduce their required parking
ratios when they implement strategies that
reduce parking demand. Such strategies

FT 8
include “shared parking” and the use of
A
139
DR 5/24/1