Jersey Journal, April 25, 2000

Dear Editor:

I am a resident of Jersey City who lives in the Heights. I am opposed to the Millennium Towers project because it would establish a bad height and density precedent for all future development in the area below the Palisades cliffs.

It would increase existing traffic congestion and pollution in Jersey City and Hoboken. It would worsen and already overwhelmed PATH system with increased ridership. It will discourage public access by the project's monolithic design. It will destroy public open space views of the New Jersey waterfront, the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. It would force taxpayers to finance yet another tax-abated development. We are trying to keep things sane in the growth of our community, but it's tough!

We therefore demand that the Jersey City planning division not recommend any amendments to the current Jersey Avenue Redevelopment Plan (JARP). We demand that the Jersey City Planning Board not approve any amendments to the JARP and that the City Council vote against any amendments to the JARP.

Instead, we support human-scale, low-rise development. We demand that Jersey City, working with the affected communities of Downtown, the Heights and Hoboken, design a reasonable and rational design plan for this area.

This is an important moment in our city's future. We ask that our concerns be recognized and respected. As a final thought, I will remember the actions of our city officials regarding this project at the upcoming municipal elections.

G. Nicholson
Jersey City