Hoboken Reporter, March 28, 2004

Dear Editor:

I was unable to attend the zoning board meeting about Stevens' garage, but I did see artist's rendering of the project and was appalled. The thing would be an enormous, hideous and permanent eyesore. Stevens has gone though great expense and trouble to literally deface this part of Hoboken but that doesn't obligate the city to pull them out of their deep hole. Further, giving in to Stevens' demands would send a message to developers: Build it and we will approve. This makes a mockery of our zoning laws.

One of the main reasons Anthony Russo was voted out of office was anger about relentless overdevelopment. Under the Roberts administration things have actually gotten worse. We have this expensive charade about a master plan while business as usual only seems to accelerate.

And for all this ugly garbage that's being inflicted on us peons what do we get? More traffic and smog, more blocked views, the same high taxes and so on. We don't need another monument to bad taste and short-sighted greed. We have enough of those already. Approving this garage would be an unforgivable sellout of Hoboken's long-term interests.

Greg Ribot