It was approved over very strong and racially-charged opposition from the neighborhood. Several residents talked about the desire to preserve the "culture of the area", while one opponent rattled off a list of prominent African-Americans who grew up on Berry Street. The applicant testified that they could build 18 units (nine 2-family units), but would rather build 17 townhouses. The townhouse project would include a massive underground flood-retention system and large common-area greenery that would otherwise be broken up by fences. All the driveways will be on James and Berry, and the entire frontage on Second Street will be lavishly landscaped with a 25-foot setback. If houses were built, it is likely that most of the driveways would have faced Second Street, which is more heavily trafficked.
I was the last to speak and the only person speaking in favor of the project. I was angered by the comments made by the neighbors. I made a speech promoting the value of diversity and integration, and stated that the neighborhood is becoming more integrated, and that trend will continue whether or not townhouses or 2-family units are built. I was heckled and boo'd throughout my speech, especially by Geneva Youngblood who basically lost control and the board had to tell her and her supporters to calm down and let me speak. I stand by my principles. I should have said that if integration is right for the city's single-family zone, then it is also right for the city's ethnic neighborhoods. There shall be no double-standard. But I got sidetracked by comments from the audience.
What's a mystery to me is why the neighbors think 2-family houses are more likely than townhouses to be purchased by African-Americans. I think that over 50% of the houses that have sold in the neighborhood within the past 5 years have sold to Latino's, plus a few bought by Asians. Houses in the area have also sold to black immigrants from the Jamaica, other Carribean islands, and Africa. The 2-family houses at First and Clay went mostly to Ecuadorians, at least 4 of the 6 units.
Diversity is the future, like it or not. The neighbors are living in the past with the ideas of preserving the racial purity of the neighborhood.
Two board members voted no.
With the demolition of the abandoned industrial land use, the property will go from its current condition of 80% lot coverage and 100% impervious coverage to about 35% impervious coverage, and 65% is lawns and landscaping. I can't wait till they break ground.
By the way, a few weeks earlier, Geneva Youngblood actively supported the application for condos (not townhouses, but actual condos built on stilts over a parking lot) between Berdan and James Streets. I was against that one, as was most of the neighbors. It involved condos built on flag lots (lots with narrow street frontage, and wide in the back, like a flag on a flagpole. We don't even allow houses on flag lots in Hackensack, no less multi-unit buildings. It was a horrible site plan with zero chance of ever getting approved. That application, Sunnyside Terrace, was denied firmly and unanimously. Geneva testified during the Sunnyside Terrace application that she is a realtor and she helped to put together the proposal. I think she hoped to market the units, or otherwise stood to gain financially in some capacity. She was on the wrong side of both applications.