A virtual public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 from 5:00-6:30 PM ET.  (Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the public meeting originally scheduled for March 17, 2020 was cancelled.)

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Public Meeting and Public Comment

NJ TRANSIT and the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) have agreed to extend the official Section 106 public comment period to incorporate comments received as part of a virtual public meeting to take place on Thursday, April 16th, 5:00-6:30 pm ET.

Attendees will be able to watch the live presentation and provide comments/questions by live chat, video or audio participant function during the meeting. Please note that participants may be limited to three (3) minutes of speaking time. To submit comments and/or questions in advance for NJ TRANSIT to address during the April 16 meeting, please email Cathleen Wolf at cwolf@hobokennj.gov.

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Join the WebEx Meeting by computer, smart phone or web-enabled device

Click the WebEx link (no earlier than 4:50 PM ET)
Meeting number: 791 569 419
Password: Lackawanna (52252926 from phones & video systems)

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Tap to call in from  a mobile device

+1-408-418-9388 United  States
Meeting  number: 791 569 419
‍Password: 52252926 from phones & video systems

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Join  from a video system or application

Dial 791569419@na-qht.my.webex.com You  can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number
Password: 52252926 from phones & video systems

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Online Survey

The City of Hoboken prepared an online survey to solicit feedback on the draft Alternatives Analysis (see below). The survey closed on 4/15/20 and a summary of the survey results was sent to NJ TRANSIT.

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History of the Records Building

The Lackawanna Records Building was designed by noted architect Frank J. Nies, constructed in 1904 by the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and once stored the vast archives of the engineering and law departments for the entire railroad company. It is located at the northern border of the NJ TRANSIT Hoboken Rail Yard along Observer Highway in Hoboken, New Jersey. NJ TRANSIT has owned the building since 1983. It is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource to both the Old Main Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad Historic District and the Hoboken Historic District.

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Section 106 & Timeline

Citing health and safety concerns regarding structural integrity, NJ TRANSIT proposes to demolish the building, and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs has issued an authorization to demolish the structure no later than June 30, 2020.

Section 106 requires that federal agencies consider the effects of undertakings on historic resources; as part of that effort a fundamental goal is consultation with identified consulting parties, including a concerted effort of public outreach. The overall objective of the Section 106 process is to identify and avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects on historic resources, with first priority given to avoidance and second to minimization. In situations where a project cannot avoid or minimize adverse effects, the “resolution” of those effects takes the form of a formal agreement identifying mitigation measures commensurate with the anticipated project effects.

Read more about the Section 106 process.

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Alternatives Analysis

NJ TRANSIT has prepared a draft Alternatives Analysis to compare mitigation techniques and alternatives to the proposed demolition of the building. A list of the seven (7) Alternatives are provided below.  

• Alternative 1: No Build. The building is stabilized with external supports to prevent or protect pedestrian activity near the site. Cost estimate: $437,000.

• Alternative 2: Stabilization Without Rehabilitation. The building is braced with triangular supports on all four sides. Cost estimate: $800,000.

• Alternative 3: Rehabilitation/Stabilization in Place. The building is extensively repaired, minimizing the loss of the historic resource yet compromising some of its historic and architectural integrity. Cost estimate: $2.86 million.

• Alternative 4: Adaptive Reuse. The building is extensively repaired in place to be compliant with building codes, subject to the requirements of its proposed new use. Cost estimate: Varies widely.

• Alternative 5: Relocation/Reconstruction. The building is carefully demolished, historic materials salvaged, and reconstructed to resemble the Records Building elsewhere. Cost estimate: $10 million.

• Alternative 6: Demolition With Salvage and Storage of Historic Materials. The building is carefully demolished and historic materials salvaged and safely stored for possible future reuse or donation to a third party for retention and preservation. Cost estimate: $2.74 million.

• Alternative 7: Demolition Without Salvage of Historic Materials. The building is demolished with no salvage of historic materials. Cost estimate: $1.2 million.

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