THE HOBOKEN REPORTER, OCTOBER 4, 1998

Dear Editor:

I have lived in Hoboken since 1989 and I have grown to love its small-town qualities. Getting to know a wide variety of neighbors along with local perks such as the charming and varied street fairs and processions, Hoboken Historical Museum events and Church Square Park flea markets, has give me much enjoyment throughout the years.

The Hoboken I live in is now changing rapidly for the worse. The transient population that is encouraged with the overwhelming number of new 'luxury' units invading every available inch of open space, accompanied by the number of cars and barrooms is transforming Hoboken into a nightmarish "Friends" theme park. My husband and I at one time were planning to raise a family here, but the present climate that the real estate greed and lack of urban planning has created makes the desire an impossibility.

My ward has seen the most explosive growth in units. Trying to get out of town along Monroe and Observer Highway can take up to 10 minutes some mornings, and that is without the tremendous traffic influx that will result from the south and north waterfront projects?

I am not against many of the improvements that have made Hoboken a safer and better place to live. But I am very suspicious of the ability that certain people in town have to earn loads of money from real estate games that put other folks' quality of life in jeopardy. Perhaps if we as individuals take a more active role in these city issues through attending zoning board meetings and variance granting processes we can work to curb some of the poor planning before it does any more irreparable harm.

Lynn Mullins