JERSEY CITY, NJ —
August 15, 2026 |
By DailyHudson Staff
Residents fear county’s focus on courthouse repairs could delay long-awaited Newark Avenue park project by years.
For the past decade, Maria Santos has watched the empty lot on Newark Avenue from her kitchen window. She’s imagined her grandkids playing on a swing set there, neighbors chatting on benches, a little green space in the middle of all the concrete. Instead, she’s watching another delay.
Hudson County’s plans to build a park at Journal Square have been pushed back yet again, this time because of big-ticket renovations at the William J. Brennan Courthouse just a few blocks away. The county says the HVAC overhaul is critical for the aging building, but some residents are starting to wonder if the park will ever actually get built.
The Courthouse Comes First
County officials announced a new round of upgrades for the Brennan Courthouse, which houses the county’s courts and offices. The work — replacing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that are decades past their prime — is necessary and long overdue, according to officials. They say the courthouse can’t function safely or comfortably without these fixes.
The catch? This project has a price tag in the tens of millions, and it’s going to consume the county’s capital budget and the attention of its engineering department for years. That’s why some advocates fear the park on Newark Avenue, which was supposed to be a centerpiece of the Journal Square revitalization, will be pushed further down the priority list.
It’s not that the county has canceled the park — nobody is saying that. Rather, it’s a question of timing, and timing is everything for a neighborhood that has waited a long time already.
A Promise Made Years Ago
Back in 2016, the county acquired several parcels of land along Newark Avenue with a bold vision: turn a scrappy stretch of parking lots and empty storefronts into a public plaza that would connect the PATH station to the growing neighborhood. Renderings were drawn, community meetings were held, and people got excited. They were promised a new open space that would give families a place to gather and small businesses a reason to thrive.
Then the plans stalled. Funding never quite came together. Official priorities shifted. What was supposed to be a few years of waiting stretched into a decade. And now, with the courthouse work looming, some worry the park could be put off for another five to seven years, maybe more.
What This Means for Journal Square
For people who live in the high-rises going up all around Journal Square, this isn’t just an urban-planning footnote. It’s about everyday quality of life. The area has seen a wave of new residential towers, but open space hasn’t kept pace. Kids need somewhere to ride bikes. Families need a place to picnic. Older residents need benches where they can sit and watch the world go by.
A park would also be an economic anchor. Local businesses have been waiting for foot traffic that a public space can bring. Cafés, bodegas, and shops along Newark Avenue could all benefit if hundreds of people had a reason to linger in the neighborhood. Every year of delay is another year of missed opportunity for businesses that are holding on, hoping the promised plaza becomes reality.
Some residents worry about the message it sends. When a county focuses its resources on one building, even one as important as a courthouse, people can’t help but feel like their neighborhood isn’t a priority.
Voices From the Community
Advocates like those in the Journal Square Community Association have been vocal about their disappointment. They acknowledge the courthouse needs work — no one is saying it doesn’t — but they question whether the county has to choose between fixing a building and building for the community. Some are asking if the two projects could be done simultaneously, or if the county could at least commit to a timeline for the park so residents can plan.
County officials, for their part, say the courthouse project is a matter of health and safety. A building that handles court cases every day can’t wait. They also note that the park hasn’t been canceled, and they understand residents’ frustration. But they won’t commit to a groundbreaking date, and that’s what makes people nervous.
What Happens Next
Residents should watch for the county’s capital budget, which gets approved each year in the fall. That document will show exactly how much money is set aside for the park and whether it’s enough to start construction. County commissioners hold public meetings where residents can speak — those are the moments to push for answers.
For now, on Newark Avenue, the lot sits quiet, waiting. Maria Santos still checks it every morning. She’s not giving up, but she’s also realistic. The park will come, she says, but maybe she’ll be watching her great-grandkids play there instead.
Source: Jersey City Times
