Jersey City Moves to Buy Glenwood Ave. Lot for Pocket Park

For 20 years, neighbors have tended tomatoes and peppers on a small lot at 128 Glenwood Ave. Now the city wants to buy the land and make that garden permanent.

The Jersey City Council voted 7-0 last night to approve an ordinance on first reading to purchase the property for $1.2 million and turn it into a pocket park with a community garden. Councilwomen Eleana Little (Ward E) and Mamta Singh (At-Large) were absent. The meeting stretched past three hours, with most of the public comment focused on this single agenda item.

The purchase still needs a second and final vote. And a related resolution to use federal Community Development Block Grant-Public Facilities (CDBG-PF) funds for the purchase was pulled until that next meeting. “We want all three pieces of this acquisition considered together. It will be reintroduced at the next meeting,” said Kevin Lyons, assistant business administrator.

A garden versus four homes

At the heart of the debate is a simple question: What should happen to a vacant lot smaller than a tennis court?

Supporters say the community garden has been a neighborhood anchor for two decades, ever since Saint Peter’s University sold the lot to a developer. They argue the city needs green space, especially in a dense area that will soon add 135 new units in the former Saint Peter’s dorms on the same block.

Opponents say the city is spending too much on too little. They point out the property was once valued at $450,000 and now costs nearly triple. They also argue the money could go toward housing or other neglected needs. “The city may spend 1.2 million to buy 128 Glenwood. That would stop four homes from being built,” said activist Kevin Davis during public comment, using a sarcastic salad metaphor to make his point. “You can’t put an apartment in a salad. Four families could live there. But those homes cannot complete a BLT.”

Others questioned the process. Ivan Ovalle claimed a conflict of interest because leaders of the McGinley Square Community Board support Mayor James Solomon. He also called the plan a poor use of federal funds. “We somehow have 1.2 million to spend on a lot smaller than a tennis court. We’ve been gaslighted to believe this is the only place in the city where we can deploy the CDBG funds,” he said. “We already have struggling parks that need maintenance. Do not throw away money on a vanity garden.”

How we got here

The lot at 128 Glenwood Ave. has been a community garden for about 20 years. It sits in the McGinley Square neighborhood, a densely populated area with limited open space. When Saint Peter’s University sold the lot to a developer along with several other parcels, neighbors organized. The McGinley Square Community Board formed to push back and to find a way to preserve the garden.

For three years, a grassroots nonprofit has advocated for the city to buy the land and turn it into a public park with a garden. Last year, the city began exploring the purchase using CDBG-PF funds. Those federal dollars are specifically for public facilities and cannot be used for housing. That distinction became a key part of the debate.

What it means for Hudson County

If the purchase goes through, the lot would become a city-owned pocket park with a community garden. That means it would stay green, open to the public, and protected from development. For residents who have tended plots there for years, it would be a relief. For those hoping for more housing in a city with rising rents, it would be a missed opportunity.

The bigger issue is how Jersey City balances competing needs. The city is growing quickly. New apartments are going up downtown and along the waterfront. But many neighborhoods still lack basic amenities like parks, recreation centers, and drainage systems that work. The Glenwood lot is a small piece of that larger puzzle.

“You’re obsessing over four units when 135 units are going in on the block in the former St. Peter’s dorms in a block that’s already unusually dense,” said Robert Fu, a member of the group supporting the garden. He also pointed to a low-income community garden in Newark that provides fresh produce to families. “The farm provides families with healthier, fresh-grown produce and varieties not typically found in stores,” Fu said.

Natalie Limon, another supporter, noted that CDBG funds come annually and cannot be spent on housing. “This money does come annually,” she said. “The community migrant garden is the only project that’s currently both eligible and ready to spend the money.”

But not everyone sees it that way. Billy Santomauro said the city should fix existing problems first. “Before we acquire more land … we look around at what has been deferred and correct these broken items,” he said, citing drainage issues in Lincoln Park.

What people are saying

Councilman Tom Zuppa (Ward C) asked for a fact sheet on what CDBG funds can be used for and when, seeking a definitive timeline. “I think it will be helpful when addressing concerns,” he said. The council passed the ordinance 7-0, with two members absent.

On the public comment side, the room was split. Supporters wore green stickers and applauded after speeches. Opponents raised questions about cost, process, and priorities. Both sides made their points firmly but the meeting stayed civil.

Mayor James Solomon has not commented publicly on the specific vote, but his administration has supported the purchase as part of a broader effort to increase open space in underserved neighborhoods.

What comes next

The ordinance will return for a second reading and final vote at the next council meeting. The CDBG-PF resolution will be reintroduced at the same time. Residents who want to weigh in can attend that meeting or contact their council representatives. The city will also need to finalize the purchase price and complete due diligence before the sale closes.

For now, the garden at 128 Glenwood Ave. remains open. Neighbors will keep tending their tomatoes. And the council will keep debating whether that’s the best use of $1.2 million.