New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson and NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein joined local, state and federal officials recently celebrated the completion of a project that returned a portion of Hoboken Terminal to its original design—restoring permanent ferry service to the historic building.
The historic, Beaux-Arts style terminal and its ferry slips were originally built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1907. Hoboken ferry service was discontinued in 1967 due to declining demand, but was reintroduced in 1989 at a temporary facility at the southern end of the terminal building.
In early 2003, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority entered into an agreement to allow for the restoration of the Hoboken Terminal ferry slips and supporting infrastructure, with the goal of returning ferry service to its original location, while protecting and enhancing the historic elements of the terminal.
The $120 million project, funded through a mixture of state, federal and Port Authority funding, was divided into three phases. The first phase, which began in April 2004 and was completed in September 2005, included repairs to the terminal’s substructure and superstructure.
Work on the second phase began in December 2005 and was completed in April 2008, including construction of a 230-foot tall clock tower replica modeled after the original 1907 design by architect Kenneth Murchison. In homage to the original, the clock tower includes four-foot-high copper letters spelling out the word “Lackawanna” and is surmounted by an illuminated clock with four 12-foot diameter faces, one on each side of the tower.
The second phase also included marine construction of five of the original six ferry slips, as well as restoration of the exterior copper facade and lighting on the river side of the terminal, structural repairs, roof repairs and demolition of the finger piers and wooden fenders.
Construction of the ferry boarding area was completed in the third and final phase, along with all remaining work necessary to restore ferry service to the original slips, including work on utilities, lighting, the ticketing area, ferry barges and gangways.
NY Waterway, owned and operated by Port Imperial Ferry Corp and Billybey Ferry Co., will be providing service from the ferry slips. NY Waterway provides the largest privately-owned commuter ferry service in the U.S., carrying 35,000 passenger trips per day – 8 million trips per year, including service between New Jersey and Manhattan.
Hoboken Terminal currently provides travelers multiple transit options including commuter rail, light rail, bus, PATH and ferry service. Nearly 60,000 people use the terminal on a typical weekday. BD+C
Related Stories
| Apr 16, 2012
Drake joins EYP as science and technology project executive
Drake’s more than 30 years of diversified design and project delivery experience spans a broad range of complex building types.
| Apr 16, 2012
$80 million in export financing for solar project in India
The project, “Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Private Limited,” is a subsidiary of Reliance Power and is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank and FMO, the Dutch development bank.
| Apr 13, 2012
Arcadis merges with Davis Langon & Seah
Merger will help company expand business in Asia.
| Apr 13, 2012
Goettsch Partners designs new music building for Northwestern
The showcase facility is the recital hall, an intimate, two-level space with undulating walls of wood that provide optimal acoustics and lead to the stage, as well as a 50-foot-high wall of cable-supported, double-skin glass
| Apr 13, 2012
Best Commercial Modular Buildings Recognized
Judges scored building entries on a number of criteria including architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and calendar days to complete, while marketing pieces were judged on strategy, implementation, and quantifiable results. Read More
| Apr 12, 2012
Solar PV carport, electrical charging stations unveiled in California
Project contractor Oltman Construction noted that the carport provides shaded area for 940 car stalls and generates 2 MW DC of electric power.
| Apr 11, 2012
Shawmut appoints Tripp as business development director
Tripp joined Shawmut in 1998 and previously held the positions of assistant superintendent, superintendent, and national construction manager.
| Apr 11, 2012
Corgan & SOM awarded contract to design SSA National Support Center
The new SSA campus is expected to meet all Federal energy and water conservation goals while achieving LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council.
| Apr 11, 2012
C.W. Driver completes Rec Center on CSUN campus
The state-of-the-art fitness center supports university’s goal to encourage student recruitment and retention.