Mayor James Solomon Takes Action to Restore Coles Street Park and Protect Public Space

Mayor James Solomon Takes Action to Restore Coles Street Park and Protect Public Space

JCRA and Jersey City file lawsuit to hold developer accountable and move park restoration forward

JERSEY CITY, N.J.—Mayor James Solomon is taking action to restore Coles Street Park, protect residents, and hold the developer and other responsible parties accountable for ground settlement that prompted the closure of part of the park this spring. Today, the City announced the filing of a lawsuit against Emerson Leasing Co. I, LLC, Coles Jersey Development Co. II,  LLC, Coles Street Associates, LLC, and Statco Development Group, LLC concerning surface instability and integrity problems at Coles Street Park. The litigation is being led by the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA), which is directing the legal effort in coordination with the City. The action seeks to hold the developer and other named entities accountable for the underlying issues and help return the affected section of the park to residents. 

“Residents deserve access to safe public spaces, and we are focused on delivering that for the Jersey City community,” said Mayor James Solomon. “We are taking action to hold the developer accountable, determine what needs to be done and move toward restoring Coles Street Park so residents can enjoy the space as soon as it’s safe.”

Coles Street Park was built as part of a private development project. After localized ground settlement raised safety concerns, the City closed the affected section of the park this spring. The JCRA has since engaged consultants to investigate the conditions and determine the work needed to restore the space.

Through this lawsuit, the JCRA is seeking to ensure the developer takes responsibility for resolving the issues affecting the park and moving restoration forward. The City is focused on protecting public spaces, holding responsible parties accountable, and getting residents back to enjoying the park as soon as it is safe to do so.

“Developers will not get away with taking Jersey City taxpayer’s money and leaving us with failed work,” said Jake Ephros, Jersey City Council Ward D Councilmember. “Coles Street Park provides open space for families in an often-neglected part of our city, families who deserve better than a condemned, collapsing park. Let’s get it repaired, but let’s hold the developer responsible so working people don’t pay twice for one park.”

The JCRA’s consultants are investigating the ground conditions to help determine the appropriate path forward. Once the investigation establishes the next steps, the City will be better positioned to develop a restoration plan and timeline.

“Coles Street Park was meant to be a community benefit funded by the developer of Hudson House East—but they did a bad job of building it, and now it’s unsafe and unusable.” said Eleana Little, Jersey City Ward E Councilmember. “The community deserves safe access to this park, and Jersey City taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for these mistakes—especially in a community benefit the developer agreed to provide as a precondition for building. I’m hopeful that the City’s lawsuit will make things right and ensure Coles Street Park reopens safely and as soon as possible.”

The southern section of Coles Street Park remains open and is not affected by the closure. The City appreciates residents’ patience and understanding as it works to address the conditions at the park and pursue a solution that allows the affected area to safely reopen.