2008 Woodie Awards
River Lot sinking into Hudson
The parking lot along the Hudson River is slowly sinking into the water, but new repair efforts should prevent its loss.
David Pfeffer
Issue date: 9/7/06 Section: News
Parking-even the mere mention of the word brings a cringe to many commuters' faces at Stevens Institute of Technology. Since August 14, 2006, a large section of the Riverside Parking Lot located near the Griffith Physical Plant building on Sinatra Dr. has been closed for parking.
Sections of the River Lot are built on a pier extending into the Hudson, according to Kenneth Nilsen, Dean of Student Life. This age-old pier originally served as a shipping pier alongside many others during the industrial era of Hoboken, but the extended part was removed due to its age, Nilsen added. The remaining part of the pier, which Stevens uses as a parking lot, is slowly sinking into the water. At one place near the edge, a large part has crumbled into the river.
A visual inspection of the parking lot reveals that portions close to the edge have little or no support underneath. The pier's structure must be rebuilt in those areas section by section, noted one construction worker at the lot. However, many of the parking spots along the water will be disappearing despite any repair efforts. Hudson County's mandated waterfront walkway, a 30-foot wide pedestrian corridor following the edge of the Hudson River, will pass along the river side of the parking lot, according to Hank Dobbelaar, Stevens' Vice President of Facilities and Services.
The parking spots that have no posted warning do not face any immediate danger, and students should not have any concern about parking in the River Lot. "I am trusted with the safety of every student at Stevens. If I thought there was any risk whatsoever to [the rest of the lot], I would close it immediately," Dobbelaar said.
The first two decks of the Babbio Center garage were opened last week, which should reduce campus parking lot congestion despite the missing spaces in the River Lot, Dobbelaar noted.
Sections of the River Lot are built on a pier extending into the Hudson, according to Kenneth Nilsen, Dean of Student Life. This age-old pier originally served as a shipping pier alongside many others during the industrial era of Hoboken, but the extended part was removed due to its age, Nilsen added. The remaining part of the pier, which Stevens uses as a parking lot, is slowly sinking into the water. At one place near the edge, a large part has crumbled into the river.
A visual inspection of the parking lot reveals that portions close to the edge have little or no support underneath. The pier's structure must be rebuilt in those areas section by section, noted one construction worker at the lot. However, many of the parking spots along the water will be disappearing despite any repair efforts. Hudson County's mandated waterfront walkway, a 30-foot wide pedestrian corridor following the edge of the Hudson River, will pass along the river side of the parking lot, according to Hank Dobbelaar, Stevens' Vice President of Facilities and Services.
The parking spots that have no posted warning do not face any immediate danger, and students should not have any concern about parking in the River Lot. "I am trusted with the safety of every student at Stevens. If I thought there was any risk whatsoever to [the rest of the lot], I would close it immediately," Dobbelaar said.
The first two decks of the Babbio Center garage were opened last week, which should reduce campus parking lot congestion despite the missing spaces in the River Lot, Dobbelaar noted.
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