Harsimus Stem Embankment

The Harsimus Stem Embankment, also called Sixth Street Embankment, is a half-mile-long historic railroad embankment, disused and largely overgrown with foliage, in the heart of the historic downtown of Jersey City, New Jersey in the United States. The 27-foot-high (8.2 m)[1] embankment runs along the south side of Sixth Street west from Marin Boulevard to Brunswick Street. It is the border between the Harsimus and Hamilton Park neighborhoods. The overhead tracks of the beam bridge west of Brunswick Street were dismantled but the stone abutments remain.[2]

Not to be confused with Sixth Street Viaduct.
Atop embankment at eastern end
Retaining wall
Stone support pier of viaduct which carried the line westward to what is now Journal Square

This elevated stone structure was once owned and operated by Conrail and carried seven tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Passaic and Harsimus Line to its freight yards and carfloat operations on the Hudson River at Harsimus Cove, and to its warehouse and distribution facility (now Harborside Financial Center). The line was part of the railroad's holdings on the waterfront, which included the Exchange Place passenger terminal and the Greenville Yard. The Embankment is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, is eligible for the National Register, and is a Jersey City municipal landmark.[3]

In July 2005, Conrail sold the property to a collection of real estate developer LLCs.[4] In January 2006, Jersey City requested a ruling from the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to determine the legality of the sale and whether Conrail had followed the proper abandonment procedure. The matter was resolved in September 2010, when a federal court ruled that the sale to the developer was legal and that the city had not previously exercised its first option to buy the right-of-way from Conrail. The decision meant the Embankment was not under the jurisdiction of STB and the City's pending eminent domain litigation in Hudson County's Superior Court could proceed.[5][6]

In 2010, a local citizens' movement lobbied local governments, chiefly Hudson County and the City of Jersey City, to acquire the land and convert the embankment to a public park. The developer who owns the land where the embankment is located is opposed. That same year, a $1 million grant request from the City of Jersey City to purchase the embankment was denied.[7] The developer's proposals to sell portions of the land to the city were rejected in 2011.[8][9] The case was brought to an appeals court,[1][10] which found that the case against the developer could proceed.[11] In January 2012 it was announced that a deal had been arranged whereby the city would purchase the property for $7 million.[12][13] In September 2012 it was ruled that Conrail had not gone through the required process of "abandonment" and was not legally able to sell the property.[14][15] Again in 2020, a deal was announced.[16]

The city has agreed to allow for high-rise residential development along one block of the embankment.[17]

See also

References
  1. Lynch, Jake (September 12, 2011). "High Hopes for the Harsimus Embankment: The Fight to Create an Elevated Rail-Trail in New Jersey". Rails-to-Trail Consevervancy. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
  2. Martin, Antoinette (November 5, 2010). "Conflict in Jersey City Over a 'High Line' Park – In the Region". The New York Times.
  3. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Hudson County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Historic Preservation Office. January 8, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 19, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  4. CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION v. City of Jersey City et al. (United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit June 26 2009).Text
  5. Smith, Shane (June 25, 2010). "Council Report: DPW/JCIA Bonding Approved, Embankment Deal Moves Forward and More". Jersey City Independent.
  6. Hayes, Melissa (September 30, 2010). "Federal judge rules for developer, against Jersey City in Sixth Street Embankment suit". Jersey Journal.
  7. Hayes, Melissa (September 10, 2010). "Hudson County plans to fund $6.273 million in open space projects". Jersey Journal.
  8. McDonald, Terrence T. (May 11, 2011). "Jersey City City Council rejects settlement on Sixth Street Embankment imbroglio". Jersey Journal.
  9. Whiten, Jon (May 13, 2011). "Jersey City Rejects Settlement Offer Regarding 6th Street Embankment". Jersey City Independent.
  10. Whiten, Jon (October 25, 2010). "6th Street Embankment Case Heading to Federal Appeals Court". Jersey City Independent.
  11. McDonald, Terrence T. (February 3, 2012). "Federal appeals court rules Jersey City's lawsuit seeking ownership of the Sixth Street Embankment can proceed". Jersey Journal.
  12. McDonald, Terrence T. (February 4, 2012). "Court allows Jersey City's lawsuit to claim Sixth Street Embankment to go forward, as settlement looks possible". Jersey Journal.
  13. Hunger, Matt (February 6, 2012). "Jersey City Settles Lawsuit With the 6th Street Embankment Purchaser, Intends To Make Land Part Of Larger Downtown Park Pending Council Approval". Jersey City Independent.
  14. McDonald, Terrence T. (October 3, 2012). "Jersey City officials hailing embankment ruling as 'clear win'". Jersey Journal.
  15. "Would-be Maryland trainman seeks to stop construction of Jersey City high-rise". NJ.com. 8 August 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  16. "Hoping for a settlement over 6th Street Embankment, Jersey City sees a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity for rails-to-trails network". 26 November 2020.
  17. "Jersey City to present scaled-back embankment development plan at meeting Wednesday". 6 September 2022.

40.7252°N 74.0441°W / 40.7252; -74.0441

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