by Ken Walker
The Leader: Coalition fights Newark Heliplex: Flight path may affect local residents
May 8, 2008
“Coalition fights Newark Heliplex: Flight path may affect local residents”:http://leadernewspapers.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7029
The heliplex slated to begin construction in the North ward of Newark is starting to see growing opposition from next-door municipalities. The group fighting the new construction has “launched a site”:http://stopnewarkheliport.bravehost.com/ and are selling t-shirts at $10 a pop with “STOP the Newark Heliplex” written across them in bold, red lettering.
While I can appreciate air traffic noise — it gets particularly loud in the Ironbound when the weather’s bad and planes are flying in low, the Leader highlights a bit of irony in the coalition’s cause:
[Heliplex spokesman Stefan Friedman said,] “Furthermore, we find it rather ironic that the people of Kearny would choose to object to a Heliplex located outside its borders, while choosing to not bat an eyelash about a heliport currently under construction within their own township.”
Indeed, another heliport is being built in Kearny, but Ceragno said the location is in South Kearny and is surrounded by industrial properties. Unlike the Newark Heliplex, which he noted is directly across the river from about 10,000 residents.
The owner of the planned heliplex is also first-cousin to a “partner of Mayor Booker”:http://dailynewarker.com/2008/02/28/heliport-coming-to-npd/ in his former law firm, so fighting this development might be a little harder than the coalition might expect.
Good Afternoon -
I wanted to comment on the proposed location of the Newark Heliplex versus the Heliport location in South Kearny. South Kearny is a commercially zoned area between Jersey City and Kearny outside of city limits. There are no residents in any vicinity of South Kearny, and the Helicopters would have access out over the bay limiting Helicopter noise. If you have been to the proposed Newark Heliplex location, it is a stones throw across the Passaic River from Kearny, and within a mile to Belleville’s and North Arlington’s town lines, which are also primary residential locations. I estimate approximately 10,000 residents in the 1 mile or so vicinity.
We are all pro-Newark, we are for the revitalization, and the return to prominence that this city deserves, however, this proposed location just does not make sense. I invite all readers to drive by the proposed Grafton Ave location and consider the people in Newark that live in the North Ward, the people across the river in Kearny, and the neighbors in Belleville and North Arlington, and then make up your mind.
Finally, I would also like to address the T-Shirt’s. They are not for profit, the cost is a donation to help recoup expenses.
We do realize this is an uphill challenge, but all we can do is try! We hope that some of our friends in Newark are interested in signing our petition. To review the petition, please visit the following website. http://www.kearnynj.org/alert.asp?AlertID=79
I’d like to thank the Daily Newarker for the opportunity to address this as well as to help broadcast our challenge to those in Newark.
Thank you!
Steve
Please attend the Newark City Council meeting: Wednesday May 21, 6:30 pm.
I intend to speak at the Council Hearing of Citizens in opposition to the Heliplex. Show of support when people are speaking on this subject. If you would like to speak sign up at the City Clerks office on Monday May 19th.
Hi all,
This heliplex is an incredibly bad idea for the residents of Newark. We, in Newark, already suffer from too much unnecessary aircraft noise. Presently the Federal Aviation Agency allows the jets from Newark Airport to fly over our homes and schools at altitudes under 3000ft. This is in spite of the fact that Newark is the only airport in the nation that has ten miles of unused open space (The Meadow Lands) directly north of the runways that are not used fully to gain altitude before the jets fly over a densely populated area. If the jets were required to stay over the Meadow Lands swamp they would be over 5000ft before flying over anyone’s home.
Recently, while Mayor Booker was giving the state of the city address at the NJPAC the police helicopter made the skies over Newark sound like Bagdad under attack.
If a heliport is necessary would it not be better to place it on a barge in Newark Bay on the other side of the airport away from any neighborhood? Not only would it be a better place regarding the noise issue but it would be safer for everyone if a chopper crashed into the bay instead of a school or someone’s home.
Should we not be able to enjoy our homes in peace and tranquility?
Regards,
Bill Chappel
Firm to use site for $10M heliplex
Roseland company is run by relatives of Booker’s former law partner
Friday, February 29, 2008
BY JONATHAN SCHUPPE AND JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff
Newark’s housing authority has agreed to sell a swath of fallow land along the Passaic River once slated for public housing to a company owned by relatives of Mayor Cory Booker’s former law partner. Air Pegasus Helicopters plans to turn the five-acre plot into a $10 million commercial “heliplex” for air ambulances, corporate and charter flights, news choppers, delivery services and law enforcement agencies. Tenants will include the Newark Police Department’s new Aviation Unit, which stations its helicopter at Morristown Municipal Airport. The Roseland company is run by Alvin, Steven and Abigail Trenk, who are related to Richard D. Trenk, a partner in the West Orange law firm where Booker was a partner for about four years before becoming mayor.
Gentlemen,
Thank you both for the excellent, insightful commentary on the heliplex. While I don’t live in North Newark, we’ve had our fair share of helicopter activity in the Ironbound, and I can sympathize with noise concerns. The last thing I enjoy waking up to at six in the morning is a helicopter floating over the city reporting on train delays at Newark Penn Station.
I’m looking forward to seeing how this story develops. Please let me know if The Daily Newarker can provide any assistance. You can contact me at editor@dailynewarker.com.
Best,
Ken