Hoboken to install 17 new community benches along Washington Street

The City of Hoboken, in partnership with the Hoboken Business Alliance (HBA), began to install 17 new community benches along Washington Street this week to upgrade the City's primary commercial corridor with additional seating that supports placemaking and accessibility.

The new benches are the result of a community engagement process that invited residents, businesses, and visitors to provide input through an online public survey. Participants were asked to provide feedback on preferred bench styles and suggest locations for future street furniture. This feedback has since been paired with funding from the Hoboken Business Alliance and input from adjacent property owners.

Survey responses demonstrated strong support for additional public seating. Sixty-five percent of survey respondents indicated that Washington Street needs more community benches, with a majority expressing a preference for benches with backs and armrests that face the street, creating inviting spaces for people to rest, relax, and enjoy the corridor.

"These new benches are a simple, but meaningful investment in making Washington Street more welcoming, comfortable, and accessible for everyone," said Mayor Emily B. Jabbour. "By listening to residents and working closely with the Hoboken Business Alliance, we're creating public spaces that encourage people to connect with neighbors and support our local businesses."

"Washington Street is at the center of Hoboken's business community, and these new benches will enhance the pedestrian experience for the people who move through the corridor each day," said James Runkle, President of the Hoboken Business Alliance Board of Trustees. "We're proud to work with the City to bring new seating for residents and visitors to rest, gather, and enjoy Washington Street while supporting a cleaner, more welcoming streetscape."

The installation of the benches represents another step in the City's and HBA's ongoing efforts to create a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly business district while improving quality of life and the public right-of-way for residents, visitors, and local businesses. Any additional streetscape improvements will be evaluated by the City and the HBA as they work together to implement future upgrades along Washington Street.

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