Do not tear down Powerhouse
Boy Wonder technocrat, Boss Fulop, an arrogant guy who acts as if he knows it all, is at a loss -- a loss -- as to what to do with the landmark Powerhouse on Jersey City’s east side. This, following years of neglect designed to yield a result sought by the city and greedy developers: yet more room for expensive towers.
Under no circumstances should this century-old iconic structure be torn down. It should be restored, as long planned, and put to uses that serve the entire community (theater, community center, art space, music venue, urban farming, museum of industry, etc.). If too far gone thanks to the city’s neglect, it should be stabilized and allowed to stand in its decayed state -- a modern-day ruin amidst a sea of far less stately, unexceptional “luxury” towers -- as a testimonial to the city’s industrial past and a forceful rebuke of Team Fulop and the money-chasing developers they serve.
In folklore, a crossroad is a place at which one can sell one’s soul. Fulop says he’s at a crossroad with the Powerhouse. What’s to be determined is whether he’ll sell his soul yet again to gift a developer with development rights to the site or millions more in tax breaks in return for a cosmetic restoration of the structure.
John Woodmaska, Kearny
Menendez right on Cuba, Venezuela
I wish to thank New Jersey’s senior U.S. senator, Bob Menendez, for raising his voice so strongly and eloquently against the proposed U.S.-Cuba and U.S.-Venezuela policy changes by the Biden administration (”Menendez opposes Biden on Cuba: ‘Wrong message,’” Wednesday’s Jersey Journal).
The senator’s sharp critique of these misguided moves stands for reason and justice, not to say for the judicious foreign policy the U.S. should maintain toward oppressive socialist regimes in the Americas. Staying the course has been derailed.
Cuban-Americans, Venezuelan-Americans and U.S. Hispanics in general have been discussing this policy reversal for days now, with some irate commentary, as can be expected. We are thinking back to the unfortunate Obama years when similar blunders were made. They not only changed policy for the worse but also revealed the unprofessional conduct of the executive team at the time toward Sen. Menendez, a prominent Hispanic fellow Democrat.
It could be said that, Democrat to Democrat, it was treacherous conduct. As the senator stated back then, the decision of the Obama Administration “vindicated the brutal behavior of Cuba’s brutal government.” Now President Biden is appallingly doing the same.
Although I have resided in Florida for some time, in my heart and mind Menendez remains my federal legislator. He was my mayor when I raised my daughter in Union City, and also my New Jersey state legislator. The first vote I cast as a naturalized U.S. citizen was for this sensible and brave Cuban-American who makes all New Jerseyans proud.
Not just the Biden administration, but all presidents should listen to Menendez’s savvy expertise. I congratulate him for his encore brave position for freedom and liberties in neighboring countries
Ileana Fuentes, Miami, Florida
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