Supporters and county officials press State to finish Guarini Justice Complex as Courthouse Park remains stalled

Laura Moss, president of the Courthouse Park Advocacy Group, urged Hudson County commissioners on Dec. 22 to press the State to finish work on the Guarini Justice Complex so Jersey City can demolish an existing building and begin work on Courthouse Park.

"The new Guarini Justice Complex was reported to be finished 98 percent as of November in 2024," Moss said. She told the board that nearly a year after the building’s originally targeted move-in, the complex remains vacant and the delay has prevented demolition of 595 Newark Avenue and the start of the park.

Moss said the County has identified the hold-up as unresolved courthouse technology work and that the State took over those systems in late 2024. She said the State has not participated in the stakeholder committee formed by the County Executive and that the community has no direct information from the State on the cause or pace of the delay.

Moss read a statement she said was provided by Brian Weller, Jersey City’s director of architecture: "The City, not the County, is responsible for the cost of demolishing the Administrative building and constructing Courthouse Park. Park construction costs have already increased by approximately 10 to 14 percent compared with 2024 estimates. If the project is delayed another year, an additional 7 to 11 percent increase is expected, bringing total cost escalation to roughly 18 to 25 percent above the original estimate." Moss stressed the park will serve the entire county, not just Jersey City.

Commissioner Albert Cifelli said the matter is now in arbitration. County Counsel Alberico De Pierro confirmed the board’s counsel is engaged in that process and stated, "I just confirmed this is binding arbitration," and that discovery is underway. The county did not supply an arbitration schedule to the board during the meeting.

Commissioner William O'Dea asked that the meeting transcript and the county’s materials be forwarded to state Sen. Brian Stack, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, and to the county’s legislative delegation to seek legislative or administrative help to expedite resolution. Commissioner Jerry Walker offered to contact Sen. Stack as well.

No date was given for the county’s occupancy of the Guarini complex or for demolition of the existing administrative building. County counsel said arbitration and discovery are active; the timeline for resolution remained uncertain at the meeting.