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Changes Coming To Blue Eyes After Hoboken City Council Approves New Lease Agreement

by Erin Lanahan
Erin Lanahan
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For fans of scenic dining along the Hoboken waterfront overlooking New York City, a change is coming to a community favorite. Pasta entrees and wood-fired pizzas could turn into coffee and sandwiches, according to a new lease agreement with the City of Hoboken that was approved Wednesday, August 21st. Blue Eyes, located at 525 Sinatra Drive in Hoboken, will switch gears from an Italian eatery to a casual cafe. Here’s more information about the changes coming to Blue Eyes in Hoboken, New Jersey.

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About Blue Eyes

Blue Eyes is an Italian eatery that has been operating on Hoboken’s waterfront since 2015. For over a decade, the menu at Blue Eyes has consisted of wood-fired pizzas, pastas, appetizers, paninis, desserts, and gelato. The name, of course, was inspired by Frank Sinatra and his strong connections to Hoboken — though the owner, Alessandro, is originally from Italy. One of the main draws of Blue Eyes is the incredible view of New York City, as well as its Italian dishes. It became a favorite in the community with Hoboken Girl readers voting Blue Eyes as “Best Restaurant with a View” in 2023 and 2022.

Not only can residents and visitors enjoy those views of New York City from Sinatra Park, but the City also hosts several events throughout the year at the park. This summer, several concerts were held there as part of the Concerts In The Park series with local musicians and nods to music culture in Hoboken. Plus, there’s a large soccer field for people to enjoy playing sports like soccer and volleyball.

Read More: Limit on Single-Use Plastics at Hoboken Restaurants Goes Into Effect Sept 1, 2024

New Lease Proposal

The City of Hoboken owns Sinatra Park, which is located at 401 Sinatra Drive, where the Blue Eyes building is also located. The building’s lease for the space was up for renewal, which Hoboken City Council unanimously approved during a meeting on August 21st, 2024. The proposal includes several meaningful changes for Blue Eyes, including an expanded patio and menu options to bring the restaurant into compliance with the state’s Green Acres program.

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The Green Acres Program was created in 1961 to meet New Jersey’s growing conservation and recreation needs. The goal is to preserve the state’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage. As of June 2022, the program has protected over 680,000 acres of open space and parkland. Plus, it funded over 1,200 park development projects across New Jersey, including Sinatra Park and several other acres of park space in Hoboken. Now, the total preserved open space in the state has reached 1,626,108 acres.

For a business to comply with the Green Acres program, it must provide services to all visitors and not be a destination unto itself. The City has acknowledged that Blue Eyes’ current business model does not comply with the Green Acres program, per NJ.com. Part of the proposal to extend Blue Eyes’ lease will see the restaurant expand its menu and patio to include grab-and-go items and non-alcoholic drinks with the goal of having the restaurant’s offerings more accessible to all park visitors.

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“The city expects that the new lease will provide a much needed food service to the users of Sinatra Park and Hoboken’s busy waterfront parkland while adhering to Green Acres regulations, and looks forward to continued cooperation with the lessee,” City officials said in a letter to the City Council.

Because the restaurant won’t have table service, only grab-and-go, all tables will be open to all park users. It also allows the building to host community events with the City’s approval or request, but does not allow the cafe to host private events. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, Blue Eyes will need to get a special concessionaire permit for beer and wine from the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Law + Public Safety. These changes will take effect on November 15th, 2024 and the lease will be for five more years.

 

 

Another element of the lease extension proposal is that the restaurant must complete “improvements and renovations” totaling $500,000 over the five-year period.

“The City expects that the new lease will provide a much needed food service to the users of Sinatra Park and Hoboken’s busy waterfront parkland while adhering to Green Acres regulations,” according to a memo to City Council from Jennifer Gonzalez, Director of Climate Action + Innovation, and Cathleen Wolf, Principal Planner, Community Development.

If Blue Eyes wants to make any improvements or changes to the cafe building going forward, it would be subject to approval by the Hoboken Directors of Parks, Recreation, and Public Works, and Climate Action + Innovation. Plus, it would require a review and approval from the Green Acres Program.

See More: Diesel + Duke in Montclair Soft Opens at New Location on Church Street

The Hoboken Girl reached out to the owners of Blue Eyes and will update this piece with any additional comments.

Stay up to date with this story and the latest news in Hoboken + Jersey City, follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.

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Erin is a North Jersey girl, born in Mendham and now a resident of Jersey City. She’s back in the Garden State after graduating from St. Bonaventure University with a journalism degree. Formerly a news producer, she now works in social media. When she’s not writing, she loves running along the water at Liberty State Park, eating at different restaurants with friends, and checking out local bands performing around the Tri-state area. Three things Erin’s always ready to chat about: where to get the best Taylor Ham, the Yankees, and finding the perfect pint of Guinness.

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