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A rendering of how a proposed 42-story tower would look in Jersey City's Hilltop neighborhood.

(Rendering courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield )

Jersey City Councilman Rich Boggiano's campaign to halt development of a 42-story residential tower in Journal Square's Hilltop neighborhood is getting help from City Hall.

Boggiano and city officials are joining in opposition to the tower after weeks of city officials saying there was little they could do to stop it. The councilman, who represents Ward C, said he believes the large-scale opposition in the Hilltop neighborhood convinced city officials to support his cause.

"As far as I'm concerned, they can take their project and shove it," he told The Jersey Journal yesterday.

The news represents a rare moment of agreement between Boggiano and Mayor Steve Fulop, who have been at odds over almost every policy decision Fulop has made since becoming mayor in 2013.

The city's change of heart may also signal the first step toward a likely legal battle between the city and Avner Netter, who owns the site where the tower would be located, just east of Summit Avenue, at the foot of West Street.

Map of where proposed 42-story tower would be in Jersey City's Hilltop neighborhood.

In 2012, officials with the prior administration agreed as part of a legal settlement to allow Netter to build up to 42 stories, and they pledged to give Netter a portion of West Street, a dead-end street that would lead into the proposed development. The settlement ended a dispute that saw Netter claiming that new zoning restrictions limited the development potential of his property.

Boggiano has objected to that settlement since before he was elected to the council two years ago. He and Hilltop residents say the proposed tower would be too massive next to the two- and three-story homes in their neighborhood.

On Feb. 25, the City Council was scheduled to approve a measure vacating a portion of West Street -- the last obligation of the legal settlement -- but members postponed the vote after Boggiano and Hilltop residents raised objections. Boggiano said yesterday the city has agreed not to move that measure forward.

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill wasn't that specific, saying only that city officials are "working together with Rich and the neighborhood in opposition."

A rendering of how a proposed 42-story tower would look in Jersey City's Hilltop neighborhood.

A request for comment from Netter's attorney, Kathryn Walsh, was not immediately returned. Walsh appeared at the Feb. 25 council meeting to urge council members to vote to vacate West Street.

"We are now two and a half years past a settlement agreement," Walsh told them.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd.