Hoboken's own Washington Street dubbed one of Top 10 Great U.S. Streets

Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey JournalA long line of tourists and customers outside Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop, home of the "Cake Boss" on Hoboken's Washington Street which has just been named one of the Top 10 Great U.S. streets.

The American Planning Association has dubbed Hoboken's own Washington Street as one of the Top 10 Great Streets in America for both its strong sense of history and its embrace of the future - an exemplar of urban planning.

Once a thriving part of the Mile Square City's booming warehouse and shipping industries, Washington Street has been Hoboken's "main drag" since the 1980s when the city began going residential with the arrival of Young Urban Professionals or "yuppies," who settled into the then-modestly priced historic apartments with an easy commute to Manhattan.

Today, the 15-block street is home to four annual festivals, a wide range of shops and several well-known bars and restaurants including La Isla and The Taco Truck, both recently featured on Food Network television.

And since April 2009, the thoroughfare has seen swarms of tourists who line up down the block just to get a glimpse of the famiglia at Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop, home of TLC's reality series "Cake Boss" starring famed baker Buddy Valastro.

"Although Hoboken has transitioned over the centuries from an industrial region into a bustling residential community, Washington Street has thrived by adapting to the community's evolving needs while preserving its historic character," said Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

While it has welcomed several new business ventures and residents, Washington Street does indeed wear its history with pride, featuring 19th Century lampposts, clocks, brick sidewalks and benches.

The APA also commended Washington Street for its dedication to height restrictions and affordable housing.

Washington Street made the cut along with Bank Street in Wallace, ID; Wydown Blvd. in Clayton, MO; Broadway Street in Red Lodge, MT; 5th Ave. in San Diego, CA; Middle Street in New Bern, NC; Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS; Washington Street in Middleburg, VA; Spring Street in Eureka Springs, AR; and Liberty Street in Franklin, PA.

The APA is a non-profit member organization for planners, elected officials and citizens who share ideas and resources in the building and maintaining of communities. Each year, the organization names Top Great Places in America to honor neighborhoods, streets and public places that "represent the gold standard in community planning outcomes," according to its website.