Liberty State Park is getting a makeover.

The first phase of a revitalization project started this week to clean up a large section of the park that's been off limits to the public because of contamination.

But as senior political correspondent David Kurz reports, the state's most visited park is still in the crosshairs of developers who want to commercialize the waterfront land.

One, two, three.

With the groundbreaking marking the depths, first phase of the Liberty Park, cleanup and restoration attracted former governors and would be mayors and would be mayors.

And would be mayors.

The actual mayor was a no show, but the presence of all the local politicos underscored how this state park and what happens next to it is of heightened local interest.

The work announced by the DEP yesterday will begin a major transformational period for the park, which already attracts more than 4 million visitors a year.

There is phase one that is the clean up of the long off limits over 200 acres of some, some of which is polluted land that needs to be cleaned up.

There's phase one B, which is our immediate active recreation arts and cultural development, and then there's phase two in the southern part of the park.

It's that part of the park that has drawn a lot of attention from some residents and spawned the creation of the People's Park Foundation, funded by billionaire golf course owner Paul fireman who has long eyed park land that Caven point for expansion.

The foundation's director here has a long history as a coach and recreation advocate in the city is the legend himself.

Bob Hurley.

Hurley's vision of a park with large scale sports facilities and arenas appears to have been thwarted.

But LaTourette also seemed to be nodding to the foundation when he used the phrase This is the People's Park.

Several times when I speak of the People's Park, I am not speaking of any organization.

I'm speaking to the reality of the legal fact that every single natural resource in the state doesn't belong to the government.

It belongs directly to the people, all of the people.

After the groundbreaking, the public was invited to check out and to give input towards the future phases of the park's restoration and upgrades.

Jessica Jammer has designed the Empty Sky Memorial at the park and was hopeful.

After a look around.

There's two aspects of the park, but generally the historical cultural aspects that are in this train terminal and the Statue of Liberty.

Ellis Island, the Empty Sky Memorial.

There's also the nature, the natural aspects.

And I think that those two things could very well intertwine with with the work that the Murphy administration is is bringing forth.

I think that there's great opportunity.

Councilwoman Mira Prinz area has watched the debate about the park's future from the west side of the city.

She says this event marks an important step forward.

I think the best way to get people to come together is exactly what we're doing here today.

You have a very big platform.

You throw out a lot of ideas so everybody feels like their voice is heard for me.

Everybody knows I'm a big proponent of parks and also public spaces, so I'm excited to see some inclusion of that.

I don't necessarily think that we need an amphitheater, but a place where you can have really great live performances that they're already doing.

The vibe was so positive here that one lawmaker whose own nonprofit has received fireman money promised more state funding to follow the initial 50 million.

And we have a task force.

I am the prime sponsor of the Liberty State Park Task Force attached with money.

But who knows what the future holds for phases yet to come in this park.

The state won't always have $50 million to toss its way, and there are forces with money standing by to make it available for the right parcel of land in Jersey City, I'm David Cruz, NJ.

Spotlight News.