Hoboken Going To The Dogs

Downtown Hoboken has been ruined by dog urine, according to Where is the Remote? Apparently, dog pee is a lot like paint thinner on all those nifty antique street lamps. The gold paved streets, meanwhile, seem to be unaffected.

Hoboken Runs Out Of Guys Named Robert, DiVincent To Return

The Hoboken Housing Authority has been having problems holding onto its executive directors. Former interim Executive Director Robert DiVincent will return temporarily until a new replacement is found. Mayor Roberts is thought to be considering expanding the search to include women named Roberta, as it appears there just aren't enough Roberts to go around.

Bicycle Nearly Stolen From Hoboken, City Still Super Safe

A man attempting to steal a bicycle was thwarted by a Johnny Rocket's Employee. Not only is Johnny Rockets like a 1950's soda shop, its employees are just like heros from 1950's television.

Drivers to Be Stopped Tonight Starting at 9pm

In an attempt to thwart drunk driving, police will have a checkpoint set up on Grand Street at Jersey Avenue between 9pm and 3am. While we think its great that police will be working hard to keep drunks from driving around the city-- after all, drunks actually are dangerous-- most of the time these checkpoints, particularly those starting as early as 9pm, are more often used to write tickets to drivers with a bad taillight or not having all those pesky pieces of paper on hand. So if you are planning on driving down Jersey Avenue near Grand Street, we'd recemmend double checking that you have your insurance card, license, and registeration, or you'll be contributing to the JCPD coffee and donut fund. Thankfully, in New Jersey, police check points must be announced publicly prior to the event.

MTA To Put Cellular Service In Subways, Port Authority Promises to Figure Out What A Telephone Is

The MTA announced they will be accepting bids from wireless companies to install cellular phone service in subway stations across the city. This makes sense, since despite the many signs imploring riders to alert authorities to suspicious activities, the lack of cellular service has pretty much prevented anyone from calling anyone.

There are fears that cell phones can be used to detonate bombs in subway systems, as was used in Madrid; on the other hand, terrorists can detonate bombs using a hundred other methods, even if cellular service was not installed.

Meanwhile, PATH trains still will not have cellular service.

Grocery Store Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

There has been a lot of talk of grocery stores lately, including our reviewing of local mega marts. We've also mentioned the arrival of Fresh Direct, and Philly2Hoboken has taken the plunge and placed an order. More importantly, he took the time to write a review.

Children Left Wondering If They Have Classrooms

New schools that were to be built in Hudson County with Abbot District money just aren't finished. It all comes down to money, or the lack of money, according to officials who are placing blame on the high cost of materials, land, and environmental cleanup. No one has mentioned no bid contracts, yet.

Duffle Bag Watch: Day 30

While it seems to us at least that the random bag searching has quietly been reduced, that doesn't mean a duffle bag still can't cause some fun. Apparently, an orphaned bag closed Marin Boulevard. We have to wonder if the police made any attempt to return the clothing to their owner.

Hoboken Housing Authority Replacement Director To Be Replaced

Robert Graham, an interim Executive Director of the Housing authority resigned after just three days. Graham had replaced Robert DiVincent. Mayor Roberts is concerned there may not be enough people named Robert to fill the vacancy.

Lattes Popular Lately

Dojo-Mojo writes that the Hamilton Cafe has opened on the corner of Grove and Grand Streets. This of course is not the first cafe to open this year on Grove street with Beechwood Cafe and Market having opened a few months ago. As we said in our review of Rachel, "A good measure of gentrification is probably the density of cafés."

Of course, while cafes are a lovely place to sit and drink coffee, they alone cannot create a business district. After all, how many coffees can you drink in an afternoon. Yet, based on Dojo-Mojo's list of new businesses, we are wondering if the PATH will begin to look like the L Train.

Hulking Concrete Slab Has a Name

You may have noticed the giant concrete slab rising behind the Shoprite in Downtown Jersey City. Well, it has a name: Waldo Lofts. Waldo will bring 82 units of housing to the arts district of JC where development has to some degree been delayed by lawsuits and counter lawsuits and city fines.

Be Your Own Boss: Councilwoman Also City Employee

Councilwoman Mary Spinello, elected this past May, is alsoa city employee. The Jersey Journal asks the question, "is it - dare we speak this word in Hudson County - ethical?"

We'll ask a rhetorical question instead: Does it really matter either way?

While We Were Out

We were away for two days, but it seems we didn't miss much in the way of main stream news. The Blogosphere though marches on.

Dojo-Mojo ate out while still finding time to provide us with a calendar of events.

Tris McCall has apparently joined the blogging world, [thanks, Mr. Snitch!] finally.

Meanwhile, Snitch ponders whether or not Steve's Tech is falling apart.

Apparently, while we were gone a deluge flooded Hoboken.

Local grilled cheese restaurant Melt has been reviewed in the Current. We mention this because we love grilled cheese and we haven't been up on writing much in the way of own reviews lately.

Not To Be Out Done, Hoboken Streets to Be Clogged with Fresh Direct Trucks

In the beginning of July we reported that Fresh Direct was crossing the Hudson. To the dismay of many readers, Hoboken was not included on the initial delivery route. Apparently, Fresh Direct has started invasion preperations, as one reader writes:

"I guess the Fresh Directing of Hoboken has commenced. The Fresh Direct troops were on the street Monday morning, handing out coupons for $20 off a $40 delivery."

Let the Sushi Grade Tuna flow.

Closed On Monday and Tuesday

NY6th's will not be published on Monday, August 15 or Tuesday August 16.

Hoboken Housing Authority Gets New Leadership

Robert DiVincent is out, Robert Graham is in. Mayor Roberts pleased, promises anyone with the name Robert can get a job in city government.

Montgomery-Greene: A Second Look

A few months back we told you about a new building, Montgomery Greene, to be built, yes, you guessed it, on the corner of Montgomery and Greene Streets. Jersey City Vibe has got ahold of a few new pictures and has details on the apartments to be offered in the building.

Hoboken Goes Cutting Edge, Bloggers Thrilled to Have Wi-Fi in the Park

Hoboken has gotten a free wi-fi hotspot in Stevens Park. This is actually the second free hotspot we know of, since Panera's wi-fi is also free.

August Officially Slow Month For News; Fluff Stories up 150%

Nothing like an August heat wave to hamper news stories. We got nothing.

The Jersey Journal Is The New Ralph Nader

The Jersey Journal is very proud that Jersey City is taking steps to curtail developers' use of water for flat fees, amounting to vast amounts of cheap water.

The Journal ran a story on Monday and now their claiming credit for ordinance change:

Pignataro said the decision to amend rates was made not because of the articles in the Journal but because the Mayor's Office received a call from Bayonne officials.

Presumably, those officials repeated the information printed in Monday's newspaper:


Along those same lines, we'll be taking credit for world peace.

Engineers Realize After 100 Years Writing Best Left To English Majors

Stevens Institute of Technology may not have a student newspaper this fall. Apathy has lead to a decline in membership at the 101 year old paper, and now staff members are stuggling to find an executive board. Dozens of people will miss the paper.

Sixth Street Still In the News, Lawsuits Promised

By now, everyone should be aware that developer Steve Hyman wants to turn Sixth Street in housing. The City has promised it can stop the development if they want, and Hyman has promised lawsuits for the next three centuries. Jersey City Vibe has drawn comparisons to the 111 controversy.

All this talk of the embankment leaves us wondering if we couldn't come up with some ideas of our own:

Elevated Housing
Since the embankment is historic, the develper could restore the structure and build his houses along the top. Since most of the surrounding neighborhoods are only three and four stories tall, these elevated houses would have a great view of the city.

Car Park
Lots of people have mentioned tearing down the embankment and building a park. Why not build parking instead? Demand for parking in the downtown has only increased, and we're certain many of the area residents would be happy to have a gauranteed parking space when they came home at night.

Cross Town Freeway
Traffic has been increasing in downtown too, so its probably long overdue to build another highway. A spur could be dropped from the Turnpike and run over the existing sixth street embankment directly to the Newport Mall, there by relieving congestion of weekend shoppers who flock there hoping to buy socks and scented candles.

Before you post your nasty comments, let us say our suggestions are in jest. Can you blame us for having a little fun?

Topiary and Potted Plants All The Rage While The Rest of us Would Settle for a Parking Space

Luxury rentals are not new to the Hudson waterfront. But it seems adding pools and doormen and corian counter tops just isn't enough. Now people want landscaping. That's right, according to the New York Times, gardens, terraces, and patios are the new way to stand out in the luxury rental market.

Parades and Parties: Always something happening in JC

In what seems to us a never ending supply of cultural parades, this weekend brought the Bolivian parade to the downtown. Of course, dojo-mojo was there with a camera.

Meanwhile, Dojo-Mojo also points us to to a gallery of images from a Chalk Party at Exchange Place. We've never even heard of a chalk party, but we're guessing it involves sidewalks and chalk.

Hoboken Is the New Trenton

Last week, Hoboken was cited as the home of several powerful politicians. With all the drinking that goes on in the state house, its not really a surprise that politicians would want to live so close to the Hoboken bar scene. But in a further attempt to create a scandal, the Journal points out that Jon Corzine's former lover apparently also lives in Hoboken, in the same building!

This is too much for us to handle: People sleeping together living near each other? We think ex-lovers should be banned from New Jersey on principle alone.

When Is A City Finally A City?

Dojo-Mojo continues to contemplate the earlier story about Jersey City's new status as a real city, brought on as we reported by the New York Sun's declaration that Jersey City finally has a skyline.

We remember a few years back an article that ran in the New York Times placing the blame on JC's low foot traffic on the Newport Mall. We don't think this is accurate. After all, Hoboken has plenty of foot traffic and residents there are just as close to the Newport Mall.

Instead, we would argue that the Warehouse district has done a very good job of cutting Newport off from the downtown. We also think the empty lots along Christopher Columbus Drive have cut the western Downtown neighborhoods off from the waterfront. The aging high rise complex along Montgomery street just east of city hall doesn't exactly make for a nice walk in that direction either. And then there are those giant parking lots in front of Liberty Towers that are not exactly pedestrian friendly.

With new developments under construction on the last of the empty lots between Grove Street and Washington Blvd under way, more people in the Van Vorst, Harsimus Cove, and Hamilton park will have a safe corridor to walk to the downtown. The Warehouse district is finally getting some needed development, and if the various lawsuits cease within the year, a reliable residential and retail district would emerge bridging the gap between Newport and the financial waterfront. Finally, we'll also say that the two large parking lots in front of Liberty towers need to be built on, hopefully with a mix that includes retail space.

Of course, the shopping complex that includes Shoprite, Bed Bath and Beyond, Costco and other various big box stores don't help. Their parking lots create a barrier for pedestrians between Washington Blvd and the residential community to the west. But as the value of land in Jersey City rises, the demand to build up on these lots will make big box stores obsolete.

Restricting development and having a walkable downtown community are two incongruos goals. Dense residential developments mean more people to shop at retail stores. Retail stores need more customers to be sustainable. After all, how many scented candles can one person buy?

Yield To Pedestrians: Its The Law

Blogger Where Is The Remote? was nearly killed while crossing the street. We'd like to remind everyone that in New Jersey, drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. There are three specific statutes, each worth 2 points on your license:


N.J.S.A. 39:4-35 Failure to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk

N.J.S.A. 39:4-36 Failure to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk; Passing a vehicle yielding to pedestrian in crosswalk

N.J.S.A. 39:4-66.1 Failure to yield to pedestrians or vehicles while entering or leaving highway

NJ MVC

Tuesday's Explosions Make Thursday's Paper

When things explode in Jersey City, the Jersey Journl is there. Keep in mind, Dojo-Mojo was there first.

"A similar incident occurred last week in West New York when an overheated underground powerline apparently ignited sewer gas, sending two manhole covers flying."

We thought that only happened in the movies.

Grocery Store Wars: Revenge of the Snob

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the grocery store...

One downtown resident posed the question on JCList: Will Downtown Ever Get a REAL Supermarket?

"You appear a snob: Pathmarks local and it's cheap. And you aren't royalty." reponds another resident.

Maybe we're a bit snobbish, or maybe we just like food. Either way, here's what we think of the local supermarkets:


A&P
The cleanest of the three supermarkets, A&P is a large store with a good selection. A&P has a great selection of foreign foods, and we’ve always counted on them when we want our European brands. The quality of produce is sometimes spotty, although perhaps it is the best of the three. However, we’ve essentially stopped going here because of poor management. The checkout lines are far too long. The cashiers never seem to know what they are doing, and every time we’ve gone there we are left thinking that they are in a perpetual state of crisis. Compared to other, suburban A&P’s, this store is awful.

Selection: B
Cleanliness: B+
Overall Experience: B-

PathMark
The very first thing we noticed when we entered the store was that the whole place smelled like garbage. This odor is not what you want when you are shopping for food you hope to consume. The fresh produce seemed pretty good, but again, we were so turned off by the stench, we wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t pre-packaged. We like the fact that there is a Bank of America in the store, but that really isn’t enough for us to fall in love. The store seems a little dirty too, which may account for the smell. We like that there are self checkout lanes in the store, but wonder if perhaps they should have worked to fix the other problems plaguing the store before installing such high end technology.

Selection: B
Cleanliness: C-
Overall Experience: C

ShopRite
This behemoth seems to be the mainstay for downtown Jersey City. It is easily accessible not only by car, but light rail and can easily be walked to for many residents. Produce at ShopRites around New Jersey have never had the best reputation, as far as we are concerned. Our local ShopRite seems to fit the profile, sometimes having high quality produce, sometimes selling half rotten vegetables. As long as you are flexible, you should be able to find something that is fresh, but there is never a guarantee of finding what you are craving. The product selection is decent, though they could stand to have more high end items, like gourmet cheese. The “gourmet” cheese hardly is. The highlight for us is that in the back there is a liquor store where wine and spirits can be bought. ShopRite would probably be improved by adding some self checkout lanes. The little televisions on each line are a bit of technological excess, but doesn’t help make the line any shorter.

Selection: B-
Cleanliness: B
Overall Experience: B

Explosions Rock City Hall, Fail to Wake Us Up

Apparently, two manholes exploded last night in front of City Hall causing lights to flicker and televisions to go crazy. Of course, Dojo-Mojo was there to take pictures.

Sixth Street Embankment Makes The Times

Jersey City's Sixth Street embankment has made the New York Times as preservationists push to turn the old elevated rails into a park. The usual comparisons to New York's future High Line and the Promenade Plantee in Paris are made. But Jersey City is not Paris, and things could still fall apart.

Your Congressman Would Like You To Know

Congressman Menendez brought $15 Million to Hoboken from the federal government, and another $8 Million for Jersey City. $10 Million will be spent on sections of Hoboken's waterfront walkway [coincidentally, we're still waiting for the Port Authority to finish their small swath between Hoboken and JC].

Obviously, not everyone is happy:
"It's a complete waste of money," said the avid cyclist. "I would argue that the area has had its fair share of funding. Hoboken and Jersey City are fine as compared to cities north of Hoboken and south of Jersey City."

Yet, we have to say, we don't really care about cities north of Hoboken or south of Jersey City, so we're rather happy this money is pouring in.

Duffle Bag Watch: Day 8

We'll stand by our previous statements that random bag searching is absolutely useless, and we've found someone who can prove it:

I was lucky enough to be asked to have my bag searched at Grove St. this morning. The officer informed me I could say no, but wouldn't be allowed to use the Path system. So I took a $3.00 cab ride to Pavonia/Newport and got on there. Not a single cop in sight at Newport. Random bag searches don't work, it's just for show.
[JCList]

We feel safer already.

Artists Take City Hall By Storm, Contaminate Blog With Back to Back Posts

Artists invaded City hall over the weekend, and of course, Dojo-Mojo was there with a camera.

Sidebar:
We're beginning to wonder, Dojo-Mojo, do you do anything other than run around taking pictures? Its not that we're complaining, but you are exhibiting super human time management skills.

Artists And Retail Developers Strike Balance, Create Super Mutant City Where Everyone Gets Along

Hoboken is probably better known for ripping down old industrial sites and replacing them with shiny new yuppie filled condos. But, according to the New York Times, a small section of the Northwest corner of the city is artist friendly and getting redeveloped. How is this possible you ask? The local artists are the center piece of the project, much like props on a stage. The developer is hoping the artist community will help draw boutiques to its 72,000 square feet of retail space.

Meanwhile, Jersey City still can't figure out how to strike a compromise in its warehouse district where 111 First street is neither occupied nor demolished.

Here's Looking At You Kid

Where Is The Remote? Has gone and seen the miracle that is the winking Jesus. The Apocalypse is now.

Garden Goes Up In Hamilton Park

Over the weekend, Friends of Hamilton Park did some planting, installing flower beds and and shrubbery in the park. Dojo-Mojo was there, and as usual, captured the whole thing in pictures.

Broth Overrated, Houses Cool

Mister Snitch! points out that we accidentally dropped "broth" from the Clam Broth House when we wrote up a quick bit about plans for the place.

We really aren't that into soup.

If You See It In the Sun

The New York Sun has declared that Jersey City has an Official Skyline. We don't really know if the article is actually interesting to read, since we aren't a subscriber, but if you are one of the five people who pay for internet news, tell us about it.

Duffle Bag Watch: Day 7

One week later, bag searches are still under way. Now it seems that some New Yorkers are looking to allow racial profiling of bag searches.

Meanwhile, 1,500 miles away in Minnesota, they're writing about our unique experiment in suspending the constitution:

"a 35-year-old woman named Eve Holbrook...[had]...a police officer paw through her belongings [gave] her "a sense of comfort," she said. "I went up there of my own free will."

I don't pretend to understand Holbrook's motivation: Did she think she might have accidentally slipped a bomb into her briefcase that morning?"

And we didn't think anyone in the midwest had any sense at all.

Clam Broth House Saga Continues

In an epic story arc even George Lucas couldn't have come up with, the Clam Broth House is set to be resurrected. The new building is two stories taller than the land is zoned for, and no one seems to like the roof line. Is life in Hoboken really so perfect this is all there is to talk about?

Grocery Store Wars Heats Up

We've talked about the coming of Fresh Direct. Then we warned you of C-Town's hot refridgerators. Now in the next battle for Grocery Store Supremacy, Stop and Shop is about to go up against Jersey City.

The plan is to build a new super Stop and Shop, five times larger than the existing store. But officials want to build a school. So do residents. With the way things are going, local residents are going to need to find food the old fashioned way: hunting and gathering.

Lafayette Safe Enough for School Children

The somewhat neglected Lafayette neighborhood of Jersey City has been on the rebound since the Light Rail connection a few years back. Now, its safe enough for school children.

By September, the conversion of the Whitlock Cordage factory into apartments will bring nearly 200 affordable housing and 130 Market rate units to the area.

Developer Completes Deal For Sixth Street

The Sixth Street embankment, which has been the subject of debate for months now, has been purchased by a developer who hopes to turn the property into housing.

City officials have said the purchase will not change their resolve to sieze the property through eminent domain. However, now that the property has been transfered to the developer, the city could face a long legal battle.