Hardward Upgrades

We've been upgrading some of our content production hardware. Our usual postings and photo updates will resume by the end of the week.

Bits & Briefs

Jersey Pearl
The New York Post discovers Jersey City. Most interesting tidbit-- only 8 units remain in the North Tower of the Shore Club.

Tea for Two
Jersey Journal shows Janam Indian Tea Shop the love.

NJ Transit study to determine light rail's impact
Next week officials ask whether people prefer jet packs or flying cars.

Hoboken Southwest Development
Hoboken411 has a bit about redeveloping the southwest corner of Hoboken with 8 story buildings.

Land Values Could Close Icon

The Jersey Journal is reporting
that the Flamingo Bar and Diner is being sold, and listed at $4 Million, suspects the four story building will soon be replaced with something newer, and taller, to justify the sale price.

No doubt the neighborhood that the Flamingo once served is changing. Montgomery-Greene, a new condominium tower across the street is set to open in a few months. And a block south, 77 Hudson Street is under construction, the soon to be tallest residential building in the state. While these buildings, and the fact that many empty lots around the area that support large scale development are quickly disappearing, are certainly driving up property values, the new influx of residents probably need a place to eat.

The neighborhood is one that for the last few years has largely consisted of office towers, and come 5 o'clock, or on the weekends, has been particularly quiet. As an example, the Au Bon Pain further east on the same block doesn't even open on the weekend. The new residential units under construction will transform the once business oriented district into a 24-hour city, but this may have come too late for the Flamingo.

Meanwhile, despite the high price tag, the sliver of property bound by 101 Hudson and Greene Streets, may not give way to a large building considering the size of the property and proximity to the tower.

Below, the Flamingo Bar at the Corner of Greene and Montgomery:

"Jersey City has geography going for it."

Justin Woods has an interesting albeit brief interview with Bloustin School Dean James Hughes. Another choice quote:

"there is more office space in Jersey City then there is in downtown Pittsburgh Penn."

Bits & Briefs

Kvetching about condos
As Toll Brothers push forward with plans to build towers on the Manischevitz factory site, activists want to be part of the dialogue. Half the Manischevitz property is outside the PAD, and recent variances for 111 First Street might set a precedent that allows Toll to go higher.

Housing Market Heats Up
Apparently the housing crash is over, at least in the metro region. Bidding wars are back just in time for the spring collections.

Trump's local apprentice
Architect Dean Geibel is interviewed regarding the Trump Tower. Rumors of the demise of the second tower are greatly exaggerated; Geibel says the abatement payment to the city has been made, and at a cool $1.6 million, you can bet they're going to be building the other tower.

New construction coming to train terminal area
Hoboken's rail yards might not be getting as much attention as those in Brooklyn or the west side of Manhattan, but developers could soon be dreaming just as big. Hoboken's council has approved a planning board study calling for the redevelopment of the yards. Half the yards of course are in Jersey City, north of the Newport redevelopment property.

8 Towers, Park, Retail Planned for Metro Plaza

The architectural firm Arquitectonica has posted new renderings of the Metropolitan, the 67 story tower planned for the northeast corner of the Metro Plaza shopping center where Pep Boys is now. Included with the renderings on the architect's website is a short description:

"A total of eight residential buildings are planned, which surround a newly developed park... Retail lines the park and the newly created boulevard, offering both boutique and big box options"

Via Wired Forums

Snow Day

Hopefully most of you folks didn't need to drive anywhere today. From about 7:30 on this morning, heavy ice began coating the streets faster than the sanitation department could throw down salt.

The skin piercing ice hasn't stopped us from taking a stroll though.



We'll be updating with more photos as we process them, but for now take a look at the pictures we have of Jersey City in the Snow, er, Ice

111 First Street Demolition

We aren't the only ones taking pictures of the demolition of 111 First Street. One intrepid photographer ventured inside to get some first hand look at the destruction. Whether you're pro-conservation or pro-demolition, these photographs have an artistic aesthetic we don't usually capture and are probably worth taking a look at.

Via JCList

Condos, Retail Coming to Bates Street

Heritage Plaza, better known as the somewhat depressed Pathmark Strip mall has for many downtown residents been a line of demarcation segregating the gentrified historic neighborhoods from the rest of Jersey City. Mushroom Development seems ready to change that though with the proposed Bates Project.

This 12 story, 129 condo tower is tentatively scheduled to break ground this spring at Colden and Bates Streets, one block north of Grand Street. The building will have 8 commercial units. Bates Street, for those of you unfamiliar with the area, is one block west of Monmouth, just west of the McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Pathmark shopping center.

Via Wired Forum

The Multi-Million Dollar Apartment Arrives

The New York Times, in their usual timely manner has a bit about the arrival of the $2 Million Plus condo. The Beacon is presently Jersey City's winner at $2.3 million, though Trump has one listed at $2.5. Hoboken's W Hotel has a $4.4 million unit.

Preservation, Skyscrapers and You

John Lumea gets down and dirty with preservation proposals, conservation, architecture and the future of urbanism in his essay NIMBYopolis. Few essays can sharply criticize pervasive contemporary views on architecture, conservation and zoning while coherently comparing a rural town in Kentucky with the Lower East Side and all the while citing Jane Jacobs and referencing Greek Goddesses. If you read just one academic architectural blog entry today, make this the one.

Via Curbed

Steuben Street Getting 18 Units

GlobeSt.com is reporting that 154 Steuben Street will soon see 18 units rise from a parking lot located there. The building is being built by TreeTop of New York, and Fields Development, responsible for Waldo Lofts, among others downtown.

154 Steuben is located just north of Columbus Plaza and Tower with this neighborhood fast becoming the heart of the new downtown. At the end of Steuben Street is the proposed Morgan Point. A block north of there is the Manishevitz property bought recently by Toll Brothers, and speculation has said there could soon be a 40 story tower on that property. Just to south of Columbus Plaza is the Metropolis Towers property where two proposed 25 story towers and several mid-rise buildings could soon be built.

Via Wired Forums

Park Posts Signs Banning Balls, Fun

Hamilton Park's ball regulations now have the full force of posted signs. The activists who lobbied for the signs cite safety as main issue here since balls are hazardous. Think of the children after all.

As you can see below, the park is far too dangerous for anyone to play with balls in the park.



Citing safety concerns sunbathing, hand holding, and book reading may also be banned. Magic the Gathering still okay.

PATH To Offer Service Alerts By Email

The Port Authority is now offering electronic service alerts by email so all you fancy folks with blackberries will know when not to take the PATH. Users can sign up here and select advisories for specific trains and time schedules.

Via Jersey Journal

Map Service Provides Subway, PATH Routing, Time Estimates

A little service called GypsyMaps has mashed together MTA and PATH subway maps to produce an all inclusive regional transportation trip planner. Even better, the service estimates walking times between stations, and accounts for the time of day when coming up with a trip duration estimate. We wanted to make a joke about Staten Island here, but even they have been included by way of the ferry.

Unlike previous services we've seen, GypsyMaps seems to understand how people actually ride mass transit. For instance, we tested out the service with a few addresses, one from Jersey City to a random street in Staten Island. Other services we've seen would have sent us through 34th Street with stops in Queens and Albany, but GypsyMaps gets things right. Not that anyone would want to go to Staten Island (oh, and there it is), but just in case you do, the service can tell you how.

Via Curbed