Jersey City After the Blizzard of 2009

The Grove Street PATH Station entrance at Grove Street and Columbus Drive


Bank of America was one of the few Newark Avenue businesses not shoveled out by late morning


Jersey Avenue


Newark Avenue and Jersey Avenue


3rd and Erie Street


3rd Street


1st Street

As Seen on TV: Mercy, Episode 2 Locations

Enos Jones Park plays host to the softball team. Just like in the real Jersey City, everyone is drunk while playing softball.



The rear of PS 5 pretends to be the exterior of Mercy Hospital.

Lucky 7, Basic Cafe Star in NBC Drama

Tonight is the premiere of NBC's Mercy, a hospital drama set in a fictional Jersey City hospital. Although the hospital interiors of the show are shot in a vacant Paterson hospital, many scenes from the pilot have been shot in and around downtown Jersey City.

The drama focuses on three nurses. The show opens with Iraq veteran nurse Veronica enjoying a cup of coffee in local cafe, Basic, on the corner of Eighth and Erie. And as happens all too often at Erie Street, two cars slam into each other at the corner, just outside the cafe.

Another familiar spot is Lucky 7, a bar on Second and Coles. The three nurses have a scene sitting on the balcony of the local nightspot; the balcony is not normally open to patrons.

Mercy airs tonight at 8 on NBC.


Basic cafe, where the audience is introduced to Veronica

Hoboken Now Gets Facelift, Gets More Internety

Jersey Journal blogs Hoboken Now and Hudson County Now recently received a facelift. The previously cumbersome design has been replaced with a more modern look and feel, and the biggest change has been converting the byline's into links, allowing users to find pots by particular reporters, just like a real blog. Also more prominent are social networking features such as comments, previously stuck at the end of long posts. However, tags and categories have been removed, a curious omission for a blog.

United Water Tells City to Boil Water

United Water posted an alert advising Jersey City residents to boil water before consumption due to their inability to provide clean drinking water.

Bar Guide Launched for Jersey City

JerseyCityBarGuide.com, a new, locally operated bar guide has been launched online, promising comprehensive reviews and claims to present more information than existing guides. We're not amused. But we have to admit the site looks sharp. Cheers, JerseyCityBarGuide, you win this round.

Jersey City Post Offices Survive First Round

The US Postal Service has been losing money. The constitutionally required agency plans on cutting service branches to save money. Jersey City and Hoboken are not on the list of proposed cuts (PDF), but several in Newark as well as a branch in Battery Park are.

This list is of course preliminary, and no doubt beltway politics will play be taken into account before any closures actually happen.

Last year the Lafayette post office closed in Jersey City for security reasons, and never reopened.

Hoboken, Downtown Foreclosures on Par with Manhattan

The New York Times has mapped foreclosures in the region with all sorts of pretty colors. Downtown Jersey City and Hoboken are fairing well, particularly compared to the outer boroughs. A high rate of foreclosures lowers home values in neighborhoods by flooding saturated housing markets with additional stock. The real lesson gleaned from the Time's map however is the further from the island a neighborhood is, the higher rate of foreclosure.

Healy Wins Mayor's Race Spending $185 per Vote

Mayor Healy avoided a runoff election yesterday by garnering 53 percent of the vote, or 16,231 votes. Healy spent more than $3 million on the campaign, costing him $185 a vote and besting Mike Bloomberg's $92 a vote and surpassing Corzine's 2000 Senate race cost per vote. Don't worry though, Healy contributors, you'll earn that back through patronage jobs and no bid contracts in no time.

Also fairing well was Steve Fulop, the Ward E councilman who won his race with 60 percent of the vote.

In Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer and Peter Cammarano will face a runoff election, each getting about 35 percent of the vote.

Vote Today, 6AM to 8PM

Today is election day in Jersey City and in Hoboken, the one day in four years to replace local politicians without indictments. We've endorsed Dan Levin for Mayor and Steve Fulop for Ward E. The Jersey Journal endorsed Lou Manzo for Mayor and Steve Fulop for Ward E. If that's not enough information for you, The Jersey City Independent has a full section on the issues.

Over in Hoboken, the Jersey Journal endorsed Peter Cammarano. Hoboken411 has a summary of who else is running.

Meanwhile, Tris McCall counted up the campaign signs around the city.

Fireworks to Return to Hudson

NewYorkology discovered Macy's has moved the Independence Day fireworks display to the Hudson River, sinking plans for an East River barge. Brooklyn's loss is Hudson County's gain, with five barges planned for the Hudson River. Hoboken will have a better view than Jersey City; in fact, the barges will begin at 24th Street and work north towards 50th Street, once again snubbing viewers in Liberty State Park. After several years of positioning a barge off of lower Manhattan, Macy's up and shut down the downtown barge, and then convinced the New York Fire Department to prohibit Jersey City from launching their own barge. It seems New York maintains dominion over the Hudson River. For the last two years, a fireworks display has been launched from the ground at Liberty State Park.

Winter Storm of 2009

Van Vorst Park and Montgomery Street


Hudson Street with light rail tracks


Manhattan Skyline from Hudson and Montgomery Street


Waterfront from Exchange place looking south


Paulus Hook with Goldman Sachs and 77 Hudson Street towers


Third Street


Powerhouse


Third Street


Second Street


York Street along Van Vorst Park


Mercer Street at Jersey Avenue

JC Independent Officially Launches, Conquers World

The Jersey City Independent officially launched today. We've mentioned before, but will say it again, we think independent journalism projects like these will soon supplant old media (read: newspapers).

We're So Famous

The Jersey Journal's possible future closure has created quite a stir on the internet (not that the paper knows what the internet is). Apparently there is a whole Facebook Group dedicated to saving the beleaguered paper. The Jersey City Independent, an online paper posed to supplant the Journal after its imminent closure, writes up a bit about the group hoping to save the Journal; more importantly, we're quoted. The Independent also may have inadvertently stumbled onto the root of the Journal's problems: the Journal has cut its editorial staff from 36 to 13 over the last seven years, and their newest solution is cutting even more.

Weekend Blood Letting in Area Newspapers, Journal Could be Next

The parent company of the Trentonian filed for bankruptcy over the weekend, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer, the third oldest daily paper in the country. Both papers serve south Jersey. Jersey City's Jersey Journal warned earlier this month that the paper would also be facing closure as early as April.

The Journal has been struggling in recent years. In 2005, in an effort to attract more readers, the paper went from a standard broadsheet format to a tabloid size. At the time, the move was seen as risky but necessary.

Print news has been hit from all angles in recent years. Classified ads, the one time bread and butter of the newspaper industry has largely been replaced by internet sites like Craigslist. Subscriber bases have declined too as readers began consuming news online free of charge. Meanwhile, the internet has also increased competition allowing citizen journalists access to the same readers as professional news organizations.

One such project is the Jersey City Independent, an online only news site focusing on Jersey City. The Independent provides the online news coverage the Journal should have been providing all along.

The Journal does not have its own website, instead publishing off of its parent company's brand NJ.com. One of the problems with NJ.com is that news articles on the site disappear from the internet after just two weeks, depriving the site of archival ad revenue. On the other hand, online publications remain available since their inception.

NJ.com has experimented with more modern formats, such as the blogs Hudson County Now and Hoboken Now. Largely though these efforts in the online realm have been, in internet parlance, a fail. For instance, Hoboken Now competes directly with independent news site Hoboken411. Hoboken411 produces vast quantities of content and maintains a loyal reader base on a minimal budget; NJ.com blogs on the other hand consist of multiple staff members and are not robust enough to conform to standards of internet publications. Standard internet practice includes linking to multiple sources, providing readers a richer experience; instead, NJ.com most often links to NJ.com, limiting the usefulness of the site.

Meanwhile, the Hudson County weekly paper, The Hudson Reporter has reinvigorated its web presence with a site redesign. The free paper best known for collecting unread on city stoops has refreshed its web portal to provide timely news and regular updates as well as accept reader content.

The Jersey Journal may not exist come April, but the Jersey City residents will not be wanting for news. The very reasons the Journal faces an uphill battle-- competition from the internet-- has made for better information available to readers. If the Journal cannot survive, its only because someone built a better mousetrap.

Sweeter Side of Jersey City

Cocoa Bakery and Cafe is coming to Liberty Harbor North, a few doors down from Edible Arrangements. The bakery and cafe is the product of pastry chef Jessica Isaacs of notable Manhattan eatery, Nobu.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, the Made with Love Organic Bakery will soon be replacing Sweet Priscilla. The new bakery is just a few doors away from cookie factory Feed Your Soul.



Cocoa Bakery Cafe
Made With Love

As Economy Collapses, Housing Suddenly Abundant

The Harbor Lights development in the Powerhouse Arts District is trying to attract buyers by offering loans directly from the developer to help cover the costs of closing and acquiring a mortgage. Dixon Mills, the rental to condo conversion is hosting a restaurant tasting just to attract prospective buyers to the property.

As the market sours, Jersey City's condominium boom has turned to a glut. Some recently completed towers are half dark at night while construction on other sites like Liberty Harbor North crawls along.

Large rental towers are feeling a hit too. Newport for instance, began heavily advertising online and in subway cars this summer, something the mostly rental complex has avoided. Anecdotal evidence suggests too that Metropolis Towers, another large downtown complex known for traditionally more affordable rents has vacancies rather than waiting lists.

Last year Grove Pointe and 50 Columbus, two of the newest rental towers downtown opened to great fanfare and reports that both towers quickly filled with eager renters providing hope that the downtown market was still solid. It seems a lot has changed in six months as the economy worsens.

The rental market in Jersey City is probably feeling multiple effects. Manhattan rents have actually declined year over year, meaning the handful of renters who still have jobs are moving up. Also, Jersey City's waterfront workforce is largely dependent on financial firms; many of these workers live in the downtown as well. As the financial employees face uncertain futures, Jersey City is getting hit twice, in the office and the residential markets.

Finally, Jersey City has in recent years become a stop over for recent college graduates priced out of Manhattan or trendier Brooklyn neighborhoods. But without new jobs for recent graduates, many of these potential new residents are probably choosing to make their parents their new landlords.

Small time landlords are beginning to notice that properties that once could easily be rented above the previous year's leasing price are sitting vacant. Still though, many smaller new construction and rehabilitation projects continue moving forward. Renovations on brownstones throughout the historic neighborhoods continue to progress. New construction on Newark Avenue continues-- a crane was recently erected for 215 Newark Avenue, a six story project.

For now, housing has suddenly become a surplus, after years of market driven shortages. Eventually though, the economy will rebound, and the demand for housing will return; the post economic apocalypse surge in demand will certainly drive recently deflated prices above their highs-- and beyond.

Election Returns Beginning at 8PM

Hudson County is one of the more advanced counties when it comes to providing ordinary citizens with election night results. The Clerk's Website provides fairly up to date election returns as the data comes in. No doubt Hudson County's electronic voting machines help. In the past, the clerk's website begins showing some returns shortly after polls close at 8PM.

Chances are that Hudson County will be voting heavily for Obama and the Democratic slate. The real question of interest however, is how high will the percentage of voter turnout be. Anecdotal evidence suggests record breaking turn out this year. Hudson County reports 351,491 registered voters, and the Clerk's website will offer a total voter turnout number, absentee turnout, and most importantly, provisional ballots cast.

Provisional ballots could make returns a long night. Voters who are turned away from the normal polling booths can request a provisional ballot which is cast, and tallied later. If the provisional ballots cast are greater than the margin of victory, then the provisional ballots will need to be counted. First however, each provisional ballot must be determined as having been cast by a legitimate voter.

Either way, stay tuned to the Hudson County Clerk's Live Election Coverage.

Long Lines, Confusion Expected at Polling Places

Record voter turnout is expected to cause long lines at polling places across the country. Confusion for first time voters may add to problems. The division of elections should have sent sample ballots with poll locations to residents; some people have not yet received their sample ballots.

Luckily, New Jersey residents can locate their polling place on the state Division of Elections website (Note that numbered streets downtown require numerals; do not spell out the street name. For example, enter "1st Street", not "First Street").

Meanwhile, several Jersey City voting wards in the downtown change locations last year. Parts of Hamilton Park and Newport residents have the opportunity to vote in the Holland Garden housing projects; some might argue this was a political stunt to benefit the machine (we're looking at you, Mr. Mayor).

Any voter denied the right to vote can insist on receiving a provisional ballot.

UPDATE
A commenter pointed out that the Metropolis Towers polling place still lists a Henderson Street address, which no long exists.

Concorde to Visit Jersey City

A British Airways Concorde will be making a stop in Jersey City this weekend before heading back to the Intrepid, reports the NY Times. Pulled by a tugboat, the aircraft will arrive this afternoon and spend a weekend at a Jersey City boatyard.

Housing Projects Slated for Demolition

The NY Times reports that Montgomery Gardens, a six tower housing project, will be demolished within two years. Rumors of their demise first appeared in March of 2007.

The nearly sixty year old towers have long been seen as an obstacle to the western expansion of gentrification. Sitting prominently on Montgomery Street a few blocks from the elevated Turnpike extension, the projects lay between the McGinley Square area and historic Van Vorst Park. More recently, luxury condominiums began opening in the Beacon, the former Jersey City Medical Center redevelopment that borders the Montgomery Gardens projects.

Crime has plagued the towers, with the city installing CCTV cameras in the buildings, hoping to thwart violent acts. The projects are also a lightening rod whenever downtown residents become crime victims.

Committing to the demolition of the structures leaves the city with a once in a generation opportunity to reinvent affordable housing. Various proposals under consideration -- submitted by four developers -- have the chance to integrate modern urban planning concepts including the integration of mixed incomes, easy access to employment and necessities.

One amenity seen as a must in the new development is a grocery store. Access to fresh food and grocery stores is one of the greatest problems facing the urban poor; transportation between housing and a grocery store is costly, and often leads to an unhealthy diet of high fat processed foods which are readily available. Metrovest Equities, one of the four developers under consideration and the developer behind the Beacon, insists there will be a “superduper supermarket” if their proposal is selected.

One side effect of the demolition of the housing projects may be fewer residents in need of affordable housing. Current residents will need to find temporary housing during the demolition and construction of new housing. Often the process leads many residents moving onto different communities.

Clinton, Schumer Not Amused by Sixth Borough Analogies

The New York Senators secured $18 million for a New York reservist training facility, to be built in Staten Island. But Gothamist reports that the Army Corp of Engineers thinks a better location will be in Caven Point, in Jersey City. The New York Senators are none too thrilled, having never come across this blog.

Shopping Carts Infest Downtown

Shopping carts from discount retailer BJ's Wholesale Club have begun littering downtown Jersey City. Its not just bag ladies either; the carts are rumored to have appeared in the hallways of new luxury apartment towers.

So far, neither BJ's nor the city have done much in the way of cracking down on the abandoned carts. One solution the city could implement is simply fining BJ's Wholesale Club for every cart found around the city. The retailer would probably quickly figure out a way to keep their carts on their lot.


A BJ's cart is tucked beside a motorcycle on Wayne Street


Outside of Grove Pointe, a cart lurks filled with plastic bags


Columbus Drive


Columbus Drive and Marin Blvd

UPDATE

Found another one in the Italian Village, First Street.


UPDATE 2

Newark Avenue Parking Lot

Second Street. This is the nearest to BJ's of any of the carts, at just two blocks away. Also, someone was brown-bagging it and left their bottle in the cart.

Condos Approved for St. Boniface

Saint Boniface, formerly a Catholic church, will be converted into 14 apartments, as noted by Jersey City Reader. The historic preservation commission has granted approval for the conversion, a necessary step in the protected neighborhood.

A total of 21 units will be built on the property, including 3 in the rectory, and four more in a lot on second Street. All the units will share a common courtyard.

The church is on First Street between Jersey Avenue and Erie Street.


The rear of the church is attached to parking lot that connects to Second Street. The lot will be removed and a new building erected. Some residents are concerned that the neighborhood will be short on parking, but apartments make better neighbors than parking lots or garages.


Another angle of the parking lot




The historic preservation commission was concerned about the loss of the stained glass windows, though vandals and time have already done their part







The rectory building adjacent to the church will also be converted to apartments

Fireworks Start at 9:15

Tonight's fireworks display in Liberty State Park kicks off at approximately 9:15. The best viewing is from in the Park, but downtown locations along the Morris Canal will likely see most of the action, though will not see any ground displays. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail provides access to Liberty State Park at the Liberty State Park Station.

Downtown traffic usually gets crowded starting around 8pm, with all vehicles headed east for the fireworks display and local streets in Paulus Hook, south of Grand Street, are closed to traffic. Local Paulus Hook traffic may not be allowed to pass through the barriers either, though in some cases residents can convince officers to let them in.

Embankment Development Plan Includes Wild Tower

Hoboken architectural firm Dean Marchetto Associates has posted online plans for the Sixth Street Embankment. While the developer Steve Hyman and local activists work out their issues in court, the rest of us can ponder just what exactly is intended here.

The strange plans call for housing to be built on top the embankment, but also include a wide area of park land along the the span of the embankment, including bridges over each section. Cars would be stored underneath the embankment, with the exterior preserved, minus a few holes for the cars to get in and out.

The plan though is not just limited to the Sixth Street embankment though. In addition, the master plan calls for converting the Metro Plaza shopping center into an "embedded big box mix use area." Someone needs to tell Dean Marchetto that "big box" and "mix use" are incompatible terms.

But that's not all. The plan also calls for a new signature tower to be built on the end of the pier at Sixth Street. The sail shaped building is depicted as standing twice the height of the existing Newport Center VII.

Finally, plan also calls for some form of redevelopment west of the turnpike at the far end of the Embankment, perhaps roughly corresponding to the location Hyman was looking to have rezoned in exchange for handing over the embankment to the city. Either way, this plan doesn't look like its happening anytime soon.

Rail Yard Development Unveiled

The Hoboken rail yards will eventually be a 54 acre mixed use development with high rise towers according to plans released last week. Three quarters of the land falls within Hoboken with the remainder in Jersey City bordering against Newport.

According to The Hudson Reporter, the project will cost as much as $500 million dollars. The masterplan was prepared by architectural firm FXFOWLE.

The NJ Transit rail yards present a major opportunity to physically unite Jersey City and Hoboken. For now, a vast expanse of undeveloped and industrial land exists on the north end of Jersey City with the rail yards a major obstacle between Hoboken and Jersey City. For instance, 700 Grove Street and the Zephyr Lofts, both in Jersey city but North of the rail lines, might as well be in Hoboken; there is no neighborhood to the south, only desolate parking lots and fenced in vacant land.

Developing the rail yard would provide a major opportunity to further transit oriented growth in New Jersey. Already, Hoboken property nearest the terminal is largely built out. Large vacant properties are only available in the western side of the city. Further, the value disparity has become more evident in the recent real estate downturn with eastern properties continuing to sell. In either case, Hoboken's terminal has not been used to maximum effectiveness as a transit center since property to the south and west over the rail yards are not being built out. Building on the rail yards will allow more residents or office workers to commute by more easily accessible trains.

Also to the immediate south of the Hoboken terminal is the northern end of the Newport property in Jersey City. NJ Transit is building a bridge over the a small canal that will connect Jersey City's waterfront to Hoboken at the rail terminal. When completed, the bridge will make Newport properties planned for the Hoboken / Jersey City border more desirable. The north side of the development is more than half a mile from the Pavonia-Newport PATH station, but less than a quarter mile from the Hoboken terminal when traveling over the new bridge.

The 54 acre rail yards are roughly the size of Liberty Harbor North. In that development, nearly 7,000 housing units and nearly a million feet of office space are planned. The final tally over the NJ Transit property may be higher though because Liberty Harbor North contains a significant amount of low and mid-rise buildings.

The rail yards project will certainly change the Hoboken skyline, but it will also make available more housing. But whatever happens, the project is years away from starting, and even further from completion.

Sales Slow, but Continue

Development in Hoboken's west side is slowing, but waterfront properties continue to sell according to the Times. The Toll Brothers waterfront projects continue to sell quickly, including Maxwell Place. Strong sales there could both provide incentives and capital to move forward with a three tower complex in Jersey City's Powerhouse District.

Meanwhile, on the west side of Hoboken where recently a movie theater broke ground, sales are slowing. Asking prices are the first round of negotiations down rather than the starting point for a bidding war. Some projects have since been converted to rentals. The Velocity for instance, the luxury project under construction next to Hoboken's low income projects has since gone rental. Similarly, the Cliff Lofts went from condo to rental last year as well. The Cliffs are technically in Jersey City, but sit at the base of the Palisade cliffs, across the street from Hoboken's Second Street light rail station.

Another area still booming is on the Jersey City border near Observer Highway. Several low rise projects are currently under construction along Paterson Plank Road at the intersection with Observer Highway. Also in the vicinity is 700 Grove, again, technically a Jersey City project, where some units remain available even though the building opened a year ago.

The strength of the real estate market is holding in the most desirable areas like waterfront locations and those in proximity to rail stations. However, deals can be found in regions farther from the core of gentrification and redevelopment.

Hudson Office Market Strong

The New York Times has a bit on New Jersey office real estate markets; construction on several projects in suburban north Jersey are moving forward. More importantly though, vacancy rates on Hudson coast are down to about 8 percent, and new projects are being planned including another tower in Hoboken.

Part of the continued strength comes from the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program in effect since January. 9 Cities qualify, including Hoboken and Jersey City. Under the program, office development within a half mile of designated transit hubs qualifies for state tax abatements.

New office towers are expected along the Gold Coast, but not immediately. Harborside Plaza 4 surfaced last year briefly, but before the credit crisis (coincidentally, happy birthday, Credit Crunch!). Newport has no immediate plans for new office towers; several additional residential towers are in various stages of approval there, but no new office towers. Hoboken's Waterfront Corporate Center has a third complex in the works, as noted in the Times. The Journal Square area does have several opportunities, and the hope is the development of the Harwood Towers will eventually bring more development there.

Still, many office development firms continue to insist on constructing suburban office parks, even as gasoline surpasses $4 a gallon. While suburban New Jersey office parks are currently asking a third of mid-town rents, and half of asking rents along the Gold Coast, unless fuel prices drop, employees may be less inclined to transfer into office space inaccessible to mass transit. The true effect of New Jersey's Urban Transit Tax Credit won't be realized for some time; the program has only been in effect for six months.

Urban Migration of College Grads May Slow

Over the next few weeks, colleges across the country will begin graduating a new class, sending thousands of young people into the job market. In years past, many freshly minted college graduates have flocked to New York City, and shortly after realizing they can't afford Manhattan, end up in the outer boroughs-- Brooklyn, Queens, and of course, Jersey City.

But this year may be very different than years past. The financial sector in New York could shed up to 36,000 jobs, making this year particularly difficult for new graduates as more experienced workers become job seekers. Meanwhile, as the economy slumps across the nation, upper middle class parents may be less inclined to support their precious young hipsters with rent subsidies.

In recent months, several former condominium projects planned for Jersey City have switched to rental projects. While credit may be hard to come by, people always need a place to live, and rentals can better weather the storm. However, if the supply of fresh young renters dries up, even the rental market could be hurt. The luxury rental towers are less likely to feel the pinch on this side of the river, with higher rents demanding more established young professionals. But a dearth of young hipsters will certainly begin reduce demand on brownstone apartment rentals, or larger luxury rental units that can be shared by roommates. Many new college graduates may opt to spend more time in their parent's suburban houses, rent free, or in cheaper college towns than make the move to the big city.

Still, the summer rental period is long. New job seekers are more likely to find employment in September than in June anyway, but its unlikely the economy will do an about face in four months. On the plus side, for those already in the market, this summer may be a great time time to find a good deal on a new rental.

McMansion Builders Turn to McSkyscrapers

Toll Brothers and K. Hovnanian get a reach around from CNN Money. Always on top of the news, CNN has broken the story that condominium towers cost more and carry more risk than single family homes.

Gleaning the most interesting bits from the article:

25% of 77 Hudson is sold
85% of 700 Grove has sold
90% of Maxwell Place is under contract.

Weekend Photo Update

77 Hudson Street
Liberty Harbor North
Lofts at Liberty Harbor
296 Grand Street
Ivy House
Crystal Pointe
Trump Tower
Westin Hotel Tower

Bits & Briefs

Winds Rip Roof
Hudson Now reports high winds blew off the roof of a warehouse in the powerhouse district.

Art Developers, Now Hear This
The Times cries about how much it sucks to be a unsuccessful hip artist priced out of a neighborhood that was gentrified by artists.

NJ Transit Finally to Break Ground on Waterfront Walkway

Hoboken Now is reporting that NJ Transit will officially break ground on the long overdue connection between Hoboken and Jersey City waterfront. The walkway, a grand park along the Hudson River that one day could theoretically connect Bayonne to the foot of the George Washington Bridge is being built in pieces. Private developers are compelled to build out their section of the walkway when seeking development approvals for construction along the water.

The NJ Transit portion of the walkway would bridge southern Hoboken with Jersey City at Newport. The Lefrak organization has built their portion of the walkway up to the currently under construction Aqua rental tower. The NJ Transit portion of the walkway will lead to no where until the Lefrak organization completes about a thousand feet of walkway in the northern quadrant. While the northern quadrant may not be built out for several years, the Lefraks have pledged to connect the existing walkway with NJ Transit's portion ahead of the planned high rises.

NJ Transit's portion of the walkway is seen as a critical link. The property, owned by NJ Transit could easily have been overlooked by an agency more concerned with operating buses and trains than building parks.

At present, there are a few holes in the walkway. At second street, construction of Crystal Pointe has temporarily closed a previously finished section of the walkway. The walkway continues through Exchange Place to Veteran's Park where a short segment of Essex Street is also disconnected. The walkway then continues south from the Morris Canal Park up to the under construction Liberty Harbor North.

AM New York Comes to Jersey City

AM New York has a bit on Jersey City. Really. Its the sort of article you would expect from a free daily paper.

Weekend Photo Updates

77 Hudson Street
110 First Street
Trump Towers
Ivy House
Crystal Pointe
213 Newark Avenue

Recent Photo Updates

Trump Tower
77 Hudson Street
Lofts at Liberty Harbor
Ivy House
369 Fifth Street
296 Grand Street
213 Newark Avenue
Gulls Cove
Chrystal Pointe
Aqua

Surprises & Disappointments: A Year of Construction

We started off last year running through a bunch of projects we expected would break ground. Some did, some didn't, here's a look back.

1. Majestic II
The Majestic II, soon to be officially branded as South Grove, broke ground at the end of November with a bang. The lot was cleared of the old structures including an old carpet store.

2. Columbus Corner
This project seems to have stalled, or perhap has disappeared altogether. The project includes rehabilitating a historic building on the corner of Columbus and Barrow, which has recently been occupied by an art gallery. Read More

3. Gulls Cove II Grand and Marin Tower
The lot on the corner of Marin and Grand has been by us and others, incorrectly referred to as Gulls Cove II. Either way, nothing has broken ground on the lot yet, though has served as a launch pad for Gulls Cove construction. The second phase of Gulls Cove, a low rise segment attached to the north end of the main tower does have foundations, and the main Gulls Cove tower should have occupancy early in 2008.

4. Metropolis Towers Expansion
While the low rise retail and amenities building between the two existing towers was leveled, nothing has happened with the anticipated two tower expansion or new parking garage. The national credit meltdown and slowing housing market may have put this project on hold indefinitely. Read more on the proposed expansion.

5. 217 Newark Avenue 213 Newark Avenue
The lot was sold last year and now is being developed by Brooklyn based Tree Top Development. The original plans scrapped, the new building is taller, and broke ground a few weeks back with a pile driver starting work.

6. 361 Newark Avenue
Last year we expected work to resume on the site; "after a quick demolition and pilings driven into the ground, work on the site mysteriously ceased. The developer apparently decided to go from six stories to twelve. It seems likely that construction on the new twelve story mini-tower will resume in 2007." Apparently not though. The only thing that changed on this lot in all of 2007 is the location of a mysterious blue van.

7. Morgan Point
Nothing has happened with this site on the corner of Marin, Morgan and Steuben Streets. The original plan for "Jersey City's Flat Iron" tower may be on hold until after the Power House District is rezoned, and presumably, the tower would gain some height.

8. Aqua
Not only has the Aqua broken ground, its nearly topped off. Blog JC Construction has some photos of the 31 story rental tower in the Newport section of the waterfront.

9. The Ellipse
Another Newport tower, the Ellipse may or may not have actually broken ground yet. Located on a pier in the Northeast of Newport, its entirely inaccessible and invisible from the public streets or public waterfront park while Aqua is under construction.

10 & 11. Grover Cleveland and Ulysses S. Grant
This pair of low rise Newport buildings are planned for the top of the Tenth Street embankment. There are a few pilings in the embankment, but nothing more has happened during the year. Newport development is relentless, and we expect any project from the Lefraks to eventually get built.

12. The Metropolitan
Pep Boys was supposed to have been gone by this summer. This tower is almost certainly a victim of the credit crunch and housing slowdown. Since the Metropolitan is to be the main attraction for a multi-tower redevelopment of Metro Plaza strip mall complex, we expect a tower to eventually go up on the site, once the credit market recovers.

13. & 14. San Remo & Monaco
There was a brief flurry of activity with these towers over the summer. Pilings were driven into an existing parking lot; a stack of metal appeared on the site. Then it all went a way, and the developer went before the planning board over a landscaping issue. We're a bit confused by all this. Read More

15. Harborside 4
This office tower has not broken ground, but has officially received the green light for construction. Midtown rents are on the rise and Jersey City's office market is beginning to get squeezed. All signs point to this building going up soon, just not before the New Year. Read More

16. Second Street Hudson Exchange Chrystal Pointe
The waterfront luxury residential tower is full steam ahead, albeit under a new name. Second street and the waterfront walkway is closed at the eastern tip to allow for construction with pilings actively under construction. read More

17. Manischewitz Site
We actually expected the old warehouse to be demoed already, but the Toll Brothers, new owners of the site, are fighting for upzoning-- a few high rise towers and an open plaza. Local activists are fighting the proposal, but the track record for this kind of thing in Jersey City certainly favors toll. We expect to see some tower rising in a year or two.

18. Van Leer Chocolate Factory
Clearing of the site began in the second half of 2007. But there is a lot to clear on this site with lots of rubble and concrete. Still, this is a major project that continues to move forward.

20. Belfuse
The Belfuse, a low rise building planned for Paulus Hook did break ground. Kinda, sorta. The site seems to still be under some sort of soil remediation, with pipes and plastic wrap over the whole lot. No construction equipment yet. Read More

Jersey City Market Avoids Meltdown

As housing markets across the country squirm, reeling from a credit crunch and overall slowing in demand for new homes, Jersey City continues forward with little impact.

Toll Brothers recently rated its Hoboken and Jersey City / City Living Division a B+, reports Alley Insider, and by contrast, the rest of the state gets a big fat D.

The Real Deal reports that so far there have only been a few foreclosures in Jersey City. But with thousands of units on the drawing board, The Real Deal also warns that while Jersey City's strength comes from its close associations with Manhattan, it could also spell doom for the local market since many buyers on the western banks of the Hudson are those who can't afford Manhattan-- and thus more likely to be at risk in an economic slow down.

So far though, credit and recession fears don't seem to be slowing the pace of construction at Jersey City's largest developments.

Jersey City Is The New London: Nanny State To Share Closed Circuit TV Cameras

If you've ever had the feeling like you're being watched, chances are you have, by closed circuit television systems. Jersey City is now working with NJ Transit to share access to cameras along the light rail line, according to the Jersey Journal. Oh, and just in case you think more CCTV make you safer, think again. London, the most watched city in the world, has recently discovered that higher density CCTV cameras don't necessarily correlate to lower crime rates. Here's looking at you kid.

Merrill Considers Jersey City

According to the NYPost, Merrill Lynch may expand facilities in Jersey City. This might very well be a bit of blustering to convince New York officials they deserve the same tax subsidies handed out to Goldman Sachs. On the other hand, Merrill already has offices on this side of the Hudson River, and building in Jersey City is faster and cheaper than Manhattan.

Merrill's interest in Jersey City along with last month's news that Jersey City's Office Market has tightened will likely mean new office buildings sprouting up next year. In recent years, the booming residential market meant most of Jersey City's new construction focused on residential towers; sites like 77 Hudson Street, originally planned as an office tower, is now under construction as luxury condos. Rumors have been circulating that several large residential projects may be on hold while the financial world sorts out the credit problems; hopefully renewed interest in Jersey City's office market will keep the city growing.

Get Your Trees On

If you've been wondering how to get a shade tree in front of your house, now's your chance. Jersey City is offering tree plantings for $50, but the deadline for this year is September 28th. Details and forms are available online Here

Via JCList

Downtown Cries for Voice in Government

Admit it, you probably didn't vote in the last election. Maybe you didn't even know when the last election was. If you stayed home on election day, then you're probably like a lot of downtown residents. Other wards in Jersey City have a much higher percentage of folks who turn out to vote on election day -- which might explain why City Hall pays more attention to neighborhoods west of the turnpike.

The Historic Paulus Hook Association is attempting to change all that with a new a website and voter registration drive. JCVote.org has all the information you need in order to register to vote. And if you have some time on your hands, they're also looking for volunteers to help register new voters at various locations around the downtown. Vote early, and vote often.

Museum Madness

The Courier Post has a short fluff piece discussing the Liberty Science Center makeover. In case you missed it, the 22 month long expansion nearly doubling the museum finished up this summer and the museum reopened.

Meanwhile, over at the Jersey City Museum, PR-GB.com reports on a performance of Tortilla Heaven staring Jade Esteban Estrada, as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

And in case neither of those interest you, Friday is JC First Fridays with art, performance, and retail events planned throughout the downtown.

Bits & Briefs

You live where?
The Financial Times of London jumps on the Jersey City bandwagon; Staten Island Jealous, Wonders Where London Is.

Credit crash creates a boon
"We have 3,000 units in the pipeline in Jersey City, spread out among five projects, and they are all rental."

Skinner's Loft to Open Wednesday!?
Or Not. We'll see.

City's Dirty Secret Tracked by Map Service

We probably are not the only ones thinking crime in the "safe" neighborhoods of Jersey City is on the rise with the spat of early summer muggings, car break ins, and recent rumors of late night gunshots. Well JerseyCityPortal has finally put together a useful service: a Crime Map that tracks incidents in and around the city. Oh, and just in case the downtown is too "safe" for you, JerseyCityPortal keeps track of shootings elsewhere in the city.

Restaurant Week Starts Monday

For all the foodies, Monday marks the beginning of Hudson County's Restaurant Week. Similar to New York's version, restaurant week features prix-fixe meals for various eateries in Jersey City, Hoboken, and elsewhere along the Gold Coast. For a full list of participating restaurants, prix-fixe pricing, and available days, visit Hudson Restaurant Week. Be warned, not every prix-fixe menu is a deal. Check out many of the restaurants' regular menus at Hudson Menus before making your reservations.

Macy's Tells Jersey City to Fuck Off, Buys NYFD

For the last three years, Macy's 4th of July Fireworks display has included East River locations for Manhattan and Brooklyn while a simultaneous display has been shot near the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty viewing was visible from Liberty State Park as well as Paulus hook on the northern bank of the Morris Canal in Jersey City.

But this year, Macy's has declined to include a Hudson River barge in their viewing area. Take a look at the Fireworks Viewing Map if you don't believe us.

Adding to the problem, the New York City Fire Department, acting along with Macy's, has declined to allow Jersey City access to the Hudson River for a display, citing an 1834 treaty, reports the Jersey Journal.

Jersey City will be shooting off fireworks from the ground on Liberty State Park, so the show will go on, no thanks to Macy's. Just remember that the next time you go department store shopping, Macy's doesn't think we're valuable enough for a fireworks display.

Bits & Briefs

$106M vote of confidence for Downtown
The Journal reports that 30 and 2 Montgomery Street have sold for $106 Million dollars and will be replaced with a massive office, retail, and residential complex similar in scope to the Time Warner Center. (via Wired Forum)

30 Montgomery Street(right side of below photo), a 15 Story tower built in the early 1970s houses professional and city offices. 2 Montgomery Street (left) is across the street from the Exchange Place light rail station and a half block from the PATH.



Agency Might Replace Bridge and Tunnel Tollbooths With Cashless System
The Times reports that the Port Authority may switch their toll collection system to all EZPass. Such a move should reduce Holland Tunnel Congestion that blocks north-south traffic between Jersey City and Hoboken as well as allow an easier transition to congestion pricing.

Bits & Briefs

PGA Tournament With a View of the New York City Skyline
The New York Times reports that The Barclays golf tournament is coming to Liberty National in 2009

Publishing photos of poop perpetrators
The Hudson Reporter notes that Hoboken wants to print the pictures of dog owners convicted of leaving dog shit on the ground.

Jersey City Celiac Disease Meetup Group
Someone dropped us a line about a gluten free group in the area, and since we love fan mail, we're given the group a shout out. So if you live a gluten free lifestyle by choice or necessity, you have some friends downtown.

Vikings Land In Jersey City

The Abora 3 project is attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a viking style reed ship to demonstrate the possibility that vikings could have showed up centuries before Columbus. One of the reed ships found itself on dry land this weekend in the marina next to Paulus Hook. So some fool is going to cross the Atlantic in this thing:





Next week, Leif Ericson Tower to be built on Leif Ericson Drive.

Community Garden Sabotaged By Activist

After seven years of planting flowers and vegetables in the downtown of Jersey City, the Brunswick Street Community Garden may be coming to a bitter end. In identical posts on JCList and Wired JC, community activist Janet Allen is accused of spitefully terminating the garden group's lease for the plot of land. The city, believing the group was no longer interested in maintaining the garden, began the process of accepting new bids for the property, according to the online post.

Allen has been active in Hamilton Park neighborhood group for a number of years, most recently squabbling with local officials and community members over renovation plans for Hamilton Park. Those much needed renovations have been delayed after a March meeting. She was also instrumental in the posting of signs banning ball playing.

Since the accusations were levied against Allen, the only response has been through yet another online message board. The unofficial response comes from Newport Waterfront Association / Newport Neighborhood Association leader Sonia Maldonado claims Allen "no longer wishes to continue doing any work with the New Brunswick Community Garden."

There is likely more here than meets the eye, and some suspect Allen is attempting to seize control of the property through another organization which she controls. In either case, we doubt this is the last we've heard of the community garden saga.

More Renderings of Bates Project

The Bates Project, a 12 story tower planned for a site just west of the Heritage Plaza in downtown Jersey City still has not broken ground. However, some crafty internet sleuthing has revealed several more images from the architectural firm responsible for the building. One Bates Street, as Emporis lists the building, will be infusing some serious redevelopment into an area dominated by the Pathmark shopping plaza. The Bates Project is will require razing of some older, low rise structures on the site.

Bits & Briefs

Ibby's Returns
Ibby's Falafel, the much beloved Grove Street fixture closed for months of renovations has finally reopened. Go, eat falafel.

Developer scales back abatement
Grove Pointe is backing out of its 20 year tax abatement in favor of phasing in regular taxes over the next five years citing a savings for the developer.

This Way Up
New Jersey Monthly gives some love to Jersey City, months after New York Magazine, totally justifying our name once again.

Demolition Begins
Hoboken Hero has some great demolition porn from the west side of Hoboken.

Bits & Briefs

Model of Urban Future
USA Today discovers Jersey City; Motel guests across the country to flock to city.

Sunday Flooding
Its raining, meaning Hoboken is flooding.

Bits & Briefs

The Future of Jersey City
The new issue of Jersey City Magazine is out and ponders where the city is going.

6.2 acres of tax rise reduction
The Journal Reports that the city and the state have come to an agreement over a bit of land in the Liberty Harbor North redevelopment allowing the new Hilton Hotel to move forward.

Oldie But Goodie
A historic Hoboken street sign built into the corner of the building as captured by Hoboken Hero.

Frustrated Bus Rider Makes Map

We don't often take the bus, and we really don't many people who do. But apparently there are a few of you out there, like the one frustrated rider who wanted a map of Hudson County buses. But since NJTransit seems to have a map aversion, he had to create his own, thus, JerseyMap.org was born. As we said, we don't often take the bus, so we have no way of knowing if its accurate, but it sure looks professional.

What the Industry Has To Say

The Real Deal has gone and interviewed everyone from Jaime Lefrak to local real estate brokers on the current conditions along the Gold Coast. Jersey City seems to be on the tip of everyone's tongue, and an unscientific survey concludes: Jersey City is underrated and more towers are coming to the downtown. Go figure.

Via Kannekt Forums

Bits & Briefs

More use Light Rail
The Journal reports ridership is up more than 50% between 2006 and 2007.

Social Sports League Deadline Approaches
ZogSports runs a social sports league for anyone who likes balls flying at their face. Sounds like any typical Friday night in Hoboken, but this one is an organized dodgeball league, with flag football in Jersey City. Oh, and there is something about benefiting charity too.

Bits & Briefs

La Rustique Bakeria
Slice.com gives La Rustique in Jersey City a glowing review.

PATH Train derails in New Jersey
Twice in one week? Sounds like the Port Authority has a track problem.

Phony bloggers who do not excite.
Tris McCall calls out shitty marketing website destinationjerseycity.com for being a shitty marketing website.

Wrecking Ball May Eventually Hit Montgomery Gardens

The Journal is reporting that Montgomery Gardens, the 1960's style project housing just east of the Beacon may have numbered days as federal housing budgets shrink and the city struggles to maintain living standards in the older structures.

Demolishing the projects along Montgomery Street would go along way in integrating the booming downtown neighborhoods with the less affluent western sections of the city. For many downtown residents, Jersey City ends at the Turnpike overpass, and the projects present one of many obstacles between the wealth belt of the waterfront and the older neighborhoods to the west.

Further, by replacing 1960's era projects with more modern affordable housing, a real opportunity is presented in that modern ideas of an integrated community can be established. When project housing first was conceived of-- the earliest being those outside of Chicago modeled on a plan similar Le Corbusier's vision for Paris-- little thought was given to transportation, shopping, and employment. As a result, many projects, not just in Jersey City, but across the country, fail to address the basic needs of residents. Getting a cup of coffee or a newspaper becomes a full morning activity, shopping for groceries an afternoon expedition, and finding nearby employment an insurmountable challenge.

Meanwhile, modern ideas on low income housing usually include better integration into the community as a whole. Instead of creating sinkholes of poverty, residents with the greatest needs share the same services-- safe streets, public transportation access, police protection, access to parks and recreation-- with more affluent neighborhoods, ensuring an equal distribution of resources.

No doubt the land underneath the Montgomery Gardens projects is growing in value everyday. That land value could very well be leveraged by the city to find a private investor willing to provide modern, community based public housing units in exchange for right to develop part of the property for private use. The residents of housing projects would benefit by receiving newer, more modern housing. The city would benefit from an ever improving urban community, and the investors would have the opportunity to profit.

The Decemberists Invade Journal Square

For those of you who follow that sort of thing, The Decemberists made two appearances in Jersey City this week at the Loews Theater. Just in case you couldn't get your hands on tickets, or didn't feel like forking over thirty bucks, and were too lazy to search the internet, we collected here a few write ups from folks who made there way to the show:

Synner Nation
Broolyn Vegan
Music Snobbery

Uncivil Servants

The New York Times has pointed us to a new community website, Uncivil Servants that posts photos of illegally parked cars. The vehicles in question usually are taking advantage of city issued parking permits that are ostensibly issued for specific civic duties, but which appear to be used as one of those "benefits" doled out to government officials.

While Uncivil Servants is concentrating on New York and its official boroughs, the problem exists on our side of the river too. A JCLister has posted a few pictures of a police officer stationed in the BJ's parking lot prepared to write citations for folks making an illegal right hand turn, but turning a blind eye to the construction crew vehicles parked the wrong way on the one way street. Meanwhile, Hoboken411 captured similar incidents of official vehicles illegally parking on street corners. Oh, and let's not forget the Port Authority vehicles parking on the sidewalks along Jersey Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets-- forcing pedestrians to navigate between the curb and fast moving cars and trucks.

Its probably time that civil servants began respecting the laws they expect everyone else to follow. Until then though, there is always the internet to shame them.

Bits & Briefs

Selective Crossing Guards
Hoboken411 ponders the usefulness of crossing guards who only assist children.

Growth, More Jobs
The downtown development has increased the need for steel piping, and local piping company Ideal Supply is expanding its Jersey City presence to meet demand. Too bad all those new blue collar employees can't afford to live downtown.

Bits & Briefs

Bridging Gaps Through Art
A new art gallery is set to open in Hoboken on the 24th of March with the hope of bringing "conversational art back to Hoboken." galería GOBA, 320 Washington Street, Hoboken.

Movers: $15 Guys vs. $19 Guys
Hoboken411 has the story of couple who responded to one of those fliers hanging all over Jersey City and Hoboken. And since you are reading about it here, you can guess it was a scam.

For Further Reading
Tris McCall responds to his own previous post that dared ask where are all the Jersey City blogs? He points us to a few, though not that they are updated frequently. Which is a lot like JerseyCitoyen, a blog we came across a few months back and have been waiting for its owner to write something fresh. Indeed, fellow bloggers, send us your links.

Jersey City Rocks In 8.0

Curbed has a bit today about the Rocking / Suckage of New York's five boroughs. We couldn't really call ourselves New York's Sixth if we didn't throw Jersey City in the mix. With little surprise, we've pummeled Staten Island.

This data comes from a site called sucks / rocks that uses complicated math formulas to compare search engine keywords to the object. Or something like that.

Sucks / Rocks Via Curbed

Is This the Last 'Last Matzo' Story?

Ever since Manischewitz folks announced they were planning on closing up shop, the local papers have been all aflutter with "last Matzo" stories including today's in the Star Ledger. Is it really the last story about the last Matzo?

Harwood Towers Seeks Same Deal as Beacon

Developers of the mammoth project planned for the Journal Square area is seeking a 30 year tax abatement, ten years longer than most abatements in the downtown, but on par with abatements already granted to the Beacon, reports the Jersey Journal.

Harwood Towers has plenty to offer the city. The city's efforts to revitalize the Journal Square area have been decades long, and while the waterfront and downtown neighborhoods have certainly seen tremendous growth and redevelopment, western neighborhoods have been slower to follow suit. Past proposals for the square have not worked out, and even the current Harwood Towers still needs to finalize eminent domain seizures.

While its perhaps time to start reconsidering tax abatements in the gentrified areas of Newport where momentum will be enough for continued development for years to come, the success and failure of Journal Square revitalization efforts essentially reside with the success and failure of the Harwood Towers project. Already the mere prospect of the towers has brought proposed construction projects to the table, and once the towers are complete, further redevelopment is inevitable.

Jersey Avenue Connector Raises Ire of Local Residents

The city has proposed an extension of Jersey Avenue, connecting the street to Philip Road in Liberty State park over the Morris Canal. Currently, the street terminates at the canal near the Liberty Harbor North Development.

Proponents of the plan cite the need for better vehicle access to the downtown, while community activists refuse to allow more vehicles into their local neighborhoods. Part of the problem stems from the fact that at present, many vehicles cut through the less affluent Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood and circumvent the gentrified Van Vorst Park area.

Other suggestions for alleviating traffic congestion have included flyover ramps for Merseles Street and Center Street eliminating the traffic signal at Montgomery Street and shift more traffic down Christopher Columbus Drive. This is of course in addition to the traffic that already has been shunted onto Columbus Drive after the realignment of the Turnpike ramp two years ago.

According to the Jersey Journal, city officials will reveal plans on April 26th, at which time they ignore public input and do as they damn well please.

New York Times On Koolhaas Tower

As the demolition of 111 First Street continues, the Rem Koolhaas proposal continues to make waves. The most recent main stream media coverage of the tower is the New York Times, giving Koolhaas a reach around.

And of course the various message forums serving Jersey City have been lit up lately with talk of the tower. Many critiques have declared the structure to be an impossibility. The New York Times explains this:

"A reinforced concrete tube running through its core will anchor the building. Cantilevered concrete beams will support the two upper blocks, whose end sections splay out over the street."

More Ugly

111 First Street may not be the ugliest building to grace the Jersey City skyline. Gridskipper went and asked a bunch of experts what they thought were the ugliest buildings in Manhattan. Joey Arak, writer for Curbed points to the Zebra Building saying "You come up from the tunnel, thrilled to be out of Jersey, and you're greeted by that monstrosity."

What does this have to do with Jersey City you ask? Well one of the newest editions to the Jersey City Skyline is Columbus Tower, a younger sibling of the Zebra building.

We tend to think we got the better version of the building.






Via Curbed