Actually the ac company "ICS" did air conditioning work 2 years ago for the office I work in Chelsea. The owner of my company always claims that they are the only good company he continues to have a relationship with after the construction. Anytime there is a problem they respond ASAP - I know, I'm the one who has to call them.
I don't know what you plan to do at your house, but from what I know I would definetly recommend this company.
Good Luck!

While I agree there is now a sense of entitlement to the tax ambatements, they are responsible for a large amount of redevelopment in the city. I also think though that in places like Journal square, tax abatements should be given out for large complexes. Newport would probably still be built without them, so maybe we shouldn't be handing them out there.

As far as schools are concerned, Ill admit its not really a priority for me now or in any time in the near future. But that being said, I tend to think one shortfall of Jersey City is high end private schools. New York obviously has a number of good private schools, but they are expensive and have waiting lists. Jersey City really should capitalize on the fact that compared to manhattan, real estate is very cheap, which is one of the biggest obstacles to educational institutions--private schools, charter schools, colleges, ect-- real esate prices prevent expansion in the very places they are needed. I think in part the city should work to encourage a high end non-religous affiliated school to come to the city, to help satisfy the needs of the school age folks.

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What a load of crap 'short tenure', he was past of the 'brass' when Troy held the top dog position. Same policing style just different front man - nothing has changed.

Know where to find rendering of the 111 First Street idea?

I don't like the idea of linking the requirement of paying property taxes for schools to the issue of whether or not the property owner has school age children in the system.
A good public school system is a benefit to all residents of the city, whether or not they send their children there. It educates the next generation of citizenry for the work force, for performing their various civic responsibilities such as voting and jury duty, and, to take a more cyncial view, should at the very least keep kids off the street and out of trouble. Furthermore, a good school system will prevent families from fleeing the city once their kids become of school age, and that affects the community as a whole.

My wife and I don't have children yet. But we have never felt that our school taxes were going to someone else. I certainly have questioned whether the money was spent wisely or efficiently. But that's different from whether or not the taxes are going to a public good.

Joshua

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The paving on upper Coles and Monmouth, was the former Councilman E. Junior Maldonado. We worked out a deal with the DOT that freed up $$$ to do additional roads in Hamilton Park. This was one of my projects the Councilman had me doing and following up on till his last days in office and after.

This was part of the numerous DOT construction project meetings the former Councilman Junior Maldonado arranged, attended by:
VVP, HC, HPNA, HPHNA associations, Lefrak and select departments from JC cityhall, the State and reps from Former Congressman Bob Menendezs office, to make sure downtown would receive it?s fair share for all the future inconveniencies that would happen during the massive DOT construction project currently taking place at the Holland Tunnel roadways.

Any way that you want to measure out a quart is file - quart-sized plastic containers or freezer bags are probably best.

I found them at the 99 cent store on Newark closest to Jersey Ave. (I think it's next to the pet store maybe), for 3 for 99 cents. I bought 6 which was perfect - I made 6 quarts of soup, 2 for me and 4 for the swap.

(BTW, that may be the cleanest/nicest of the 99 cent stores.)

How should we supply the soup? Containers, zip lock baggies, jars, or should I just bring the cauldron we have sitting in the fridge right now?

Are they building condos or rentals? Last year, they mentioned condos. Now it is rental only?

I never understood how a developer would hang around for twenty or thirty years to pay the PILOTS. Once they sell all the condos, isn't it not their problem anymore?

reddog - I'm not sure what kind of information you are looking for, but I recently purchased in LHN.
I used a real estate agent, Doug Blum at DeRuggiero in Hoboken as I was looking at various places. He knew just as much at the salesperson at LHN, since he's sat through the sales pitch multiple times with various customers and I was able to get some info from him without the LHN slant that their salespeople put on the development. You can always contact LHN directly (the sales center phone number is on the website) and speak with one of the salespeople - I dealt with Michael Miller and he was great.

I tend to think the value of abatements on Harwood (and the Beacon) is in the influx of new development around the projects. I think this is more true of Harwood than the Beacon, since the Beacon will end up being a relatively closed city within a city. But as for Harwood, those new residents will be spending some money in local shops. The increase in foot traffic will lead to higher rents. The higher rents will lead to a greater assessed value of the surrounding buildings. As a result, redevelopment of the existing low rise buildings into more valuable mid and high rise will generate more tax dollars, or at the least the value of the existing properties will go up, increasing the property taxes. The longer term effect will be that by more people living there, there will more pressure for more people to live there-- i.e., the Harwood towers will make the area more desirable a place to live, so more people will want to live there or be willing to live there, and again rents will go up and / or more dense buildings will go in, either way leading to more taxes being paid. Also, I get the impression that the target audience for the Harwood towers is going to be non-families, professionals and young couples, which really shouldn't impact the school system much. If anything I think it more likely that the percentage of school age children would be more likely to go down as families are priced out of a gentrifying neighborhood.

Jarrett Renshaw's newest LOCATION column:

Butler Building next Downtown battle site?
Monday, March 12, 2007

The unveiling of the design for 111 First St. wasn't the only noteworthy item to emerge from last week's news conference. Nor was it only the media and city officials paying close attention to the pomp and circumstance.

Bob Lier, owner of the historic Butler Building, was chatting up city officials and taking photos of the renowned architect Rem Koolhaas's block-shaped design, and not for posterity's sake.

City sources tell me that Lier has been quietly fighting with officials in his bid for a controversial approval at the Butler Brothers building that would call for the preservation of only the exterior walls and the construction of at least a 40-story tower to stretch from the center of the building.

Erected in 1905, the dark E-shaped brick warehouse is the largest within the district at nine stories tall. The designer was Jarvis Hunt, one of the country's greatest architects at the turn of the 20th century.

Sources tell me that Lier has pointed to the city's concession to Lloyd Goldman at 111 First St. as a precedent, and - now's the time to hold your ears - he may have a point, given recent events. [emphasis added]

City sources say any discussion about destroying the Butler Building is nonsense. It's an "iconic" landmark. It demands preservation. It is second only to the Powerhouse itself.

Sound familiar?

Such adjectives and accolades were thrown around during the battle of 111 First St., but today these same city officials pretend they never said such things, and feign contempt if you attempt to compare their past comments with today's reality.

The city opened the proverbial door in its concession to let Goldman tear down 111 First St. and build high.

In fact, where city officials once talked about preserving the historic building, now they're gushing over the radical design of its replacement.

Precedent was set, and ignoring this fact and hoping it goes away is not the solution - that is, unless you don't care about preserving the spirit of the Powerhouse Arts District.

If serious, City Council and this administration need to properly - and legally - provide historic designation to the area that was stripped during the 111 First St. settlement.

If you don't, stop telling us you're serious about the redevelopment plan.

The same applies to the Manischewitz building, where Toll Brothers hope to join the ranks of the other high-rises in the Downtown area by skirting the spirit of the Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan.

The city's political elite seem split on the future of the site.

Some say Toll's proposal includes a gorgeous public plaza, so they should be able to tear down the building in exchange. Others cynically question why have a redevelopment plan if it's not followed.

As for Toll Brothers, they continue to refuse to discuss their plans - at least, not in public.

Copyright 2007 The Jersey Journal

Can anyone share any contact information regarding inquiries into Liberty Harbor North Pre-Construction purchasing? I've been trying to find this info with no luck.

Thanks in advance.

I second Althea on the Summitt Auto recommendation.

They've always come through for me and any friends I steered their way.

Ditto on Louche's questions, especially in light of the school system being handed back to the City probably within the next year.

Those with tax abatements will not get an increase in property tax percentage to help with the rising costs, but I also don't want to see JSQ drop in the other direction. This whole situation seems like a teeter totter.

I just did a quick calculation - assuming that the average rent was $1500/mo (probably low) and 10% of gross revenue comes to about $5.4 million (check this,I bought my calculator for 99 cents) w/o taking in to account parking and rents from retail. How does that stack up with what the property was yielding in taxes vs increased need for city services, etc.? Should you add in the additional income taxes and sales taxes some residents (moving from outside state and city), should you subtract possibly 1000+ PATH riders on a saturated system?. If, as many believe, development is inevitable is it better to get abatement income now then wait for the market to take its course and maybe build nonabated properties 5-10 years from now? There are probably 50 other variables that could be thrown in.

I guess my question about all of this is - how do I determine if this is a good deal for the city, and hence for me (and maybe you), a homeowner.

A 30-YEAR DEAL?
Square developer aims for massive abatement

Monday, March 12, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

With the blessing of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, the developer of the largest project to come to Journal Square in decades is seeking one of the biggest tax abatements ever handed out by the city.

Harwood Properties of Jersey City has filed an application seeking a 30-year tax abatement with payments in lieu of taxes amounting to 10 percent of gross annual revenues.

The standard in recent years has been 20 years, paying 16 percent PILOTs.

"Journal Square has seen better days and it's obviously an area that needs a boost," said Healy. "This incentive (the abatement) will be a shot of adrenaline to the renaissance that will come about due to this project."

There have been exceptions to the 20 years/16 percent norm. Most recently, the first three buildings at the Beacon - the condo renovation project at the old Jersey City Medical Center - were granted 30 years at 10 percent abatements.

But the yet-to-be named $600 million Journal Square project - to feature two towers, 52 and 46 stories, containing 1,034 apartments, 150,000 square feet of retail, and three levels of parking - would be the first rental project in memory of several city officials to snag such a deal.

Lowell Harwood, managing partner of Harwood Properties, declined to comment since the matter still has to be reviewed by the city's Department of Housing, Economic, Development and Commerce, endorsed by the city's tax abatement committee and OK'd by the City Council.

The city would receive $3.5 million in annual PILOT payments, plus a one-time $2.3 million contribution to the affordable housing trust fund.

The city would get $1.3 million more than it would under conventional taxes - but the developer would pay nothing to schools and only a modest amount to county services. The total amount the developer would pay under conventional taxes could not be calculated yesterday.

"It (the project) will be paying the city nearly 10 times the taxes the property is currently paying," said Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Robert Antonicello. "That is what the residents of Jersey City need to keep in mind."

City Council President Mariano Vega, chair of the city's tax abatement committee, said he'd look at how many jobs and how much economic activity the project would generate before making up his mind.

The application promises 400 full-time jobs during the three- to four-year construction period and 300 plus permanent jobs once the project is built.

Harwood Properties either owns or is under contract to buy all the buildings on the block next to the PATH Transportation Center - except 15-16 Journal Square, home to McDonald's, Song's Hallmark, HT Wireless and a dentist's office, city officials said.

City officials have condemned this building and expect to turn it over to Harwood by the end of this month.

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Oh, god: did I leave my blinds open again?

Mr Robert Troy, I love how you hung onto your RETIRED CHIEF J.C.P.D title. I'm thinking of including RETIRED CHALKBOARD MONITOR at the end of my name!

Here is a reality check for you - Your just a common man BOB TROY now. You personally, have less authority then a childrens crossing guard. Life's a bitch ain't it!

To much jerkin' the gherkin going on around here.

Thanks to Sonia over at NWA, a letter in today's JJ. This is the second largest city in New Jersey isn't it, and this is how our leaders act?

Makes me want to stay around town longer and help Fulop become mayor (or whatever city office he wants to run for)

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Who is supposed to answer this for you? The JJ fairy?

Why not go to the police department and file a FOIA to get a copy of the police report? That should give you an idea of the direction that the police went.

Or maybe there's a FOIA fairy that can do it for you.

Irrespective of your views on the issue, I am still curious as to why we never heard ONE WORD about the fire there last Summer.

See, notwithstanding emotions on the issue (which are high on all sides), this is one of those simple logical things that you just can't argue emotionally. WHY is it that we NEVER heard anything after the firetrucks went home that night?

Inquiring minds who live in the neighborhood would like to know. Personally, I'd prefer it if buildings in my neighborhood were not subject to 4 alarm fires; at the very least, I'd like to hear something about the cause. The city has had, I believe, nearly 9 months to investigate.

Better yet, let's talk about how the artists pressured the city to spend $30 million of YOUR money to take the building from Goldman by eminent domain.

Luckily Healy declined.

The artists lost the fight, and some are obviously still very bitter.

This guy slams the building, calling it a 2nd rate Koolhaus (sic! - spelling error) as an excuse to rant and ramble on.

Give it a rest. It's been covered a million times.

Jeeeeeez.

OK, let's talk about mysterious fires and negligance on the part of the owner then.

What a whiny, pedantic way to make a point...

Yeah, the architecture sucks. Yeah, the lawsuit was complete BS. If you'd like to make a point about the architecture and *moving forward*, make it.

If you'd like to live in the past and harp on how the city and culture was abused you're not going to make a constructive point about how to move forward and probably not going to be taken seriously.

"Takes shots" at Healy = subtle drinking reference.

So does anyone have any recommendations on how to get involved? Maybe some of the Downtown peeps can suggest? Also, what do you do to check if your neighbor doing work on their house/land has proper permits?

Off to pick up the ingreedients for our curried butternut squash soup. Yummmm!