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Re: Why don't JC restaurants/bars do that well?
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Home away from home
 
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Quote:
Along Grove Street, there are very few really expensive restaurants. Marco & Pepe can be pricey but you can eat affordably with the small plates. Most of the other places are closer to mid-range. Do you really think Beechwood, MORE, Wild Fusion, Hard Grove are "Manhattan priced?" On the other end, Ibby's Falafel and Taqueria are great value and I wouldn't call the food "crappy." In terms of diversity, you have Cuban, various Asian, continental, mexican, and Middle Eastern. Pretty diverse for me.
Posted on: 2009/4/6 20:07
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Re: Why don't JC restaurants/bars do that well?
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A decade ago, there was almost nothing on Grove Street. Since then, several restaurants have opened. Some have made it, others have not. But overall the restaurant scene has improved immensely.
Newark Avenue hasn't had as much development but there too, you see more than you used to.
Posted on: 2009/4/6 19:57
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Re: Coach Bob Hurley and St. Anthony High School basketball on CBS News Sunday Morning
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Hurley's program was the subject of an outstanding book a few years ago "The Miracle of St. Anthony"
http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-St-Anth ... -Improbable/dp/1592401023 St. Anthony is one of the top HS basketball programs in the country. And although Hurley does recruit some outside residents, it is nothing like Oak Hill Academy or other prep schools that serve as basketball factories. I can't speak for this year's roster, but generally most of the kids have been from Hudson County. Coach Hurley could have made buckets of money by taking a college gig, and no one would begrudge him for doing so after what he's done for St. Anthony. So please lets put the cynicism aside for one brief moment and appreciate how much this man has given to the school and the community, even if he does take a few outside prospects.
Posted on: 2009/4/6 14:30
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Re: Downtown Jersey City site to become Hilton Hotel & 470 more condos (333 Grand St. @ Jersey Ave.)
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Calm down people.
In this economic climate, you can't expect retail to pop up overnight. Yeah, Liberty Harbor and Gulls Cove said that all these things were on the way in the immediate future, but did you really expect that? Right now Edible Arrangements and the organic dry cleaners have opened on Grand Street. Cocoa Bakery is building the space out. The beer garden is a go. I'm not sure what Sawa is doing at this point. The neighborhood plan is a solid one, and depending on the economy and market, can develop quickly or slowly. Even if it's the former, it would take a few years for all this stuff to come in. As I've mentioned before, I don't mind some delay. The idea of an entire neighborhood mushrooming up overnight was never realistic, and now the developers and the retailers can actually pause for a second and think about what is realistic and will work over time.
Posted on: 2009/3/25 17:06
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Re: Downtown Jersey City site to become Hilton Hotel & 470 more condos (333 Grand St. @ Jersey Ave.)
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Gulls Cove may have oversold and puffed up certain things, but it was very clear from the beginning that, unless you had an east side view, you were going to be losing it. As far as I know, no one in the building is complaining.
Posted on: 2009/3/17 13:53
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Re: Top 10 Beer lists: In anticipation of Zeppelin Hall (beer garden)
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Home away from home
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Haven't checked the beer list lately. But Marco and Pepe served Kolsch, albeit in bottles.
Posted on: 2009/2/24 3:54
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Re: Jersey Journal's parent company warns of newspaper's possible closure
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Whatever the shortcomings of the paper, it is the only daily that we have that regularly covers events in Jersey City.
I wouldn't mind if the Star-Ledger had a Hudson County edition. A colleague in the industry said that the company wont do that because Hudson County would lower the average per capita income of the Star-Ledger's area of readership. That's why they keep the Journal as a separate paper This strikes me as incredibly short-sighted, but I guess it's how large advertising firms and their clients make decisions on where to place ads.
Posted on: 2009/2/21 21:24
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Re: Fulop to face new challenge in Ward E
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Quote:
Yes, because heaven forbid we have schools that Jersey City families can send their children to. The "family initiative" types that I know tend to take a balanced view of everything that goes on in Jersey City and care about the community as a whole. In any event I will not apologize at all for saying that even before I became a parent, one of my main concerns about the long-term future of this city has been the schools.
Posted on: 2009/2/15 15:55
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Re: Square vision plan is introduced, 8-0 -- Unanimous vote for Square vision plan
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No money? Ok. Let's remember this the next time the Council has a historic landmark application behind it. We know now that they can't say "you haven't raised the money" as an excuse to deny it.
Posted on: 2009/2/14 21:01
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Re: Hit & Run: Ederly Woman with Walker ??
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This is awful. My heart goes out to the family of the victim.
Way too many drivers treat Grand Street as a highway. I know many residents of Liberty Harbor and Gulls Cove have said that this is one of the biggest concerns in the new neighborhood. I never liked crossing that street when I lived in the VVP neighborhood, and I don't like it now in Gulls Cove. What can be done? First of all, enforce the damn speed limit. Its supposed to be 25 mph on Grand, just like every other city street. Second, allow parking on the south side of Grand. If it slows down traffic, then that's a good thing. It also will help the retail when it moves in. Once you get east of Marin Blvd, Grand Street narrows and is just another pleasant neighborhood street. Look into doing that further west.
Posted on: 2009/1/31 4:27
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Re: Ethical Community Charter School Informational Meetings
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Home away from home
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Where is/will the school be located?
Posted on: 2009/1/2 0:05
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Re: NNA Wins as NWA counter-claim dismissed & transfers case
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Shhh, don't suggest anything publicly. Sonia may run (figuratively) down to Trenton to reserve the name.
More seriously, I have suggested, and continue to suggest, that Vivien adopt one of various names and just move on. Having said that, there is no way I can condone Ms. Maldonado's conduct.
Posted on: 2008/12/31 19:42
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Re: Nemesis in a Name
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As I recall, Robert Vivian announced his intention to rejuvenate the previously existing Newport Neighborhood Association well before Sonia ran down to Trenton and take the name.
I hope an archive of that message exists, as it would show that Robert's group had been operating as NNA, and Sonia reserved the name specifically to take it away from them.
Posted on: 2008/12/15 19:55
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Re: First of six new stores opens at Liberty Harbor
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I have actually seen the vintage store open as well, though its hours are irregular and there is no signage right now.
Signage is up for Cocoa bakery and the dry cleaner's, though they don't look like they are close to being ready to open.
Posted on: 2008/11/24 15:38
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Re: Nine units in Metropolis Towers up for IRS auction Nov. 13
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The maintenance on the studios was around $500.00 per month.
A mortgage and maintenance combined looks like it would equal the rent that it being charged. The owner does get to deduct a decent amount of that from his/her taxes. Remember not only can he/she deduct the mortgage interest, but also the portion of the maintenance that goes to a) the building's mortgage interest and b) taxes. I'm not sure what percentage of the maintenance is tax deductible at Metropolis Towers. And on top of it, the owner has equity, the renter does not. So overall, I'd say it's an ok buy, even if not a steal.
Posted on: 2008/11/14 21:35
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Re: Can you post your local community meeting information?
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The residents of Liberty Harbor and Gulls Cove have formed a neighborhood association as well (so far we've had 2 monthly meetings). For now it is called the Liberty Harbor Neighborhood Association. We also meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30. We meet at the Boys and Girls Club, 1 Canal Street (right next to the intersection of Grove and Grand).
Our next meeting is Wednesday the 19th. Our guest speaker will be Shelley Skinner from the Jersey City Families for Better Schools Coalition. In addition, Gary Greenberg from the Boys and Girls Club will give us a tour of the facilities, and discuss how members of the community can get involved.
Posted on: 2008/11/14 19:11
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Re: Nine units in Metropolis Towers up for IRS auction Nov. 13
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The units went anywhere between $154,000 and $298,000. Most of the units were studios that went for around $180,000 - $190,000. That's a bit lower than what was being listed on MLS for comparable units, but not much.
This wasn't an IRS auction, but a U.S. Treasury auction for property seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Apparently the 9 units were owned by someone who was up to no good. As I understand it, the property itself was not being directly used in any unlawful way, but somehow the owner's property was subject to forfeiture.
Posted on: 2008/11/13 22:45
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Re: CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER Landmarking St. John's Episcopal Church - Please Get Involved!
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Quote:
This post is inaccurate in several regards. It misapprehends the laws governing landmark status. It completely misstates the history of the building. And it is wholly ignorant of the incredible efforts of the "preservation community" to work with the Diocese. A lie by lie refutation is not possible, but some of the more egregious errors are addressed below. 1) Landmarking a building does not prevent its demolition. It simply requires review by the appropriate body, the Historic Preservation Commission. If, in fact, the Diocese could prove that the building was unsalvageable, they could submit that evidence to HPC. They in fact tried to do that when HPC recommended landmarking, and when the Planning Board reviewed HPC's application. No one believed them, for good reason. 2) For over two years, the Conservancy has offered to work with the Diocese on a preservation plan. We have offered volunteer labor to fix the most immediate problem, the collapsed side roof, which would prevent further damage. We are also willing to sit down with the appropriate professionals to develop a preservation plan. The Conservancy did not seek landmark status until February 2007, after the Diocese refused to respond to our multiple inquiries. Afterwards, the Diocese would claim they wanted to meet with the Conservancy, but would delay doing anything except when the landmarking process went forward. 3) The Diocese did, in fact, wilfully let the building deteriorate, and in some cases actively aided and abetted such deterioration. Without getting into the long history, the church was shut down not because of a declining membership, but because of an internal political dispute between a former bishop and the congregation. The Diocese took the church from the congregation for nothing. It then let it rot. It allowed thieves to steal the gutters (and refused to ask the police to intervene even when neighbors identified the criminals). It did not do basic upkeep of the premises. It most recently allowed a salvage crew strip the interior. 4) The Diocese has gone from 8 parishes in Jersey City to 3. As part of this, the Diocese purportedly developed a "Jersey City Strategy" which pledged that the assets they received from disposing of other properties would be reinvested in the remaining congregations. So if the Diocese doesn't have money from its disposal of other church properties in Jersey City, it is due to its own financial mismanagement. There is one nearby congregation, Incarnation, that has repeatedly pleaded to be allowed to use the church as a replacement for their tiny storefront on a side street. The Diocese has refused. In fact, at the most recent meeting of the Trustees of the Diocese's property, the Trustees admitted that they have refused to communicate with Incarnation or any other local groups about a use for the church. 5) Grants and other sources of revenue are, in fact, available for preservation. For starters, the Conservancy has offered to address the issue of the leaking roof. Once that is done, a preservation plan can be developed. No one is saying the building has to be restored tile by tile, artifact by artifact. Nor are we saying that the building has to be restored overnight. It took over a decade of callous neglect and misfeasance by the Diocese for the building to get in the shape it is in, so we don't mind taking the time to get it right. Suffice it to say that we at the Conservancy are well aware of what needs to be done, how it gets done, how it gets funded, and the obstacles that preservation faces. That doesn't let the Diocese off the hook, particularly since they have rebuffed every effort to work with the local community who has offered their assistance. Joshua Parkhurst President Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy
Posted on: 2008/10/6 21:47
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Re: Police Car Smackup on SW corner of VVP
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That is a really bad intersection. Driving east on York, you cannot see the intersecting traffic on Jersey from where you must stop. If the cars are parked on Jersey to the corner then there is very little visibility to the north. When I drive that way, after I stop at the sign, I have to edge into the crosswalk to get a glimpse of what may be coming down Jersey. And it's all the more difficult since it's two way traffic.
Stop signs on Jersey or traffic lights would be helpful. But I'm guessing that the city doesn't want to do that since Jersey is a heavily trafficked two way street and needs to keep traffic flowing.
Posted on: 2008/9/17 1:17
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Re: Barack Obama for President
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Five hundred thirty eight, to be exact.
And for more polling data and analysis you could ever need.... http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/
Posted on: 2008/9/5 16:04
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Re: Ron Paul for President
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Quote:
Wrong again. The IRS is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury. The Constitutional provisions concerning "Congress" having the power to collect taxes does not, of course, mean that Congress itself has to send out tax collectors to get the money. The IRS is simply a bureau of an executive branch office that executes the law. That's what separation of powers is all about. I have to admit, I always get a chuckle when Ron Paul acolytes start lecturing about the Constitution.
Posted on: 2008/7/31 18:10
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Re: Ron Paul for President
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Quote:
Not sure where you heard that, but it makes no sense. The IRS does not need to go in front of a jury to collect taxes. The government does need to do so to convict someone of a criminal offense of tax evasion, but not simply to collect what is owed. Go ahead and try it though. Stand up for your rights!
Posted on: 2008/7/31 13:25
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Re: Liberty Harbor North
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I think the issue with Learning Community is that, because selection is completely random, there's no way to ensure that the space given to it actually benefits LHN residents.
I know some LCC parents who have said that although they want more space, they don't want to have larger classes or more classes, because they think it's important to keep the school small. If that's the attitude, then they don't make a very compelling case for more space. I'd like to see LCC get some more space. But if the are going to get it, then they should be prepared to expand their school to more students.
Posted on: 2008/7/22 14:40
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Re: Liberty Harbor North
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It's not the end of the world if the builders hold off a few years due to the credit crisis. One of the few reservations I have about Liberty Harbor, and New Urbanism generally, is that it tries to create the liveable, shopable, walkable, public transit friendly neighborhood all at once. But cities and neighborhoods develop over time.
So if there is a hiatus between developments that's fine. Things can be reassessed and can evolve to meet the changing needs. As it happens, you already have the public transportation infrastructure in there which isn't going away. So if the Whole Foods or the like don't come in the next few years, it's fine. I've gotten my groceries at Pathmark for years and I to do so. We take our daughter to Van Vorst Park (which attracts parents from other downtown neighborhoods) and we will continue to do so. In fact it's just about the same distance from Gulls Cove as it is from where we lived in Van Vorst Park. The vacant lots aren't pretty, but to call Liberty Harbor or Gulls Cove "isolated" is a stretch. You are one block from historic downtown. As it happens, the developers for that plot just went to the planning board for some slight revisions to the plan, so they appear to be ready to move forward. The main effect if the vacant lot north of GC remains for a few years? I keep my view in its entirety. That's fine with me.
Posted on: 2008/7/11 21:04
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Re: Councilman gets ethics questions on the ballot
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The non-partisan nature of municipal elections makes for interesting alliances. I was not yet here when Schundler ran and won his second full term. However, as I understand it, his council ticket included Mariano Vega, Bill Gaughan, and Tom DeGise, who are all Democratic party stalwarts (correct me if I'm wrong that they ran on his ticket). Jaime Vasquez, a former three term councilman for Ward E and one of the most liberal politicians in the city, endorsed Schundler's bid.
It may now be a bit more difficult for anyone with higher elected office ambitions to now attach themselves to Schundler, because since his Gubernatorial bid, he has become so deeply identified not just as a Republican, but as a very conservative one on social issues. And that could spell doom if one wanted to run for partisan offices in the not so distant future in Hudson County. But people may be very surprised to see who will be running on Schundler's ticket (if Schundler decides to go through with a run).
Posted on: 2008/7/11 13:00
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Re: Liberty Harbor - thoughts?
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I've moved into our new unit at GC. The walk to the Grove Street PATH is shorter than from our home on Monmouth Street. The neighborhood is bookended by the two light rail stops, and there is NY Waterway ferry service from Marin Blvd to Pier 11.
The Liberty Harbor neighborhood is pretty well covered as far as public transportation goes.
Posted on: 2008/7/2 18:45
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Re: Majestic II - What do You Want Sign?
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Quote:
Not really. There were other proposed uses for the site. At one point a restaurant, at one point Walgreens wanted to open a store there. Those potential owners met with the local neighborhood association (Van Vorst Park Assn) to discuss their plans and got at best a lukewarm response. I don't know exactly when Exeter bought the property, but they definitely did not force out Sims Carpet and prevent anyone from tenanting or purchasing the place. And I'm pretty sure that they bought it after the other potential owners floated their unsuccessful proposals.
Posted on: 2008/5/22 21:49
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Re: Westchester Can Wait -- "Jersey City...It is like being on vacation every weekend.”
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should be "The only views that will remain are to the East"
Posted on: 2008/5/6 1:09
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Re: Westchester Can Wait -- "Jersey City...It is like being on vacation every weekend.”
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Quote:
For now, but not for long. There will be buildings just as high going up directly north and south of it, and Liberty Harbor will have lots of buildings going up to the west. The only views that will remain are to the West, which overlooks Paulus Hook, where they can't build up (although in this city, I wouldn't put anything past certain officials). As it happens, my wife and I, with the recent expansion of the family, decided to purchase a unit there last year. We just closed last Friday. We're on the north side and the views right now are amazing, but I knew going in they will not last. That's not why we bought. The new construction may take away views, but it will create a very interesting neighborhood. We'll get to see how "New Urbanism" develops pretty much from the ground up, and that's exciting. The neighborhood is bookended by light rail stops, and there will be a mix of residential and retail. In any event, we're still in walking distance from our friends and family as well as the local places we dine and shop. And unlike some other new developments, this one and the adjacent Liberty Harbor transition very well with the surrounding historic districts. We'll see how it goes, I guess...
Posted on: 2008/5/5 20:56
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Re: John's Pizza
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I've been there three times and it's always been good. It's been a while since I went to John's on Bleecker, so I can't really give a comparison.
The pizza does cool down pretty quick, but otherwise it's great pizza and I've never had a problem with service.
Posted on: 2008/4/25 21:48
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