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caj11

Re: Did the Tunnel Diner close? Say it ain't so!

#1171

Home away from home

anyone have insight on this? I was hoping I'd hear something by now

Posted on: 2008/2/12 12:27

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caj11

Re: Almost half of Hudson County residents support proposal to bring a casino to the Meadowlands

#1172

Home away from home

Quote:

SLyng wrote:
There are two issues being discussed here?
1) Gambling on Horse Racing vs. other forms of Gambling. How there appears to be preference for the former and opposition to the latter.
2) Slots in racing facilities competing with Atlantic City which is somehow bad

With respect to #1, I think it?s fair to say that Gambling on horses is the same as gambling on the throw of a dice, the draw of a card, or the pull of a lever. You?re wagering money on an uncertain outcome and have the potential to lose money. That?s why I can?t understand why horseracing gets a pass on gambling but other forms (in particular online gambling) do not.

Neither can I. And still the people who think a casino at the Meadowlands would be a bad idea are still nowhere to be heard from.

I also agree with what you have to say on the subject of giving Atlantic City a monopoly on slots to the detriment of NJ racing fans and breeders. Like you said, NJ racetracks have to compete with NY, PA, *and* Delaware. Furthermore, what's wrong with competition, for A.C. or anyone else? Last time I checked we lived in a capitalist society. Isn't competition the American way?

Posted on: 2008/2/12 3:01

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caj11

Re: Want to build a very small and simple deck in my backyard - what are the steps

#1173

Home away from home

Quote:

brewster wrote:
Well, here's my take.

1st, if your friend isn't a licensed NJ contractor you're not going to get a permit.

2nd, assuming he is, go down to the 30 Montgomery 4th floor permits office and throw yourself on the mercy of the court. Tell them what you want to do and ask what you need. You'll probably need to file a drawing, but whether that can be done by your bud or needs to be by a licensed architect is a question for them.

3rd, return to 30 Montogomery with what you need, including the contractors license # and address, and apply for the permit.

4th, build, you'll have to have several inspections like a footing inspection and framing inspection.

Sooooo, bend over for JC, then enjoy your deck!!

Brian_em, maybe you hit shale in the Heights or JS, but downtown it's all mud! They just pound 20' piles straight in around here. All the floors here sag in the older homes because none of the center pillars have proper footings and have sunk in the mud.

Well, this the most helpful advice I've gotten yet. Throw myself at the mercy of the court at 30 Montgomery St ? I love my tax dollars hard at work, I really really do.

Posted on: 2008/2/12 2:49

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caj11

Re: Want to build a very small and simple deck in my backyard - what are the steps

#1174

Home away from home

Quote:

brian_em wrote:
I dunno man, call before you dig. lol.

Like you said, your buddy drew up some pretty good plans, they weren't on level with architectural plans?

Even if you are building a "small" deck, you still need to dig some serious holes and pour concrete for a foundation on you main supports. Keep in mind this sounds simple, but digging anywhere in NJ, is a pain. You hit shale after 10" if you're lucky. But you have to keep in minid all the pipes and lines running into and out of your house. Are those all accounted for?

Actually, the way we're doing it we don't need to dig any holes - the supports will be held by concrete pylons on top of the concrete patio. There is no way any of the pipes and lines will be touched when we do this. I do want to this legitimately, get the permits and all, I just don't see why I'm being treated like I'm building a shopping center or something.

Posted on: 2008/2/12 2:46

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caj11

Re: Want to build a very small and simple deck in my backyard - what are the steps

#1175

Home away from home

>sigh<

Yes, I could do that but I am on the ground floor of a condo building (backyard is deeded to me) and what if my neighbors and people on other floors of the building decide to call the Construction Code or Zoning offices and tell on me?

I just need to know what are the steps. Oh, and yes, I am fairly new and uninitiated to the Jersey City bureaucracy, so I am bracing for the worst.

Posted on: 2008/2/12 2:00

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caj11

Want to build a very small and simple deck in my backyard - what are the steps

#1176

Home away from home

Okay, so I wanted to build a small deck on the back of my house, in my backyard. Had numerous contractors come and scope things out, they all said they were either too busy or this was just too small a job to be worth their time.

So I hooked up with a friend of mine from outside the area who comes down here frequently and has done this sort of work on the side before. He drew up some pretty extensive plans and took a lot of the necessary photographs.

I applied for Certificate of No Effect because I am in a historic district. The people in the Historic Preservation Commission were pleasant and easy to deal with, they granted me a certificate in about a week.

Now comes the hard part - obtaining a building permit. After applying to the Office of Construction Code, because I didn't have architectural prints, I'm now being told that I need to make an application to the Zoning Office as well, which needs to approve my proposed deck first, which I was never told about.

Some friends have suggested that I just build it and plan on not getting caught, as some have done themselves with other improvements, but I don't want to start the work only to be told it has to be torn down and to pay a large fine.

There are no written ordinances on this and no written guidance on the logistics of applying for a building permit. Is there anyone out there who has been through this and would like to tell me the steps I need to take on this?

Please, serious replies only, I just want to get this small and simple deck built. Thanks.

Posted on: 2008/2/12 1:11

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caj11

Re: Who here really, really hates Comcast?

#1177

Home away from home

You can add me to the list of Comcast haters. As a result, I haven't had cable in over three years. I could write a book on my problems with them but I'm certain nobody cares to hear it. For internet service, I use Verizon DSL. Beyond that I have rabbit ears for my TV set and a Netflix subscription. It's not like I watch that much TV anyway.

Posted on: 2008/2/11 5:46

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caj11

Re: Almost half of Hudson County residents support proposal to bring a casino to the Meadowlands

#1178

Home away from home

Quote:

ianmac47 wrote:
By law, the only place in New Jersey where gambling is allowed is Atlantic City. Racetracks, like the Meadowlands, are allowed to take bets on horse races, but not allowed gambling machines like slots. For at least 8 years now the raceways have been lobbying for video slots or slot machines or some other form of gambling at the raceways. Atlantic City casinos are rightfully concerned that placing slot machines in facilities other than Atlantic City casinos will hurt casino slot revenue, the bread and butter of the casino industry.

So is the anti-casino movement concerned about Atlantic City now too? Is there a Camp #3 that thinks gambling is evil unless its racetracks or anything in Atlantic City?

This thread just gets more and more confusing and it isn't even that long yet.

Posted on: 2008/2/11 5:40

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caj11

Did the Tunnel Diner close? Say it ain't so!

#1179

Home away from home

So I'm out last night looking for late night grub after a long night in the city, and I drive by the Tunnel Diner, which I've always liked and its all closed up and dark, and the parking lot blocked off. I know the place is (or was) normally 24 hours, so would someone like to confirm my fear that they have closed ?

If this is old news, forgive me, but I searched the forum already and can't find anything about this.

Posted on: 2008/2/11 5:33

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caj11

Re: Almost half of Hudson County residents support proposal to bring a casino to the Meadowlands

#1180

Home away from home

Quote:

JSQ wrote:
I can only imagine poor people becoming such addicts that the #2 will be filled. This is horrific! Dear community, stand for our common good, do not allow such houses of sin so close to us. Allow them exclusively in other parts of the state, country and the world. We don't need casinos, we can always make money through industry and arts!

I'm confused here. So are you against all legal forms of gambling - racetracks and lotteries as well as casinos, or are you with Camp #2, that only has a problem with casinos? Which is it?

Posted on: 2008/2/11 3:38

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caj11

Re: Almost half of Hudson County residents support proposal to bring a casino to the Meadowlands

#1181

Home away from home

Quote:

SLyng wrote:
Quote:

caj11 wrote:
.

There's a total double-standard for horses vs. other types of gambling. Just look at the bullshit legislation that passed 1 or 2 yrs ago banning bank transfers to online gaming websites. There was a SPECIFIC carve-out in the law to exempt horse racing from the law - i.e. it's OK to place bets on horses online. The rest of us who want to play poker online get shut down but the horse racing people are fine.

I think you're right, maybe they just know how to handle the politicians better than other forms of gambling. Somehow it became more socially acceptable to bet on horses than to bet on blackjack or poker. I don't get it myself because unless you're an expert handicapper, the average joe has just as good a chance to lose their money on the ponies as they do on a turn of the roulette wheel.

If the goal is to prevent people from being degenerates - why let them bet on horses? In the land of the free i say spend your money on whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt others...

I couldn't have said it better myself. Notice how quiet the anti-casino community becomes when the whole betting on horseracing double-standard issue comes up. So who wants to answer: is betting your paycheck on horseracing less evil than betting it at the craps table or slots? If so why? Or should the Meadowlands racetrack and OTB be shut down too? I wouldn't miss either of them, but then its my choice not to go to them either.

Am I missing something or are there actually two
anti-casino camps out there?

1.The one against ALL forms of gambling, racetracks and lotteries included.

2.The one that is simply against games of chance like slots and table games but has no problem with racetracks and/or lotteries?

Camp #1 makes more sense to me because at least they are consistent in what they believe, even if I don't agree with it. I can't make head or tail of camp #2's logic.

Posted on: 2008/2/10 20:17

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caj11

Re: Almost half of Hudson County residents support proposal to bring a casino to the Meadowlands

#1182

Home away from home

Quote:

Dwntownguy wrote:
Casinos in Hudson County are a bad idea

Asking a Hudson County Politician to control himself/ herself around the casino money, is like asking my fat nephew to control himself around a cookie jar and a pint of ice cream

If they put up a casino at the Meadowlands, I probably wouldn't go to it but how is this any different than the racetrack with parimutuel betting that is already there (which includes the betting on simulcast horseraces from other tracks) ? I can just as easily blow my whole paycheck at the racetrack, why is it always less controversial?

Come to think of it, there's an Off-Tracking Betting (OTB) facility one block from where I work in Manhattan which I have never entered and again, I could blow my whole paycheck there too. Yet about ten years ago, a couple of companies tried launch casino cruises from Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn and mayor Giuliani went apeshit, throwing up every roadblock he could to make it difficult for them to operate, until it became unprofitable and they were forced to close. But the OTB facilities, right in Manhattan and other locations around the city remain open.

Here's a bet I'd like to take - do the OTB & racetrack people have a lot more grease for the palms of state and local politicians? Or is OTB and racetracks somehow just "less evil" ?

Please. Give me a break.

Posted on: 2008/2/9 16:41

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caj11

Re: Poor service from USPS package carrier in Van Vorst Park

#1183

Home away from home

FYI, the Postmaster of Jersey City is Jeff B Gannon. I'm guessing you can reach him at the same number. I hope this information helps.

Posted on: 2008/2/9 16:27

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caj11

Re: Poor service from USPS package carrier in Van Vorst Park

#1184

Home away from home

I had my problems with the post office when I first moved here, similar to yours as well as bills and other dated mail coming to me late (luckily I pay most of my bills online now). I called the Jersey City post office - phone number is 201-915-7041 - and spoke to a woman who I think was the Postmaster or maybe she was a mid-level manager and she was very pleasant and helpful and said she'd speak with the carrier for my route. She even called me back at work and said that while the carrier on my route had experienced problems with people not emptying their mailboxes, leaving no room for new mail, the carrier would be that much more careful. I haven't had any problems since then, as far as home delivery goes.

Whoever this Mr. Jackson is, I have no idea. I hope he hasn't replaced the nice woman I spoke with on the phone a couple of years ago. He sounds like a real tool.

Posted on: 2008/2/9 16:18

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caj11

Re: where can I find the rules for a historic renovation?

#1185

Home away from home

Whadduya know, I'm in the middle of the same thing. I already applied to the Historic Preservation Commission to build a deck at my place (in the historic district) and it was a breeze.

Really nice people too (its the office of Construction Code Official where you apply for building permits that has been a royal pain in the ass). Anyway, just call the Historic Preservation Commission at 201-547-5010 and they will send you an information packet explaining the regulations in lay-man's terms along with specific information about different types of renovation and construction that might not apply to you (i.e., facades, signs etc.) AND a Certificate of No Effect/Certificate of Appropriateness.

Chances are if you're just building a deck and not altering the walls of your building, Certificate of No Effect is all you'll need to do (as was the case with me), and they will approve rather quickly, there's a $10 fee though. Certificate of Appropriateness, however, requires you to make 13 copies of the application and attend some monthly (sometimes twice monthly) meeting of the Commission. I don't know much about how that works because I didn't need to get that type of permit.

Now I'm in the middle of getting a building permit from the Office of Construction Code Official. I'd rather reserve my comments on them for another time, because I'm less than happy with them.

Good luck!

Posted on: 2007/12/17 2:34

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caj11

Re: Dealing with the Office of Construction Code Official...anyone have insight?

#1186

Home away from home

Well, I've been here a few years but up until now the only city agency I had to deal with was the Parking Authority, to buy a parking permit, and I've really had no problems with them.

I've talked to two people who built their own decks in JC and both have said they just built them, without bothering to get a permit. Is this a standard practice among homeowners in JC doing their own home improvements, given the ineptitude and slow response of the Construction Code office?

Posted on: 2007/11/28 2:17

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caj11

Re: Dealing with the Office of Construction Code Official...anyone have insight?

#1187

Home away from home

Thank you very much for the insight, I appreciate it. One thing I just noticed today, and this is the REAL injustice... I noticed that the denial letter was dated October 30th (I submitted the application on October 24th) but nothing was sent to me until this past Monday Nov. 19th and the only reason I received it was because of repeated calls and faxes to the office...what gives?

Also, if I submit the architectural prints with the building plans, will that be enough? What else could they possibly ask for?

Posted on: 2007/11/22 5:32

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caj11

Dealing with the Office of Construction Code Official...anyone have insight?

#1188

Home away from home

Okay, so I wanted to build a small deck on the back of my house, in my backyard. Had numerous contractors come and scope things out, they all said they were either too busy or this was just too small a job to be worth their time.

So I hooked up with a friend of mine from outside the area who comes down here frequently and has done this sort of work on the side before. He drew up some pretty extensive plans and took a lot of the necessary photographs.

Went down to the Office of Construction Code Official (part of the Dept. of Housing, Economic Development & Commerce) to apply for a building permit. The engineer at the counter looked at my building plans and photos and said the information I was submitting was sufficient and my permit should be approved easily.

After a 3 1/2 week wait, I finally get a call back from Office of Construction Code, saying my application has been denied. They faxed the denial to me, which simply stated "architectural prints" (I assume it means I was supposed to submit them with the application and did not).

Architectural prints never entered my or my friend's mind. We're not building the Taj Mahal here. Anyone have any insight on getting around the draconian policies of the Office of Construction Code Official and what I can do about something like this?

Thanks in advance

Posted on: 2007/11/20 4:14

Topic | Forum

caj11

Re: Live Election Results Here...

#1189

Home away from home

Well its about 18% turnout as of 11pm. Rather pitiful yes. But most of the races in Jersey City were unopposed so I can see why. Still, there were choices in a couple of the races and there were four very important referendums (or referenda?), three of them dealing with the issue of how the state should spend its money. People should always vote and not take this right for granted.

I voted, for the record, as I have in every election. Even school board elections, and I don't have any kids.

Posted on: 2007/11/7 5:00

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caj11

Re: Downtown: \'All-girl\' wolfpack robbery

#1190

Home away from home

Quote:

edge wrote:
the sight of a calculator or teacher will scare these girls.

you can have an illegal gun in your pocket right now. no reason to think about it. maybe these 6 girls will even sell you one.

Seriously... your going to pull a gun out of your pocket and what? spend the rest of your life in prison for shooting 6 people because they were going to mess up your hair? whats wrong with mace? tazer? some self defense?

No I certainly wouldn't want to...but it seems like this "wolfpack" is doing a lot more than messing up peoples' hair. Bernie Goetz only went to prison for six months by the way, for illegal handgun possession...he was acquitted of everything else under the grounds of self-defense. I suppose mace is an alternative, but seems like the sight of it wouldn't deter anyone, let alone six people. As for tazers, I didn't think those were commercially available.

All that said, I have no intentions of buying a gun or tazer, I don't think I'd ever be comfortable holding one, I'm just frustrated about the recent upsurge in muggings and break-ins (to both cars and individual apartments), the police being virtually helpless and all people do is joke about it. I suppose any kind of serious post on this forum is pointless...

Posted on: 2007/10/1 4:23

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caj11

Re: Downtown: \'All-girl\' wolfpack robbery

#1191

Home away from home

Read the news story. It said:

"Around 10 p.m. Tuesday night, a woman in her 20s told police, a pack of five or six girls, some on bikes and some on foot, followed closely behind her as she was walking north on Monmouth Street after getting off the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail at the Jersey Avenue Station.

One of the girls pulled at her purse, then another pulled her hair, bringing her to the ground as one of the girls ran off with her purse, according to reports."

They pulled her hair, forced her to the ground, and then mugged her. I didn't say anything about shooting people much less eating a "hart" (?) and kidneys (who said I was Jack the Ripper anyway?). I suggested the sight of a gun might have sent these girls a message and made them
re-think the idea of mugging somebody. Also, are people sympathizing with these attackers because they are girls? Because when its 5 or 6 against one, gender doesn't matter.

[quote]
edge wrote:
Sounds like a fantastic idea. shoot 6 girls because they take your purse and mess up your hair. maybe you can eat their hart and kidneys when your done?

Posted on: 2007/10/1 2:44

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caj11

Re: Downtown: \'All-girl\' wolfpack robbery

#1192

Home away from home

Regardless of how much people actually care about this or want to create a new bar drink, it\'s shit like this that has made me re-visit the issue of private gun ownership. I used to be a bleeding-heart liberal and hated the NRA. I lived the greater part of my life in a small town where my commute was short, I was usually home before dark and people routinely walked into each others\' houses. I never thought I\'d have any need for a gun. Now I work in NYC, its usually dark when I\'m walking home and the streets can get sketchy after dark. I\'m no match for a group of muggers, even if its a bunch of teenage girls, but the sight of a gun would make them re-think jumping me. Not that I\'d personally want to shoot anybody, but Jersey City needs its own version of Bernie Goetz to give the criminals a message. Notice how crime began to go downhill after that incident in 1984.

Posted on: 2007/10/1 2:13

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