My boyfriend loves the hamburgers here. They're perfectly cooked and served on a nicely toasted yummy roll--his favorite part--I think it's sourdough bread but I'm not sure. The fries also meet his very picky standards. There are cheaper bars to get a burger but he insists on spending the extra to come here and really enjoy it.

Where did you hear that he was racing and driving at 85 mph? It doesn't say that anywhere in the news story attached here. Do you have another source of information or is this an overactive imagination?

I've noticed an increase in crime since summer hit full swing. A chinese delivery guy was held up at gunpoint off of Central Avenue and there was another mugging at Pershing Field--a kid playing basketball very late at night. It's discouraging but I still say that this stuff in Hoboken and other gentrified areas all the time, as well. It's part of urban living and not necessarily an indicator of "bad" neighborhood. Gang activity is another matter. I haven't heard about any gang-related crimes in the heights but I know a lot doesn't get reported.

In what way do the people moving to the heights "differ signifigantly" from those moving to Hoboken or downtown JC?

I am so OVER people and they're stupid ignorant yuppie hatred. Labels are the sign of an inferior mind. When I used the word "yuppie," I simply meant gainfully employed, law-abiding and educated people who tend care about their environment. I also meant young couples starting families etc ...for which yuppie isn't really accurate because that's technically the older generation. Whatever. Only a person full of anger and self-loathing, and yes, lack of basic intelligence would take these good qualities and dumb it down into the clich?d horrible "yuppie" ie, sushi-loving, starbuck-drinking robot. It's really not a stretch to say that it was this simple-minded and hostile attitude held by so many, that Hitler took advantage of back in 1930's Berlin. I have a "yuppie" career, I design book jackets for a living. I make very little money. I hate sushi and Starbucks and I REALLY hate being pidgeon-holed, categorised, labeled and then hated by some ignoramus who rejects the positive energy that a new generation can bring to a neighborhood. My father worked in a paper factory and was as blue collar as they come so I have a real love for hardworking Americans but I don't love families abusing the welfare system who generate teens who enter gangs etc...Give me gardens over grafitti and get over your fear of change and progress. You can write whatever nasty response you like because I'm not even going to bother coming to back to this thread.

As several people have pointed out, every experience is individual.
In your limited experience, the heights is a ghetto and is going downhill. In my (also limited, I admit) experience, the Heights is not a ghetto. It's certainly not Hoboken, either but I have seen the area gentrifying more every year. I've lived in the area for over six years, and the in the last year, in spite of the real estate bust, I've seen the most rapid changes occurring. I would also disagree with you as to the best areas to live. Ogden Avenue is a beautiful and quiet tree-lined street with Victorian homes locaated right on the border of Hoboken. The area on Congress near the light rail is also one of the better areas. I live between Central and Palisade near Fiske Parke and I see more and more yuppies everyday. The Bakery lofts and another new luxury loft building have started the trend of yuppies coming here for cheaper prices and the proximity to Hoboken and Manhattan. There's a new art gallery on Palisade across from the park. Churritos just opened on Central Avenue and was packed when I had dinner there. There's a new vintage clothing store on Bower off of Central, and they're actually taking down aluminum siding and putting up brick facing on Sherman Avenue. Boy, I never thought I would see that. The gentrification of The Cliffs has made Mountain Road a much safter place to walk along. When I first moved here there used to be a skeleton hanging from a tree at the top of Mountain Road and it wasn't Halloween. It's gone now and at the risk of sounding sappy, there are lush flowers and gardens in its place.
It takes a long time for a neighborhood to really improve but I would definitely say it's trending in the right direction. I've chatted with the local police here and there and they all say that there this area is very quiet compared with Greenville or Bergen-Lafeyette, both of which are true ghettos. They should know since that's what they do. Just my 2 cents.

From what I've read on Brownstoner.com it will be less than $30-40 thousand. Go to their site and enter "sprinkler system" and you'll find a lot of useful info. One guy just had it done to his brownstone and it cost him $6,000 for the water main pipe and $3000 per floor. That makes it $15,000 instead of $30.000. Still nothing to sneeze at....Apparently the sprinklers are only needed in hallway/exit area....

I totally get that you need to make the building to be safe but I kind of agree with the earlier poster about "making do." so far as cosmetics etc... So many people buy brownstones and victorians and blast out all the walls for an open floor plan with the obligatory kitchen opening into living room with the obligatory GRANITE ISLAND. I seriously think someday this V. popular style will become dated and people will return to the the cozy feel of
a separate dining room and living room which open up to each other via pocket doors. There are a lot of good things about separate (though smallish) eat-in kitchen with a classic kitchen table (no island or stools in sight).It's old-fashioned, yes but the privacy is nice and it feels cozy and more house-like...

Does this sprinkler law also apply to 2-family-2 story homes?

You must be real fun at parties. "No offense, but you know your wife looks like my brothers bulldog".



I laughed out loud when I read this. Love it. Very funny and also very true. Good one, Brewster.

Hi again. I know I suggested that it might be a neighbor but at the same time I don't think you should jump to conclusions. It may have been a random official who needed to make a quota or something. It doesn't hurt to ask someone in the city council how the process for citations works...

Pretty scary what happened to you. I wonder why you're being singled out when your neighbor's place is worse....Have you had any arguments with the neighbors? You never know if you make the wrong person angry and they have town hall connections...
The sidewalk where I used to live was unbelievably dangerous--a piece of cement sticking up about 7 inches higher than the rest--and right in the center of the sidewalk. I'm amazed that no one has falled and sued there. That's the place they should be focusing on. It's probably a couple thousand to have the sidewalk fixed...

It never ceases to amaze me how just plain old MEAN people can be on these sites. Anonymously safe at home behind their computer, the venom and opinions just spew forth. And I'm sure someone will point out that I sound just as negative by my negative observation. Ironic. Whatever. I go to the Hamilton Park place a lot with my boyfriend. We're comfortable there. He likes the burgers and they have a very good sirloin steak salad... best version I've had of it anywhere. They're generous with the steak, there's smoked mozzarella, sundried tomatoes... Also the ginger carrot soup special is yummy. This place doesn't suck. Maybe it won't win any culinary awards for originality and maybe their music could us some fine tuning (although I like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young who get played a lot there) but it's just a basic, friendly neighborhood bar with perfectly fine wings, chicken tenders etc... I don't understand the animosity from people on this site. I'm not saying it's the best place on earth but it kind of makes me laugh, all these people swearing off it..."I'm never going there again." Ridiculous. It's just a basic decent neighborhood bar trying to survive. It's not Hillary Clinton or some political candidate to get so heated up over. My boyfriend would love to open a restaurant someday. It's his dream...But if this is the crowd he needs to please, well, god help him. It certainly dampens my enthusiasm. (And no, I'm not a shill).