I went to Inner Harbor a lot as a kid. It's a little like South Street Seaport. Wasn't really what I was imagining, but it could be a cool thing for the area.

The restoration of the power plant in Baltimore was done very well. I think the problem that people are seeing is that there is just too much signage on the building. I would tend to agree with that assessment.

At the same time, others I have discussed this with whose judgment I respect don't have a problem with it.

Joshua Parkhurst
President
Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy

K, if you have been paying maintenance dues, then you definitely have an association established, unless there is a management company taking care of your building. Who collects your dues?

If you have questions, feel free to PM me.

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Cordish did Baltimore Inner Harbor in the theme park/Vegas style, indeed.

Terrible kitsch.

Hopefully because JC Powerhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, they won't be allowed to put their garish neon signs all over it.

I know, it's better than it being in ruins, but still...

well i guess if the building is saved for now, through this term with cordish, then fine. but judging from their web-site, they have the theme park-mcmansion-paver disease so prevelant in todays world of design.

the powerhouse mall _ oh fun.

Guardian Angles join crime victims on patrol

07/22/2006

Citizen Watch group prowls Downtown Jersey City


Ricardo Kaulessar
rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com
Reporter staff writer


HAVING THEIR BACK ? Members of the Jersey City Chapter of the Guardian Angels flank the back of a Downtown Jersey City Watch patrol group.

Even if they were only able to get eight people together to patrol their part of town on Monday night, the members of the Downtown Jersey City Watch believe their efforts are about "creating a presence" to cut crime in the neighborhood.

"We do not want to confront people. We just want to get to know the people in our neighborhood," said Pam, one of the founders of Downtown Jersey City Watch, which is a grassroots organization made up of downtown residents who have all been victims of crime.

Some in the patrol group requested that their last names not be used in this article.

Pam said there are hundreds of members who communicate via e-mail. They make notes of any suspicious activity or unusual sightings in the neighborhood so that if a crime occurs, the written observations can be submitted to the police as evidence.

To start off Monday night, two members of the Watch - Amy and Heidi - were joined by two members of the Jersey City Chapter of the Guardian Angels, as well as Ryan and Sonia, a couple who resides on Grove Street.


HAVING THEIR BACK ? Members of the Jersey City Chapter of the Guardian Angels flank the back of a Downtown Jersey City Watch patrol group.

They all met at the Beechwood Caf? on Grove Street where they went over their patrol plans for the evening.

Ryan and Sonia have lived in Jersey City for about three years and their car has been broken into at least six times.

"Just recently, someone smashed the window of my 1994 Hyundai Avalon and took the radio and the button to the air conditioner," said Ryan. "After a while, you get tired of paying $100 or more to get your window fixed."
Out on patrol

On Monday night, the patrol started on Grove Street, where they gave out flyers advertising National Night Out on Aug. 1. National Night Out is a police event that has been held the first Tuesday of every August since 1984. It aims to increase awareness about police programs such as drug prevention, town watch, and other anti-crime efforts through block parties and festivals that day.

The group made their way down Grove Street, and Pam noticed immediately that the stretch between York and Grand streets had poor lighting.

She then wrote down the identification number of the streetlight to inform Public Service Electric & Gas to either fix the light or install a new one.

The Guardian Angels always stay at the back of the group.

"Whenever we do these patrols, the Guardian Angels always have our back, making sure to prevent any attacks on us," said Pam.

Guardian Angel Mark Adams, also known as "Barrio," is the leader of the Jersey City Chapter of the Guardian Angels, which covers Jersey City, Newark, and parts of New York City. He is enthusiatic about going on the patrols.

"This is great. I love seeing people come together like this and working to make their communities safer," said Mark. "This helps the Guardian Angels with their job in patrolling the Downtown area.

There are approximately 20 Guardian Angels in the Jersey City Chapter, which includes several Jersey City residents.

The chapter formed earlier this year in response to two muggings of women in Downtown Jersey City.

Walking with Mark was Rico, a 20-year-old resident of the city's Greenville section. Joining the group later was Mike, a Guardian Angel who was not wearing the Angels' colors because he just came home from work.

Dimebags and boys on bikes

On Barrow Street, the group noticed the overgrowth of trees blocking out the streetlights.

"Need to call Public Works to get the trees trimmed," said Pam.

Mike then saw a "dime bag," which is a small plastic bag that usually contains $10 worth of illegal drugs.

"Most people at this time of night would just walk by, but I have been trained to look in all directions," said Mike.

Pam also said that a gray apartment building on the corner of Barrow and Mercer streets is where drugs have been sold.

The group then goes to the corner of Barrow Street and Christopher Columbus Drive, crossing over to go toward Newark Avenue. The group tried not to patrol too long because of the hot weather.

As they walked up Newark Avenue, they continued handing out flyers for National Night Out. They also made note of some young men they saw riding bikes.

The Watch was a bit concerned because sometimes groups of youngsters ride their bikes to look for area drug dealers.

Mike singled out one young man they passed but Rico commented that he is merely "a friend."

"Many times when you're coming home from work, a lot of times you don't always take note of your surroundings," said Ryan. "These patrols are a good way to become more observant."

Amy said that since she started going on these patrols, she has taken a few minutes to drive around her neighborhood to observe any activity when coming home from work.

The patrol ended at the PATH station on Grove Street, where they spot more streetlights that were not lit.

For more information on the Downtown Jersey City Watch, e-mail at downtownjcwatch@gmail.com. There is a monthly meeting on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Grace Van Vorst Church, 39 Erie St. Their next meeting is on Aug. 14 where the guest speaker will be Hudson County Prosecutor Edward J. DeFazio.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

?The Hudson Reporter 2006

It is a new renovation, and we have all just moved in. I will definitely check with the developer to see if she established an association and has POS -- I think she must have, because we have been paying maintenance dues.

We have a 4-unit condo building as well, and one rep for each unit is an officer (via election) of our condo association.

We had pre-existing condo association bylaws, which we haven't really referred to, as we have not encountered any real problems that would merit having to refer to 'the book.' We're also very lucky because we get along with our neighbors very well, and each meeting is more of a party for us. The accounting is done by our Treasurer (the only person who really does any work, God bless her), and any decision about maintenance, repairs, improvements, etc is voted on by each member.

Did your building recently condo-ize, or did you buy an existing condo?

If I'm not mistaken, every condo must have a POS which details the structure and bylaws. That's what you need to work off of. If you don't know of any such documents, I would make inquiries - not sure who with, I'd start with the business registration section of NJ.

My building only has four units, so I'm thinking it can't be that difficult, can it? What I'd like to know -- from someone with experience -- is how the group is structured, how accounting and maintenance are handled, and how decisions get made. TIA for any advice.

This is, as both John and I mentioned in the article, a very positive development.

The things to watch from here.

1) The Port Authority needs to set a timetable for relocating the transformer yards. This has been an issue that has held up the project to date.

2) We want to make sure the Cordish Company partakes in this development transparently with input from the public. This is the type of development that can really change a city, and everyone should be involved to make sure its for the better.

Joshua Parkhurst
President
Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy

First sighting in a while:



PINK!! (and white)!

http://www.cordish.com/

It looks like they have done some good stuff. There is so mush potential there.

Powerhouse project gets developer
FRESH START
Friday, July 21, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
The outlook for the long-dormant Powerhouse in Downtown Jersey City got a little brighter this week after the city Redevelopment Authority designated a developer with a lengthy track record for successfully transforming industrial-age buildings into modern entertainment complexes.

City officials say the designation of Baltimore-based Cordish Companies - a key player in the turnaround of Baltimore's Inner Harbor - represents a fresh start for the long-troubled Powerhouse project, which is widely considered the cornerstone of the Powerhouse Arts District.
"This is a turning point for the Powerhouse Arts District and all of Jersey City," Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said in a written statement. "Their work at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore is world class and we expect nothing less in Jersey City."

News of the designation was greeted warmly by members of the community who have long fought to see the site both preserved and used.

"It's excellent," said John Gomez, founder and former president of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy. "We actually visited with Cordish back in 2000, hoping they would come aboard."

The current president of the Conservancy, Joshua Parkhurst, agreed.

"I am glad to see the process is moving along and I hope that the builders will come to the community groups and include them," he said.

Officially known as the Hudson and Manhattan Powerhouse, the one-acre building on Washington Boulevard stands 140 feet tall. Built in 1906 to provide power to the Hudson Tubes - the predecessor to the PATH - the building is structurally sound, though a leaky roof has caused extensive corrosion.

The details of the redevelopment project are still being negotiated, but informal plans call for a multi-level mix of entertainment and retail. Its listing on the National Register of Historical Places also means it will restored under U.S. Department of Interior guidelines.

The project has long been hampered by the fact that the city's partner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, houses its transformers for the PATH system at the site.

The Port Authority is spending $400,000 for a consultant to conduct a review of the site, which will look at alternative places for the transformers and the agency's projected power needs in the future, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority.

"From our discussions with the Port Authority, we are optimistic that the issue would be resolved," said city Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis.

It's too early to put forth a timeline, but if and when the transformer issue gets resolved the project will begin to catch momentum, said JCRA Executive Director Bob Antonicello.

How the transformer issue is resolved, along with a host of other considerations, will help determine how the project gets funded. City officials said they expect to lease the space to Cordish, but they would not speculate on other funding formulas.

The JCRA had previously designated a Pennsylvania-based developer at the site, but Antonicello said the project was too large and the city had to find them in default of the agreement.

Give this a read: http://stopspendingmymoney.com/release.asp

That?s just one example of where cuts in spending can come from. Now how about public works contracts, how about all the grant funding of private enterprise, public school costs, and the list goes on adnausium.

Now add to this whole debacle our bonded debt of over 30 billion, that?s right BILLION dollars and it begs the question; ?What the hell are you folks thinking about down there in Trenton??

Can any of us run our households this way? Until we stand up and absolutely say ?NO MORE? this insanity will continue. It has become so bad that there are families losing homes, homes that for generations have provided shelter to them, because they can no longer afford the property taxes. This is wrong period. There can be no justification of this happening.

We need to cut spending and that?s all there is to it. In the days of free flowing money if we wish to be extravagant then so be it but these are not those times, nor have they been for quite some time, and if we don?t start holding our elected representatives to task, really it?s just a matter of simply doing the job we elected and are paying them handsomely to do, then we will not see an end to this fiscal insanity and yes thievery. And to think one of the impetus? for the founding our fair nation was excessive burdensome taxation. We really haven?t learned much over the years have we?

Peace,
Ed

He'd get a lot more support if he cut spending rather than increasing taxes. He points out waste but only enables it. Like other local plutocrat/politicians (eg. Bloomberg) he is happy to make it harder for everyone else if it preserves his own celebrity.

Quote:

Commissions - When we sold our place, our listing agent did 4% commission if it was sold in-house (by one of the realtors at her office or herself) and 5% if it was sold by an outside agent. I think with the MLS it pretty much is a 50-50 split. Sounds like the realtor you spoke with was giving you a load of bs to try to talk you out of putting the property on the MLS. That way, all interested parties come through them, and they get the full commission. That is NOT in your best interest, though, so don't let them bs you!

PS The agent we've used for a few buys/sales has been great. We had 4 other realtors come look at the house we were selling, and she told us to put it on the market for 100K higher than any of them did. It sold at asking price - and we even had an offer over asking price. PM me and I'll put you in touch with her if you'd like.

I'll be at the next meeting with my visor, checkered pants and sign saying "We need a public golf course!" Who's with me?

What I could not understand from all those people waving the "We need jobs!" signs is just what exactly kind of jobs do they think it will bring? New warehouses are built to make it possible to hire as few humans as possible. Even my old warehouse is being updated all the time with devises that cut out the need for labor. At our peak we used to have over 120 employees, now at our busiest we only need around 60. The less labor force the less amount of supervisors....what exactly did all those middle age people think is going to employee them and at what positions?

Gina

Doggie's Playmate is really good. John is awesome and he has a fantastic asssitant, so you're always covered.

I definitely agree that John, from Doggie's Playmate is the way to go. He has an amazing connection with the dogs he walks; even my dog who is aloof with people, at best, adores him. He is very responsible and thorough. I have used several other walkers downtown jc, and he is the only one who has exceeded my expectations.

Same project, vote was tabled.

This is not just about a warehouse operation vs. golf course.

It is about the warehouse project's impact on the surrounding neighborhood, not just downtown cares about traffic congestion.

This is not just about a golf course. While the proposal for park space would include I believe a back nine for the existing nine holes on the westside of Lincoln Park, it would also provide sorely needed recreation facilities including ballfields.

Not only do downtown residents also need active recreation facilities, but there are existing ballfields kept under lock and key that possibly could be kept open in the future if well maintained fields are available elsewhere in JC for organized leagues.

The creation of recreation facilities on the PJP site could reduce the call for active recreation on Reservoir #3, clearing the way to develop it as passive natural space.

After having my bike stolen right out of my hallway of my building, I fully support mini surveillance cams. They are so cheap now, and the piece of mind is invaluable. No one's privacy is invaded as it would be in a public place. There are just too many thieves, etc that think they are invisible! Spying is one thing, but this is for the public good. I also live on the top floor, so the only person(s) on the cam are me and friends (who know about it). Anyone else shouldn't be up here to begin with!

folks, this is an important and extremely useful thread. can we please keep at least this one on point?

Quote:

How about the Pine Barrens?

"JUVENILE CURFEWS ? There is a curfew for children under the age of 17 throughout Jersey City between 10:30pm & 6:00am , unless the child is coming from work or is accompanied by an adult. Curfew vans will be registered this week and will begin enforcement."

I like this idea. Will the vans take the kids far far away and dump them in the woods?

Say it isn't so, does that mean I can't sell my one bedroom on Mercer street for a million dollars?

Throughout Downtown, a slowdown?
Experts fear slowdown in real estate market
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Rising federal interest rates combined with growing concern among the nation's lenders over how much supply Jersey City's Downtown can handle has some experts and local officials predicting a significant slowdown in the city's bullish residential market.

The apparent shift in momentum comes at a time when Jersey City planning officials are bracing for upwards of 20,000 new units - from rentals to condos - in the Downtown region alone over the next decade, and it's now unclear whether the city will hit that target as the market emerges from its borrower-friendly epoch.

The perception of a flooded market has already slowed down one major Downtown project, and one of its high-profile developers - mega mogul Donald Trump - recently told The Jersey Journal the second phase of his Trump Jersey City project "may or may not get built, depending on market conditions."

The attorney for Metro Homes, James McCann, defended a postponement of a payment to the city saying that the lenders for the project have become jittery about the prospects of selling out the second of two towers.

"The banks are a little more skeptical of condo developments, because of the supply," said Dave Barry, of Applied Development.

Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop, who also works in Manhattan's financial district, says the city should consider the market slowdown when banking on revenue from proposed projects.

"I believe there will be a lot of projects that now may not come to fruition in the near term, so I think we need to revisit the abatement process, such as sunset provisions, to make sure that the city gets a return on its commitment," said Fulop.

"Look at the Trump project. It's an approved project, but we're not getting the revenue we expected, and I thinks it's representative of the climate."

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently made the decision to raise interest rates for the 17th consecutive time, to 5.25 percent, increasing long-term mortgage rates - as well as the cost for developers who want to borrow money to build the multimillion projects that dominate Downtown.

"Developers are now being asked to put more money up front because of the rate increase, and they are asking whether it's worth it," Barry said.

Jamie LeFrak, of LeFrak Organization Inc., said Jersey City has protection from the bursting of the real estate bubble because of its close proximity to New York City and its colossal job market.

"The job market in New York City is healthy, and people want to live close to their jobs, and they have found Jersey City a great place to live, so that won't change," LeFrak said.


Supply is giving buyers the edge
Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The swelling residential market supply has taken the negotiating power out of the hands of the developers and put it into the hands of buyers for the first time in years.

"Buyers now have more negotiating power and more selection as the market gets flooded with units," said Mike Berney, regional director with Liberty Realty.

Home sales in Hudson County are down 10 percent from this time last year, while the average price of a home has shot up 21 percent from last year to $475,000, Berney said.

"The market may no longer support the price (but) homeowners are stubborn when they are selling," said James Hughes, dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. "Units are staying on the market for much longer."

Hughes said Hudson County's home sales statistics are typical indications of a market slowdown - which usually happens when the federal interest rate goes up.

"We have yet to invent a way to make booms last forever," Hughes said.

JARRETT RENSHAW

This really great! The police finally got tired of me calling!

i'll be there!! please we need some grass and trees in this concrete jungle!!