A couple of comments.
1. There are several paid lots near Loew's so I'm not sure why the parking gripe issue keeps coming up. (Not to mention that it's across the street from a major transportation hub). For big events perhaps Loew's could offer a way to validate parking with one of the lots.

2. As much as I would love to see these new towers, ugly or not, I have not seen *any* signs of the construciton. Where should I be looking?

If you're willing to share an apartment, that amount is fine. Especially if you're willing to live uptown instead of downtown.

There's a fear mentality that many people gravitate to. Look at any newcast about a pending 1" of snow.
I was told I was going to be murdered and mugged for moving to Glenwood Ave.
and, there's parts of Newark that are downright suburban - my huzzy lived there for 8 years.

"When he began screaming for help, the robbers continued beating him for a while before running away, reports said."

so did anyone help him? That area is not completely empty at 9:20 at night.

Very interesting thread.
I have 2 comments/questions

1. While I don't live in this area, I've spent time in it. I agree that there is some stunning architecture. However, I don't feel the "artsy" vibe. Where is it? What is it? Are there a lot of open mic events or something?

2. I agree with the poster who said that people should not have to be confined to their houses after 8 pm. Any kind of Take Back the Streets movement going on?

We decided against moving into the building. The units we were looking at were right over the garage and the internal construction seemed very flimsy indeed. As for renting out in the future, yes, in theory, you should be able to get tenants, but you can't command rent high enough to profit based on what I see them asking, even following all the price reductions that building has been through. That is, assuming you are only putting down 20%. If you are putting down 50% the equation changes and you should be ok BUT it still looks like the building is pretty deserted.

The overall area itself is fine, but I don't like that the Soleil decided against a front entrance on Montgomery. A big turnoff for me was the entrance on Boland.


I also retract my much earlier statement I made in response to icechute, regarding only being able to afford mediocrity. In this market, I was able to get a piece of splendor.

Hitchcock, by my calculations that puts you on Harrison.
Way different than Kensington.

The wait at JSQ for a cab is way longer than it should be for such a major transportation hub. Walking is safe, even at night. and there's lots of bus options.

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It's for exactly this that I'm contemplating future employment with ther JC school system.

Bergen + Oak is becoming a stop on the 126 line?! This is potentially awesome if it's picking up northbound all along Bergen, though logistically it does not make much sense.

If it's geographically possible for you to do so, you may want to consider Pathmark on Route 440. Pathmark as a company was recently lauded for using local growers whenever possible. Also they have nice produce.

I went to C-town on Bergen (against great duress b/c the "no more bedbugs and roaches" sign emblazoned in the window does NOT inspire confidence) last night on my way home to pick up a few things. Nonetheless, their produce was just stellar!

Gothic Towers has 24-7 Concierge coverage.
The staff is friendly and conscientious.

Doormen do A LOT more than open doors. They collect your packages, your mail when on vakay, announce guests, back you up of a shady vendor/repair person is giving you sh*t, provide security, keep the lobby and grounds looking immaculate. The extra $250 on top of maintenance is well worth it to me. Just know what you're getting into. If you think you think it's not worth it, or too extravagent, don't move into a building like that.

The Hague lobby is to die for but I'm really surprised that a building of that caliber does not have door staff.

This is our first holiday in a staffed building.There are 5 staff: 3 door people, a porter, a super. We gave each $50. It was much appreciated. In fact, I got the distinct sense from their reactions we may've overtipped compared to our neighbors. Ah well. I would and will do it again.

I think it's a GOOD thing that JC has more than 1 area of commerce.

And regarding crime reports, Heights, the Heights + downtown don't look all that rosy either.

I'm a former downtowner, now an uptown girl.

Dimond, I pm'd you everything I know about 131 Kensington.

This place is amazing. We've gotten take out from there twice. My husband and I are like wild animals tearing apart and devouring that chicken, that's how good it is.

+1 for the garlic rice.

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Hey young wealthy professional, those "crappy" Newark Ave stores are there because they manage to stay in business. They certainly fared better than Ox, didn't they? Perhaps the area is not as young and wealthy as you make it out to be since it's the "crappy" stores that are being subsidized more. Just sayin'.

This should do wonders for traffic.

I'm with tern. My taxes went up $10 from last quarter. Of course, my property tax bill is not actually mailed to me. I have to find out what I owe by going onto the city's tax website and looking it up under the name of the person we bought our condo from IN JUNE since the city still has not properly recorded our deed. But I digress. The taxes on this property appeared to have taken a large jump early in the year, but not in the last 2 quarters.

I like Maggie Moo's in the mall - very rich and creamy and tons of great toppings. Reasonably priced.

If you want a healthier option where you create your own dessert, OYO Yogurt in Hoboken rocks!!! You are given a cup to fill with yogurt and toppings on your own. They weigh it and you pay 55 cents an ounce. There's 4 yogurt flavors you can combine any way you want. The toppings include fresh fruit, candy, cookies, granola, nuts, coconut....

Tommy,
It turns out you have your own boat and you're wondering where to take a chick on a first date? Hello!? Champagne and finger foods on the boat --> You da man!

Dude, where's the party?

To be fair, it is Navratim (sp?) so get used to it.

LOL, Heights. And i'm right behind you in the buffet line.

Except for one thing Spider, how do you know your landlord will "take care of maintenance and other headaches"? I'm the best landlord I know. I get right on whatever the problem is, and I hire quality people to get the job done right. Your landlord will require 3+ request and several arguments only to hire some scumbag to do the least required to consider the "headache" "solved."

I live near the Flats. It's a deceptively convenient location for various forms of transit and great fresh produce. If you live in HP, you have to walk nearly a mile for fresh produce.

Nevermind - I thought you were talking about M650 Flats.

I felt that, relative to previous years, there was less to see in 2010. (And no refreshments at the sites - I used to eat my way across JC). That being said, I covered a lot of ground. I liked the crafts mafia far at Arthouse and the display at the Beacon the best.

Moved to the block 2 blocks north of Fairmount this summer and couldn't be happier. Ditto what's been said about buses. I generally feel safe but prefer to take a taxi from jsq or downtown at night.

Btw, we looked at units in 333 Fairmount when whe were house hunting. At the time, there was not much available. The units coming out now look amazing.

I think it sounds like a great investment!

We tried to buy something on Duncan earlier this year and were outbid. Instead we live 3 blocks away on Glenwood.
Prior to that we lived right by Hamilton Park. We're very pleased with our new neighborhood. You get a lot for your $$. While I agree that there's not much to do at night in terms of restaurants/bars, I disagree that there's nothing there at all. In fact it's much easier to get hands on good fresh produce on Bergen Ave than from HP. What can I say about Bergen Ave - it's not very pretty to look at. But I feel safe walking there at night alone up to 8 pm. and up until 10-11 pm with my husband. You're also on a lot of bus lines if you're between Bergen and Kennedy and near Montgomery.

There's a whole thread on this building if you do a search for 131 Kensington.
They are really nice looking condos. But I've heard horror stories about structural issues in this particular building.
I was a very serious buyer here at one point. But then I was informed that the developer will try to discourage you from getting an inspection. I know of an instance in this bldg where the unit had a bad inspection. Another user of this site will contact you to tell you everything in the building is fine to his eye LOL. This person is a realtor.

The same developer is doing 340 Fairmount which I liked better. I cannot comment on the structure of that bldg. The Hague has a bunch of awesome units available right now and if you like that you'd probably also like Gothic Towers. 333 Fairmount is another gorgeous re-development but the maintenance fees are really high there.

That being said, I also love pre-war buildings and that whole neighborhood is amazing. There's also lots to choose from as most buildings from Highland on down to Harrison are pre-war.

PM me if you need more info.