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Re: Real time info on NJ Transit buses
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Home away from home
 
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When you text your stop to 'MyBus', the reply message also has the real-time arrival of the next bus, or close to it. I assume the busses are tracked by GPS - in my experience, the text announcements seem to be accurate to within a minute or two.
Very helpful - I recommend memorizing the codes for the nearest two stops if you are in between lines (e.g., I can take either the 87 to JSQ or Hoboken, or the 84 to JSQ, and can check as I walk out my door what's coming next).
Posted on: 2014/1/24 22:13
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Re: Chopper in heights
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Being a Heights resident, I assumed it was a JCPD chopper, looking for fugitive! I should have gone outside - it would have been entertaining to see all the shady characters on Franklin Street ducking into doorways and alleys
Posted on: 2014/1/24 22:08
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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Quote:
No, I don't understand. The conversation was - is - about insurance, why it needs to be more widely available as well as effective (i.e., cover overwhelming costs). Your rebuttal makes no sense whatsoever. And outrage against rightwingers is never wasted - since they are are impervious to any ideas except what they want to hear, it bounces right back! It's warming up in my pocket as I write this.
Posted on: 2014/1/24 22:02
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Re: article concerning NJ economy
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I would have like to have seen comparable housing data from more states - Ames, Iowa's largest employer by far is a university, so there is probably little employment opportunity outside of that. Are we to believe none of those relatively highly compensated university staff took 2nd mortgages against their homes? But I'm prepared to believe Ames represented fewer opportunities for investors than did Arizona, Florida, or other states with big retirement/2nd home communities.
I would certainly like to see Jersey City on the Forbes list of best small places for business, though! I only saw Vineland, NJ on that list (wherever that is...).
Posted on: 2014/1/21 19:49
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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Quote:
In a nutshell, the attitude that necessitates government intervention in health care in the first place... you don't plan to incurr catastrophic medical expenses - are you [censored] kidding me?! Depending on which study you read, 17% (Kellogg School of Management, 2006) to 62% (Harvard, 2007) of all bankruptcies in the US are the result of medical expenses. This is not a matter of people expecting to be taken care of, this is a serious public policy matter that contributes to poverty among surviving spouses, children and the elderly, over-burdening emergency rooms, loss of productivity in business, etc. I can't believe you would offer such a ludicrous justification for disabling the ACA.
Posted on: 2014/1/21 19:12
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Re: Motorcycle passenger dies from injuries after crash with jitney in Jersey City
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Quote:
The only place I have seen the #87 bus pull over to the curb, is the stretch of Franklin Street between New York and Webster Avenues where there is no parking (of course, cars park - usually on the sidewalk - but since there is one at most the bus can swing in). Everywhere else, there are invariably cars in the bus zones, and on my many jaunts you usually see cars crossing the double line to get around the bus as it pulls back into traffic. Even if that were not the case, the NJT busses on Palisade and Central Avenue can't get that close to the bus stops, on account of the 1/2 dozen jitneys in the way...
Posted on: 2014/1/21 18:44
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Re: Newark, Jersey City among the least affordable cities for renters, survey finds
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I would love to know how they got their average apartment rental costs (the average income I assume came from the Census Explorer) - I know for a fact apartments in the Heights rent for less generally.
That said - what is the answer to this here, in Jersey City? In NYC, many urban planners and affordable housing advocates argue for building more housing, assuming increasing the supply of newer, better housing will free up more of the older housing stock with fewer amenities at less expensive rents. But here, other than the waterfront it's hard to see any evidence of a building boom. And, as I've lamented on other posts - while the Heights is indeed less desireable owing to the lousing mass transit options, we do seem to have an inordinate number of vacant, partially completed residential buildings. It seems these could easily fill the gap for the $55-75K/year households.
Posted on: 2014/1/21 18:25
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Re: $1,400 for 195 s.f., shared bath in Harlem
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Quote:
And yet, there are so many vacant buildings in The Heights! Jersey City is in the orbit of a world class city with an acute affordable housing shortage, yet apartments that are accessible to people of modest means (you could share a reasonable apartment in The Heights for $600/each) remain vacant and a visual blight on our streets. Why is that? Lacking in inspired leadership, to confront the zoning and transportation challenges that hold the Heights back, or other issues?
Posted on: 2014/1/21 18:13
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Re: Palisade Avenue - going downhill?
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Lots of good suggestions! IMO, this sounds like an issue that can motivate people - Jcpaddy has already penned a letter to City Hall. To take it a step further, should there be a larger letter writing campaign? Outreach by one of the Community Groups?
While I work for an NYC Agency, I'm not up on JC politics - what is the Ward/Councilman's role in this?
Posted on: 2014/1/20 13:57
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Re: Pictures of old JC
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You can find some images, and a lot of maps of JC and NY at the New York Public Library on-line: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldi ... abel=Cities+%26+Buildings
And the Museum of the City of New York on-line collections (you will have to register to access those): http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP ... GYW&SMLS=1&RW=1020&RH=567
Posted on: 2014/1/17 18:20
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Palisade Avenue - going downhill?
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Took the #87 Bus to Hoboken PATH this AM (I usually go into WTC via Journal Square in the morning) and saw the stretch from Franklin to Congress Streets in the daylight for the first time in a long while. What a nightmare! Every 3rd building seemingly vacant, with one of those red signs; lots of buildings for sale; more vacant storefronts than ever... You are so close to million$ views of Manhattan, but other than the new Coffee Shop, it really seems Palisade Avenue is going downhill faster and faster (all 4 storefronts at the corner of Franklin and Congress are vacant).
The rezone to allow more restautants seemed promising at the time, and maybe it will take time, but what do people think? Not enough people with $$$ to support new businesses? Is it the general seediness that scares business owners away, and could the city do something?
Posted on: 2014/1/17 18:15
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$1,400 for 195 s.f., shared bath in Harlem
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Maybe this should be under Real Estate - more on the 'micro unit' trend: http://nymag.com/homedesign/features/ ... mw=Y&f=most-emailed-24h10
This was a former SRO. Nicely renovated, yes. I'll be curious to see how well these rent. I guess some people will do anything to stay on the island of Manhattan!
Posted on: 2014/1/16 21:33
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Re: The JC School Board want to limit public comments
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I can assure you from having participated in my Agency's public process for many years, the community is FAR better served by concise, coherent, well-made arguments. These make a big impression on my Commissioners - they have told me. Lengthy diatribes by people who mostly like to hear themselves talk, or rambling complaints by people focused on single-issues not relevant to the body's jurisdiction will get people to tune out.
The BOE, like my Commission, is composed of people with expertise to bring to solving problems, but they shouldn't be expected to play bartender all night...
Posted on: 2014/1/16 20:20
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Re: Forbes relocating to JC
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Quote:
Another luxury condo conversion, here we come!! The executives may live in suburban NJ, but they power-lunch in Manhattan. 07310 you are spot on!
Posted on: 2014/1/16 20:01
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Re: The JC School Board want to limit public comments
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There absolutely should be limits on testimony at Public Hearings of any kind. Good for City Hall for trying to make this happen.
5 minute time limit? I work for an NYC Agency that has regular Public Hearings, often on controversial development projects that make the news. We set a 3-minute limit on testimony, and it works great. If you are going to take up valuable time at a public forum where officials are expected to make informed decisions on complex issues AND take community input into account, it's only fair to be required to think about your testimony, to make it coherent, to the point, and concise.
Posted on: 2014/1/16 19:49
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Re: 400 Unit Development in Hamilton Park
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Check out this link to the Lakewood, CO zoning - with some involvement from us citizens and political willpower, JC's zoning can incorporate some simple, clear design/aesthetic guidelines for better buildings: http://www.lakewood.org/Article7Multi ... dSiteDesignStandards.aspx
Posted on: 2014/1/16 15:29
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Re: 400 Unit Development in Hamilton Park
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Quote:
Just saw the rendering - hero69, you hit the nail on the head! And if you think it looks bad in the rendering, wait until you see it in person. I take PATH to WTC every day, and walk by the BMCC building that replaced the one destroyed on 9/11 - big panels of thin-set faux brick, joint sealant already failing, cheesy aluminum windows... Admittedly, the best architecture in NYC is for very high cost developments, but perhaps with an architectural review panel and/or a contextual zoning overlay we could get better.
Posted on: 2014/1/15 18:59
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Re: Chris Christie 'Suspiciously Connected' To Revenge Traffic Jam
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The more I think about this, the more I think this will help Christie with the Republican nomination - he has demonstrated he isn't afraid of using his elbows and can put conservative ideology above the public interest. My money is on the right-wingers and Tea-baggers falling all over him for putting the screws to the namby-pamby Democrats who send their kids to school on a bus vs. a limo, commute by car vs. helicopter, were 91 and having a heart attack and - gasp! - expected the state to help them!
Posted on: 2014/1/15 18:47
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Re: Chris Christie 'Suspiciously Connected' To Revenge Traffic Jam
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Quote:
I moved to NJ in 2008, so I don't know the answer to this one but maybe others do - is there something with the way the NJ goverment is structured that gives governors too much influence over certain appointments? More so than other states that are rarely in the news for this sort of b.s.? THAT at least we could change.
Posted on: 2014/1/15 18:31
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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Quote:
I get my coverage through my employer, but while you may hear about HMO's having long waits, poor referal networks, etc., I have been very happy with HIP Prime, all of my PCP's and other specialists I have seen. If you go through the marketplace, don't automatically rule out an HMO because you cannot see "your" doctor. There are a lot of good health care professionals out there coming into the field in HMOs Quote:
I appreciate you trying to keep politics out of this, but the efforts to improve health care in this country have been compromised by just that - politics.
Posted on: 2014/1/15 18:14
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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This quote, while specifically refering to the situation in California, seems to sum up the impact to-date of the ACA "It?s unfortunate that some people are going to have to pay more. Some people who currently have lower cost insurance will have to,? [Gerald] Kominski ]at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research] said. "On balance a lot more people will be better off, but there?s a small portion who would have been better off just keeping things as they are.? Kominiski continues "...When we weigh everything, the reforms benefit many more people than they harm, but these are the most disadvantaged in the marketplace.? (emphasis mine).
The OP will doubtless hear from many quarters how the President and the "left" have foisted this problem on us, however the reality is health care in the USA is excessively expensive for myriad reasons, and many people historically had few options for proper health care. Until we as a society - along with our leadership in our corner and not solely protecting the perogitives of corporate America, this problem will not be solved and will continue to make life more difficult for the working and middle classes. Here is a link to the blog: http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2 ... es-into-effect-obamacare/
Posted on: 2014/1/15 18:08
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Re: House on Summit and Bowers?
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Quote:
I've admired that house myself for a long time - it's a particulary fine example of the Renaissance Revival or Italian Palazzo style, and is pretty grand for the Heights (or, at least this corner - the biggest houses seemingly were all clustered on Sherman Place). I checked the 1926 Plat Map of the Heights, to see if this was perhaps a parsonage to a now gone Church, but nothing seemed like a connection. I would ask the librarians at the Jersey Room at the JCPL downtown, or get in touch with John Gomez through the JC Landmarks Conservancy. I took his walking tour of Palisade Avenue a few years back, and he was very knowledgeable.
Posted on: 2014/1/14 16:52
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Re: Jersey City real estate prices going back to pre-bubble burst prices
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Quote:
And it looks like it was pretty nicely renovated, too - so often the really cheap prices = a lot of work needed. What to say about the neighborhood, though? I took the HBLR down for a tour of Bayview Cemetery last fall, and felt really out of place (and not because I was the only guy sporting a pocket square...) and received a few "looks". And I pride myself on being a city person and not one who worries about "being in the wrong neighborhood". That said, I imagine if I could afford to keep-up an entire house and and have a car, too, I could feel sufficiently insulated from the less appealing aspects of where I lived.
Posted on: 2014/1/13 19:46
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Re: Resident of Jersey City luxury high-rise faces weapons charge, authorities say
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Quote:
Now, now! Anyway, I'm curious as to what he was packing? What kind of guns do rich guys run around with, anyhow? I'm partial to Pardini Armis - http://www.pardini.it/weapon/home.asp - I would dress it up with extra wide lapels and Ban-Rays, a la Korean gangster movies.
Posted on: 2014/1/13 19:08
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Re: Journal Squared Project to Begin
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Quote:
It depends on what you are hoping can be improved upon for existing residents. If, as appears to be the case outside of DTJC, a great many of the existing residents are poor or elderly, any improvements to the social safety net are going to require a bigger tax levy - thus "new", presumably more affluent residents, more highly valued developments, etc. e Quality of life/infrusturcture enhancments we ALL will benefit from - more parks, greenways, a better quality of local stores etc., will get some public money but importantly - depend on the influx of the same "new" residents (and I think we need to be honest about who these people are - professionals, educated, more demanding and willing to pay for amenities ) creating the demand. The 99 Cent stores are there because of supply and demand, not as part of a planning strategy.
Posted on: 2014/1/13 18:46
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Re: Journal Squared Project to Begin
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Quote:
The Regional Plan Authority is considered, in urban planning policy circles, the "gold standard" in this type of research. Check this out for starters, their publication library is easy to search: http://library.rpa.org/pdf/RPA-Tomorrows-Transit.pdf
Posted on: 2014/1/13 18:30
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Re: Jersey City real estate prices going back to pre-bubble burst prices
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Quote:
Which agency did you speak to? I bought my condo in the Heights in 2008, and following it on www.zillow.com the estimated value only seems to go down  It sounds like it may make sense to speak to a pro who knows the local market - hopefully the Heights isn't resistant to any uptick in value...
Posted on: 2014/1/13 18:04
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Re: Nope, he will never make it through the Republican primary election
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Quote:
Who is Barry?
Posted on: 2014/1/7 14:14
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Re: VERY rich friend divorcing; wants 2 BR luxury rental
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Quote:
Whether or not your friend can afford a realtor is not important - what is important is she reached out to a friend for advice, which is important to get real feedback on a place before committing. IMO if your friend can pay $5-6,000 a month, she should really consider moving to Manhattan. I've lived here for 5 years, and I advise anyone who can afford it to remain/move to Manhattan, as it ofers a quality of life that cannot be matched anywhere. Manhattan, inceasingly is for the affluent (which is why I'm here LOL) but she'll meet more people with similar professional accomplishments, and almost as important as shared interests - a shared ability to do the same things you want to - hot restaurants, shopping, etc.
Posted on: 2014/1/6 19:58
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Re: Nope, he will never make it through the Republican primary election
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Quote:
One can hope that Christie - unlike Romney, another moderate Republican governor of a northeast state - stands firm when his accomplishments and skills are criticized for not passing the litmus test. I supported Obama in '08, as I typically do Democratic candidates who are weak on gay rights and other issues I care about. In my lifetime, the Democratic party has usually (albeit slowly) trended in the right direction in terms of making critical issues I care about part of its platform.
Posted on: 2014/1/6 19:44
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