the restaurant isn't going into the Joe's space but the other 1 story building that is across Maxwell Alley that has a bunch of clutter in front of it - including what looks like an ancient rusted out ice cream truck. That said I'm sure Joe did nicely on his RE if he sold...

yes I liked the guys at joes too - they relocated to Bayonne...

Looks like the restaurant will be Gringos Taqueria. Sounds good!

anyone know the story on that old industrial building right opposite the space where Joe's Auto Electric was? They've been gutting it for a few weeks and the guys today told me a bar was going in.

Joe's Auto is now closed and they tore down the building behind it on Coles and Columbus which had been derelict for years.

Seems like any available commercial space is getting converted to a bar or restaurant.

excellent advice. If you can get an officer's attention when they are not busy they can be great resources. Also try to find some old timers who have seen the trends come and go. Walking around on a nice day you can always find some people willing to talk about their neighborhood.

My take is all of JC is a bit ahead of itself, but time will tell. Rates are a big variable and the degree to which Brooklyn holds up or gets cheaper will also directly impact JC.

I can't even begin to understand how hard this must be for the boy's family.

Everyone knows Kennedy Blvd is very dangerous. Yet no serious traffic calming occurs. Yeah county road versus local jurisdiction blah blah blah. JC step up and work on the problem!

Same goes for Grand St, Montgomery etc where you see maniacal driving on a regular basis...

a few months back someone did a time lapse video at jersey and York. It got quick attention and was used on the local news.

Good video can get attention especially when it is embarrassing to the City

looks like Steve Underwood is getting exposed...

Real Estate 101 teaches that all else equal a home in a quiet spot will have a higher value per square foot than one next to a club open til 2AM.

Brightside Tavern has been a consistent problem for their neighbors. I'm told the owner has been reasonably helpful and tried to work with the neighbors. Even with owner assistance there are still quality of life issues that would not be there if there was no bar.

328 owners want live music and a sidewalk cafe. Do you really think they are properly soundproofing the structure?

If you look at the streets which share the courtyard with 328 - Mercer, Varick and Monmouth are all residential. Montgomery has a laundry place and a shuttered museum; otherwise residential. Laundry spots tend not to lead to late night drunken noise, loud commercial HVACs, kitchen exhaust smell, etc.

No chip, just been around the block long enough to know that putting a big bar in a residential area leads to a lot of quality of life negatives, lower property values etc.

DanL - unfortunately 328 Montgomery is in the Montgomery Gateway Redevelopment area. The Plan was written back in tbe 1970s when that stretch was vastly different than it is today. This is exhibit A for why the city needs a new master plan.

It makes no sense to have a 2500 square foot club/restaurant in an area that is otherwise residential. Furthermore, the owners are counting on the JCFD to NOT enforce the 49 person max occupancy.

Those who know restaurant math - please share the economics on how any owner could make money leasing 2500 sq. feet with a max occupancy of 49 (staff included)...

DanL - unfortunately 328 Montgomery is in the Montgomery Gateway Redevelopment area. The Plan was written back in tbe 1970s when that stretch was vastly different than it is today. This is exhibit A for why the city needs a new master plan.

It makes no sense to have a 2500 square foot club/restaurant in an area that is otherwise residential. Furthermore, the owners are counting on the JCFD to NOT enforce the 49 person max occupancy.

Those who know restaurant math - please share the economics on how any owner could make money leasing 2500 sq. feet with a max occupancy of 49 (staff included)...

not sure anyone knows whether it will be Hard Grove 2 or something else.

what is public are the architectural plans and they show a very small number of dining tables and a lot of space devoted to bar/lounge area...

There is only 1 ingress/egress. The ground floor is 100% lot coverage and thus no other possible entrance/exit without trespassing on neighboring properties. The plans are public...

It's a nightclub pretending to be a restaurant. No sane person wants this in a historic district/residential area given all the associated problems.

You think they're gonna do a good job soundproofing it? You think they're gonna stick to their max occupancy of 49 (staff included) daily? Do the owners have a good track record with neighborly relations?

This location is crazy. It is a residential area and Historic District.

So yes, customer noise is an issue as is kitchen venting, commercial HVAC noise etc.

That said, I can't see why anyone would make the effort to go to such an oddball location...

does anyone know what type of camera Sean Popke used to film the intersection?

I am not exactly tech savvy but can learn. iPhone, other? Thanks for any ideas on best way to do something similar...

this thread is quite entertaining. WB fails to note that geese populations in "normal" circumstances are kept in check by predators. Those predators have been displaced over the years mainly by development/habitat loss. It's for this same reason that deer populations are out of control. Not sure that dying at the mouth of a predator is any better/worse than humans doing it.

so should kids be riding bikes on the street in JC?

The bike lanes create a false sense of security and cars routinely cut into them to avoid potholes and double parked cars. Cyclists are the last thing the average moron is thinking about as they gun it thru JC streets.

I have no problem with bikes on sidewalks if they are riding safely. I ride on JC streets a lot and it is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced rider.

Canada geese carry ticks and they have a whole host of nasty diseases beyond Lyme...

wonder how much he raised?

Fulop working to improve the schools, really?! maybe in 2012...

he seems to have gone to the Nathan Thurm school of interview credibility...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc2o8ywKqos

I dunno, taxes going from 13k to 29K would certainly get my attention!

It is astounding to think that brokers would not disclose this sort of information. You think they would get a single repeat customer after failing to provide that major detail??

I still think psychology is going to be key. It used to be you could get a decent place with relatively low taxes DTJC. Now you have to pay more psf, pay suburbs level taxes and have mediocre schools/infrastructure/quality of life.

DTJC was a much easier pitch for families when the taxes were 1% or so. I'm not sure how people without kids feel about high taxes, but I'd want something in return beyond short commute to Manhattan...

Anybody have a favorite towing company to pick up a car for repair? TIA...

yes - here is trulia listing. 100% coverage on ground floor 25x100 http://www.trulia.com/property/306495 ... y-St-Jersey-City-NJ-07302

the Hard Grove owners bought 328 Montgomery and are building out some kind of bar/restaurant on the ground floor. Not sure if it will be Hard Grove or something else...

Fulop needs an acting coach. Even if you have no skin in this game, he really comes across poorly in these interviews...

Sure Is Thor!

To get a sense how crazy prices and taxes are in DTJC - let's look at 660 Jersey Ave which apparently just sold for $1.92mm. It last sold in 2011 for $1.05mm. Not sure how much money was put into it.

According to Zillow 2015 taxes were $13,150. If 2.1% is the rate that will ultimately be applied they are looking at a touch over $40K in taxes in the near furture. There's a lot of altitude between 13 and 40.

This is why these revals have to happen every 5 years and be done well. DTJC has gotten a huge free ride and I can only hope the new buyer of 660 Jersey is aware of the slight tax bump he's going to get post-Reval...

Sadly it says they have been getting screwed for years and their elected representatives have been totally asleep at the wheel...