PubliusIII wrote:
Anybody notice the smell of a smoldering fire in the Lafayette Section over the last month or so? It smells like it is a fire that is just about out, but I keep smelling it. Saturday night it was so strong that it permeated my whole house. I hope this is nothing like the underground fire that burned at the foot of the Pulaski for more than 20 years.

petey8 wrote:
I called when it was so bad last time and have no idea what happened after the call. Clearly nothing of any significance. I didn't notice it for about a week, then this morning at around 8am it started. I would like to get an air quality/composition test done when that junk is floating in the air. It is unbelievable that it continues---I don't know how workers in the turnpike tollbooths can tolerate it hour after hour either.

Nice description, Publius, by the way.

ratslayer wrote:
The smell is back -- a combination of burning, wet mattresses and B.O.

OneSkirt wrote:
Overall, I thought it was a decent article, and better written than some pieces about JC in the past.

I am disappointed that there was no mention of the growing infrastructure problems that are already being caused by the over building/over development of this luxury condo boom. People considering moving here need to know that the city has made no efforts to accommodate them (and us) in terms of the train stations, roads, and parking among other things. There was also no discussion about how residents may feel about the displacement of minorities, lower and lower iddle class/moderate income residents. I've lived here 11 years and personally, I see this place becoming less diverse. That bothers me.

DMH wrote:
Does anyone know anything about two new apartment buildings that are being proposed for #270 10th St. (between Jersey Avenue and Coles) and #310 10th St. (between Coles and Monmouth) in JC?

I got a registered letter the other day, noting that the builder is asking for several variances to the building codes.

The letter says that each of the two buildings will have 163 apartment units each, with parking for only 80% of the units.

DMH

WillBr wrote:

"High end folks" shop at The Gap or Land's end?

alb wrote:
Quote:

Stranger wrote:
What's with the elimination of the hardware store?

.


- My impression is that Newark is already a wonderful street, and that the mix of shops is not so great because the rents must be too high. Maybe one part of the redevelopment project should be an economic analysis that would look at what the property owners want to collect in rent, what they need to collect to pay their bankers, what the business people are actually willing to pay, and how much business the residents around here really can support.

My impression is that even the people around here who have nice homes are pretty cash poor once they've paid for their homes, cars, school/daycare and travel to see families back home. So, even though we all would like to see something other than dollar stores (maybe a $5 store?), I'm "not sure whether that's realistic.

If Newark ended up attracting a bunch of Gap type stores, and it turned out all typical people here really can afford is a Goodwill store, that could cause a lot of disappointment.

- Some economist needs to go to places like Hoboken and Williamsburg and explain why they have so much more yuppie commercial life. Do the people there earn that much more? Is there disposable income that much higher? Are their tastes different? Are rent structures different? Is commercial regulation different?

OneSkirt wrote:
Well, having just found out that in 9 short months I may have to leave my moderate income level rental unit in Dixon Mills, I am stressed out. Seems that everything around here is all condos now.

So my question - does anyone know of any buildings (new or old) that offer moderate income units anymore?

Thank you for any and all help. I am just starting my research.

OneSkirt wrote:
An 11 year resident weighing in ...

I think that regardless of whether or not one thinks the surge of new building are "good" or not for downtown, the planning is very shortsighted (thank you City Hall and copious tax abatements). Very little is being done to physically make room for this new flood of people in terms of roads and the PATH station. One of my biggest worries is that the already small Grove St. PATH station will become too jammed with bodies to be safe, not to mention even more imposiblke to get on a train. This happened after 9/11 for a year or so when Exchange Place was closed and we had a huge influx of commuters coing in via Grove St. We've heard nothgin about plans to improve this and we all know that enlarging a train station takes years.

I am also dismayed at the huge surge of new conods over rentals. The rental market seems to be shrinking in availability, and what does exist is climbing in prices. Condos will be luxury, but still very expensive. Historical complexes are being sold off with little regards for residents (my case with Dixon Mills - see that thread in the Real Estate section).

Anyone considering moving here should know these things. They will get here and spend loads on their new luxury condo, but the services will not be up to par (roads, trains, schools).

Also, I often feel like the city is letting developers take over willy nilly and all the longtime residents (of all income levels and races) are being tossed out like trash unless they poney up with a big wads of cash. Even middle income folks like myself are feeling the push. I am worried that this will become a place only for rich people, like so much of the metro area. This, of course, is not a new gripe. But it needed to be said.

On a positive note, I do really like the opportunity for the small business person to open something new and really try to make it thrive. I like that it's not a giant string of commercial chains (though who knows for how much longer). I like my aisan produce markets, the italian bakery, the local yoga studio, and the other local stores. We do need some live music venues - that would help.

I don't mind new residents. What I mind is the overgrowth of highrises that don' t match the architectural feel of the place, and don't contribute to the feel of the community. And the upcoming inability to walk down the street or get on a train without fighting through mobs of bodies i completely dread.

elgoodo wrote:
[quote]
ECH wrote:

One thing to keep in mind is that Coles Street is
and always has been swamped in crime. Over the
years it has gotten cleaned up a little, so it looks
marginally better than it did twenty years ago.
But the same entrenched crime families are still
there, in amongst the high-renters and condo-
owners who are new arrivals. Perfect prey for the
locals.

JC4Now wrote:
My 3 roommates and I, as well as the four upstair neighbors at 7th and Coles were all burglarized on Monday, August 7th. I returned home from work to find quite a few cops already searching our apartment. Someone or some people kicked in the front building door, then kicked in the 2 apartment doors. . There are no bars on the windows or other security measures. Please please make sure something is being done in your apts to try to prevent this from happening!

Trubrit wrote:




Come on Healy, put down your Wild Turkey and do something!

BrightMoment wrote:
[quote]
GrovePath wrote:
From Men' s Health Magazine

How Angry Is Your City?
A side-by-side ranking of where residents are the most steamed


Does your city's rank rankle you? We kind of figured it would.

(From most to least angry cities)

1. Orlando, FL

2. St. Petersburg, FL

70. Jersey City, NJ

injcsince81 wrote:
[quote]


BTW - How long have you lived here?

injcsince81 wrote:
Quote:

ECH wrote:
jcheights wrote:

Just from a purely aesthetic point of view, this place is going to look like Clockwork Orange land in 10 years with all the bizarre garbage high rises they are putting in.

............................................................................




Double Amen to that.
Finally, someone says something sensible on
this List.

On a relatead note: that Gruv Pwan thing is an
affront to a person's eyes. They just better have one
helluva wonderful Starbucks and AuBonPain and CVS
and Kim's and Barnes&Nobel and Zabar'sWest to make up
for that magnificently ugly heap of dreck.
A friend of mine, visiting from upstate, wanted to
know why we are building public housing right there
at the train station! Shows what a nice positive impact
Gruv Pwan has on first time visitors to our fair burg.
When I informed her that they are 400K condos in
there, she just laughed. It would be funny if it were
not so tragic.

BrightMoment wrote:
Quote:

jennymayla wrote:
Thanks for the posting, BrightMoment. Where can we pick up the "We Watch" sign for our apartment and maybe even the car?

Would be great if it was something that could be downloaded or e-mailed out -- I would love to send it to a bunch of friends to use as well. The more of those signs we get out there, the better the impact.

Good question and suggestion!

I've emailed the organizers of DJCW (how 'bout them consonant acronyms, huh, quite a mouthful) and asked that they send me either a link to download signs or send me the digital files as jpeg/PDF so I might upload them to my server and provide a link here.

As soon as I get a reply I'll post here.