- the yuppie who didn't learn how to read the wsj properly in b-school and extends his arms fully in front of him so he can read and turn the pages, all the while taking up too much valuable space and/or smacking other passengers' faces with his pages

In 4th grade (not b-school) at PS173 (The Fresh Meadows School) we were required to bring in a NYTimes one day and were taught how to fold and read the paper when riding the bus or subway. Good old Mrs. Hudes, a real bitch, but she knew what we needed to know. Oh, and for currents events you couldn't bring in articles from tabloids - The News, Post or Mirror (RIP). What part of my elitism I didn't inherit from my Grandmother, The Dowager Duchess of Bed-Stuy I got from Mrs. Hudes, the old bat.

Wow - no one hit on some of my "faves"
The garlic for breakfast crowd - take the first car of the 7:12 out of Grove Street to WTC - there are mornings when it reeks.
The my pits are too tender to use deodorant crowd - I actually saw one guy tell another guy to lower his arms to his sides on a hot day last summer.
The - Oh, isn't this the dining car of the Orient Express Group - please, no Egg McMuffins - they have a particular stench.
And the most disgusting - The Turn Left When You Get to the Bridge Group. These are the folks that think the PATH, and other public venues are appropriate places to do deep mining of their nostrils. Once they find a "gem" they feel compelled to remove it and study it ad nauseam (Latin for until it makes me sick, Fast Eddie). This appears to be a uniquely Chinese activity.

That being said, a prime reason for remaining in JC is the PATH. Whenever I've looked at other places - the beaux quartiers of Brooklyn, for example - the idea of having to take the subway to get most places is a major disincentive.

It has been going on for quite a while - more than a year. I think it is now Johnny Walker. There have been auto ads too. Another featured attraction of the PATH starts tomorrow, I think - the Pavoniafeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Look out the leftside when coming from NY, about a minute or two before the Pavonia Newport station you will see a lit Christmas tree. It is there all year but just lit from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

I believe the newish office building north of the Loews and south of Little India on Kennedy Blvd had its tax abatement extended or renewed. I think the owner is someone important."

When the junky stores close, the poor people will no longer shop The Avenue. Doesn't the plan call for the breaking up of the big stores into little shoppes and petites boutiques? Does anyone really think that at least one purpose of this upgrade is to attract nice stores and subtract the current clientele? Well maybe we will have one place called Ye Old 99 Pence Shoppe or something like that.

If Newark Avenue can come close to duplicating the variety of shops that Washington Street has in Hoboken, I would be quite pleased. Off the top of my head, I don't recall any chain stores like the GAP - the only chains being the drug stores and fast foods, I think.

Wouldn't slant parking require Newark Avenue to be one way? Is that in the cards?

That reported rapes are not going down doesn't mean that rapes are going up. Aren't women being encouraged to report rapes, rather than blaming themselves or suffering in silence in situations of spousal/partner abuse.

I really think rape stats need much more analysis than the others that are reported.

Since it was me and my associates who bought all of the tax liens on the buildings on the south side of Newark Avenue, I had an advantage in guessing about the redevelopment. So far I have signed up a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker to rent space in my development - Sommerman Centre Pointe Harbour Citi. Bendel's declined, but Barney's will be opening up shortly. In keeping with our concern for historic continuity they have agreed to call this branch C.H. Martin Barney's. I am also negotiating with NJ Transit to run a spur from the Harborside Station up Columbus and Newark to terminate in front of the soon to be fully restored Loew's. Stations will be named after many JCList contributors - Alb Station, ECH station, F.Eddie Station and of course Rabbit Rabbit Station (we may drop the t's if we can get a synagogue built at that station). There will be BIG signs on this spur saying: Please behave and don't beat the crap out of anyone.

Actually, the above is not exactly true, I just wanted to ask what Steve Fulop's web site was and got carried away.

I suspect it is much easier to fight eminent domain when people's homes are at stake - I wouldn't be that surprised if the owners of buildings on the south side of Newark sided with the city on the blight study. They get fair market value for buildings that they have barely maintained. The lessees get screwed, I guess, but fcuk em - what have they ever done for me?

I have no idea what is being planned, but I would love to see that whole block demolished and replaced with small retail on both Newark and Columbus and medium rise residential above. Except for the John Mullins building and maybe something hidden behind NJ Brickface the block has little to recommend itself architecturally. This would be a great opportunity to have an architectural competition to see how to build something new that complements the North side of Newark.

The longer I live here the more I want to see results not process.

I own a house that abuts Carl's. It is a small, shallow building that faces the Women's Shelter, Hope House, on 2nd Street. I am not happy with the process being bypassed, but he should have been given priority service and cooperation for his willingness to renovate his family home (he is at least the third generation to live there, I used to talk to his grandmother thru our shared backyard fence). I can't imagine anyone buying that house as long as the shelter remains open, so let's give the guy some credit for his willingness to invest and raise his family there.

And some of us are a bit snob - ugh, New York - come back when you work for something worth reading like The New Yorker.

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/11/01/arts/design/01tate.html

Here's an interesting article about the Tate Modern - a London Museum built in a former powerhouse. It sounds wonderful and makes me realize what a great thing could happen in JC. You have to wonder if the big museum powerbrokers in NYC even know that our powerhouse exists. The recent announcement that the Whitney may move its expansion to the Highline should get others thinking about "off-campus" expansion.

At the risk of being smug, the article also underscores my personal opinion that the new MoMA blows architecturally.

Setting aside the cost for a minute - would most of you be comfortable living 60+ stories up? Maybe I am just a worry wort, but I don't like the idea of living any higher than I can comfortably get up and down stairs to.

Similarly, people have expressed concern about living in the Beacon because of its previous use as a hospital, but I haven't read anyone express the same concern about The St. Francis condos.


On another note: if as Alb believes, tearing down Pep Boys is a Mitzvah, I think the community should insist that there be a Bar as one of the commercial establishments. The Bar Mitzvah could feature the wines of Manischewitz - talk about terroir!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/rea ... jzo.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Here's an interesting article about Liberty Harbor. IMEO, this is the project that will put Downtown on the map as a place to live. Interestingly, the article does not mention the fact that the light rail runs through the project and will make this development very accesible. Some of the brick row houses you can see along Grand look pretty interesting- the great grandchildren of the ones in the Historic Districts with some obvious non-relatives scattered around for variety. My recollection is that the main street will have apartments above shops - maybe this will become the retail drag many of us hope Newark Avenue will become. If Brooklyn gets AY and we get LH, both massive projects, I think we will have gotten the better deal.

I heard them again last night. I think it is the guy developing St.Francis becauseI thinkI heard someone say Hi Ho Silverman!

I also am smelling skunks this morning - anyone around 5th and Jersey get a wiff?

If the warehouse passes I suggest the city make every effort to have the developer enlist a starchitect for the project: Zaha, Frank Gehry, Liebeskind, Lord Norman, etc. If the warehouse is deemed a civic good - make it a great piece of architecture. My JC geography sucks, but I am pretty certain that this building will be one of the first people see of JC from the Skyway - make it a spectacular first siting!

The Power House Arts District should be the center city "destination" that Jersey City lacks, and needs desperately. It should be the place where people come to find art and entertainment

Actually, I believe that's why God made Manhattan.

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I heard them pass Jersey and 5th twice last night - I've also saw two people on horseback a few Saturday mornings ago. Maybe the Lone Yuppie and his elderly aunt Tanta????

Will the taxes paid to JC double (or even increase) if the building is sold at the price mentioned, or is there an abatement that remains in place?

I think it is really important to keep the embankment in place whether a park is built there in the near future. Actually, I am not sure that I would even use an elevated fairly isolated park right now given that people are getting mugged during the day at street level. I am confident, however, that eventually a park on the embankment will a safe, enjoyable place and a great addition to the neighborhood. As a previous poster pointed out - once it's gone it is gone.

To all of you who follow the park situation in JC - will there ever be a way to get to LSP by bike other than getting off the riverwalk and going inland to Jersey Avenue?

1. How do you pronouce Koolhaas?
Do his friends call him The Remster?
Maybe I should do more reading, but it is a lazy day here in the Cove - has this guy ever done a high rise building?
2. How do you pronouce meh? Somehow I think there is a hand gesture that goes along with meh.

I worry that I will make a fool of myself among the downtown literati and intelligensia.

On a more informative note: From today's NYTimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/19/art ... orn.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Is there a part missing? Why would a contractor pay a kickback to an architect? Was the architect certifying faulty plans? Are there now buildings in JC that are not safe?

Despite myself - the ugliness of the buildings and the poor planning upset me - I enjoy hearing about all the new development also. Our demographics are changing as a result and I look forward to new and prosperous people moving in and creating markets for better stores and interesting events. Am I that bad a person because I look forward to not seeing bums and litter when I exit the Grove escalators?

One thing I really miss are the annual developer fairs that use to take place in Harborside - many of the developers had reps and information and the city and several non-profit institutions were there to tell people about what was going on.

Since I will soon retire - 25 more days of work! - my personal concern about PATH overcrowding is not at the top of my list. but I hope it is being considered. Perhaps PATH and local employers could create an incentive program to encourage living and working in JC. Maybe the the state of NJ could come to employers and offer seminars on the tax advantage of same state living and working?

This is a tough one to believe because of the use of high blood pressure stats. Isn't JC 2/3 Black or Hispanic, and aren't those two demographic groups more prone to hypertension? Maybe our good ranking reflects the poor medical care people are getting - their numbers aren't in the computer.

Thanks for posting - this stuff fascinates me. The questions that remain to be answered for me are: are we creating minority suburbs (Nassau County certainly has them), are the "benefits" of the suburbs like better schools and less crime being left behind as well, etc. There is also the issue of low life developers who lure people out to the burbs with unrealistically low cost of living expectations and shoddy product. The Poconos have this problem - large number of foreclosures among minorities coupled with enormously long commutes that have impacted family life.

What makes these Manhattan-style? They are sitting on a podium garage - never saw that in Manhattan. They appear to be poorly integrated with the street. Will Trump not be Manhattan style? What will he have formica counters and these have granite? Avocado appliances? Is Manhattan the new word for designer?

On Wednesday and today, I wound up in the ER. Word of advice: don't get old. However, on both occasions I was overwhelmed by the professional and prompt treatment I received at our local hospital. On Wednesday, since it was during the day, the attending physician, Chris Langdon, called my regular doctor in Manhattan, and told him what was going on. I checked in with my doctor today, and he said that he had never had that happen before - usually patients are advised to contact their doctors on their own. Today's treatment was excellent as well. While a trip to the ER should at the bottom of everyone's list, it is comforting to know that in JC you will be well treated.

as07302 - your post reminds me of the time I registered to vote in JC. Jerry McCann was signing people's applications at a neighborhood association. Some old timer complained to him that he couldn't afford to buy any of the new houses going up (the one's behind Lombardis, I think). McCann's response was - Neither can I, that's why I live in Greenville.

Speaking of Jerry McCann - how about a tee shirt for JC:
We may not have a mayoral mansion, but we always have a cell reserved at Rahway.

First they make housing more expensive via a raft of nonsense such as overly restrictive zoning, landmarking, rent control, high taxes, etc. Then they meddle some more in the market by forcing set asides for a subset of the people who can't afford the high costs.

1. Can you give an example of overly restrictive zoning in downtown JC? I keep noticing these four story brownstones being chopped into 4 condos - which seems like devil may care zoning to me.

2. You left out at least two more policies that effect the cost of housing: deductability of mortgage interest and real estate taxes and the $500,000 tax exemption a couple gets if they live in a place for two or more years ($250,000 for singles).