The residents of block 251, together w/ supporters from the HPNA met yesterday evening to discuss the proposed building plan for properly located at 209 9th St. (the old firehouse). Our thanks to HPNA members and other more active members of the community for lending their support, ears and comments!

Our thanks also to Councilman Steve Fulop, who also attended the briefing and lent his expertise on best next steps.

Long story short, we need community support at a hearing scheduled for:

Tuesday, October 23, 5:30 PM
280 Grove St (City Hall)
Council Chambers, 2nd Floor

As a group, we need as many bodies as possible to make it clear to the Planning Board that the community wants and needs more time to review the building plans, and address its concerns in a one-on-one meeting with the developer. (given only 10 day notice was given on a limited basis to only 24 townhomes of the hearing, and not to the remaining community impacted).

PLEASE we need your support -- beyond petitions and JClist posts -- Steve Fulop made it clear that a showing of faces to the planning board will emphasize that the impact to all of us as residents (traffic, pollution, and MOST importantly testing and certifications regarding the former Chromium dump on this property) is a concern and will help us make the case to postpone approval of the developer's Application for Development to begin ground-breaking.

We have Steve Fulop's support on this, and he will be in attendance at the meeting! We hope to see you there! If you can't attend, please send a friend!!


See more info at this thread:

Live in the area of 9th St/Pavonia between Erie & Manila? New Development Plans Will Impact You!

The extra thick walls aren't the issue, its the subdividing walls that dont block the sound between apartments.

Some apartments dont have as nice flooring (its all concrete, but some have unlevel ones, and floors w/ multi colors/paint splotches, but it is, after all, a warehouse loft.

Not sure about the leakage problems. I know many who've complained have either since moved, moved to other open apartments - the leakages weren't just little drips, though, in some apartments, they were coming down the walls (where sockets existed!) in buckets!

Abt the dogs - its not the #2s, its the #1s -- people have been good about excrement, just not about moving their pets to grassier or less walked areas (esp. girl dogs) to pee.... we have to wait for the rains to come to wash it away...

150 Bay Street - In house gym, washing machines on every floor, friendly staff. For us, no sound carry between the renters above or below us, though when our fave neighbor we share a common wall with goes for it, we can hear the jazz. Thankfully we like jazz.

Have never had any rodent or bug problems, and the building is working on refacing. This was the site of a former A&P storage, as far as I am aware. Bottom 6 floors are occupied by StorageUSA.

On the cons side, many of the units have had troubles with rainwater leakage (particularly those w/ skylights) so buyer beware. There are a number of families living in the building and most people are respectful of others' privacy, excluding a few annoying instances of artists hosting general invite gallery parties that ran amok. Last comment, though many dog owners are on property, a few disgusting ones insist on having their pets urinate close to the 'square' outside the lobby (albeit on the asphalt) which makes for a disgusting walkup. That's my biggest gripe -- walk your dog across the street!

You do get a lot of space for your money relative to others I've seen (50 columbus seems to have some nice amenities, but at 1700 for a studio!?), and I've seen some 1000-1100 sqft units go for the price range you mention...

Hope this helps.

Ianmac, while you are correct that the development is not a 60 story, you should note that the property is situated on a lot that is zoned for single family homes, not multi family homes, that the other townhome property owners have been limited to expansion because of this zoning law.

Fair is fair - either allow for multi family zoning across the whole zone or limit the developer to single townhome as previously.

Construction is construction and the community raises some excellent points I myself wasn't aware of - the Chromium and proper testing done TODAY should be primary concern for all the residents in the vicinity. We all have many children schooling or growing up in the area!

The hearing Jen mentions is taking place at 280 Grove Street, October 23rd at 530 pm.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en ... t+jersey+city&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.86519,82.265625&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

The townhome association is arranging for a meeting to discuss strategy, separate from the HPNA meeting in Nov pre-this hearing this Thursday at one of the houses -- do email me if you are interested in attending. michelesan9 at aol

Depends how old he is. See:

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/FirstTime.htm

It takes longer now than when I got my license back in 1989; they mandate that new drivers have X# months of supervised driving w/ permit before they can go in for their road test, and then on top of that, you don't get an official license, just a provisional one, until another x# of months of clean driving record.

A new development has been proposed by the same developer of the long standing, never finished, started in 2005 multi unit rental on the corner of 9th and Manila. If you're not aware of it and either live in the vicinity of, or are impacted by the ongoing traffic congestion from the Cordero School (which closes the Pavonia St. for the kids) or Charter School (whose parent pickups block & double park all over Manila), this will impact you!

The developer is proposing a 5 story multi unit rental dwelling in the empty lot between the Cordero School and the established townhomes on 9th between Erie and Manila. The residents of the 24 townhomes on the block received JUST a 10-day notice to bring their concerns and representation to the hearing!

Think parking is an issue!? It'll be worse! Where will they put all their construction trucks?? What about the dust and debris from construction? Do you work at home? Hope you don't mind the noise level!

For long term homeowners, do be aware that a review at the Planning Board at 30 Montgomery St. plans show that it is going to be a huge endeavor. The building will be over 60ft in height, if you include the stairwell to the roof it is 68ft.

Somehow, the proposal, though not yet approved, is going for:
1. building on 85% of the lot, where Redevelopment zoning
says 65% Max
2. building Height will be 60+ ft, where Redevelopment zoning
says 40ft Max

I am absolutely opposed to this building as planned.

Please voice your concern at the next HPNA meeting (I believe there is one on 10/18) or to the hearing on 10/23 -send me a message and I'll send you details). Steve Fulop will be in attendance at the next HPNA. If you want a voice in your day to day living, don't get steamrolled by this one, and put in your two cents on what you think the developer should be limited to.