Unfortunately, it is true. Detective Marc Dinardo did pass away this evening, Saturday, July 19th, 2009.

Please for the sake of his family, his wife, his three young children, and his many, many, friends who are completely devastated right now, please let this man's family have a moment of peace.

As a friend of Marc's, I ask you, I implore you, I beg of you, to leave this thread alone.

Please allow this man's family and friends time to heal before you begin your speculation as to what went wrong, and what should have been done, and what if's. Everyone is quick to add their comments to a local thread, when you are safe sitting behind a computer every day. But please honor this man, by for the time being, leaving this subject alone.

In memory of Marc Dinardo, a 10 year veteran of the JCPD, a long time Jersey City resident, a man who every day risked his life to protect those of us who live in this city, a father of three children under 5 years old., please, please, make no further comment on this thread.

A few of us in my 4 story, 8 unit building have FIOS.

7th Street, between Eire and Manila. (I had it installed April 6th). I guess it's block by block and spotty at best.

I signed up for the triple play type package. internet is great - no problems whatsoever. TV excellent- has had consistent service, unlike Directv, which would lose a signal for hours and hours whenever there was a storm.

REMINDER - please vote again today for Liberty Humane Society (10 times, and you can do it in a row, you don't need to log off and log in again).

For those who haven't done it yet, it only takes about 4 minutes to vote 10 times. Plus maybe an extra 2 minutes to create a username, password and add a photo if you haven't done that yet.

This place truly deserves the BIG makeover!! Imagine how many more animals could get a second chance.

VOTE today (and everyday this week) and please ask your friends to do the same.

Since the mayoral candidates of Jersey City have been posed the question ?What would you do with the Powerhouse?? I?m curious to know what we local residents would like to see done with this historic space.

It could be the new center of downtown, drawing residents walking from Newport/Pavonia, Hamilton Park, VVP Park, Harsimus Cove, Paulus Hook, plus the adjacent light rail station would provide access to Hoboken/Bayonne and all other lightrail points north and south.

If anyone knows the square footage of the powerhouse, please post it, as this would be helpful in possibly breaking up the space into multiple uses.

My personal opinion is the following:

1.) Allocate 30% of the space to a permanent, year round indoor farmers market. Since NJ is the Garden State, shouldn?t we have access to year round locally grown and produced products? I?m not suggesting boutique high-end specialty market (as in Soho) but rather a basic, cement floor, hose it down at the end of the day, rentable space by week or month, for tri-state based farms and purveyors of meats, fish, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers. Similar spaces exist in many other major cities, and many have thrived for over 100 years. Perhaps start it as a weekend only market, and expand to additional days once it catches on. In the meantime, the local small weekday downtown park farmers markets could continue to operate during the summer months. I?ve visited Eastern Market in Detroit many times, and am jealous we don?t have something like this here. The prices are cheaper then supermarkets, since you cut out the middleman, and the sheer volume of competitors creates a nice supply and demand fair pricing system.

For examples, please look at:
West Side Market in Cleveland http://www.westsidemarket.org/tour.html
Eastern Market in Detroit http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

2.) Allocate 30% of the space for artists and craft people, woodworkers, candlemakers, again with temporary rentable space, and/or tables, as is done in the Christmas Markets in Manhattan.

3.) Rent out 20% of the space for 2 anchor restaurants with outdoor seating.

4.) Allocate 20% of the space for a performing art venue.

Again, not knowing the actual square footage, or construction options, this is just an estimate, which of course would need to be adjusted. But oh, to dream.

So what would you do?

Disclaimer first - I've only read very little on this, basically anything I could find on JClist, along with a few other sources.


I have to say I did not know where in JC this was, until I googled 900 Garfield Avenue. I think that perhaps since people see this listed as a Ward F problem, they don't think it could affect them.

Perhaps if you need more people to join in and submit comments during this 30 day open comment period. It might be wise to print out maps, and circle a 1 square mile radius of the site. And hang them around the downtown neighborhoods.

I had no idea how close it is to downtown. I believe many more people would get involved if they realized we are only about 1.5 miles from this site.

I read somewhere, I forget which website, that the chormium dust particles can travel and affect people with a square mile of the site. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I want to take my chances with that extra 5 tenths of a mile. Especially the way the wind blows around here.

OPENING TODAY:

While enjoying this beautiful afternoon in downtown Jersey City, be sure to stop by Curious Matter for the opening of their "Poison" exhibition.

A nice little gallery, at 272 5th street, just west of Jersey Avenue.

I don't know if you are open to a co-ed league, but here is one that is based in JC and plays in JC... A fun group, sponsored by local bars....

JC Co-ed Softball Association - Season kicks off April 15th

Currently there are a possible 10 teams in the league this year.
Those teams are:
PJ Ryan's (O'Hara's), Park Tavern, Mojo Lounge, Monanahan's, Astor Bar
White Star, Lucky 7's, Lamppost, Barrow Street, Rosie Radigan's

So if you are interested in playing for a team this year.
Go to one of those respected bars and sign up now.
Before you know it, the season will be upon us.

+1 for Frank's Theatre in Bayonne.

I never even knew it existed for the longest time. I used to trek up to Secaucus or Edgewater as well. Frank's has stadium seating, very clean, nice crowd, and pretty decent prices. They offer matinee & early bird prices too.

http://www.franktheatres.com/southcovestadium12.asp

For those without cars, there is a light rail stop just across the road from the theatre.

Another reason to go to the track this Saturday with JCLinked:

CRAB CAKE COOK-OFF on SATURDAY, September 20th

NJ THOROUGHBRED FESTIVAL AND SHORE CHEF CRAB CAKE COOK-OFF
Presented by Malouf Auto Group and The Star-Ledger
Celebrate the NJ breeding industry by honoring the best born in the Garden State. Also, enjoy the best grown in the Garden State at the second annual Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-off.

The Shore's very best restaurants will serve their most popular fare -- including Crab Cake dishes. Using Food Fest dollars, sample as many different dishes as you can and see who's best!

Restaurants Include:
David Burke Fromagerie
Bahrs Landing
Beacon on the Bay
Jake's Crab Shack
Seaside Crab House
My Two Sons - Savannah-style Seafood
Boardwalk Cafe & Lounge
McLoone's Salt Water Beach Cafe
Aramark

Gates open at 11:30 am, first race is at 12:50 pm.

The sewer system in Downtown JC is over 100 years old.

A fact sheet from HPNA states:

"Downtown is serviced by a combined Sewer system,
which means that raw sewage and storm
water are combined in the same sewer pipe. When it
rains the collapsed or broken, undersized pipes
backup (surcharge) and a combination of storm
water and sewage floods into your basement."

Here's the link to the fact sheet with more info...
http://www.hamiltonpark.org/PDFS/HPNA ... ooding%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

A few years ago after purchasing a new-ish car I was waying out the options between purchasing an alarm system or a self applied boot.

So, yes, it works as an anti-theft device, and it ends up being about $100 cheaper than an alarm which can possibly be disabled.

I never even considered the additional benefit of avoiding the JCPA booting system.

Brilliant!

This is absolutely ridiculous. They own us. On JClist alone there have been hundreds of stories of abuse of power from so many people here, I can't even imagine how many more people have been taken advantage of (i.e. those who do not know about the bitchfest possibilities of JCList)

I know this has been mentioned before but perhaps it really is time for a class action law suit against the JCPA. Perhaps this blatant abuse of power could be somewhat curtailed, and possibly, I dream here, those who have been the victim of such obvious crime could be reimbursed for the unlawful booting and time taken from work. At the very least it would get the attention of local media and perhaps inspire an investigation into this type of fraud.

Does anyone know how we can get a class action suit like this started?

I'm guessing since it as city run agency, the Better Business Bureau wouldn't really apply.

Does anyone work for a law firm in Hudson county that would be willing to advise?

I must mention, I luckily have not been the target (YET), but am just awaiting the day. However, I do feel these illegal dealings should be brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities. If unchecked, we all know this will continue. And seriously how many more threads can we read about the JCPA?

Who is with me?

Here's a link to their website:

http://www.imagobeautygroup.com/

It's a beautiful salon and day spa. The upstairs spa area is very calming, you feel a million miles away from Jersey City.

I went there for an event recently and had a mini facial, parafin hand treatment and a blow out. The staff there is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend Imago.

I'm not sure when you should have received it, but I would think you would have by now.

If you don't want to go to the parking authority. I run errands in JC and Hoboken, and the JCPA is on my route. I only charge $10, plus the cost of the permit.

Check out my website, and let me know if you have any questions.

www.keepyourweekend.com

There was a small fire at a house on 7th Street between Eire and Manila. I couldn't believe the turn out myself. I counted 7 big fire trucks plus all the smaller vehicles. I woke up thinking my whole block was on fire. There must have been close to 40 firemen out there.

From my vantage point directly across the street I couldn't even see flames, but today you can see some damage to the house. It makes me thankful we live so close to the fire house on 8th.

ladybug -
re: car rentals, I find enterprise to be the cheapest. they have a location at the Doubletree Hotel on Washington St & 6th Street.
If you go to enterprise.com Address is 455 Washington.

From NJ.com

"Man's death plunge from Newport hi-rise ruled 'suspicious'
by Michaelangelo Conte
Thursday May 01, 2008, 10:22 AM

The body of a man was discovered at the foot of a hi-rise apartment building in the Newport section of Jersey City this morning.

Jersey City police said the man fell to his death at 45 River Drive, a building more than 20 stories tall. The man left no note and his death has been ruled "suspicious," police said.

News helicopters are circling above the hi-rise and yellow tape has been drawn around a wide area.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is investigating, police said."

I've got to be honest. The intersection of Wayne & Barrow is probably one of the most notorious in downtown JC. There is a park/basketball court on one corner which tends to be the source of a lot of talk.

I would do a little more investigating, on this site even...search Wayne Street. Then come by on Friday and Saturday evenings late and see what you think.

Of course, it all depends on how close you are talking about to that spot. Wayne Street, closer to Grove isn't much of an issue, and Wayne Street, west of Jersey is lovely.

But the spot you are speaking about has had a lot of trouble, many muggings on barrow, and everybody (even the councilwomen's son) go to that spot to buy their drugs.

Apartments in that area tend to be a little cheaper, because of these problems which JC residents tend to know about.

Any other street downtown is great. I've lived here for six years and love the area. But that is the one block I would not live on.

Best of luck in your apartment search.

Also, artists could rent out upstairs apartments and create studios and co-op artist spaces with Newark Street access in the pedestrian zone.

At this point, downtown Jersey City doesn't really have an epicenter. I think this one block of Newark Avenue has the potential to do just that.

It would encourage shoppers to come to enjoy the 3% sales tax, bring in new business and create a downtown community to a very spread out area.

I see...summer concerts, fresh produce, Lots of outdoor seating with umbrealla's, coffee shops, a mini bar crawl area, ahhh to dream.

I realized I went a bit off topic with my post replying to the 2 new Starbucks, so let's start a new thread.


Here is a thought -

Has anyone else imagined a "pedestrian only" zone - closed to all traffic from the corner of Grove/Newark to Newark/Eire?

Just one little block of car free zone, right near the path station. Basically an extension off the Grove PATH plaza.

I think of other cities, Burlington, VT...Cape May, NJ...that found a way to make this work.

Buses could just cut over Barrow and change their pickups to Columbus. Deliveries have access to most buildings from behind.

Imagine flowers, Park benches, and ripping up the asphalt to the original cobblestones that I'm sure must be underneath.

In the summer, the farmers markets could be moved here. Places like LITM, Skinners Loft and the Thai place would be allowed to add on significant outdoor seating.

JC could approve permits for temporary vendors, and have carts similar to the ones in the mall, for all types of businesses.

Ahhh...to dream.

In my dream, Grove still runs straight across for traffic...but the west side of the intersection would become a pedestrian only street. I think the vacant buildings would quickly find tenants, and eventually more cafes, bars and clothing stores would open here.

Again...it's a dream, but it doesn't seem like it would be too hard to accomplish this.

Photo & short article on pedestrian only zones -
http://www.cooltownstudios.com/mt/archives/000405.html

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this idea, and how many people would want to really see it happen (and would be willing to help get it started by contacting city councils members, etc)

Thoughts everyone?

Shouldn't we be able to create the city we really want. I think there is enough of us to demand a better downtown area.

Wanted to update everyone:

I just finished eating my first meal from Savas. I don't think I've had kielbasa in almost 20 years, but this was absolutely delish!! I ordered 6 pierogies, kielbasa, and saurkraut. Total $8

All I can say after years of eating Mrs. T's frozen pierogies - there is NOTHING Like a real home made pierogie.

Also, I overheard the owner speaking to someone outside the store about getting a sign...so it seems she's got the message.

Just an idea, since so many people on this forum really want her business to thrive, maybe we could ban together and offer our services to help promote her business. I'm sure we could make up cheap flyers (anyone have access to a photocopier) and take volunteer shifts handing out flyers for 30 minutes at the Grove Street Path station at dinnertime. I'd be willing to organize this if anyone else wants to help support/promote our favorite new business.

We all chose to live in this cute little neighborhood for a reason, why not join forces to help develop the community we want.

PM me if you are interested in helping.