Good news! Frikkin LeFrak announced today that it is droping its suit against JC Museum.

Lefrak to drop museum suit

Quote:

It's my understanding that the museum is not being sued, the officers are.

From article
Filed last week in Hudson County Superior Court, the lawsuit claims Ofelia Garcia and Marion Grzesiak - the museum's board chair and executive director - have made "false, defamatory and malicious" comments about the mega-developer.

It is my understanding that much of the generosity the LeFraks publicized in the JJ was mandated giving in original agreements with the city in order to get thier plans approved. It may have been as much as 2.5 million. If that is true then they have really donated less then 25,000 a year while making a bundle. If that is incorrect, please let me know.
Nothing like giving back to the community.

The Jersey City Museum was started in 1901 and is well loved in Jersey City.

http://www.jerseycitymuseum.org/information/ourstory.html

The building was donated in 1993 to the museum, it had nothing to do with a down market taste.

I've seen enough rumors and attacks on these message boards, let's stick to facts and truth.

Granted, it isn't the Louvre or The Met, but that doesn't lessen its value to the community.

The question here is not whether the museum is worthy enough of a million dollar donation, the question is why is a huge developer suing this small not for profit or individuals.

According to the article, a pledge with stipulations (and difficult ones to achieve) was made and then the terms changed.

Like JCHeights said, a small not for profit will not have the counsel, time or resources to fight a developer. Most don't.

The museum needs the support of the community.
Most non for profits do.

C'mon folks, let's stop piling onto the JC Museum, shall we? Lefrak's attorneys are doing that already.

The current location was donated to them in 1993, way too early to consider 111 First Street. It's misleading and incorrect to combine the Goldman debacle that was 111 First to the JCM's current fight against LeFrak. As most who read JCList know, the location is an easy 10 - 15 minute walk from the PATH station (I know, I used to live on Mercer).
This is really nothing 'cept the LeFrak organization showing its true colors. Perhaps the museum should curry favor by doing an architecture exhibit on LeFrak's designed communities. It could use that bogus LeFrak Point Lighthouse as its exhibit emblem - a beacon to the supercilious.

Crummy location - no parking, in the midst of subsidized housing, not really easy walking distance from the PATH. But, like other self-important organizations, they had to have a "showcase" building. Had they considered 111 1st St, we might have that quality urban institute AND studios, but I guess that was too downmarket for their tastes.

Someday, when the Powerhouse District is flourishing, they may realize their mistake.

Mouse,

Not sure what you are basing your opinion of "crap" on, but as someone who works for an arts organization in the city, I can say that JC Museum does some pretty important things.

First, it has done outreach to local artists by doing presentation nights, survey shows, and other special programming. Second, it shows contemporary, well-respected artists in shows that comparatively are well-curated and thought out. Perhaps you think most contemporary art is crap, but I think featuring Jersey artists with the likes of Chakaia Booker is pretty a-okay. Third, when I took my students from Hudson County Community College--a group with many students who had never been to a museum before--I not only got first-rate treatment from their education staff, but also an event in which my students saw local artists from diverse backgrounds talk first hand about their work. The museum also let me hold lectures in the exhibition halls.

Considering the third-rate support the museum gets from the city compared to the likes of Montclair or even Newark, I think it does very well.

As for a million dollar donation, I've seen a lot worse get a lot more.

A dissenting view:

I have never been a big fan of the museum. Mostly second-rate crap on the walls, and not-so-friendly staff.

Given the spotty record of runnin' the joint, I think Lefrak would have to be nutz to give them $1 million anyway.

I would wholeheartedly support a quality urban institution for the community, but this ain't it.

I would even overlook that less-than-museum-quality art, if they did a better job of welcoming the community.

I suppose I am spoiled with the world-class operations so close by in NYC. But, that just means the JC Museum has to find its niche. They could learn a lesson along these lines from the Newark Museum.

-M

If they were being "extorted", why not call the Prosecutor????


I'll tell you it takes a lot of courage to stand up to the not-for-profit mafia when they want protection money,
What was the threat?? If they didn't live up to the pledge they would have to tour the museum everyday?

What's sad is, I've heard that the museum hasn't been doing all that well financially to begin with. The pathetic part is that most not for profits won't have the counsel or time to pursue this to a good end.

Why can't Jersey City ever get it right for the arts and culture??

Oy vey. I don't know what's funnier: the lawsuit's implication that a small, non-profit museum trying to "extort" a multi-billion developer, or that the museum has received a whopping $250 from Lefrak to date, despite the developer's promise to donate $1M - with some conditions, of course. LOL.

This is a nice story about a gazzillionaire suing a non-profit organization.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jerse ... 28417211135780.xml&coll=3