(like others have said the area is fine)

$220M Saint Peter's University residential tower approved for McGinley Square

http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... rs_universitys_mcgin.html

The Parking Lot next to the Armory is said to become a mixed residential and student housing building with a movie theatre and stores.

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That would be ST Peters..

there are plenty of shops down there, they are mostly mom and pops nothing extremely trendy, but there is a few interesting eateries (Pizzeria and Latin Restaurant) closer to the Beacon. . As far as coffee shops not yet, but I suspect soon, but in the meantime you can still get a cup of coffee for $1 and some spots $0.50. I am sure in five years the area would be unrecognizable. Good Luck!

isn't saint peter's adding a movie theater in its project?
wouldn't another theater be overkill for the area? the area could use a decent grocery store

Thanks for the feedback. I took a longer walk around the area today and it seems fine. I hope that in the next 5 years, there might be a few new shops in the area. A coffee shop would be great. Also, I heard that there are talks to make some movie theater complex with a supermarket in the Armory building. Does anyone have any thoughts on that or know if/when that project will be started? Wondering what it might be like to live a block or 2 away from something like that.... thanks again

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USER hit it pretty much on the head for that area. You have to consider what you're willing to put up with. If it's noise, car traffic, litter and petty crimes, then you should be okay. I lived on Webster near Franklin then around the corner on Hutton for many years. We bought in 2001 and were told back then that it was "an up and coming" area. I loved my house and driveway for certain, but the noise and quality of life crimes just got out of hand for our family's comfort range. The gang violence took its toll and a murder two blocks from our house did us in for good.

Plus, once we had more than one child, private school became too expensive for us. The PS we had available to us was terrible (and that also was confirmed from a teacher who worked there!).

I loved being able to walk to Central and also had the Jitney to NY on the corner. The area just wasn't growing in the right direction for us, despite all the "up and coming" prophecies. Maybe that's changing now.

I would advise you to sit in your car at different times of the day and see if you'd like to live among that atmosphere. Try school dismissal time and a Friday and Saturday night. If children are in your future, consider the schools in the area and make a Plan B even if you think you'll always be able to afford private school. I wish we had really thought longer into the future with children before we had bought our house.

And try to buy a house with a driveway. Parking is a huge pain in that area - think ahead to winter!

price and condition ?

driveway parking ?

You will be buying into parts of the forgotten city, so yes things are more run down. That particular area is filled with recent immigrants and some students who rent out apartments.

It has lots of actives going on, So the streets stay infested with people, even in the later hours.

The armory is not too far and its close to MGS, JSQ, and the community college and the university.

As more and more people like your self who are not choosing dtjc the area is going to change over time, but I really don't know if its for the better. As far as safety is concern, I read the police blotters and crime stats regularly and that particular area is not known for violent crimes, just your common riff raff that city life brings.

Hi,

We've been house hunting for the past 10 months and are having trouble. Just seems super hard to get a place when people are throwing down all cash offers We've given up on downtown and have been looking in the Heights and Journal Sq for the past few months. Main desire is to have a backyard and be within 15 min walking to the path.

Found a spot near Mercer and Summer that we're interested in. Like the place but the immediate area seems a little grimy and desolate. Do you wise JClisters think this is a decent/safe area that will get better over time? We'd love to stay put for the next 10+ years so want to make the right decision. Thanks very much!