FIRE IS A WRECK OF ART
1 a.m. blaze dooms Newark Ave. building

Friday, November 30, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A four-alarm fire destroyed a four-story building on Newark Avenue in Jersey City early yesterday morning before spreading to two smaller buildings.

The blaze forced the demolition of 141 Newark Ave., the back of which was covered with a section of a landmark mural that stretches along a block of Christopher Columbus Drive west of Grove Street and the Grove Street PATH station area.

When firefighters responded to the 1:14 a.m. alarm, they found smoke billowing from the fourth-floor windows and by 2:04 a.m., a fourth alarm had been called, Fire Director Armando Roman said. Heavy smoke rising above the building was lit brightly orange by flames breaking through the roof.

Newark Avenue and Christopher Columbus Drive were a maze of hoses, fire trucks and red lights flashing though the smoke. Firefighters poured heavy streams of water onto the buildings using four tall ladder truck ladders.

The fire started in 141 Newark and the two adjacent buildings suffered less severe damage.

The structures contained some commercial properties, but there did not appear to be any residences in the buildings, Roman said, adding that there were no injuries.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

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Mural is a monument to Jersey City history
Friday, November 30, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A landmark mural on Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City will be damaged by the demolition of a four-story building gutted by a fire early yesterday morning, officials say.

"It feels like the end of an era," said Leon Yost, who oversaw creation of the mural, which memorializes Jersey City's history. "It was painted in 1997 and 10 years later, the center of the mural will be gone."

The fire broke out in 141 Newark Ave., which runs through the block to Columbus Drive, where its rear wall makes up a portion of the mural, which spans 10 buildings. The image of a 50-foot Dixon pencil runs up the 60-foot-tall building and near its top the image of a section of the Pulaski Skyway cuts horizontally through clouds.

Yesterday afternoon, workers began demolishing the building because the fire rendered it structurally unsound. The fire spread to two smaller adjacent buildings and an engineer will determine if those four-story buildings are unsafe as well, Jersey City Police Lt. Edgar Martinez said.

The mural was completed on Oct. 31, 1997, after 21/2 years of planning, three months of wall preparation and three months of painting. It is 350 feet long and 350 gallons of paint were used to cover the 15,000-square-foot area, which has 105,000 bricks. It was executed by a team of 13 artists and prep crew members.

The mural includes images of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Barrow Mansion, the Pulaski Skyway, the Dixon pencil factory, an American Flag, the Colgate Clock, a ferry named Jersey City that operated between Exchange Place and Lower Manhattan, the Central Railroad of New Jersey ferry slip in Liberty State Park and purple violets, the state flower.

Look, its pretty standard for a building to be flattened after a fire if its unsafe. This is a determination made by the fire department; if the structure is ready to fall down, the priority is making fall in the right direction and ensuring no one is inside. A few years ago in New Brunswick a cafe and Italian restaurant caught fire, and in less than 12 hours the lot was cleared of everything; lots of people had developer conspiracy theories, but but lots are still empty 5 years later. I'm not saying arson was not the cause here-- there have too many devastating fires in landmarked buildings in the last few years across the region not to be suspicious-- but I certainly don't think the fire department is at all involved in a cover up. The FD is simply fulfilling their responsibilities to keeping the public safe from an unsafe structure.

I can't believe it. By the way things are progressing, it looks like the whole building will be removed by morning. I can't get Comcast to fix my cable for two weeks and they can complete a demolition 24 hours after an unexpected fire? I need better connections!

I sense arson. On a different note: I wonder what the structural integrity of the other buildings are. Will they have to tear down the other buildings too?

I must admit how surprised I am to see the whole building completely demolished. Someone's pocketing some serious moola.

I'm guessing I will not get any rest tonight either since the street is completely blocked off from Barrow to Grove Street along Newark Avenue. There are large semi-dump trucks waiting to be filled. Oh, boy!

Ah, the joy of living in Jersey City. From the emergency drilling two weeks ago, the ruffians playing their car stereos to intolerable levels, and finally to the dump drucks outside my bedroom window off Newark Avenue. WTF!! What's next?

My friend just sent me this e-mail..

"I called up this department:

Department of Fire and Emergency Services
465 Marin Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Tel: (201) 547-4239
Fax: (201) 547-4398

Armando Roman, Director
William Sinnott, Fire Chief



and asked how this could be demolished so quickly when there should be an investigation. He said that they've already investigated. I said, "so what caused the fire?" He said he couldn't tell me, it's part of an ongoing investigation. FISHY"

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I walked by this morning and heard some fire official type saying they weren't sure whether the building could remain standing. Therefore, they probably have to raze it for safety's sake.

As for who is in charge of getting rid of these people, I don't know. I called the police non-emergency number when they were having a small-compared-to-this fire and was told that if it wasn't my house on fire, there was nothing they could do.

So, you know, let the m-f- burn. J.C. is so messed up.

What a shame . They really were the only nice buildings on that side of the block. I would walk by everyday and look arches and inscriptions on the stones.

Cant wait to see the crappy brick they will use to build Grove Pointe part deux

I assume the decision to demolish a building after a fire is based on the structural integrity as determined by the ranking member of the fire department on the scene.

interesting how when that ghetto hair product store went up in flames, they let it sit for a long time before renovating it. this building goes up and they tear it down the same day!?? give me a break. Who is in charge of getting the homeless people out of these f___ing buildings and away from the small businesses that would like to operate?

Its too bad because 141 and 143 Newark were two of the most beautiful buildings of unrealized potential on the entire block. Instead they will probably be replaced with some generic slate gray brick and glass monstrosity. This is not a sarcastic post.

Hudson Now, the Journal's hip to the kids blog, is reporting that the buildings will be razed.
http://www.nj.com/hudsoncountynow/ind ... ed_buildings_to_be_r.html

I agree with whoever mentioned squatters earlier.

If you walk down the Christopher Columbus side of that building, there is always assorted homeless junk strewn about. Earlier this week, some of it was burned. I remember seeing a lot of ash, and a burnt mattress or cushions of some sort. So, why wouldn't they keep doing it later in the week, when it's colder out?

Only the fire department can determine the point of origin or cause of this fire, but I wouldn't be so quick to point the blame at the building owners/developers, when it seems that there is another group (those few homeless people) setting fires in that area somewhat regularly.

The building next door to 141 which also appears to have some damage is listed for $2.5 million;
http://www.era.com/erabin/listing?Property=2005182

Its certainly possible the fire was intentionally set-- a historic building that needs to come down because its destroyed in a fire doesn't need historic preservation commission's permission for demo work.

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Totally. Hubby and I were actually commenting on how great those buildings could look if someone would restore them. There is/was a pretty good view of them from the upstairs of Skinner's Loft.

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Sometimes it can be squatters that may be living in the building, especially now that the weather is getting colder.

Vacant Lofts: Studio Furniture Gallery Click here for images from this mornings fire on Newark Avenue. All pictures were taken from my partner Chris.

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Cost effective way to redevelop - Burn, Claim, Rebuild

Thats 141 Newark Ave 3 story, 4th alarm now with building fully involved and moving into other buildings.

Would that be the old Burger King?

At approximately 1:20 AM, between 5 and 7 fire engines respond to a fire located on Newark Avenue and Christopher Columbus between Barrow Street and Grove Street.

Why are empty loft buildings on Newark Avenue constantly burning down? My partner and I have witnessed two infernos from our top floor window in the past two years. I guess those "lofts for sale" that were never actually for sale when you called the owner are off the market at this point.