Is anyone moving into this complex sometime soon?

Two Jersey City Sites Cited in Homebuilder?s Clean Water Act Settlement with EPA

By Jon Whiten ? Apr 21st, 2010

Red Bank based Hovnanian Enterprises, one of the nation?s largest home-building companies, has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at 591 construction sites in 18 states and the District of Columbia, including two sites in Jersey City and 54 in New Jersey.

As part of the settlement with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department, the company will also have to implement a company-wide storm water compliance program designed to improve compliance with requirements at existing and future construction sites.

?This case is a result of EPA?s effort to protect local waters by vigorously enforcing the nation?s environmental laws,? EPA administrator Cynthia Giles says in a statement. ?Without appropriate onsite pollution controls, sediment-laden runoff from construction sites can pollute local waterways. This enforcement agreement will mean cleaner water for hundreds of communities across the country.?

The federal complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement agreement in federal court in Philadelphia, alleges a pattern of violations that was discovered by reviewing documentation submitted by the company, and through federal and state site inspections. The alleged violations include failure to obtain permits until after construction had begun, or failing to obtain them at all. At sites with permits, violations included failure to prevent or minimize the discharge of pollutants such as silt and debris in storm water runoff.

?Harmful storm water runoff from construction sites is something that is easily prevented,? Justice Department official Ignacia Moreno says in a statement. ?The construction industry needs to implement required controls or face the possibility of a federal lawsuit.?

The two Jersey City sites are at 77 Hudson Street and the Crescent Court development on 2nd Street in the Village section of Downtown. But New Jersey, which did not participate in the case, will not receive any of the $1 million settlement. That amount will be split between the District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

The settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.

I received an email today from Crescent Court listing move-in dates for different apartments in April, May and June. Since there has not been much construction activity recently, I think they are just about finished.

Any thoughts on starting a user group for future residents of Crescent Court? We can ask the builder to keep everyone apprised of progress?

Haven't heard anything. When did you hear about this development, Tino? This week?

Got a call from the builder the other day saying that they're having an issue with water pressure getting into the building from the city water lines. Blamed it on the city (I think so that the delay is not technically their fault) and said that they're going to be running a new pipe from 3rd street to Crescent Court. Anyone hear anything about this? Timeline on how long something like this would take? They said best-case scenario is early May for move-in, but that seems a bit aggressive seeing that there are no permits in place or even engineering.

consider going with a 15 gallon electric water heater if you are efficient in your water usage. also, on-demand water heater might help with space.

I visited our apt over the weekend and I'm definitely loving the whole look of the place - nice entrance way, rich colors in the hall ways, and the apt itself was beautiful. Unfortunately, the oversized water heater (seems way too big for a 1BR) has killed closet space and the bathroom, while spacious, takes away room from the bedroom and closets.


SRG - pricing is consistent with what Joe told you when you met him. We got a 20% incentive to go through KHov's mortgage company, but the original price is clearly a bit inflated. They didn't move from that price.

Although I am not a fan of Joe, Crescent Court has noticeably helped improve the look of the neighborhood. Is anybody willing to share information on pricing?

I dunno, how much are people payng for these condos? I would imagine the price per sqft would be pretty cheap in this neighborhood. Not sure I'd walk back there at night after 9pm either. Newark avenue is very seedy. Also, its kinda noisey there with the nj turnpike overpass and path trains coming thru.

Is anyone willing to share how much they paid per square foot? How much is Joe reducing the prices off list?

There is no need to blow a gasket. People are just genuinely airing their opinions or feedback.

[quote]
djfriedman81 wrote:
frankly I am tired of seeing people bash a project that from all accounts of my last visit a week ago is a very good and satisfying purchase.

I do not get dishonesty from my dealings with Joe (Sometimes uncertainty but not dishonesty). Personally, I have had no problems, yes they are behind, but I have been through many new construction projects with various friends and family, and I can safely say that not one has met the estimated completion date (Infact most finish at least a year after). Why is this so foreign to most of the members of the board? The only thing that the sales guy has mistated is the closing date. Something that I'm sure he was given from members of the construction/developement team.

I do not want to seem like I am defending him b/c that is not the case, but many people have bought in this development and are very excited and eager about our purchases and frankly I am tired of seeing people bash a project that from all accounts of my last visit a week ago is a very good and satisfying purchase.

The question I constantly have is whether you are really disappointed in the property or if you are trying to steer people into your own developement which you are trying to sell (I have seen either in this post or others people trying to steer into Dixon Mills among other properties) and as such are you really the one who is being dishonest?? And if you are disapointed in the property shouldn't you either get your security deposit back (Since you don't seem happy and they are obviously past the estimated closing dates in your purchasing contracts) or find another place that you would prefer that fits within your budget. There are plenty to choose from currently??? (sorry for the run-on sentence/ rant)




[quote] Hopefully, the builder Matzel & Mumford will do the right thing to make it up to buyers. There is a clear pattern of dishonesty and deception by this salesman.

And, in fact, Joe the salesman MUST have known that the October 2009 completion was unrealistic, yet he used this as part of a deliberate and successful plan to induce people to buy. The list of untruths and misrepresentations is legion. The reality is people would likely not be so upset if he was upfront with prospective buyers and truthfully disclosed the correct information at the outset. But by giving false information, he set expectations that naturally were not met.

Hopefully, the builder Matzel & Mumford will do the right thing to make it up to buyers. There is a clear pattern of dishonesty and deception by this salesman.

At the time Joe was saying that the building would be finished in October, 2009, there simply was no way that it was going to happen. It was not because of inspectors or the weather. It was simply unrealistic. As a representative of a company, if he is a liar, it would make me skeptical of the project as a whole. What else are they being untruthful about? Are the estimated maintenance fees realistic? The estimated taxes?

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That's not true the fire dept and building inspector always has their hand out. Especially the fire dept which tried to shake down our condo.

I just do not understand some of the people on this forum. Joe is a sales guy he is going to tell you the best case scenario everytime. How many people would buy from a builder if they were like---

"Well we want to be done in June, but more likely than not we are going to hit a few delays, we wont be able to bribe the fire department and building inspector to move our inspections up on the list (b/c of a rather noteworthy scandal and FBI corruption bust), we will hit some delays with weather, and so maybe we will be done in october, maybe next year march or maybe later."

I mean seriously, when we bought our apartment from the guy last April he told us shooting for end of summer early fall, maybe later, and that it was in M&M best interest to close before the end of october for their fiscal year. Since we are a bit overbearing and eager for out first home we have been following up with him pretty much every week or two since we bought (I'm sure to his dismay) so we were aware of the reasons and causes for some/most of the delays. It is hard to control when the inspector comes to look at the property (especially with all of the new developments in JC government) and it is even harder to control the weather.

Fact of the matter is if you are interested in buying an apartment here go look at the units. I personally, in all of my search havent found a better interior for the money anywhere. Does the Location bother me a little bit? Yes. Did it ultimately affect my decisions? NO

We are buying a property and a home not a realtor/sales person. You could have had a tape recorder selling the unit and with all of the features for the price we still would have bought.

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There is only one cable company that serves Jersey City and that company is Comcast.

Couldn't agree more - he was telling us a December move-in up until we got the contract and that was the first time we saw 'March' move-in. Whatever though, the price is decent, the apartments are nice and it looks like we'll be moved in by April at the latest... Still doesn't make up for being lied to, but once we're moved in we wont have to deal with him.

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That's why that salesman has ZERO credibility and, by extension, the builder Matzel & Mumford (K. Hovnanian) has likewise no credibility. So, as they say, buyer beware! Don't take everything the salesman says at full, face value. He willl tell you what you want to hear, and lull you into believing everything he says.

Joe the sales guy is the same guy that said back in August that he guarantee if we buy a unit it'll be available to close in November. I'm glad I didn't. I hope my current builder don't do the same to me in May or else I'll be losing my rate lock. I think it's irresponsible of these sales to lie in people's face like that as it's not only monetary damage that they will face.

Anyway, it did look like the building is coming along finally as I stopped by last weekend when I was close by Grove Street.

I think it is Joe the sales guy who does a lot of the puffery. He also told me that Cablevision services this area with cable television.

I am not sure it is a direct reason for the delays, but the site supervisor changed once or twice. The first guy was ridiculous and seemed proud to spend a lot of time on disability.

The building looks better than I expected from the outside.

I assume the people who move in will have to deal with continuing construction on the higher floors as well as construction of a building on 2nd Street next door. Hopefully that won't take too long.

Tino-

As per our last visit, there was carpet in the halls on the 2nd floor (it was covered in plastic shrink wrap for protection) but it was installed. I didn't take a deep look inside the other units, but they seemed to be at around the same state as ours (by rough glance through the doors). As for the radiant heat, I heard directly from the sales guy that we had it nor did I ask about other units, so I am uncertain regarding the radiant heat on the other floors, I do not think that being above the garage should play a roll in needing radiant heat as this is an Energy Star certified complex and there is 18-24 inches of concrete between the garage and the unit. As for closing time period, we just got 60 day rate lock from khov mortgage and was told by the lender that people on first floor are starting to close at the end of the month. Joe the sales guy said 2nd week of March for us and mortgage guy said he was told 2nd or 3rd week for 2nd floor depending on unit and whatever order they have developed. But who knows....

D


[quote]
Tino wrote:
D- I was confused about the radiant heat in the bathroom - we had the tour with the construction guy and he told us it was something they did for the 2nd floor bc of the garage underneath, but when I mentioned it to Joe, he was baffled. Did it look like most of the 2nd floor units were at this point of completion? how were the hallways? see you soon, neighbor

I am happy to see this getting finished as well as the two large condo projects on Newark Avenue at Coles and at Monmouth!

It is amazing how much building is still going on rapidly Downtown - like those towers by pep Boys or the ones on Grand.

I myself would be worried if I was a developer -- but even in the worse case they will end up rental units. Every week there are lots of new people still moving here from NYC - (lots of cute new dogs too) - we are very happily surprised!

What makes me think twice are the apparent misrepresentations. If it is truly the case that new home constructions never, ever finish on time, then presumably the salesman knows this and shouldn't be making promises about completion dates. As previously mentioned by another poster, there were representations that closings HAD to be completed by last October 2009 in order for sales to be included in the prior fiscal year. Considering unforeseen events, the October closings shouldn't have been part of the sales pitch to begin with. The delays have been aggravating. Buyers have relied upon that information; and had planned accordingly. Another misrepresentation was that there were certain units that were to receive priority in terms of completion because these were the units that were to close first. That clearly has not been the case.

Based on the previous poster, closings are now scheduled as late as May?

Hi Everyone.

My husband and I just bought here. Let me tell you I was dead set against this place because of its location. Didn't even want to see it, but then I figured what the heck?

Even after our first visit I barely took a serious look.

But after leaving the property it all started to sink in. We've seen about 5 other 2 bedrooms in JC, nothing has compared in size, finishes, and price.

I went a second time, and then a third time and once inside you do not here the overpass. And to be honest, when outside the overpass is just white noise in the background.

As far as completion goes, we were there about 3 weeks ago and the first fl units are completed, we are buying on the second floor and our unit is almost done, but we are not closing until first week of May so we are not too concerned.

There is a 5 year tax abatement.

As for sound, there is carpet in every bedroom and each unit has the same floor plan over it, so carpet over every floor so no heals clicking. And my husband and I did the scream test, I went to the condo next door and he stayed in the same one, I screamed at the top of my lungs and he barely heard me!. Now this is with no furniture, fixtures and in a completely empty unit.

Don't get me wrong, if our budget was $600,000 we would be looking someplace else, but being that it isnt, we are very excited about what we've found.

Hope this helps....

K

D- I was confused about the radiant heat in the bathroom - we had the tour with the construction guy and he told us it was something they did for the 2nd floor bc of the garage underneath, but when I mentioned it to Joe, he was baffled. Did it look like most of the 2nd floor units were at this point of completion? how were the hallways? see you soon, neighbor

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Personally, I am very satisfied with my purchase at crescent court. obivously disapointed the closing time has been running behind, but I expected it. Not once in the history of new construction has a builder ever completed the project on time, it is not like it is anything new. Me and my girlfriend who purchased on the 2nd floor just went to view our apartment on Sunday. The unit was 90% complete with all apliances excluding the water heater installed, all flooring completed. In fact, we were pleasantly suprised to find out that there is radiant heating in the bathroom, something that we were not told about (talk about high end finishings) the appliances are GE Profile and installed. From what I can see the only thing that needs to be completed with our unit are touch ups and minor finishing touches. If anyone has any legitamte questions, I would be happy to answer. For those who want to hate on someone elses gain or deisre for improvement, dont bother.


Best
D

why would you say Crescent Court just became interesting...any reason it wouldn't be with only a 5 year abatement?

by dieselpowerd on 2010/1/29 13:18:35

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BrightMoment wrote:
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lisamisa wrote:
Does anyone have any "new" insights into this condo? It does seem like a great bargain for comparable condos in downtown JC.

To buy or not to buy... what do you think?



In tonight's Tax Increase Protest at City Council, one of the speakers specifically drew attention to Crescent Court and how it typified the "30 year abatements" on taxes that most JC residents who own their condo/house saw increase 25 fto 30% with this quarter and last year's tax increase. One woman in Paulus Hook spoke about how she and her husband were facing a tax increase comparable to their mortgage and were contemplating just walking away from their condo due to tax increase. See the link here for the full NYT article: Walk Away From Your Mortgage!



Crescent Court has a 30 year abatement for residents? Please explain. Most condos downtown have 5 year abatements. Does Crescent Court really have 30? Crescent Court just became interesting.... Given the volatility of taxes in JC a 30 year guarentee would be compelling...