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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Just can't stay away
 
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What I find strange is that people who live in Lafayette do not venture out at night on foot because "it's dicey", and yet overall they are "very happy". Different set of requirements, I guess.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 19:49
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
 
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+1. And do it at different hours. Rush hour to see who lives there with a job as opposed to hanging out, and 10-11pm to see if you feel safe.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 16:54
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Just can't stay away
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I also live on Communipaw near LSP and am getting the eff out of there. I moved to JC is 2004 and lived downtown til 2008. I moved to Lafayette hoping it was "up and coming" and happy to get more for my money. I am now heading back downtown. I have been threatened by groups of teenagers, my fiance has been mugged 4 times and I was chased down the street by a man. I've called the police and every time they come I hear the same thing, "What the hell are you doing in this neighborhood?"
If you aren't familiar with Jersey City, walk around the streets of your potential future neighborhood before you sign a lease. That really goes for anywhere you plan on moving, though.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 15:52
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Just can't stay away
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...[continuing on with recreation offered by the area], a brand new competition eight lane 25 meter pool, a seperate recreation pool with three water slides and fountains and sprinklers, and Berry Park recreation which iis under construction which will have basketball, baseball, soccer etc.
Finally, restaurants and stores are about the last to arrive. Look how long it took for Newark Avenue to start to turn around. However, I can walk from my house to Grove Street in 25 minutes, so while you can't roll out of bed for a latte, it is well within reach. PS The ugly houses at the north end of the the neighborhood were built as affordable housing in the 1980s. They spent a fortune tearing down historic row houses and then were prevented from buiding in a historic idion by the Federal Regulations. On the other hand, the houses were sold for a minimal down payment to people who became owners. The houses have a tenant who is a Section 8 tenant. Thus the owner had an income stream and an incientive to police his tenant. It was a brilliant way to inculcate middle class values and seems to have worked.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 15:32
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Just can't stay away
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Firstly, on nomenclature: the area down the hill is Lafayette and up the Hill, Bergen Hill, and the area together is called Bergen Lafayette. At least that is my understanding. I have lived at Pacific and Lafayette Street since 2006 having moved from Hamilton Park. I have had absolutely no problem (I should spit or knock wood now, I suppose). I have floor to ceiling French Windows, the kids have left their bikes on the stoop inumerable times over night only to find them there in the morning, and a nice mix of new, veteran, and virually original stock residents get along pretty well. There have been some horrific incidents of violence but they all seem to be gang related. Lafayette is a bit isolated so there is not much through traffic of pedestrians. I half jockingly tell people it is like Paulus Hook in the early 90s when the place looked like the south Bronx but also was sort of cut off.
It should also be noted that Lafayette is in the East District so it gets very rapid police reponse. Bergen Hill is in the West, strangely enough which together with the South District are the most overburdened. I have to disagree with the poster who says that Lafayetter Park and the whole area is dangerous after dark. I run in the evening and never have a problem. Both I and my wife take turns walking the dog at night and have never had a problem. There is some hanging out in the Gazebo in the park and probably drugs assocaited with it, but that is true of Hamilton Park and Van Vorst also. I would only say that it may be a little too quite because if you encounter an issue you are unlikely to have another neighbor at hand. The neighborhood will surely be helped when Whitlock Cordage is opened. It is a pretty innovative reuse of a 19th century industiral site that has been mired in litigation since 2006., Reportedly, the state has stepped in to ensure that the project is completed. Penultimately, Lafayette has an abundance of recreation: Liberty State Park, Lafayette Park,
Posted on: 2011/1/18 15:26
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
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Very interesting thread.
I have 2 comments/questions 1. While I don't live in this area, I've spent time in it. I agree that there is some stunning architecture. However, I don't feel the "artsy" vibe. Where is it? What is it? Are there a lot of open mic events or something? 2. I agree with the poster who said that people should not have to be confined to their houses after 8 pm. Any kind of Take Back the Streets movement going on?
Posted on: 2011/1/18 13:40
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Not too shy to talk
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I also live at the end of Communipaw near LSP. Yes, it's quiet and it's more or less an unknown jewel. It gets a bad rap because it's Lafayette. I love the area and agree that the one and only drawback is the lack of services.
However, this area is like a world away from the area previously described, Pacific & Lafayette near Lafayette Park. I stand by all my comments having lived by Lafayette Park for 3 years. This area is terrifying at night though nice during the day. The park is great - during the day. At night during the warm weather, you take your life in your hands if you go there or anywhere and you need to keep your windows closed to keep out the noise. For those living at the end of Communipaw near LSP like myself, I dare you to take a walk after 8pm up Communipaw across Pacific and turn down any one of the side streets. Bottom line is that like most any area, there's good and bad and 1 or 2 blocks can make a big difference. Downtown and the Heights are no different in that regard.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 9:40
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
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Totally agree with you on the restaraunt situation, we don't even have chinese close by over here, we order from Future which is downtown, most places do deliver down here but it would be a great asset for a little place to open up over here.
Posted on: 2011/1/18 3:10
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
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I live here, right by LSP I just moved here in June and I had my eye on this area for awhile now to move over here, I moved from a pretty rough area in JC to here, we are at the very end of Communipaw, and have never heard or seen any problems since we have been here. We live on a dead end and its pretty quiet and while I definitely cant say that crime is non existant over here I do read the paper, I usually am not out perusing the streets at 1, 2 am. It is exactly what you said an up and coming neighborhood rough around the edges but the neighbors are generally friendly enough lots of dog owners around here and so close to LSP. I like it way better then where I was and we have a huge backyard that backs up to the park!
Posted on: 2011/1/18 3:08
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Newbie
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I live by the end of Communipaw and have never seen "gangs of thugs" roaming the streets. To be sure, the area has its issues. And, yes, the bars on some windows is a bit disconcerting. But there are also beautiful old houses and some really great neighbors. My block is exceptionally quiet--in fact, I found it almost too quiet when I moved there from a much busier and "nicer" neighborhood.
The biggest issue I have is lack of amenities. But I have a car so that makes it easier. My feeling is that things vary block by block, but there are some gems.
Posted on: 2011/1/17 18:19
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Not too shy to talk
Joined:
2007/12/4 19:47 Last Login : 2011/10/8 19:02 From Jersey City
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Its absolutely absurd that good people have to be confined to their homes after dark because gangs of thugs roam the streets!!!
Posted on: 2011/1/17 17:42
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
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Is this the area right past 78 where they have all the bars on the porches? I have never seen that before... if it is yeah i think that kind of tells you something....
Posted on: 2011/1/17 16:59
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Hi Natalie,
You're right, I live in Lafayette - but the original post mentioned proximity to LSP, which is why I weighed in. I walk to the PATH every morning for work - exactly 20 mins. (1.3 miles according to Google Maps, but you can save a few minutes by cutting across the Pathmark shopping center parking lot.) And yes, nighttime - as I said - is dicey. We don't go out late at night on foot. Also, I agree with you that it can get loud - I mentioned that too. But we were bothered by office noise living on Wayne St. downtown, and we were bothered by noise from bar patrons living on 11th St. in the East Village. Sorry you had a bad experience, but again, overall we're very happy.
Posted on: 2011/1/17 15:56
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Newbie
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I highly recommend the area (North/South) between Fairview and Bentley and (East/West) between Bergen and West Side Ave.
Great area for professionals. Close to Lincoln Park and Journal Square. My wife and I are from the South, have lived in the neighborhood for 3 years, and love it. Good luck.
Posted on: 2011/1/17 15:53
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Not too shy to talk
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Not to get picky, but this is not B-L; it is the Lafayette section, close to B-L but lots dicier than B-L. Getz, the Grove PATH is about 2.5 miles from where you live so that's quite a haul. I wouldn't call it walking distance. And the Light Rail is a 10 minute walk just to get to and then another 10 minutes (plus waiting for a train) to get to Exchange or Pavonia. I lived very close to that area and I moved for safety reasons. While the homeowners are friendly, gangs roam the area at night and it's not safe and noisy as heck in the warm weather. Van Horne, which is only 2 or 3 blocks from you, places #2 (per a cop I talked to) in violent crime in all of JC. Frankly, I don't see much improvement happening there for a number of years. I think some of your comments are very misleading.
Posted on: 2011/1/17 15:46
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Home away from home
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My wife and I bought in Lafayette (near Pacific / Lafayette) after living both downtown and in Greenville. We were impressed by costs, housing, proximity to LSP and light rail, and what seemed like a funky, artsy, up and coming atmosphere. Neither of us are hardened urban types - we're both 40ish professionals who've lived in all kinds of environments (including Texas, where I lived for nine years).
We haven't been disappointed - we love it. We spend less than half of what we spent downtown, and are at the PATH station in 20 minutes on foot, or 10 by bus or light rail. People here are extremely friendly: we quickly met a lot of our neighbors and have become good friends, something that never happened downtown or in Greenville. There's also a good number of artists & alternative types to be found. We're runners, and being that close to Liberty State Park is beyond description. There's definitely a downside, as several have pointed out. It's not as secure as downtown, for sure, but we've never had a problem. We don't walk around at night; if we get home late, we usually take a $6 cab from Grove St. There's the obnoxiousness of the guys who cruise around all summer with window-shaking music cranked up at all hours; but on the other hand, we lived across from an office building downtown that was just as loud every morning starting before 6am when the industrial document shredding truck came to do its work. If there were one thing I could change, it would be the situation with restaurants, bars and coffee shops - there aren't any. The closest local is the beer garden, a good 15-minute walk. It sounds to me like you could be really happy here if you do your research, find a neighborhood you like, and understand the pros and cons. Happy to offer any more thoughts or suggestions. Good luck!!
Posted on: 2011/1/17 14:54
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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It's hard to say, not knowing your own definition of "too edgy". Personally, assuming you're nice Texans who have never lived in a serious dense urban area before, if Downtown is beyond your budget I would look at the Heights within a tolerable walk of the Congress St elevator to the rail. You get decent prices in a relatively safe hood (look at that map) combined with easy access to the light rail and the "decadent glories" of Hoboken. There's plenty of shopping and some good ethnic restaurants on Central Ave too.
Not to say B-L doesn't have it's upsides, but you should have more of a sense of this city before moving there. Good luck.
Posted on: 2011/1/17 5:01
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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I would not live there. Not now......
Posted on: 2011/1/17 2:23
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Re: Bergen Lafayette?
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Just can't stay away
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Check out this Hudson County map of murders in 2010, which is a fair proxy for serious crime in general for this area.
google maps Draw your own conclusions, I live around the corner from one of those pinpoints and I consider my neighborhood to be pretty safe.
Posted on: 2011/1/16 21:49
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Bergen Lafayette?
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Newbie
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My husband and I just moved from Texas and are looking for housing in the New Jersey area. We have driven by the Bergen Lafayette area and it looked interesting; very artsy, up and coming, close to transit, near Liberty State Park and exactly what we are looking for.
Any info on this area is much appareciated!
Posted on: 2011/1/16 21:18
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