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Re: Embracing Jersey City's Waterfront
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Home away from home
 
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Thirty acres on Jersey City?s West Side just east of Route 440 would become a redevelopment area with a new street grid and new residential and commercial development under a plan given initial approval by the Planning Board last night.
The Route 440/Culver Redevelopment Plan would allow the city to take industrial properties in the area by eminent domain if the owners do not redevelop the properties within the next five years. The plan would allow residential high-rises along Route 440 and would also ban billboards and any signs that ?sparkle or twinkle.? It now heads to the City Council for its approval. The proposed redevelopment area encompasses seven blocks between Clarke Avenue and Carbon Place on the north and south and Route 440 and West Side Avenue on the west and east. The proposal is part of the city?s efforts to redevelop the city?s West Side, with Senior Planner Claire Davis saying last night that the city?s ?east side seems to be pretty much built. The West Side is ?the up-and-coming area for development,? Davis said. The board approved the redevelopment plan 6-0-1, with one member abstaining. The board?s action came with little objection from the public. Attorney Joyce Clayborne, of Yale Avenue, said she feared the plan?s requirements would force her to make costly changes to her home. Davis and City Planner Bob Cotter stressed that the requirements would be for new structures only.
Posted on: 2013/2/6 16:06
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Posted on: 2011/6/8 20:04
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Check out this footage from the top of the WTC in 1986:
Jersey City makes appearances at 1:50 and 3:47 Views from the WTC
Posted on: 2011/4/28 20:12
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A mess indeed. And to think that our so-called "elected officials" shoved this monstrosity down our throats, with absolutely no public consultations. Friends of LSP protested, sued, and lost. Just another rape commited by our New Jersey overlords.
Posted on: 2011/4/28 11:37
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im still a young guy to remember JC when it had good days at all. born 1990 and the 90s was not a pretty time to be in JC. I see Jc now and looks completely different. Even my mother who was here since the 70s even cant believe the change it has gone through. I can still picture when most of the buildings along Washington were being built. Though i do have that feeling, don't know if its jealousy or not, of being left out not growing up during the good times, after i look at the plans for future development. Most of the "big" things coming here won't be done till 2050, give or take a few years.
I will be about 60 years old by then, the only thing ill be enjoying is my prune juice, and how bad things are getting after the post office raised the price of stamps by 1 cent. SOB!!!!!!..smh
Posted on: 2011/4/28 4:20
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The chicks always dug the bad boys from Staten Island. I guess if you had muscles and disco clothes (and mustaches and gold chains and nice shoes) they didn?t care about the accent. (anyone remember Montego err I mean Mont-guido Bay in Belmar?) We had two dudes from Staten Island in our summer house for a few years. They kept a chart of their conquests on the wall. They actually got into a fist fight over who had the most pickups at the end of the summer. (I guess it was the steroids kicking in) PS ? I hated the disco years! 
Posted on: 2011/4/27 15:31
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Home away from home
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Did the "guido" guys from Brooklyn and Staten Island, with their similar accents to yours (if not thicker) who frequented the Jersey Shore, have the lack of success that you did? I mean, Brooklyn definitely didn't have the hip "brand" that it does today, and Staten Island...?
Posted on: 2011/4/27 14:49
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crush and lost?too funny
 Yeah JC has come a long way, nice to hear that the younger set is seeing it in a better light. Like I said all of my friends beat it out of JC for the burbs and left me holding the flag. Funny thing is all of their kids are now working in NYC and living in?.YES JC!  (keeping on the JC water front topic?.) Another JC waterfront story is LSP. I have been going to LSP since day one. It was a real ghost town for years and years. I would tell people from the burbs and blogs that they have got to go to LSP one of the best kept secrets in the tri-state area. How can you beat the views while jogging or biking.? the NY skyline, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island! Sad that I always had to throw in the ?don?t worry it is completely safe? part. I used to jog or bike around and then relax on the benches directly across from the WTC.  At dusk the sight of the WTC was amazing. (hey what?s up with the nasty LSP 9/11 memorial what a mess! )Anyway glad to see that the park is really getting used now by a lot of people. LSP was a winner idea great use of the JC waterfront for the public. (thank goodness Bret?s LSP Water Park idea failed!)  Funny story I tell all of the time ..years ago I was down by the LSP rail road terminal. I was just sitting there taking in the sights. A couple from the burbs came up to me and asked me if I knew the names of a certain group of NYC buildings that they pointed out. I almost sh** myself but kept a straight face. They were pointing to the buildings in downtown JC! (I swear it?s true) I straightened them out and really laid it on about how JC is up and coming. They were amazed and said that their daughter was graduating college soon and would be working in NYC. They said they were going to look into housing in downtown JC. Great!
Posted on: 2011/4/27 12:57
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Hah! been down that road. People used to look at me like I was insane then get that "I just ate to many hotdogs looking face" when I said JC. I also used the "fib" that I was from some ritzy suburb myself, it works great till they wanna come over.
Posted on: 2011/4/27 0:07
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What the "PowerHouse Arts District" used to look like:
http://youtu.be/72h3tA4DzwA
Posted on: 2011/4/26 22:46
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Haha, neverleft, I always enjoyed saying "I live in Jersey City" to New Yorkers and observing their facial expressions. In the early 80s their expressions were like - "You must be effin nuts". In the nineties they were "OK, whatever". In the 2000's they were - "Oh, interesting". In the 2010s when they ask me where I live I say "None of your Effin Business" (just kidding). Yeah, saying "I live in Jersey City" to a chick is a tough go. Heck, saying "I live in New Jersey" to a chick is tough. I did it in California once and the chick burst out laughing in my face. Can't say I blame her...
Posted on: 2011/4/26 22:05
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Quote: crushthedemoniac wrote: Why doesn't this surprise me. Yeah nobody liked good old JC. I on the other hand was always a proponent of JC even in her darkest days. (JC love it or leave it! Sadly most of my close friends did..leave it) But I will confess this sin to you all. Living in JC in the late 70?s early 80?s was not cool to some especially the chicks. Do you know what it was like to finally get a nibble in the summertime down at the Guido infested Jersey Shore only to lose the precious catch? When I opened my mouth and said I was from Jersey City in my best JC accent I lost the catch hook, line, and sinker. Devastating! (you burb girls err I mean your mother?s were cruel back then) When I changed my address to Chatham or Basking Ridge I was fine. (thank God it wasn?t my looks after all!!) Although do you know how hard it is to try and cover up a JC guy saying beer? I almost got busted a few times. ? I?ll have two beeeeeeer?s please?. I never asked for a second date for a Saturday it always had to be on a Sunday I was too afraid my Satday would slip out. ?Hey how about we go out again on Satday night? ..ahhhhhh.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 21:37
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Why doesn't this surprise me.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 20:41
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Newport City, New Jersey (or Newport City, New York) is a 10 billion dollar private project no public input. You have to give LeFrak credit for seeing gold in the JC waterfront and buying 80 properties. The stupid city and state had no vision at the time. LeFrak didn?t give two sh***s about Jersey City he only cared about his self contained "new town" Newport City and how New Yorkers would get over to shop in the mall. Interesting piece cbs news from 1997?.(again stupid city and state for not getting the land!) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi ... 9953443/?tag=content;col1 ?After negotiating with more than 80 landowners - including bankrupt railroads he soon accumulated 600 acres, 200 of which go to the pier head line and include the riparian rights to develop the shoreline, and 400 of which are upland and buildable. The site runs from Hoboken southward, roughly from Eighteenth Street to Sixth Street at Jersey City's shoreline, and inland to Luis Munoz Marin Boulevard, formerly known as Henderson Street.? That mall killed JC believe it or not there were still some descent stores around the city. WTF a massive suburban mall in a city? Talk about draining the cities retail. When the mall opened and starting to catch on they starting closing. Was anyone around in the early days? That mall was a ghost town for years. It was weird going there and not seeing many people walking around. If they had to build the mall they should have built it on the water front and the ugly high rise buildings where the mall is now. It could have been something like the pier mall in AC. Big open windows on the water front with views of NYC. The Bay Front project on the other water front is going to be the best thing going in the city. Looks like it is really well planned out. The view from the other side of JC is not bad at all. I go down to my friends place in SH for a swim in the summer. The view down Newark Bay towards the Turnpike extension bridge at dusk is really cool?wide open views. (the blue sky is not blocked with the stupid NYC skyline) Also the new golf course and park over on 1 & 9 is going right up to the water front. Interesting industrial views. I would give you the nice bayfronjersey city website but?. bayfrontjerseycity.com expired on 04/15/2011 and is pending renewal or deletion ?way to go JC..let the one interesting future project web site expirer!! Here?s a nj.com piece..at least it has one drawing? http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... il_oks_100acre_devel.html Oh and about the Newport City, New York crack. In the 80?s it was called Newport City, New Jersey. It was also advertised as Newport City, New York in some ads. There was NO mention of Jersey City in any advertisements. They even took us out of the directions. They said get off the Turnpike at exit 14C. I think Manzo was a thorn in LeFrak?s side he made them take out the City in Newport City. Made them start saying Newport section of Jersey City. Made them put exit 14C Jersey City in the directions, and Jersey City on the Path stops, etc. Manzo stopped the whole project a few times saying that LeFrak was covering up the contaminated soil or dumping it in the river. I think LeFrak was talking about backing out at one point. ?"I had to convince people we were part of Manhattan and we had to eradicate the Hudson River," LeFrak laughed about his Newport marketing efforts, which have been rewarded all over the site.?? Any old-timers remember any of this? I think I have the old advertisements locked away somewhere..funny. I think Port Liberty did the same thing those ads were even funnier. They boasted that Julio Iglesias was buying there so you should to. (I was tempted indeed!)
Posted on: 2011/4/26 19:53
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You know what - I also can appreciate the inustrial beauty thing - but I don't want to live (or really even play) among that type of scenery, and I think my opinion is of the majority. I sometimes admire cool looking old bridges and industrial scenes while driving, or in photography, but I don't really necessarily want to wake up to it, or ride a bike or fly a kite or something (lol) with that as a backdrop. That, and the fact that the West Side doesn't offer much in terms of transportation or architectural beauty. The two biggest reasons that Downtown developed is because A) 24-hour PATH, and B) really pretty urban architecture.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 19:06
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Quite a regular
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JC needs to open the waterfront more so I can have some better spots to fish at.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 19:02
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I think the real problem with the Hackensack River waterfront in Jersey City is a lack of transit access; the Hudson River has the PATH, Light Rail and Commuter Rail in Hoboken all bringing people to and from the waterfront.
Even if the light rail were extended over 440, that service will be best to attract Jersey City residents rather than out of towners. Say what you want about bringing in non-city residents, but that is an important component of maintaining a vibrant community by supporting businesses and shops. Some of the plans for the western waterfront are quite ambitious, particularly if JCU's expansion goes through and becomes a focal point of the riverfront redevelopment. However, some of the development along the water have already scarred the area in irreparable ways, primarily Society Hill's suburban community of townhomes.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 18:14
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I agree. To me that symbolizes JC and Newark. to each his own though
Posted on: 2011/4/26 18:04
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I actually love that part of New Jersey. those bridges and smokestacks and derelict warehouses have a kind of haunting beauty about them. the right architect could make a really gorgeous park using that backdrop.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 17:57
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Pittsburgh has it all over JC as far as Waterfront development goes.
  And in their future. http://outandaboutintheburgh.blogspot ... allegheny-riverfront.html
Posted on: 2011/4/26 17:40
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if you wanna be technical, the area being discussed in this thread is what jersey city calls "waterfront district" there's signs for it.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 17:24
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But honestly, let's face it....what is attractive about the Hackensack River? And the view of the gray water, industrial bridges, and the factories across the way, in Newark/Kearny? Sure, things can be developed there, but I don't think that waterfront has anything even close to the upside of the Hudson waterfront. I honestly think that living on the Hackensack River would depress me more than it would please me!
Posted on: 2011/4/26 16:35
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It should be said that this thread title and many of the comments suggest that Jersey City only has one waterfront.
I think there are great possibilities for beautiful spaces on the Hackensack River/Newark Bay waterfront as well.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 15:56
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Great insights from Ian in this thread.
I would say that while JC waterfront is far from ideal, it is not entirely terrible. The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway helps. I can bike from Port Liberte to darn near Edgewater and not be too far from the Hudson River at any time. And the ride in LSP is nice. The Rape Bridge is a low point, of course, but the ride gets nicer by Goldman Sachs and the Hyatt, all the way to the pedestrian bridge to Hoboken. Not terrible at all.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 14:57
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I hate that there's no grass over there, and if there is, there's a sign saying not to come near it. they can easily add some kind of waterfront park.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 14:42
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Ian, All skating rinks charge to rent skates. Many people bring their own - I certainly did when I went skating as a child. The new park under construction has many amenities and is open to all. There's a beach at the walkway to relax & sunbathe on, a field to play games on, an area to hold concerts on, childrens' play equipment & it will be open to the public. Up until 5 years ago, Newport could be pretty desolate in the evenings & weekends. But that's just not true anymore. In good weather the outdoor tables at the restaurants on Washington Boulevard are filled with people eating & drinking and generally enjoying themselves. I see people I know from all over Jersey City at these establishments. And I've begun to see my neighbors at Newport show up at events in other parts of the City - Hamilton Park, Van Vorst Park, Journal Square & the Heights. It's not perfect but it has become a vibrant community filled with families with young children who are staying for much longer than they used to.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 13:32
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The former elevated highway that ran along the west side was a major obstacle to the waterfront along Manhattan's hudson river shore and only after that was knocked down did the greenway become the park we think of today. Moreover, in the southern tip there are ten thousand people living west of West Street in Battery Park City, not to mention hotels, offices, shops and a movie theater. The bigger issue I think is providing access to the water from the population centers to the west, primarily the neighborhoods in walking or bicycling distance from the river; the walkway is after all for pedestrians and parking is scarce. The major difference between access to our waterfront and Manhattan's Hudson waterfront is, as I suggested, the vast areas of urban desert between the population center and the park itself. New York is still dealing with elevated highways. In Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Heights promenade is above the BQE, but the highway presents an impossible way of connecting the future waterfront park with this promenade. The propositions are at best expensive: Connector (PDF) Similar problems are being faced on the east side of Manhattan and the East River. As I did say earlier, it is fortunate that Jersey City does not have this problem on the waterfront, although I would argue we do have this problem along the western edge of the downtown / elevated turnpike extension. --- Also consider that the Newport section of the waterfront has been cutoff from the southern end by Newport Center I. The office building completed in 1988 goes up to the waterline; ground was broken just before the waterfront law was passed and therefore was not required to include the walkway as part of the redevelopment of the area. Its unlikely this was coincidence. The state legislation creating the waterfront was not a piece of surprise legislation, but something that evolved over a period of time. Projects receiving approvals before the legislation became law were exempt, and several projects in Bergen County specifically pursued permits and broke ground before the walkway requirement went into effect to avoid the mandatory construction of the walkway. Lefrak has demonstrated a bit of, shall we say, reluctance, when it comes to the walkway. From the NYTimes in 1987: "Indeed, the earliest projects to go forward on the waterfront found ways to avoid the state's requirements and either did not leave room for a walkway or did so only grudgingly." NYTimes For Newport, circa 1988, building Newport Center I up to the waterline had the added benefit of preventing the scary Jersey Cityians from sneaking into pristine Newport neighborhood by way of the walkway, instead forcing them onto what was then Pavonia Avenue. Perhaps it was coincidence-- but probably not. The resulting effect has ultimately been that now that both the north and south portions of the walkway are developed, there is a major hole in the network. ------- As to where doors and windows are, whether the front entrance faces the street or the waterfront is much less relevant than the facade of the other three walls. Jersey City has done a poor job of ensuring all walls facing the public have living facades -- windows, doors, visual cues that people live and work and shop inside the building. Instead we have things like parking garages and solid brick walls. Trump tower is one of the worst offenders. The Washington Street side is basically a solid brick wall with a few utility vents; the north facade is all parking deck. Yes, I am being repetitive, but these issues are very important to building an active street life. Even when retail is on the ground floor but has only parking decks above it for several stories, the street is deprived of the human scale that makes places like New York City so livable. Consider for instance, the Newport Duane Reade or the garage on 50 Columbus; both have ground floor retail but provide an intimidating reminder of the value we have on cars. By contrast, Liberty Harbor has more or less hidden all of the garage spaces behind building facades with housing and offices on the street side. While LH is not perfect, it has achieved a certain level of urbanness that the waterfront developments have lack precisely because the public spaces have been a priority in design. Again, not perfect, but much better.
Posted on: 2011/4/26 3:51
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Don't hold your breath waiting for politicians in Jersey City to do anything right
Posted on: 2011/4/25 23:36
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On the bright side, I feel like the area down by the marinas on Marin Boulevard towards the Morris Canal is a blank canvas, and can be done right. With a revitalized and de-greaseballed Sand Bar, a Hilton Hotel, a Sawa (or whatever else would go there instead of Sawa), more housing, and *hopefully* some semblance of shops and restaurants, added to the already nautical nature of the area with the marinas, that area has a ton of potential.
Posted on: 2011/4/25 21:41
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Last time I checked, the Skating Rink was charging for use and skates, and let's be honest, is basically a way of getting people to come to Newport during the holidays. Its a profit generating marketing gimmick. The dog parks are "Newport residents only." The playgrounds are "Newport residents only." Most of the "parks" included in Newport are basically a fancy sidewalk with some grass and metal rings outlining the edge of the pavement. If you want to know what a park should be, check out Hamilton Park or Van Vorst Park or Pier A in Hoboken.
Posted on: 2011/4/25 21:11
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