brewster wrote:
Quote:

JCGuys wrote:
Quote:

brewster wrote:
Most New Urbanists far prefer sidewalk fronting street level retail to setback facades that break the life of a street. I haven't seen the KRE project, can someone describe what the plan is?

I thought we were talking about tower setbacks a la Empire State Building vs 432 Park.

No one is suggesting we ditch street level retail and build towers in a park. Ugh!!!

If the below rendering is accurate, it's full of your architectural setbacks. I believe what Yvonne means is property line setbacks. Don't you Yvonne?




http://www.designboom.com/architectur ... rs-new-jersey-10-29-2014/

Check out this last rendering, the POV is obviously from a boat at the Statue, but is labeled "viewed from lower manhattan". Even more curious is the use of a phone to blot out all teh other high rises on the waterfront

Yvonne wrote:
You are correct, massive buildings need this, if not they become overwhelming.

HamiltonParker wrote:
Interesting article from way back in 1985 when development of the Newport area was taking place. I was recently talking to a realtor who recalled moving from Manhattan to one of the 1st highrises here ~ she said that the building was "considered luxury, for the time, and was filled with top professionals ~ doctors, lawyers, etc. It was an exciting place to live at the time."

I remember visiting friends there in the early 90's when a gatekeeper was on duty 24 hours/day. The buildings may have fallen on disrepair now but back in the day, the area was a blight on the shoreline. Hard to imagine, I know.

More here...

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/12/rea ... -jersey-city-s-shore.html

brewster wrote:
Quote:

JCGuys wrote:
Quote:

brewster wrote:
Most New Urbanists far prefer sidewalk fronting street level retail to setback facades that break the life of a street. I haven't seen the KRE project, can someone describe what the plan is?

I thought we were talking about tower setbacks a la Empire State Building vs 432 Park.

No one is suggesting we ditch street level retail and build towers in a park. Ugh!!!

If the below rendering is accurate, it's full of your architectural setbacks. I believe what Yvonne means is property line setbacks. Don't you Yvonne?




http://www.designboom.com/architectur ... rs-new-jersey-10-29-2014/

Check out this last rendering, the POV is obviously from a boat at the Statue, but is labeled "viewed from lower manhattan". Even more curious is the use of a phone to blot out all teh other high rises on the waterfront

JCGuys wrote:
Quote:

brewster wrote:
Most New Urbanists far prefer sidewalk fronting street level retail to setback facades that break the life of a street. I haven't seen the KRE project, can someone describe what the plan is?

I thought we were talking about tower setbacks a la Empire State Building vs 432 Park.

No one is suggesting we ditch street level retail and build towers in a park. Ugh!!!

brewster wrote:
Most New Urbanists far prefer sidewalk fronting street level retail to setback facades that break the life of a street. I haven't seen the KRE project, can someone describe what the plan is?

brewster wrote:
Most New Urbanists far prefer sidewalk fronting street level retail to setback facades that break the life of a street. I haven't seen the KRE project, can someone describe what the plan is?

Wishful_Thinking wrote:
Quote:

Yvonne wrote:
The KRE has all sort of perks from city hall, McLaughlin does not. The fact their building is next to the funeral home is outrageous. It does not allow the owner to do maintenance on their building. I heard from a source, KRE dropped a heavy piece of equipment on McLaughlin's roof. Tall buildings should have set back and open space. I find the building ugly not up to the modern standards. It looks like a heavy wind will tear off the white laminate pasted on the exterior of the building. Journal Square has no open space so new construction should provide this. If you are receiving redevelopment loans, 30 year tax abatement and the closest space to the PATH, give something back to the community.

The Zoning Standards can, and should, be updated to include required setbacks, or contextual zoning overlays introduced "Contextual zoning regulates the height and bulk of new buildings, their setback from the street line, and their width along the street frontage, to produce buildings that are consistent with existing neighborhood character".

There are currently Design Standards in the code of ordinances, as well, although it seems hard to justify how well the KRE project - maybe attempting to channel 432 Park Avenue? - satisfies these:

F. Monotonous uninterrupted expanses of walls shall be avoided. Facade articulations such as recesses, projections, columns, openings, ornamentation, decorative materials and colors shall be used to add texture and detail.
G. Materials and colors shall be compatible with the neighborhood character, streetscape and adjacent structures.

Yvonne wrote:
The KRE has all sort of perks from city hall, McLaughlin does not. The fact their building is next to the funeral home is outrageous. It does not allow the owner to do maintenance on their building. I heard from a source, KRE dropped a heavy piece of equipment on McLaughlin's roof. Tall buildings should have set back and open space. I find the building ugly not up to the modern standards. It looks like a heavy wind will tear off the white laminate pasted on the exterior of the building. Journal Square has no open space so new construction should provide this. If you are receiving redevelopment loans, 30 year tax abatement and the closest space to the PATH, give something back to the community.

JCGuys wrote:
Quote:

Yvonne wrote:
The KRE has all sort of perks from city hall, McLaughlin does not. The fact their building is next to the funeral home is outrageous. It does not allow the owner to do maintenance on their building. I heard from a source, KRE dropped a heavy piece of equipment on McLaughlin's roof. Tall buildings should have set back and open space. I find the building ugly not up to the modern standards. It looks like a heavy wind will tear off the white laminate pasted on the exterior of the building. Journal Square has no open space so new construction should provide this. If you are receiving redevelopment loans, 30 year tax abatement and the closest space to the PATH, give something back to the community.

They are giving back to the community: KRE is providing the much needed jump start to the revitalization of Journal Square along with new retail opportunities that will employ hundreds and homes for a couple thousand people. There is also a park planned behind the buildings for area residents. I know we're not going to see eye to eye on this but that Journal Square development is a godsend. You above all people know what this city was like years ago when no one wanted to live here. Is Journal Square better off today in 2016 than it was in the 70s and 80s?

Yvonne wrote:
The KRE has all sort of perks from city hall, McLaughlin does not. The fact their building is next to the funeral home is outrageous. It does not allow the owner to do maintenance on their building. I heard from a source, KRE dropped a heavy piece of equipment on McLaughlin's roof. Tall buildings should have set back and open space. I find the building ugly not up to the modern standards. It looks like a heavy wind will tear off the white laminate pasted on the exterior of the building. Journal Square has no open space so new construction should provide this. If you are receiving redevelopment loans, 30 year tax abatement and the closest space to the PATH, give something back to the community.

Yvonne wrote:
Quote:

JCGuys wrote:
He will be missed. I really hope the city decides to promote from within. Someone that understands where Jersey City has been and a vision for its future.

Yvonne's critique of Newport is a little unfair. It's hard to require good buildings design back in the day when the waterfront was an industrial wasteland and no one wanted to live here. Having said thay, I kind of agree it's an unfortunate mess. Lesson learned.

The funeral home should have sold. It's so out of place sandwiched between a regional transportation hub and a 50 storey tower. It would be nice if the city could buy it to create a park/pathway from the backend of Journal Square to Pavonia. Overall, I'm very satisfied how Journal Square's revitalization is turning out. WTG Bob Cotter!!

Wait, someone's family business and you are saying it should have been sold! How arrogant! Many people have used McLaughlin due to its confidence. I also do not agree with you about the parking garages, many people spoke up during the designs, but the city allowed this to happened. Luckily, Cucci who was councilman during the time reduced Newport from 2nd Street to 6th Street. The design does not blend with the rest of the city. Still, you have not addressed my issue of buildings with no setbacks and open space. We have allowed developers to get away with many things and push their designs without proper givebacks. I still remember LeFrak pushing his designs and promising a Central Park with his development. I am still waiting for Central Park to come on board.

brewster wrote:
Cotter utterly failed in planning parks for developing neighborhoods. Newport just made their 1st, 4 acres. That's to serve 15k residents. National standards call for a minimum of 1 acre per 1000 residents of "neighborhood park". The rest Downtown and of the city is no better, but it was not built from scratch under his watch. It's still going on in LHN and with the high rise housing going up in the Taint with no park for the families of these large apartments.

https://www.planning.org/pas/at60/report194.htm

JCGuys wrote:
He will be missed. I really hope the city decides to promote from within. Someone that understands where Jersey City has been and a vision for its future.

Yvonne's critique of Newport is a little unfair. It's hard to require good buildings design back in the day when the waterfront was an industrial wasteland and no one wanted to live here. Having said thay, I kind of agree it's an unfortunate mess. Lesson learned.

The funeral home should have sold. It's so out of place sandwiched between a regional transportation hub and a 50 storey tower. It would be nice if the city could buy it to create a park/pathway from the backend of Journal Square to Pavonia. Overall, I'm very satisfied how Journal Square's revitalization is turning out. WTG Bob Cotter!!