dtjcview wrote:
A fleet of these operating in the Holland and Lincoln tunnels during commuting hours would solve the issue. Vehicles with drivers could be banned during given hours to speed the flow. I'd rather see this kind of solution than billions spent on another hole. The same fleet could replace our much beloved Jitneys locally.

http://www.citylab.com/tech/2015/10/c ... st-driverless-bus/408826/

JCMan8 wrote:
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Dolomiti wrote:
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JCMan8 wrote:
How would this increase demand to move to JC or Hoboken?

While I'm not sure I agree:

The tunnel that will close is NJ Transit's tunnel. Not the PATH tunnel.

Someone in the 'burbs would have to take NJT to Hoboken, then the PATH or Ferry to NYC. Moving to Hoboken / JC cuts out chunks of that commute.

I never said the PATH tunnel would close. The issue is the PATH will not be able to handle the sudden influx of new people that would overwhelm it. No one is going to move here to catch a ride on a train they won't be able to catch. Or if they do, they'll be quite upset once they realize what they got themselves into and will leave quickly.

And this isn't speculation, we know this because it's already happened (granted in limited doses). Right from the article, it says that there were problems with NJ Transit's tunnel over the summer and PATH couldn't handle it.

Here's what Fulop said:

Fulop says that during this summer?s tunnel problems, commuters switched from New Jersey Transit to the PATH trains in Jersey City, which quickly became packed. ?It was eye-opening for us,? he says. ?There?s no way we can handle that.?

He also believes that commuters facing a potential multi-seat ride into the city, instead of a straight shot by train, will rethink their entire decision to live in Jersey City or any of the surrounding areas.

?This would have a really, really negative impact to us,? he says. ?All the growth we?ve seen, I don?t think we have the capacity to carry the added ridership if you see a prolonged shift.?

And here is Zimmerman:

Mayor Zimmer of Hoboken seconds the PATH overload that occurred during the closure this summer: ?It was packed to a point of being a huge public safety concern,? she says.

So no, if the NJ Transit tunnel closes, JC, like other NJ locales, will be tremendously harmed. We all lose. More people will probably move to NY.

Making it such an egregious failure of political leadership (both at the state and federal level) for us to even be faced with this possibility.

Greenface wrote:
I agree. The stepping, though subtle, adds a lot of visual interest to the building - much more than I originally thought. This building is using a similar facade system as the horrible tower on Columbus next to the path station and you can see how big a difference the ins-and-outs make.

radryan03 wrote:
I immediately thought about Atomic Wings... there was word of the owner suing the city... wonder if anything ever came of that

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tommyc_37 wrote:
No way, Monty's blows Atomic Wings out of the water. It's been coming soon for 3 years.

oreoz wrote:
This thread was actually a pretty hilarious read. Everyone has their biases and is on the attack - Yvonne with her anti-mayor bias automatically assuming the worst and declaring the city is about to take away everyone's property and gift it over to developers, and everyone else attacking Yvonne.

Sully definitely made the best point - all this hoopla has just proven that apparently putting properties on this list has worked somewhat, as at least some of the properties from the 1999 list are now occupied.

JC_User wrote:
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Bamb00zle wrote:
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Pebble wrote:
Had she called the city and asked them about the properties or maybe obtained a proper list or maybe found out that the list she had was old as dirt, she'd have a leg to stand on. Instead, she received a piece of paper and thought she had some ability to attack the mayor for stealing land for developers.

I wouldn't bother calling The City about this, or anything for that matter. You're not going to get the truth.

That list was attached to City legislation (Ordinance 15.144), and was referred to as the ?New Vacant Buildings Study Area Properties.? Obviously the City didn't think it so worthless or out of date.
http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/uploadedF ... Reading/Agenda%20Document(16).pdf

Yes, Pebble, I think the point is that the JC Redevelopment Agency's list is 'old as dirst' and 'bad information'...

Yvonne was clearly right to run with the story - though she does seem to have inflated the impact of the ordinance on any owners as the properties have been on the list for a decade...

But on the other hand JC redevelopment agency has had 8 years available to amend the list and remove these properties since it was last reviewed in 2007 - what have they been up to?

The ordinance itself seems to be a complete shambles as well - that no-one else has picked up on it makes me question my own reading comprehension, but look at the first page of the ordinance - page 26 of this pdf: http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cityofjerseycity.com%2FuploadedFiles%2FPublic_Notices%2FAgenda%2FCity_Council_Agenda%2F2015%2F2015_Ordinance_2nd_Reading%2FAgenda%20Document(16).pdf.

To download pdf go here: http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/citycouncilagenda/ and look for date "Sep 8" and click the link "2nd reading (pubic hearing)" to the right thereof.

"WHEREAS, a copy of the amendments to the Vacant Buildings Redevelopment Plan is attached hereto and made a part hereof [...]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Municipal Council off the City of Jersey City that the attached Garfield Avenue Redevelopment Plan be, and hereby is, adopted as recommended by the Jersey City Planning Board".

In other words, when passing Ordinance 15.114 it seems as if the council has approved the "Garfield Avenue Redevelopment Plan", not the amended "Vacant Buildings Redevelopment Plan".

Does anyone read the ordinances before voting - or is my reading comprehension so off?

Pebble wrote:
Had she called the city and asked them about the properties or maybe obtained a proper list or maybe found out that the list she had was old as dirt, she'd have a leg to stand on. Instead, she received a piece of paper and thought she had some ability to attack the mayor for stealing land for developers.

jerseymom wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
I just met with some city officials a few nights ago and this is what was told to my block association.. The stations are easily movable and they will be revisiting locations in the spring as they better understand how and where people use the bikes. So lets all take a chill pill.

Thanks, User. I will let my physically and visually impaired friends know "to take a chill pill" for the next several months while all the experts figure this out.

jerseymom wrote:

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JC_user611 wrote:
It probably went something like this:

Hey we can't take your garbage anymore, but we will for free booze.

I have to talk to my manager.

Okay well it's being left until you do so.

But you left out the part about the sanitation worker cheerily doffing his cap while he munched on the complimentary scone offered to him by the previous merchant he tried to shake down.

Seriously, how long have you lived in Jersey City?

jerseymom wrote:

If a full investigation isn't launched against the JCIA and Building Department, then either this incident is something other than what it is - or it's Jersey City acting like the same 'ol Jersey City - and transparency be damned.

If it walks like a duck, folks.

jerseymom wrote:
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Frinjc wrote:
As per Wolf Sterling and Candice Osborn fb page the "shake-down" contractor was fired today. The corruption link between city (autonomous) agencies/department is no longer here. People should feel confortable recording and exposing the rooten apples still thinking they can strive here. We are all making it a better city. Have a good night everyone! #jcmakeityours.

Frinjc - great news - thanks for sharing. As far as the corruption link, don't you think the building department should also be investigated? If there was a relationship between JCIA and someone in the building department that had enough power to do harm to a city business (as per the threat issued when Wolf called JCIA), I think there's a wider net of corruption that should be cast here. Just my two cents.

Stringer wrote:

Plans for controversial Jersey City prisoner re-entry center scrapped

By Caitlin Mota | The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal
August 11, 2015 at 12:50 AM

JERSEY CITY ? A controversial plan to locate a prisoner re-entry program next door to Sacred Heart School was scrapped tonight after nearly 200 people showed up to voice their opinions on it.

The decision comes after weeks of community members voicing opposition to the plan, and represents a blow for Mayor Steve Fulop's administration, which won a $4.2 million state grant to operate the center.

Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, who runs the city's prisoner re-entry program, told The Jersey Journal tonight that he is changing plans for the proposed Sacred Heart center, which was to be located in the church's former priory, because it lacked support in the community.

"I think what's important is I listened, we listened, I heard" McGreevey told The Jersey Journal after tonight's meeting. "I had hoped that I had a reasonable compromise but yet, it was evident there was a lack of support for the Sacred Heart site."

Read more:  http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_program_slated_for.html

JCGuys wrote:
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bodhipooh wrote:
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K-Lo wrote:
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zoning are so restrictive that a place like Prato can't legally open up in the this or other neighborhoods

But Prato did legally open, and they were getting great word of mouth and building their customer base....and then they started expanding in a way they knew was illegal. This isn't a repeat of Atomic Wings.

Sigh... Atomic Wings. In the Hall of Shame of JC BD shenanigans, this likely takes the top spot.

I'm unfamiliar. What's the story behind Atomic Wings?

Yvonne wrote:
So, I guess you are OK that 2,300 JC taxpayers went in tax lien in 2013, Adonis. Just wondering if you live in a tax abated building?

jerseymom wrote:
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I've heard too many horror stories from local contractors, architects and a realtor friend of people getting through plan review at the Building Department without the Fire Code folks telling them a sprinkler system is needed. Then, half way through the construction, the Fire Inspector shows up, issues a stop work violation because a sprinkler system hasn't been installed.

Absolutely - happened to a friend of ours last year. And he's the kind of guy to dot every "i". He was flabbergasted. It cost him a mint to fix. #JerseyCityMakeItYours.

cinergee wrote:
I am considering opening a small business in a warehouse space in the Heights and wanted to verify that my business would be legal under the Zoning ordinance.

After getting the runaround a few times, Zoning Dept finally told me that I would need to:
1) submit a format written request
2) pay a $100 fee
3) submit a picture of the building

Has anyone ever done an official Zoning inquiry? Is this really the case? Any tips in dealing with this bureaucratic department?

Thanks.

JCGuys wrote:
"Sure a cafe is allowed now but it could be a... nuclear waste dump. Would you want to live next to a nuclear waste dump?"

Zoning is important, but I feel it's often times lacking common sense and is rarely updated to reflect changing values.

K-Lo wrote:
Adjourned to 8/4, I think.

jcgurl wrote:
I just wanted to share an update on the Cafe Zoning Amendment from Candice Osborne's office. Because of neighborhood feedback, the proposed ordinance has been revised to remove the backyard seating option. The amendment would allow for cafes to have a combined total of 20 seats in front of their establishment and indoors. I believe this will be voted on at the next city council meeting.

Maise wrote:
Where can one find the user friendly budget online?

Pebble wrote:
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JCMan8 wrote:
The simple fact is the gravy train pension system NJ has is unsustainable. It is a shame that many Democratic governors and Democrat leaders decided to divert pension funds for other purposes, but this merely hastened the inevitable failure of an unsustainable system.

There is no practical or feasible way to fund the pension system, and it's only going to get worse. Robbing the taxpayer blind and diverting all other funding to pay these Florida retirees is unacceptable, and our highest Court has ruled will not be allowed to happen.

Time for some people to grow up and realize that money doesn't grow on trees. Nope, not even money that was "promised" by politicians.

I can win an election and promise every NJ resident will receive $1 million each. I can even negotiate with a representative of all NJ residents and sign a contract where I pledge to give away other people's money in exchange for votes. This does not mean my promise will happen.

Seriously? you shouldn?t be so bitter. You should have just better in school?

I do like that you call underpaying someone now with the promise that you?ll pay them later a ?gravy train.? Thinking like that makes me think you just couldn?t do better in school?

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Bamb00zle wrote:
This pension system contribution debacle makes me laugh. The second they increase my taxes any more to pay for it, is the second I leave the state for good. And then my friends they'll get a big "0" contribution from me. It's a joke, but the joke is at the taxpayers expense, and I am ready to roll.

So would you advocate increasing teacher wages to the average college degree salary?

Something tells me your contribution isn?t all that large to begin with?