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Re: Whole Foods in JC?
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/realestate/05njzo.html
Newport is getting a 30,000 sq ft Morton Williams Grocery. http://www.mortonwilliams.com/
Posted on: 2007/8/5 15:47
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Re: Downtown: two more 48-story towers and a hotel a go - but Planning Board wants a dog run
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The board voted unanimously (7-0) to allow the rest of the project to go forward, but added some conditions, including creating access to the nearby Marin Boulevard entrance to the PATH and ensuring a dog run is built at the 50 Columbus site.
GP - the Marin Blvd entrance refers to Grove Street. Maybe he does that to remind us that the JC Reporter is not The New Yorker.
Posted on: 2007/8/4 21:18
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Re: Downtown: two more 48-story towers and a hotel a go - but Planning Board wants a dog run
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Didn't you see the plans - a five block overhead people mover is being built - tentatively called the Fulopian tube - to get people to Exchange Place. No, wait, that was a dream I had. I think it's a typo.
Just curious - are there building specs for dog runs. Are these places really for exercising dogs or just dog toilets? That's a lot of apartments plus maybe some of the Grove Pointers will try to use it too. Can too many dogs become a health hazard? Will children's play areas also be required?
Posted on: 2007/8/4 21:09
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Re: NY Times - When Does a Housing Slump Become a Bust?
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Quote:
Brava for your post - sane and compassionate. Jamaica, South Jamaica and St Albans are historically black neighborhoods - I suspect that, in this part of the country, neighborhoods like these are the ones that will have people losing their homes. My experience with getting mortgages for myself and when I've sold property is that mortgage lenders are pretty demanding. Right now, I bet any freelancer, artist, etc. trying to buy in JC is undergoing a financial colonoscopy.
Posted on: 2007/8/1 22:58
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Re: JC Brownstone Renovations
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I hope you did your homework - the cost of an already renovated building seems less than the cost of an unrenovated + gut rehab. That's just my sense from looking around and from what I paid in the not too distant past for top notch work. Unfortunately my contractor has gone on to bigger projects and won't do individual houses anymore.
Anyway: Random advice, based on experience: 1. get an architect and a set of plans - that way all contractors are bidding on same specs 2. get a contractor with experience in old houses 3. check contractor's insurance and credit 4. call and visit references 5. avoid anyone who immediately says - I know how to save you money. 6. ask them what they think of Home Depot quality - if they say: I piss on HD - they get points
Posted on: 2007/7/30 15:48
Edited by loucheNJ on 2007/7/30 16:31:19
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Re: Liberty Harbor North
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I went to look at a condo at LHN - my salesman answered all my questions and knew his stuff. He followed up with a polite, well written e-mail. No hard sell. The place is overflowing with bells and whistles - apparently while sitting in a tent in Kenya, I could raise or lower the blinds in my LHN bedroom. My problem was that the spaces were tiny and the taxes (abated!) were almost 1 1/2 times what I am paying for my rowhouse. The place will be a construction site for years and everyone is mum on what will occupy the retail space. I am very curious who is buying here and the other upscale projects going up - my prediction 10 years ago was that downtown JC would be a haven for empty nesters and retirees looking for a place closer to NYC - am I right? Or, are the purchasers welloff first time buyers , or a combination of all sorts whose commmon denominator is a lot to spend on housing. Anyone know? A friend suggested that JC buyers don't care about RE taxes - it's just a tax deduction for them not a quarterly amount they have trouble coming up with.
BTW, I think LHN will become an architectural tourist attraction. Duany's work has a cult following. Given JC's propensity to flood perhaps the project should be called Rising Water (or let's leave that to the pundits).
Posted on: 2007/7/29 11:46
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Re: Is Balance a good place for a men's haircut?
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Is Carla the blond Russian woman at Cintron? If so, I agree she does a good job. She has not been there the last two times I had my hair cut, but I have seen her getting off the PATH, so she is still working there.
Posted on: 2007/7/27 19:50
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Re: Nha Trand Place on Newark
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Quote:
Totally agree with AlecC - I think it is the best place we have. If you're looking for vegetables, try the water spinach -a huge platter for $8 or there abouts. Not sure what Halo-Halo is - is it the cup with what looks like custard and green gummy worms that gets topped with coconut ices? More details please. I also think the funky smell may happen when they make durian shakes or from the fruit in front of the buddha when you walk in.
Posted on: 2007/7/26 12:20
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Re: $350G from state Urban Enterprise Zone Authority to help move firms to Jersey City
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Quote:
Isn't Falcon International a pornographer?
Posted on: 2007/7/24 12:31
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Re: Downtown forecast: Traffic hell
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What does "along the Sixth Street Embankment" mean - at ground level using the grassy area along 6th or building an elevated light rail on the embankment?
I tried to open the study but only get half pages - perhaps there is a clearer explanation there.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 18:41
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Re: best time to sell?
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Be careful - lossing a loved one and moving are terrible stressors for you and your children.
People usually sell/buy in spring so that kids are in new residence for start of the school year in September. Not sure if that applies to someone buying in JC. Houses seem to be selling well in downtown except for the ones that appear to be priced in Lira. You might find some bargains at the place you want to move to if sellers are anxious to get out for the start of the school year. But seriously are you ready for more upheaval? My deepest condolences.
Posted on: 2007/7/13 12:18
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Re: 55-story Trump tower touches sky -- 320 units sold in less than eight months
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I would seriously consider going from my historic monument (sorry, but that still makes me chuckle). Is there anyplace to see floorplans of any of these buildings? The websites don't have them, or at least they didn't the last time I looked. I have been to LHN and was shocked at how small they were and the A was pretty tiny too. Is Trump or Hovnanian appealing to empty nesters with features like separate dining rooms, windowed bathrooms, house size living rooms,etc? I hate to go to the showrooms if the apartments aren't worth considering. The faux graciousness of the employees always works my last nerve.
Also is the tax on all abated condos 1.7% of puchase price? That's what I was told at LHN.
Posted on: 2007/6/18 11:57
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Re: what's going on with St. Boniface Church?
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This needs to be looked into -the condos on 5th still have the synagogue windows. I thought the parking lot on second was part of the apartments - former convent -which had been converted -haha - to apartments by Peter Mocco of LHN fame.
Posted on: 2007/6/6 20:59
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Re: what's going on with St. Boniface Church?
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Aren't at least the stained glass windows that can be seen from the street protected by the city's historic districting? Or maybe a better question is, can the building be torn down despite its location in the HCHD? As far as associated buildings - the building to east has been apartments for years and the row house to the west was the rectory. Are there other buildings hidden from the street?
For a short time, probably 20+ years ago, there were concerts in Saint Boniface. It is a lovely space.
Posted on: 2007/6/6 18:45
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Re: Tuxedo Rentals?
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Got to agree with those who suggested buying. The break even point vs renting is pretty low - 3 or4 wearings. Sometimes if you are in a wedding party they want you to wear some cockamamie frilled shirt or odd color. I guess that's when it's best to rent.
Posted on: 2007/6/6 16:21
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Re: Forget Whole Foods - what about a farmer's market?
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The three that I am aware of: HP, VVP, and Pavonia PATH are very limited - never saw fish, etc.
If you find shopping for food fun, you can "do" 14th street - The Union Square Market, Whole Foods and TJs all within a few blocks. I used to feel bad about taking a shopping cart on the PATH, but it is no worse than the strollers, so I do. If you are willing to venture further afield head to Chelsea Market (9th and 15th). My particular favorites there are the Italian Grocery for cheese and the greengrocer which is very reasonable. I guess that as weather warms up you have to purchase strategically to make sure nothing spoils - maybe buy fish last, etc. There is nothing nicer, for me, than shopping for a meal with someone I like, cooking together, and then fukcing our brains out - call me a homebody.
Posted on: 2007/5/31 13:44
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Re: So much for all of you folks who predicted a JC/NYC RE Crash
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[quote]
MrWolf wrote: I'll tell you what will happen, Manhattan will get more expensive (See London), and more and more people will want to live there (international buyers fueling sales). The outer boroughs will continue to reap the spillover effects (JC included), further growing as they continue to build out. Unfortunately, I don't share your optimistic view for JC. The PATH is considered very vulnerable to terrorist attack. Virtually nothing has been done to improve the situation - not even secondary exits at the Manhattan stations. Lengthy disruption of service (years) coupled with NYC's rezoning of areas of Brooklyn and Queens to accommodate residential and business growth will leave JC in the dust. As leases run out at Exchange Place and Newport many will not be renewed. Ruinous flooding from Hurricane Jerrimiah will make front page across the country. Discovery that JCMUA let city flood because it didn't want to go over its pumping budget will blacken city's reputation. Just a prediction, I'm no prophet.
Posted on: 2007/5/29 15:27
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Re: 111 First Street - the teardown
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To add to the architectural insult - while out looking at 111 in ruins, check out the hotel going up at 6th and Washington. Looks to me like they are using the same ugly facing material that was used on the Double Tree.
Posted on: 2007/5/10 18:40
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Re: Newark's rebirth is under way - will it rival Jersey City's?
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Although it will be on a smaller scale, Harrison will boom before Newark. It has lots of vacant or underutilized industrial land around the PATH station there. I think that same configuration - empty land/public transit kicked off Jersey City. It is a lot easier to build from scratch then tear down and relocate people.
Posted on: 2007/5/9 15:14
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Re: Meeting on Flooding Issues - Steven Fulop
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I think JCMUA needs to be discouraged from their proposed dwelling survey. This is like surveying your refrigerator rather than turning on the oven and getting on with dinner.
Have any of us who have flooded not had a plumber in to advise and attempt to remedy the situation? Do you want your tax dollars to be spent on some guy telling you to have a plumber install a check valve, sump pump and a picture of the patron saint of the Netherlands? The problem is running down the center of the road, not in our houses. The expertise on this problem was clearly sitting in the audience on Monday night, not standing in front of us. Do any of these people have skills in civil engineering, urban hydrology or project management? Does the SUEZ company have any role in this? Lastly, how many of us stayed dry because we have pumps or other mechanical devices? We are one power outage away from disaster. So far residents have suffered loss of personal property and mental anguish (and possible exposure to god knows what diseases) . The next time we may have the dismal distinction of adding death by electrocution and disease. Katrina - it ain't just about poor people, it could happen to us.
Posted on: 2007/5/2 15:45
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Re: 2nd quarter property taxes
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https://www.cityofjerseycity.com/WebTaxInquiry/AccountSearch.aspx
click on the link above - you can get about 15 years of tax history by quarter on your property
Posted on: 2007/5/1 20:49
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Re: 2nd quarter property taxes
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The 2nd qtr bill showed up in today's mail. It is the same amount as is posted on the website.
The city's cultural calendar did too - how much are we paying for the Mayor's block parties? What is the etiquette at these events - does he have to get drunk before exposing his genitalia? Must one actually see "it" before exclaiming 'what a dcikhead!" Miss Manners's line is busy, so I ask you all.
Posted on: 2007/5/1 20:42
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Re: Meeting on Flooding Issues - Steven Fulop
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1. Please don't decide on Garden Level - rather too grand and or ironic for a space that periodically fills with human fertilizer
2. My grandmother, who I believe was born in about 1880 called the lower duplex of a row house the "parlee" floor/basement. Below that was the cellar - as in coal cellar. I believe the tax rolls describe my house as basement + two stories as does my insurance policy. 3. My dictionary says the basement is the portion of a building beneath the principal story (i.e. the parlee floor). 4. I think basement is probably the most accurate term.
Posted on: 2007/5/1 18:03
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Re: 2nd quarter property taxes
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thanks rose -
I just looked up my taxes for the quarter - 5.6% increase over last quarter, but noticed that last year my taxes varied by quarter too. I hit the Pay My Bill Now Link - city does not take Visa and charges a 2.25% convenience fee for paying on line. As far as I know we still can't make e-payments for taxes directly from checking accounts. From a technological point of view this system is as old as our sewers and stinks just as much.
Posted on: 2007/5/1 14:53
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Re: 2nd quarter property taxes
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Rosember - did you compare year to year or quarter to quarter? I think that there have been years where annual taxes stayed the same, but the amount due per quarter varied but added up to what was original yearly tax. Maybe debt coming due varies by quarter.
One thing you can say about JC taxes, they'd be a bargain at half the price.
Posted on: 2007/5/1 12:53
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Re: Has anyone used any of these dentists? Dr. Milman is your doc :-)
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Went to Paul Lustiger for a first visit today - everything perfect - no wait, high tech machinery, friendly & competent staff. Dentist was friendly and low-keyed (don't you hate it when dentists rank not flossing up there with incest and folkdancing?).
I like that the x-rays are put on a computer screen and you can see what he is talking about. Strongly recommend. Takes Metlife, not sure about any others.
Posted on: 2007/4/26 17:01
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Re: Meeting on Flooding Issues - Steven Fulop
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4 Bailey - I haven't experienced more than one or two surges in the last few years, which indicates (based on a sample of two) that the problem varies from street to street. It might be a good idea to have a large neighborhood map at the meeting, so that people can indicate where they live and the extent and nature of their problems - color coding or maybe some sort of scale like 1-5. This might help prioritize where help goes first.
It would also be good to know the city's policy on releasing untreated water into the river. It seems to me that they are more readily doing this now than they did years ago. I'm almost certain that DEP or EPA can levy a fine when that happens, but despite my tree-hugger credentials I'd rather have sewerage in the river than in my dining room. Does anyone know if a two part sewer system is already in place on the waterfront? Seems that any construction done in the last 20 years should have at least been prepped for hookup when a new system comes on line.
Posted on: 2007/4/25 13:16
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Re: A flood of complaints after nor'easter -- Residents say stormwater/sewage pipes should be separate
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Okay - if I understand what is needed:
1. A parallel set of sewer lines must be built for stormwater (the existing combined line would remain for wastewater). This would require every street (and some backyards) to be torn up and rebuilt. The existing line, which leaks, would be repaired as needed. 2. Every building would have to be replumbed so that rainwater goes into one system and household water into another (presumably not optional and paid for by owner) 3. Filtration and recycling facilities would have to be upgraded. Raise your hand if you think this will happen. It might actually be cheaper to abandon downtown (maybe Marin to the base of the Palisades) and let it revert to a wetland.
Posted on: 2007/4/21 14:52
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Re: Gutter repair/replacement
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I used Miller Roofing and have no problems for almost two years. Do NOT even consider Ned Stevens.
Posted on: 2007/4/16 20:01
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How much negotiating is there on new construction?
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Just curious - are the prices quoted on new construction condos negotiable? Anyone have experience (rather than hearsay) with this? While looking at a country house I was advised by the Realtor that new construction prices were not negotiable (Western Mass.) wonder if that holds true here too.
Posted on: 2007/4/16 12:43
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