Tag Archives: Jersey City Today

The Hidden City

Most people pay little attention to the buildings they pass each day, the streets they walk, the stores they shop in and coffee shops they frequent. But these places contain hidden stories about the way we experience the city and relate to others. They also serve as reminders of the past and signal the futureContinue reading “The Hidden City”

Journal Square: A Lost Opportunity?

With the announcement that the Pathside Building in Journal Square will become an outpost of the Centre Pompidou, the French contemporary art museum, has the city lost an opportunity to provide affordable housing and other amenities for the city’s workers and families? The most dire need of residents in the Journal Square area, as wellContinue reading “Journal Square: A Lost Opportunity?”

The Pompidou x and the “Art” of Redevelopment

Have you ever noticed that whenever you see luxury housing some kind of art is often nearby? It might be a wall mural, a piece of sculpture or a painting or maybe an artifact from a factory or warehouse reimagined as art. It could be an art gallery or an art museum. Luxury housing andContinue reading “The Pompidou x and the “Art” of Redevelopment”

Residents Speak Out on Housing

In recent months Jersey City residents have spoken out at City Council Meetings on the affordable housing crisis in the city. Here are the views of a few at one particular meeting in October that not only put a human face on this issue but provided an incisive critique of the city’s approach to affordableContinue reading “Residents Speak Out on Housing”

Everyday Architecture

Everyday architecture – from buildings to benches – is part of the built environment we inhabit, pass by or engage with everyday as we go about our lives. They may be places where we work, shop, socialize, relax or find entertainment. They are often smaller buildings and places that feel more intimate and closer toContinue reading “Everyday Architecture”

Architecture and the Construction of Inequality

Most people take a city’s architecture for granted. They are the buildings we live and work in and pass by everyday. They are the places we shop in, have a meal, cup of coffee, or find culture and entertainment. They are the grand structures we visit for their beauty or places where generations, old andContinue reading “Architecture and the Construction of Inequality”

Urban Bling: Have You Noticed the Shiny Railings Around Some Homes?

I‘ve seen those silver and gold railings uptown and on the West Side. I haven’t seen them downtown. There may be some of those railings downtown but I haven’t seen them. Downtown has a lot of the old school wrought iron railings, especially on the brownstones. You can’t miss these silver and gold railings –Continue reading “Urban Bling: Have You Noticed the Shiny Railings Around Some Homes?”

Gentrification By Public Transportation

In 2019, NJ Transit hired a real estate executive with a a salary of $175,000, to look for new ways to increase revenue to avoid looming deficits and fare hikes. This was the result of legislation passed in 2018 directing NJ Transit to set up a real estate development office and produce an annual reportContinue reading “Gentrification By Public Transportation”

Bergen-Lafayette: Selling a Neighborhood

Now that the waterfront has been mostly redeveloped, other areas of the city have been targeted by investors looking for new opportunities. One of the new growth areas for investors is Bergen-Lafayette with many projects recently completed or underway. However, marketing this area of the city presents some challenges. One is that it is someContinue reading “Bergen-Lafayette: Selling a Neighborhood”

Journal Square: Smart Growth or Green Gentrification?

New development in Jersey City today is continuing at a feverish pace and, according to one recent report, is focused most heavily in three areas of the city: Journal Square, West Side and Bergen-Lafayette. One thing these areas have in common is that development is focused around major public transportation lines. This blog entry willContinue reading “Journal Square: Smart Growth or Green Gentrification?”

The Rise of Bike Culture

Uptown is the new downtown. I think the bike lanes are a good thing. I don’t have anything against the bike lanes but I do have a problem with people on bikes who do not follow traffic rules. The other day I had to get out of the way of a biker who decided toContinue reading “The Rise of Bike Culture”

Dogs: The New Kids on the Block

New development in Jersey City has been accompanied by the rise of a dog care culture, economy. and infrastructure. This can be traced to the influx of professionals who have come to the City to work and live in the new office and luxury housing towers. Many are single adults or childless couples for whomContinue reading “Dogs: The New Kids on the Block”

Corner Stores

My favorite corner store is on Duncan and Westside. They have everything in there, well almost everything. The other day, a friend needed a money order. She went into the corner store and came out with a money order, envelope and stamp. They don’t call it “Super Convenience” for nothing. Yes, you’ll pay more, butContinue reading “Corner Stores”

Skyscrapers: Symbols of Commerce, Art and More

While there is no exact definition of skyscrapers they are generally viewed as very tall multistoried buildings. The term came into popular use in the 1880’s in the U.S. after the first “tall” buildings were constructed. The Home Insurance Building in Chicago, built in 1885, is often cited as the first modern skyscraper. It wasContinue reading “Skyscrapers: Symbols of Commerce, Art and More”

Bayfront: The People Speak

Of all the redevelopment projects on the West Side of Jersey City, Bayfront is unique in providing a substantial amount of housing that will be affordable to many of the city’s workers and families. Once completed, Bayfront will have 8,000 housing units, 35 percent of which will be affordable while 65 percent will be marketContinue reading “Bayfront: The People Speak”

University Place: Luxury Housing Goes to College

In 2016, New Jersey City University began construction of University Place, on its West Campus. It is a 22 acre redevelopment consisting of 8 new buildings with a cost of $400 million. When completed, there will be a residence hall for students, a performing arts center, supermarket, four luxury housing buildings with over 1,000 unitsContinue reading “University Place: Luxury Housing Goes to College”

West Side Redevelopment

440 is unique and has an interesting mix of businesses. I remember Two Guys, the Pathmark, Roosevelt Stadium, the Colonette diner and when Hudson Mall was the only mall in Jersey City. That mall was always packed and was the place to go. The mall is still there but the diner is gone, Kmart, Pathmark,Continue reading “West Side Redevelopment”

The Beacon: A Lost Opportunity?

It was a superior hospital. Hague was involved in that hospital. My Jim worked there for 30 years and retired from there. It was a nice hospital and he loved working there. It’s condos now. A friend of mine who lives there said they took away the concrete walls and replaced them with sheetrock. IContinue reading “The Beacon: A Lost Opportunity?”

Whitlock Mills: From Factory to Community

Whitlock MIlls’ conversion from a factory to a housing complex stands out from other similar conversions in the city. Unlike them, it provides housing for a variety of income groups. Most converted factories in the city have been repurposed as luxury housing. Why did Whitlock turn out differently and what lessons does it hold forContinue reading “Whitlock Mills: From Factory to Community”