Tag Archives: Jersey City Today

Sugar House, Canco Lofts, Park Foundry, Majestic Theatre, Modera and Factory Nostalgia

Factory nostalgia, the celebration and idealization of the architecture and history of factories by reinventing them as appealing living spaces for the affluent, has been a major trend in the redevelopment of Jersey City for decades. While Dixon Mills was one of the first and largest factories to be transformed in this way, there areContinue reading “Sugar House, Canco Lofts, Park Foundry, Majestic Theatre, Modera and Factory Nostalgia”

Dixon Mills and Factory Nostalgia

I worked at Dixon Mills for years. It was a great place to work and the people were wonderful. We all got along, and we were from all different backgrounds. That company had integrity and cared about their employees. I remember my supervisor Marge and my boss Mr. Blake. Mr. Blake was such a niceContinue reading “Dixon Mills and Factory Nostalgia”

Sitting in the City

Have you ever found yourself running errands and needing a break to sit down and rest for a while? Did you find it easy to do without having to pay for something? Outdoor spaces where people can sit comfortably are an essential but often neglected aspect of city life. They allow people to pause forContinue reading “Sitting in the City”

West Side Avenue: St. Aloysius Church, School and Convent

I remember the Holy Name Society Parade,. Back then, you identified with your parish, Italian, Irish, Polish and so on. Every parish would march in the parade. They started at Lincoln Park. It’s a shame the tradition is gone. It’s the old timers who remember this. It was so nice. I was a kid backContinue reading “West Side Avenue: St. Aloysius Church, School and Convent”

West Side Avenue Stores

The interesting thing about the stores on West Side is the stories they tell and the ones they don’t tell. The stories they tell are what is there now. The stories they don’t tell are the stores no longer there. In the 80’s, I remember Mac’s Video between Duncan and Fairview. The sign is stillContinue reading “West Side Avenue Stores”

Journal Square: Redevelopment (Revisited)

The redevelopment of Journal Square continues apace, since we last discussed it, with the completion of Journal Squared 2, a 68 story mixed use retail, office and housing tower, the second of three planned that form the centerpiece of the area’s redevelopment. At the same time the city has announced that a new major artContinue reading “Journal Square: Redevelopment (Revisited)”

Nature in the City: Part II

Have you ever found yourself walking down a city street on a hot summer’s day and feeling the heat radiating off the buildings and sidewalk while the sun is beating down on you? Do you instinctively look for shade? If so, you most likely were caught in a “heat island” – an urban space fullContinue reading “Nature in the City: Part II”

Nature in the City – Part I

“I passed this tree on Highland Avenue for years but never really noticed it until it was cut down. I can’t tell you what kind of a tree it was or how old it was, but I can tell you, now that it is gone, I miss it. I remember times I parked my carContinue reading “Nature in the City – Part I”

“Third Places” – Lucky Bills and WeStrong

Lucky Bills Lucky Bills is a popular coffee shop where you can get coffee, a buttered roll or bagel and a warm greeting. It has been a mainstay on this part of Kennedy Boulevard for decades. One customer said she’s been going there for 50 years and still remembers the original owner, Roberto, who sheContinue reading ““Third Places” – Lucky Bills and WeStrong”

Apartment Houses: Doors and Entrances

One of the most taken-for-granted aspects of the built environment are doors, doorways and entrances to residential buildings. We pass through or pass by them everyday giving little thought to them. However, they are significant architectural features of buildings whether a private home, apartment house, office building, government or religious institution. Many add beauty andContinue reading “Apartment Houses: Doors and Entrances”

Bergen Avenue: A Street of Small Businesses

These posts on Bergen Avenue are a selective portrait of one part of this street as it begins by Journal Square and runs for about one mile to Fairmount Avenue. Bergen Avenue’s small businesses with offices above them provide a wide range of services for local residents allowing them to take care of many ofContinue reading “Bergen Avenue: A Street of Small Businesses”

Bergen Avenue: A Changing Street

These posts on Bergen Avenue are a selective portrait of one part of this street as it begins by Journal Square and runs for about one mile to Fairmount Avenue. They are an attempt to show how Bergen Avenue’s streetscape of buildings, stores, businesses and other aspects of its landscape reflect the people there, theirContinue reading “Bergen Avenue: A Changing Street”

Journal Square: Pubs, Coffee Shops, Restaurants and Fast Food Outlets

As a commercial center, Journal Square has struggled for many years. While many businesses left, others remained through the hard times. Redevelopment is bringing new residents, businesses and economic vitality to the area. Some are franchises while others are small businesses. Some target the budget-minded while others focus on higher income consumers. The new andContinue reading “Journal Square: Pubs, Coffee Shops, Restaurants and Fast Food Outlets”

Journal Square: The New Luxury City Uptown

A city’s built environment, its buildings, streets, parks, and other structures contain stories about what gets built where and why.  It can show how a city has been shaped to serve particular as well as general interests and how this process is often a contested one. It also shows how the creation and recreation ofContinue reading “Journal Square: The New Luxury City Uptown”