Newark: Real Estate, Development, News, & Politics

[JCMAN320]

Okay Newark nice doing some name dropping keep it up. This can only be positive. Hopefully he does some development or gives some assitance to Newark.

[block944]

GAY BIAS ATTACK?

Kearny couple cite slurs; cops say just a beating
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 By RALPH R. ORTEGA

THE STAR-LEDGER
NEWARK - Police are investigating after a gay couple from Kearny complained they were beaten by a crowd a few blocks from the Prudential Center in Newark after attending a Britney Spears concert there Saturday night.
http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/jersey_journal/nk/nke/@StoryAd?x Joshua Kehoe, 25, said he and his partner, Bobby Daniel Caldwell, 36, were returning to their car near Raymond Boulevard and Broad Street when a group of 15 to 20 youths surrounded them and began beating them.
Kehoe said the attackers deliberately targeted him and his partner because they were gay, but Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said that police did not believe the incident was bias-related.
"They were saying words like 'faggot'," Kehoe said, "No matter how you look at it, it is a hate crime."
Kehoe said a security guard at a nearby building and two passersby called the police. They waited about 45 minutes for police to arrive, according to Kehoe, even though about three squad cars passed the scene. When cops finally arrived, Caldwell was taken to University Hospital with his jaw broken in two spots.
"Half of his jaw is in the back of his mouth," Kehoe said. "It happened so fast, they were just kicking and kicking us. I've never seen anything like this."
Police Chief Garry McCarthy said last night that the criterion for determining whether a bias attack occurred is not whether a slur was used, but whether the attack was motivated by group bias.
Police say the same attackers assaulted and robbed four young women a block away before encountering the couple.
Police say the violence began with a fight at a teen party Saturday night attended by more than 400 young people in the city's downtown entertainment district. Investigators believe a group of more than 15 young people left that event and committed the crimes.
Kehoe said he is hopeful that the attackers will be found and brought to justice.
"They said they have cameras on all of the buildings, and that they could view it, and see faces," he said. "I just want the cops to do something."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[stache]

Newark after dark is not a good idea.

[block944]

Harrison unveils $75M PATH renovation plan

Thursday, March 12, 2009 By ROSE DUGER

KW CORRESPONDENT
T he Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unveiled its plans Tuesday for a new PATH train station in Harrison, part of a $4 billion decade-long overhaul of the mass transit system.
http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/jersey_journal/kj/kj/@StoryAd?x The Harrison portion of the project includes razing the current station on Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard and constructing a new steel and glass structure capable of handling the significant increase in ridership expected as the town's redevelopment plans evolve.
The new station will include four entrances, two on each side of Rodgers Boulevard serving the east- and westbound platforms, said Susan Bass Levin, deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, during an information session at Harrison Town Hall.
The new platforms will accommodate trains with up to 10 cars. The system currently operates seven-car trains, according to Levin.
"Clearly, the Harrison station is obsolete or has seen better days," she explained, noting that the current station is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
While minor improvements such as the installation of new murals will take place within the next few months, Port Authority officials expect that construction of the new station, which is still in the design stage, won't begin for another two or three years.
Levin estimated the price tag for the Harrison portion of the project at approximately $75 million.
The new station will be located within Harrison's redevelopment zone, a 275-acre swath of waterfront property officials envision as a transit village with residential units, retail and commercial space, a parking garage and a Major League Soccer stadium for the New York Red Bulls.
Levin said the Port Authority has consulted with Harrison's elected officials and members of the local redevelopment authority to design the station, which will be significantly larger than the present facility.
The Port Authority has begun negotiations with property owners to purchase additional land for the new station.
"We've been talking to the landowners and I don't think that will be a problem," said Levin. "Whether you live here in this community or you come here for a game, you will have a very different experience. Quite frankly, it's an experience the residents of Harrison deserve."


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/3351460424_d22fa18b9e_b.jpg

[scrollhectic]

Newark after dark is not a good idea.


My understanding is that the party was at Sugar Rays... And my "favorite" developper is part owner of Sugar Rays... tacky ass Miles Berger. Robert Treat... oh, I'm sorry, Best Western owner Miles Berger. The shooting that happened at the Robert Treat not that long ago happened at a party. I swear, everything that man touches!!!

[newarkdevil1]

Actually this event will have a mixed blessing for the city. The City Councel already had in the works a requirment for private security and details being provided to the police so crap like Berger's two events don't happen.

I know that Cory is very embarrassed about the event as Newark and the administratino has been courting the gay population to view Newark as the next it city. I think a screw up like this will prompt more emphasis on security and in the long term benifit everyone....

[stache]

I can't imagine rainbow flags sprouting up over Newark any time in the near future.

[Marv95]

Oh just give it a rest already. We get it. You hate Newark(so do I, but for other reasons). What happened happened. Those 2 knew better to park so far away, it's the retarded city council's fault for letting Berger run parties, whatever. Now it's time to see if for once they actually learn from this mistake, rather than let the media salivate to prevent folks from showing up. Doubt it, but who knows, maybe ND1 is right.

Because, as we all know, there are no gunshots, muggings or stabbings outside precious MSG or Times Square, am I right?:rolleyes:
http://www.parentdish.com/2007/03/19/brawl-breaks-out-at-madison-square-garden-high-school-game/

[stache]

Marv, I don't hate Newark. I'm realistic about it. Granted, it is not my favorite town on the planet.

[block944]

Fight erupts at Science Park High School in Newark

by The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk Saturday March 21, 2009, 10:43 AM


A large fight broke out during a basketball game at Science Park High School, Friday night, police said. Detective Todd McClendon said this morning that the fight was not gang related.
Shortly after 10 p.m. city police responded to the scene, McClendon wrote in an e-mail. No arrests were made and no injuries were reported.
The motive of the fight hasn't been determined, McClendon said. McClendon earlier said it might be gang-related but ruled out the possibility this morning.
Science Park is located on 260 Norfolk St.

[scrollhectic]

Sunday, March 22, 2009 BY RALPH R. ORTEGA
Star-Ledger Staff


For decades, planning and development has been a free-for-all in Newark. Outdated zoning laws and a lack of regulation have allowed property owners to do almost anything they want.

When Mayor Corey Booker's administration came into office 2 1/2 years ago, there was a fresh look at the zoning code and several changes were made.

Now, Booker's staff has proposed nine additional changes to address the city's patchwork ap pearance and improve the city's overall look for its residents and potential developers. In some cases, the zoning amendments create standards where none existed.

"Parking lifts, rooftop mechanicals, general building signage, were things that the Newark zoning code didn't address at all," said Toni L. Griffin, the director of community development.

The amendments would require screening for garages that stack vehicles onto lifts that sit on vacant lots between buildings, and for mechanical equipment visible on roof tops, such as the units on top of Newark's nearly 1 1/2-year-old Prudential Center. They would prohibit installing signs to cover sto ries of aging buildings and the kind of cell phone antennas that sprout from the top of structures like tree branches.

The amendments cleared the city's central planning board on March 9, and are now awaiting the city council's approval. A vote has not yet been scheduled, Griffin said.

If approved, the changes will only affect future development, and additional uses proposed for exist ing properties. For example, the city would not permit new signs to be installed to cover up decaying buildings, as many now do in the Broad and Market streets historic district.

"Underneath you probably have really lovely bones of buildings," said Griffin.

It won't be an easy transition, experts say, for developers and property owners accustomed to doing business as usual in Newark, where officials say 40 percent of the properties do not conform to exist ing rules.

Morris Shasho, owner of the shuttered Paramount Theater on Market Street, which he envisions converting into an entertainment and commercial complex, said the changes may be coming too soon for some.

Shasho said signs are necessary for hiding blighted buildings on his block. If they can't be covered up, repairs could come at a hefty price, especially in the current economy.

"They're all old buildings, and they all need a lot of work to be done," he said.

Cities typically review zoning rules periodically in order to keep them current. But Newark's zoning code, drafted in the 1950s, had not been updated in years primarily be cause of the influence of private interests, said Roland Anglin, an urban affairs expert at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

"There were just a lot of side deals, a lot of, quite frankly, corrup tion," Anglin said, adding that proper zoning and planning had become non-existent in the state's largest city.

In 2004, while Sharpe James was mayor, a significant amendment restricting billboard placement in the city was passed.

Two years later, Booker's administration made minor changes to the city's zoning, then in June 2007, the city hired Griffin, former Washington, D.C., mayor Anthony A. Williams' planning director and an instructor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design and Urban Planning.

She was almost immediately confronted by the city's zoning is sues when she arrived in Newark.

"There had been a number of letters and e-mails that I inherited when I got here, from communities and residents complaining about certain things that the zoning code was not doing," she said.

Under Griffin, zoning amendments were approved regulating construction of "Bayonne boxes," the narrow, three-story homes that sprouted up in Newark before the housing market crashed, and the location of go-go bars and other sex-oriented business, keeping them 1,000 feet from schools and residential communities.

Now, her department wants nine zoning amendments at once. They were chosen, she said, based on the types of cases that were coming into the central planning board and zoning board of adjustments and the frequency that the city had to make exceptions for certain issues.

The proposed amendments, however, do not constitute a major overhaul of the city's zoning laws, said Stuart Meck, director of the Center for Government Services at the Bloustein school.

"This is not really a sweeping overhaul of code. These are a set of surgical amendments to deal with new uses, or uses that the zoning code perhaps recognizes, but establishes no development standards for," Meck said.

While additional changes are planned, at least one property owner suggests the city wait until the economy improves.

"I'm going to benefit if they up grade Newark's looks," said Sha sho, owner of the Paramount Theater. "Maybe in a year from now, when the economic crisis will be over, it will be more possible."

[JCMAN320]

Wow I guess better late than never. Damm I didn't realize Newark was THAT far behind.

[NYatKNIGHT]

So there was a non-gang related fight that broke out at a high school basketball game with no injuries or arrests? Wow, that really is newsworthy! Reminds me of when we were alerted to someone hitting a lamp post.

[scrollhectic]

So there was a non-gang related fight that broke out at a high school basketball game with no injuries or arrests? Wow, that really is newsworthy! Reminds me of when we were alerted to someone hitting a lamp post.

Newark - small town mentality, big city problems.

[newarkdevil1]

http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2009/03/gehry-on-atlantic-yards-i-dont-think.html

[newarkdevil1]

http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2009/03/ratner-says-ay-will-proceed-claims.html

[66nexus]

SoMa Downtown Newark Development


Berggruen Holdings has invested in the revitalization of downtown Newark. The SoMa Newark Development project will activate and change the experience on both sides of the Street on over five city blocks in its first phase alone, over 1,500,000 sf.

World-renowned architect Richard Meier has master-planned and designed SoMa Newark Development. Tishman Construction, ARUP, and Field Operations form the internationally acclaimed team.

SoMa Newark Development will consist of approxiamately 15,000,000 sq ft:
8,000 Residential Units
550,000 sq ft of Retail
4,750,000 sq ft of Office
7.7 acres of Open Space

The project is located across the street from University Heights, Rutgers University, NJIT, UMDNJ, and Essex County College.
Contact (http://www.berggruenholdings.com/cities.php?subPageId=40)

http://www.berggruenholdings.com/uploaded_files/images/ny_city_2.jpg


http://www.berggruenholdings.com/portfolio.php?searchKeyword=meier&subPageId=97

[66nexus]

Does anyone have any clue as to what the above is?

I originally thought it was old, but it has the Prudential Center in the rendering so it can't be that old.

I have not seen this before today, but it'd be a very nice addition once the economy clears up some.

[scrollhectic]

SoMa Downtown Newark Development


Berggruen Holdings has invested in the revitalization of downtown Newark. The SoMa Newark Development project will activate and change the experience on both sides of the Street on over five city blocks in its first phase alone, over 1,500,000 sf.

World-renowned architect Richard Meier has master-planned and designed SoMa Newark Development. Tishman Construction, ARUP, and Field Operations form the internationally acclaimed team.

SoMa Newark Development will consist of approxiamately 15,000,000 sq ft:
8,000 Residential Units
550,000 sq ft of Retail
4,750,000 sq ft of Office
7.7 acres of Open Space

The project is located across the street from University Heights, Rutgers University, NJIT, UMDNJ, and Essex County College.
Contact (http://www.berggruenholdings.com/cities.php?subPageId=40)

http://www.berggruenholdings.com/uploaded_files/images/ny_city_2.jpg


http://www.berggruenholdings.com/portfolio.php?searchKeyword=meier&subPageId=97


^
I love Newark and dream of the day when it will be a world class city - heck, a national city, but what's pictured above will NEVER happen! The fact that money and time was spent on rendering it is almost laughable.

[66nexus]

^wow scroll you're usually one of the more optimistic posters in regards to Newark lol.

with the economy the way it is, it does seem off, but what gives me hope is the numerous projects that were on the table that were only halted because of the credit crunch. I do believe that it could get built...when it could be built is another story altogether...

[scrollhectic]

http://www.globest.com/newspics/nej_550-broad-st.jpg
550 Broad St.

NEWARK-IDT Corp. will relocate its global headquarters to 550 Broad St. this spring. Heritage acquired the 300,000-square-foot landmark tower, located in Newark’s commercial district, in 2001. Ridgewood-based Heritage Management serves as executive operating partner and onsite manager for the building, while Grubb & Ellis serves as the property’s leasing agent.

550 Broad was honored with awards from the Building Owners and Managers Assoc. and the New Jersey Business and Industry Assoc. for renovations to its lobby, common corridors and exterior streetscape. The repositioning also led to the first-ever sale of a Newark asset to a German investor, when Dr. Peters Group, purchased 80% ownership in the building in 2005.

In its move to 550 Broad, IDT will vacate 520 Broad St., its headquarters since 2000. "Newark has experienced a remarkable renaissance, and IDT’s continued commitment here is a testament to the city’s and this neighborhood’s ongoing appeal," says Steven Greenberg, a Heritage Management principal. "For eight years, 550 Broad St. has served as a symbol of Newark’s progress as a preferred New Jersey corporate destination, and that role continues today."

With its visible signage east from Route 21, the building offers unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline. It sits within walking distance of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Newark Bears Stadium as well as neighborhood dining, retail, and the Path trains. Shuttle service is available to the Broad Street and Newark Penn rail, and the building provides easy access to Newark Liberty International Airport and the region’s major thoroughfares. The new light rail runs directly behind the building.

In addition to its on-site management and institutional ownership, 550 Broad St. offers a number of "smart" features, including vertical wiring with fiber-optic cable and the latest voice, data and video technology; a video conferencing center; 24-hour security; eight high-speed elevators; and a loading dock and freight elevator.

[block944]

SoMa Downtown Newark Development


Berggruen Holdings has invested in the revitalization of downtown Newark. The SoMa Newark Development project will activate and change the experience on both sides of the Street on over five city blocks in its first phase alone, over 1,500,000 sf.

World-renowned architect Richard Meier has master-planned and designed SoMa Newark Development. Tishman Construction, ARUP, and Field Operations form the internationally acclaimed team.

SoMa Newark Development will consist of approxiamately 15,000,000 sq ft:
8,000 Residential Units
550,000 sq ft of Retail
4,750,000 sq ft of Office
7.7 acres of Open Space

The project is located across the street from University Heights, Rutgers University, NJIT, UMDNJ, and Essex County College.
Contact (http://www.berggruenholdings.com/cities.php?subPageId=40)

http://www.berggruenholdings.com/uploaded_files/images/ny_city_2.jpg


http://www.berggruenholdings.com/portfolio.php?searchKeyword=meier&subPageId=97


lol.... With the bursting of the bubble and the highly taxed companies in NJ and the melt down of wall street in NYC. Who would build so many office buildings? The bubble is never coming back in this lifetime nor are the sky high salaries and record profits wall street was making that drove companies to expand in the ny/nj area. Already the IDT building is going to be vacant with no real intrest from anyone to move in. The only growth is to build housing in the spirit of Canco lofts in jersey city and that they can't even do as 1180 (during the real estate bubble of 2001) was meant to be for sale condos that they couldn't sell so they rented them. Likewise Richardson loft was to be for sale and not for rent for the same reason...

[scrollhectic]

^wow scroll you're usually one of the more optimistic posters in regards to Newark lol.

with the economy the way it is, it does seem off, but what gives me hope is the numerous projects that were on the table that were only halted because of the credit crunch. I do believe that it could get built...when it could be built is another story altogether...

^lol! I remain optimistic, but that rendering is completely unrealistic. I mean, it's absurdly out of the bounds of reality. Newark is not the next Dubai. Some of those high rises are over 100 stories high! Didn't Tucker have to scale back the height of Liberty Tower to 18 floors? Matrix had to scale back to 14 floors. Dranoff says 40, but I'm sure when it's all said and done, it will be 20 floors. Which is still great, but a fraction of a fraction of what SoMa's proposing. The folks over there must be smoking imported weed.

[newarkdevil1]

Altogether I don't see anything that huge going up for a while, especially with the state struggling with growth. I know that the trump/metro project in jc that was supposed to be two towers is struggling to just fill one.

[JCMAN320]

True but the City Center project at JSQ is going forward with a big ceremony and ground breaking April 7th. Monaco Towers is under construction. So buildings are stil being built just nothing is really getting done in Newark.

[66nexus]

^Yeah, but a lot of those JC projects were planned and approved before the credit crunch really took its toll. I doubt you'll see strong JC development after this 'last' wave of development.

Most of the Newark projects announced were after the Pru was built, which by then most of the credit was dried up anyway.

AC is another good example

[scrollhectic]

http://www.americantowns.com/nj/newark/news/digging-into-shovel-ready-projects-in-the-newark-area-169064

Most interesting to me on this list is $694,000,000 for the Newark Elizabeth Light Rail, $15,000,000 for the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District, $2,500,000 for the First Presbyterian Church Facade project (LPCCD has already secured $1.5 million,) and $25,000,000 for property acquisition for Minish Park. There are about 70 or so projects on the list.

[block944]

Coming in 2012....

http://greekvillage.njit.edu/greekvillage/docs/2008/2008-11-25-timeline.pdf

http://greekvillage.njit.edu/design/index.php


This falls under the gateway projects

Newark Gateways Project - The City of Newark has identified 27 gateways which will all undergo a priortization process to determine gateways merit early action for revitilization

[newarkdevil1]

Well comparisons to JC's development go no where as each city has it's pro's and cons. Like JC, Newark's neighborhoods not near public rail transportation have lagged behind the rest of the city. I know the city has come back to viewing a path extention and a light rail extention as priorities so that is a huge plus for Newark. I think what has hurt Newark tremendously is the inablitity to leverage their assets like NJPAC, the Pru, the airport and the port into sustained, consistent development. I love that NJIT has pushed forward with it's plans and everyone from that administration is commited to growing that school regardless of the economy.

[scrollhectic]

Newark cops now require security plan and prior notice of dance parties
Thursday, March 26, 2009 BY SHARON ADARLO
Star-Ledger Staff



Following two shootings last month and an assault a week ago, Newark's nightclub owners face new regulations aimed at reducing violence.

The city council last Wednesday unanimously approved an ordinance that requires nightclub owners to notify the city's police department three weeks in advance of any planned dance party. If the club has an alcohol license, they must also provide that information to the local division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The night club owners must now provide a security plan for the event and a copy of the contract between the club and the dance promoter.

The new law also requires promoters to apply for an annual license from the police department starting Sept. 1. The council will establish fees and rules for the license at a later date, according to the ordinance.

"I thought it was a necessary regulation. We have to protect our citizens," said West Ward Councilman Ronald C. Rice, one of seven council members who approved it. South Ward Councilman Oscar S. James II and Central Ward Councilman Charles Bell were absent.

Police Director Garry McCarthy said the new regulations will warn officers that there may be a potential for problems in certain areas of the city.

Before, police didn't know if a dance party was being held unless officers drove by a nightclub and saw an overflowing parking lot.

"Now we have the ability to know. It's upfront," McCarthy said.

The security plan is also a critical part of the new law, McCarthy said. The police department may require special police officers or metal detectors, depending on the event and past history of the nightclub.

Miles Berger, the owner of Sugar Ray's and the Robert Treat Hotel, said he welcomes the ordinance because more police will patrol around the clubs. The deadline for getting information to police, however, could be problematic.

"It's not a hardship to comply, but the three weeks advance notice could be hard," Berger said. "On occasion, people come in two weeks in advance to rent a room."

On March 14, a group of teens and young adults leaving Sugar Ray's nightclub on Park Place allegedly attacked six people, including a gay couple who had recently left a Britney Spears concert at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark. The attackers had just left a fight in front of the nightclub, where they had attended a dance party, police have said.

At La Luna Bar on 5th Street, seven people were injured in a shooting on Feb. 19. Three days later, three people were shot outside the Robert Treat Hotel, which played host to a rap event that night.

For Bobby Daniel Caldwell, a 36-year-old Kearny resident who suffered a broken jaw during the March 14 attack, and his partner, Joshua Kehoe, 25, who was bruised in the incident, the ordinance comes too late. Kehoe said Caldwell has been recovering at home while nursing his swollen jaw that is being held together with wires and two metal plates.

"It's a good step in the right direction, but it doesn't help me," Kehoe said. "It's good of them to pass a law, but now the damage is done."

[block944]

Forum takes a look at the future of Newark's waterfront

by Chanta L. Jackson (chanta_jackson@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Sunday March 29, 2009, 6:07 AM


http://blog.nj.com/newark/2009/03/large_riverfront.jpgCity of NewarkSite of Newark's proposed Riverfront Park.
The City of Newark invites residents to come and find out about Newark's first Riverfront Park on Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall First Floor Rotunda, 920 Broad St. Use the Green Street entrance. The Division of Planning & Community Development and The Trust for Public Land will have
design options on display and will share ideas for creating Riverfront Park along Newark's Passaic Riverfront. Newark and The Trust for Public Land have partnered to complete a design for the park, which will be along the riverfront between Jefferson and Oxford Streets.
During the forum, residents will get a chance to share their opinions about the proposals while enjoying refreshments. For more information, call Waterfront Planner Damon Rich at (973) 733-5918.

See more in Events (http://www.nj.com/newark/index.ssf/events/)

[newarkdevil1]

http://www.americantowns.com/nj/newark/news/digging-into-shovel-ready-projects-in-the-newark-area-169064

Most interesting to me on this list is $694,000,000 for the Newark Elizabeth Light Rail, $15,000,000 for the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District, $2,500,000 for the First Presbyterian Church Facade project (LPCCD has already secured $1.5 million,) and $25,000,000 for property acquisition for Minish Park. There are about 70 or so projects on the list.


This list is just their wish list correct, I just don't remember any article that Newark was receiving nearly a billion dollars in aid from the government.

[JCexpert558]

SoMa Downtown Newark Development


Berggruen Holdings has invested in the revitalization of downtown Newark. The SoMa Newark Development project will activate and change the experience on both sides of the Street on over five city blocks in its first phase alone, over 1,500,000 sf.

World-renowned architect Richard Meier has master-planned and designed SoMa Newark Development. Tishman Construction, ARUP, and Field Operations form the internationally acclaimed team.

SoMa Newark Development will consist of approxiamately 15,000,000 sq ft:
8,000 Residential Units
550,000 sq ft of Retail
4,750,000 sq ft of Office
7.7 acres of Open Space

The project is located across the street from University Heights, Rutgers University, NJIT, UMDNJ, and Essex County College.
Contact (http://www.berggruenholdings.com/cities.php?subPageId=40)

http://www.berggruenholdings.com/uploaded_files/images/ny_city_2.jpg


http://www.berggruenholdings.com/portfolio.php?searchKeyword=meier&subPageId=97

how may stories does the tallest building have, and how many feet.:confused:

[NoyokA]

Grant Tower part 2.

[JCexpert558]

Grant Tower part 2.

That tall?

[philvia]

lol i wonder how serious that is... would be great for newark though!

[NoyokA]

That tall?

I have no idea. I was referring to it being a far-fetched pipe dream like Grant Tower. Hopefully this time there's no half built mall as the supposed first phase.

[newarkdevil1]

I was told the other day that building at the corner of Edison and Broad st was actually purchased by the co-owners of the Isley building. I am super psyched if this is true as they actually move projects along and do great work...

[block944]

Court to Iron Mountian, “You’re Out!” (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/court-to-iron-mountian-youre-out/)

While perusing the New Jersey Eminent Domain Law Blog (http://www.njeminentdomain.com/) early on this rainy Sunday morning, while my pregnant wife slept, I came across this interesting post (http://www.njeminentdomain.com/state-of-new-jersey-notice-to-commercial-tenants-in-eminent-domain-cases.html).
Eminent Domain, as many in NJ are all to familiar with, is the power of the government to condemn private property and take ownership for the purpose of public benefit. Public benefit used to mean highways, schools, hospitals etc… However, more recently public benefit has been more broadly defined to include development that will have a positive impact on tax collections. In Newark it was used for the Pru Center and is being used to assemble land for a mixed use development adjacent to the arena.
Iron Mountain has been a tenant in the 350,000 sqft warehouse on McCarter Hwy and Edison St. since 1996.
http://www.njeminentdomain.com/uploads/image/Copy%20of%20Iron%20Mountain%20NWK.jpg
Their lease plus options could keep them in the building until 2024. The building Iron Mountain is in is part of a redevelopment zone and a target for eminent domain. Iron Mountain challenged the right of the government based upon their not being directly notified of the redevelopment. Essentially the court said no dice, you do not need to be notified.
Iron Mountain - start packing.

[block944]

Development LLC has acquired a vacant 190,000-square-foot warehouse site in Kearny, NJ, which is planned for a planned mixed-use redevelopment. The project is Russo’s second redevelopment in the city. The existing warehouse at the 7.5-acre site at Schuyler and Bergen avenues was demolished last month to make way for the new Schuyler Crossing, a planned development of 232 apartments and 20,000 square feet of retail. Site improvements are under way, with vertical construction scheduled to begin in mid-2009. Omer Ahmed, vice president of acquisitions for Russo Development, said the company is “aggressively acquiring redevelopment opportunities” throughout northern New Jersey for a variety of uses. Russo recently completed Saw Mill Park, a 400,000-square-foot industrial redevelopment project fully leased to the Pepsi Bottling Group and HD Smith Wholesale Drug Co. Russo Development, based in Hackensack, NJ, has designed, built and operated more than 60 Class A industrial, data center and residential projects in the state since 1969.
See Article (http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=7DB283628F3139C27DE317AF41E699FA&ref=100&iid=119&cid=A17BC81E43B3E5F7062C378995EE0A5A)
having read this I was skeptical. I haven’t heard of anyone purchasing new development sites for at least a year. So I called Omer Ahmed and asked. The site was purchased over one year ago and they just recently got plans approved. The property is a large site on a very high traffic corner. Kearny is just across the river from Newark. This development will be within a five minute drive of the Harrison PATH station. There is also a plan to put a train station at the back of this development - BONUS!


http://www.russodevelopment.com/index_newdevelopments_kearny.html

[stache]

I'm trying to figure out what line would serve that new station. I see, it would be the NY/Newark trains.

[block944]

Way to go newark again!... to think iwas going to buy something and wait for the njit village to open... bullsh1t

Newark Sets Out Plan for 'Urban Village'

By RONALD SMOTHERS

Published: Saturday, November 15, 2003



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City officials on Friday presented a $550 million redevelopment plan to include an ''urban village'' in a sagging section of the city's downtown, although the proposed arena for the Nets and the Devils that would be its northern anchor and premier attraction remains in limbo.
It was a clear effort by Mayor Sharpe James and other local officials to recover the lost momentum of revitalization that had been heavily tied to the planned $355 million arena. Plans for the arena have recently become mired in disputes within the group that owns the two teams, the YankeeNets. Some argue for building the arena, while others want the teams to remain at their current home at the Continental Airlines Arena, and still others talk of moving the teams to other localities.
Mr. James said the arena proposal was ''still very much alive.'' But he insisted that the planned 13-acre ''village,'' , which would include midrise and high-rise housing, parks and retail spaces stretching along Mulberry Street, could succeed on its own and solely on the basis of recent demand for moderately priced housing steps away from traditional urban amenities. The project would be just blocks from commuter lines and PATH trains and near a planned light-rail line.
''This is not predicated on the arena,'' the mayor said. ''This is predicated on the demand for housing in downtown areas.''
Echoing this view was Dean Geibel, the president of Metro Homes, one of the developers involved in the plan, called the Mulberry Street Promenade.
''It's getting quite expensive to live in Hoboken, and the land there is increasing in value,'' said Mr. Geibel, suggesting that the overflow from Hoboken and areas like Manhattan and Brooklyn would fuel demand for living in Newark. ''People who buy here early will in a year or two see real appreciation.''
The Newark business administrator, Richard Monteilh, said the proposed 2,000 housing units in the village would feature balconies, roof gardens and large windows, representing a departure from recent development projects in the city.
''Previous development was low density,'' he said. ''But we want to offer some different choices that will allow the city to grow its population.''
Newark's population had been in steep decline from the 1960's, when it had more than 400,000 residents, but its current population of 275,000 has been relatively stable in the last five years.
Mr. Geibel -- surrounded by brightly colored and stylized architects' renderings of the three- to six-story blocks of buildings with street-level retail space -- said a two bedroom unit would sell for about $225,000.
But the buildings would include starter units and small studios, all with underground parking garages and within walking distance of Newark Penn Station, he said.
The amenities proposed for the area are based on a nationwide survey conducted by a Rutgers University planning professor, Anton E. Nelessen, who was asked by the National Association of Realtors to determine the right mix of businesses, services, park areas and building heights that might attract people to urban areas.
Mr. Monteilh said the two- and three-family dwellings currently in the area bounded by McCarter Highway, Broad Street, Scott Street and Lafayette Street, as well as the smattering of small businesses there, returned only $139,000 in property taxes to the city last year.
The proposed development could result in properties that would bring the city $6 million a year in taxes, he said.
The plan still faces opposition from some residents who are unhappy with relocation plans and the initial discussion over what they might be offered for their property in the expected city condemnation process. And, the Newark City Council, citing similar concerns about displacement, was unanimous last spring in blocking Mayor James's initial steps to advance the proposal.
But on Friday, city officials were confident they could begin to seek the council's approval again starting next month and begin construction by next spring on five acres in the parcel already owned by the developers.
Completion of all stages is projected to take five years.
Photo: Mayor Sharpe James of Newark yesterday presented plans to build a new district of high-rise and midrise housing and shops aimed at recovering momentum for development now that a proposed arena is in limbo. (Photo by Timothy Ivy for The New York Times) Map of Newark highlighting proposed arena site: Newark's ''urban village'' will offer housing, parks and businesses.

[geoffbailey]

Court to Iron Mountian, “You’re Out!” (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/court-to-iron-mountian-youre-out/)

While perusing the New Jersey Eminent Domain Law Blog (http://www.njeminentdomain.com/) early on this rainy Sunday morning, while my pregnant wife slept, I came across this interesting post (http://www.njeminentdomain.com/state-of-new-jersey-notice-to-commercial-tenants-in-eminent-domain-cases.html).
Eminent Domain, as many in NJ are all to familiar with, is the power of the government to condemn private property and take ownership for the purpose of public benefit. Public benefit used to mean highways, schools, hospitals etc… However, more recently public benefit has been more broadly defined to include development that will have a positive impact on tax collections. In Newark it was used for the Pru Center and is being used to assemble land for a mixed use development adjacent to the arena.
Iron Mountain has been a tenant in the 350,000 sqft warehouse on McCarter Hwy and Edison St. since 1996.
http://www.njeminentdomain.com/uploads/image/Copy%20of%20Iron%20Mountain%20NWK.jpg
Their lease plus options could keep them in the building until 2024. The building Iron Mountain is in is part of a redevelopment zone and a target for eminent domain. Iron Mountain challenged the right of the government based upon their not being directly notified of the redevelopment. Essentially the court said no dice, you do not need to be notified.
Iron Mountain - start packing.

Thank you for the blog traffic - http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com

Also look for my group on LinkedIn - Newark NJ Commercial Real Estate.

[newarkdevil1]

geoffbailey,

Given Edison's previous statements of their desire to place a childrens museum in that location. Do you see anything happening there in the next 3 years or just more litigation?

[geoffbailey]

geoffbailey,

Given Edison's previous statements of their desire to place a childrens museum in that location. Do you see anything happening there in the next 3 years or just more litigation?

Not sure about the Children's Museum but the major impediment to any development is funding. Edison has a number of plans for development in that area, including "The Link" which would be a pedestrian bridge connecting the Ironbound over the NJ transit tracks to the arena, however none of it will get done in the current financial environment.

Really glad I came across this forum - or should I say someone from this forum came across my blog - look forward to the discussions and ideas.

Geoff

[block944]

Not sure about the Children's Museum but the major impediment to any development is funding. Edison has a number of plans for development in that area, including "The Link" which would be a pedestrian bridge connecting the Ironbound over the NJ transit tracks to the arena, however none of it will get done in the current financial environment.

Really glad I came across this forum - or should I say someone from this forum came across my blog - look forward to the discussions and ideas.

Geoff


Which reminds me, I feel sorry for the people that live across from the Arena in ironbound, I was driving home from ferry street and heading towards the arena to get home to 1180 and that big bright red flashing screen is an eyesore after awhile. Ditto for anyone moving into richardson loft also

[scrollhectic]

by Josh Margolin (jmargolin@starledger.com) and Ralph R. Ortega (rortega@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger

Monday April 13, 2009, 7:45 PM


The mayor of the state's largest city today called on Gov. Jon Corzine to use his executive authority to force the Nets basketball team to play in Newark if their plans to move to Brooklyn fall through.

In a strongly worded letter, Mayor Cory Booker raised the stakes dramatically in his effort to get the state to close the Meadowlands' Izod Center arena in favor of the new Prudential Center in downtown Newark.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/02/large_PRUDENTIALCENTER.JPGNoah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerExterior photo of on March 5, 2008.

"Should the Nets not build their project in Brooklyn, the Nets' long-term home in New Jersey cannot be Izod," Booker wrote in a fax sent to Corzine earlier today. "It must be Newark."

Booker's comments were in response to the revelation last week that the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority is planning to upgrade Izod and has already received architects' proposals. The disclosure came from authority CEO Dennis Robinson, in the course of a routine notice in the trade publication, Street & Smiths Sports Business Journal.

Robinson said the renovations are not aimed at keeping the Nets, though he echoed previous comments that the owners of the NBA team "know we are very interested in having the Nets remain at Izod Center long term should the Brooklyn project not materialize."

That sentiment infuriated Booker.

"This expenditure would clearly cause injury to Newark, further divide our state against itself and undermines current good faith efforts by Newark and the (authority's) leadeship to craft a larger vision for the Meadowlands/Newark region," Booker wrote. "I urge you to more actively join us in pursuit of such a win-win, NOT to add fuel and fire to the continued cannibalization of New Jersey venues to the detriment of two worthy communities."

Since the Newark facility opened 18 months ago, "The Rock," as it's called, has been locked in a bitter competition with Izod for the same lucrative rock concerts, ice skating shows, and family extravaganzas like the circus. Booker and other city leaders argue North Jersey can support only one major arena and the state should put it full force behind Prudential, where the NHL Devils are based. Corzine and Meadowlands supporters say the region can support two facilities, even if the Nets go to Brooklyn and leave Izod without a major-league sports franchise.

Booker's office said the mayor did not want to elaborate on his letter.

Messages for Corzine's representatives were not returned.

A copy of the letter from Newark Mayor Corey Booker sent to Gov. Jon Corzine:

Dear Governor Corzine: According to a recent media account, the New Jersey Sports Exposition Authority ('NJSEA') is preparing to hire an architect to improve Izod Arena as construction continues on the long-overdue, incomplete Xanadu project.

I am very concerned. Dennis Robinson's statement that NSJEA is "very interested in having the Nets remain at Izod Center long term..." is incomprehensible in the current environment. Should the Nets not build their project in Brooklyn, the Nets' long-term home in New Jersey cannot be Izod. It must be in Newark.

It is fiscally irresponsible, particularly in these difficult economic times, for the State of New Jersey to expend a single additional public dollar or incur additional debt to support an outdated facility to retain the Nets when a state-of-the-art, world class center already exists in Newark. I urge you to veto the NJSEA minutes and not let this project move ahead. Xanadu is in difficult financial straits -- to use that challenged project as the basis for further investment at the Izod Center makes absolutely no sense at this time.

Investments in this financial climate, be they in the Meadowlands or Newark, must be a part of a larger regional solution -- the current proposed expenditure does not do that.

This expenditure would clearly cause injury to Newark, further divide our state against itself and undermines current good-faith efforts by Newark and the NJSEA leadership to craft a larger vision for the Medowlands/Newark region that would ultimately produce a win-win scenario for us all.

I urge you to more actively join us in pursuit of such a win-win, NOT to add fuel and fire to the continued cannibalization of New Jersey venues to the detriment of two worthy communities. There is a better way. Please veto the minutes and join us in a far more constructive conversation about what will ultimately best serve New Jersey. Costly, piecemeal, short sighted, and injurious decisions have no place in our current climate or at anytime.

Sincerely,

Cory A. Booker

[block944]

NEWARK — Unlike the Giants and Jets, the Devils have “New Jersey” in its name, but the price tag for those bragging rights may have been too high, said one city agency.“The actions of the New Jersey Devils … have been markedly at odds with their public statements, contractual obligations and their civic duty to the citizens of Newark,” reads “The Devil is in the Details,” a January 2009 internal document drawn up by the Newark Downtown Core Redevelopment Corp. NDCRC is a Newark agency appointed to manage the financial and redevelopment issues connected to the arena.
Besides footing $220 million of the $375 million cost of the arena, Newark incurred another $47 million of costs related to street improvement, police overtime, engineering and other services, according to the report.
Newark also waived a clause that called for the Devils to build a $25 million community center although the arena now features a public ice rink, and “per the Devils’ request,” the city scaled down the size of the arena’s parking lot from 1,000 spaces to 575 spaces, notes the report.
The Devils were committed to paying more than $1 million of rent before October, according to the report, but the arena’s landlord, the Newark Housing Authority, received two requests from the Devils asking for a total of 25 days’ delay in making the payment.
The extensions were granted, but on Oct. 27, the “Devils delivered letters to the NHA setting forth their refusal to make the rent payments,” the report reads.
Devils spokesman Bob Sommer refused to discuss the matter, although the “Newark Arena Project Review” report prepared for Mayor Cory Booker in October 2006 indicated the city missed at least one road construction deadline, and could be subject to up to $2 million in penalties.
The two sides are in formal arbitration, according to councilman Augusto Amador, a Democrat, and Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Newark).
For full coverage, visit www.njbiz.com/arena (http://www.njbiz.com/section.asp?secID=69)

[block944]

NEWARK — Some who praise the arena qualify their words with lamentations of the way the economy has crippled the growth potential for the city. “The arena has already met some expectations, but the economy may have delayed the development process,” said Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Newark). And Chip Hallock, president of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, said the current economy “makes it impossible to expect anyone to come up with the money to build the office space and hotel that were planned for the area near the arena.”
Not so fast, said Stefan Pryor, the city’s deputy mayor for economic development, who said the economy’s stumble has brought new interest to Newark. “The downturn can help Newark as people look for lower-cost alternatives and residents seek cheaper housing,” he said, and the arena “has helped to spark restaurants and other retail activity in the area.”
Pryor said residential construction, like the 62-unit Richardson Lofts development about two blocks from the arena, is under way. “At least three credible developers have approached us with credible plans,” he added. “Newark’s transformation is not an immediate one, but there is a high concentration of activity.”
The Devils are involved in the proposed development of offices and hotel space, but “current market conditions make it difficult to predict when future development projects might begin,” said spokesman Bob Sommer. “One thing we won’t do is make a promise about a project deadline that we can’t precisely meet.”

[block944]

a pedestrian overpass across Route 21 to link the New Jersey Performing Arts Center with the Newark waterfront;


http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1239682537267230.xml&coll=1

[block944]

Farmers' market coming to North Ward Center's Casa Israel

by Bruno Tedeschi Wednesday April 15, 2009, 1:12 PM


The parking lot of the Casa Israel Adult Medical Day Care (http://www.northwardcenter.org/inst_casa_israel.htm) in Newark will be transformed into a farmers' market on the first Friday of every month from 1 to 5 p.m. beginning June 5.
A wide variety of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the farm will be available for families in the neighborhood. The farmers' market will run through the first Friday of October.

http://blog.nj.com/newark_brunotedeschi/2009/04/large_farmersmarket.jpgFresh fruits and vegetables will be sold the first Friday of the month starting June 5 at Casa Israel Adult Medical Day Care Center in Newark.
"This is a great opportunity for residents of the North Ward to enjoy the bounty of New Jersey," said Adrianne Davis, the executive director of the North Ward Center, (http://www.northwardcenter.org/index.htm) which operates Casa Israel. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring fresh food to our community."
The farmers' market is an initiative of the Brick City Redevelopment Corp. (http://www.bcdcnewark.org/) (BCDC), working in partnership with Newark's family success centers and grant support from the Bank of America. The farmers' markets will be set up in 10 sites across the city.
Rebecca Livengood, a policy advisor for BCDC, said the organization wanted to set up farmers' markets next to or close to the family success centers
Casa Israel is located at 288 Mount Prospect Avenue, next door to the North Ward Center's Family Success Center. Liberty Farms from Sandyston in Sussex County will be the vendor at the farmers' market.
"The presence of nutritious, affordable groceries is fundamental to a neighborhood's quality of life," Livengood said. "By bringing farm stands into Newark's neighborhoods, we hope to help families eat food that tastes good and is good for them while promoting New Jersey's agricultural assets."
The BCDC's farmers' markets will supplement other farmers' markets run by groups such as the Branch Brook Park Alliance and the Newark Downtown District, Livengood said. Famers will accept WIC and the BCDC is working to ensure they can also accept food stamps, she said.
"This is another service that we are bringing to the North Ward Community," said Stephen N. Adubato, the founder of the North Ward Center. "We encourage all of the community to participate."
As part of the farmers' market initiative, the BCDC is also promoting an 8-week nutrition class to be run by the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Essex County.
The North Ward Center serves more than 10,500 residents of the greater Newark area through its institutions and programs, including the Robert Treat Academy, five preschools, Newark Business Training Institute, youth leadership and recreation programs, and a variety of family based services.
The North Ward Center's Family Success program started in June 2007 and is one of 32 such sites in the state. Family success centers are open to any member of the community seeking support, information, and services.

[block944]

A New Jersey judge effectively killed an ambitious downtown redevelopment project in Newark yesterday, ruling that the city’s decision to condemn 14 acres of property on behalf of a private developer was ill-conceived and wrong. The project, the Mulberry Street Redevelopment Project, a proposed collection of 2,000 market-rate apartments and stores in the shadow of the city’s new hockey arena, would have been the largest development initiative here in decades.
In her decision, Judge Marie P. Simonelli of Superior Court said the administration of Mayor Sharpe James (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/j/sharpe_james/index.html?inline=nyt-per) misused the state’s rules on condemnation when it declared 62 parcels “an area in need of redevelopment.” She said the row houses, mechanics’ shops and parking lots, while somewhat tattered, were not “blighted” and suggested that the decision to condemn the property was politically motivated.
In her decision, Judge Simonelli mentioned the close links between the developers and the James administration, adding that large contributions had been made to the former mayor and the Municipal Council, whose approval was needed for the area’s condemnation.
The decision comes after a landmark State Supreme Court ruling last month that restricted the ability of towns and cities to use eminent domain as a way to seize property they deem could be put to better use. “It clearly shows that the teaching of the Supreme Court is having an effect,” said Ronald Chen, the New Jersey public advocate. “If they want to declare land blighted, municipalities are just going to have to work a little bit harder to make their case.”
In her decision, Judge Simonelli cited documents from 2002 in which the developers essentially dictated the terms and scope of the project, including tax incentives. She observed that there was evidence that the project was “a done deal, a fait accompli, before the required statutory redevelopment process began.”
John H. Buonocore, a lawyer for the residents and business owners facing eviction, said he was pleased with the judge’s decision, which contradicted the city’s contention that the neighborhood was beyond repair. “The court, to the contrary, found that the Mulberry Street area is structurally sound, fully occupied, tax generating and well-maintained,” he said. “We’re delighted that the court saw through this prearranged land grab on behalf of politically favored developers.”
Bruce J. Wishnia, one of the principals behind the $550 million project, criticized the decision, saying, “If it is not reversed, it will effectively shut the door on urban redevelopment in New Jersey.” He declined to answer questions about allegations that the company’s connections and contributions to City Hall were factors in the company’s selection as the area’s sole developer.
Although they blame Mr. James for condemning their neighborhood in the first place, residents and merchants said they were disappointed that Mayor Cory A. Booker (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/cory_booker/index.html?inline=nyt-per) upheld the city’s use of eminent domain, despite having promised during his campaign that he would not. Mr. Booker was on vacation yesterday and city officials declined to comment, saying they were studying the decision and had not yet decided whether to appeal the ruling.
George Mytrowitz, whose auto body shop would have been torn down for the project, said he was relieved by the ruling. “Now I can get on with my life and not spend every waking moment worrying where I’m going to be tomorrow,” said Mr. Mytrowitz, whose great-grandfather started the business in 1913 as a blacksmith shop. “I have the best location in Newark, and I’m glad I’m going to stay here.”

[newarkdevil1]

I am in amazement that any money has bee alloted to this as I just assumed it was a pipe dream...

[stache]

It's actually a great idea. It's difficult to cross the McCarter highway safely at that point, which makes it onerous to walk back and forth to Penn.

[JCMAN320]

http://www.newarktrolley.com/

A trolley-bus service to take Prudential Center attendes through the Ironbound to explore the different boutiques and restaurants.

[scrollhectic]

by Ted Sherman (tsherman@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger

Wednesday April 15, 2009, 8:00 PM


Truce talks have broken out in the arena wars. After nearly two years of fighting over which will be the state's premier entertainment venue, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority -- operator of the aging Izod Center in the Meadowlands -- and the Prudential Center in Newark are quietly trying find a way to co-exist without destroying each other.

The two sides have been talking behind the scenes about a possible joint agreement that would give the Sports Authority responsibility for the day-to-day running of the new arena in Newark, executives on both sides said today.

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/04/large_Prudential-Center.JPGFrank H. Conlon/The Star-LedgerBon Jovi fans enter the arena on the opening night of the Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday October 25, 2007.


Such an agreement would put the state authority in charge of the operational management of the Prudential Center, now handled by AEG, a major sports, concert and entertainment promoter.

If an accord is reached, it would give the Sports Authority a stake in the success of the arena in Newark, while bringing an end to the competition for the same lucrative concerts and shows that remain a financial backbone of both Izod and Prudential. It would also enable the authority to bolster the scope of its own operations which will diminish when Giants Stadium eventually closes.

Sen. President Richard Codey (D-Essex), said he has been aware of the talks for some time and has been pressing the warring factions to reach an accommodation with each other.

"It would create synergy where they can negotiate for concerts and entertainment acts as one, making it more profitable for both, cutting out the bickering," Codey said.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/04/large_Izod-Center.JPGSaed Hindash/The Star-LedgerConcert fans arrive at the Izod Center for Nickelback in March.

The disclosure of the talks comes just days after another blow-up between the two sides. Over the past weekend, Newark Mayor Cory Booker learned that the Sports Authority was planning upgrades at Izod and had already received proposals from three architects.

Booker, angered over what he saw as a threat to an arena intended to spark redevelopment in the state's largest city, denounced the authority's plan as "costly, shortsighted and injurious" to Newark. He called on Gov.

Jon Corzine to veto the proposal. The governor has not taken a stance on the matter, although he has continued to voice support for keeping Izod open.

A senior staff member to the governor late today said Corzine -- who had also been calling for "cooperation and not cannibalization" -- had been aware and supportive of the discussions between the authority and Prudential, which the staff member said have been going on since December.

The Prudential Center, known as "The Rock," is home to hockey's New Jersey Devils, who began their NHL playoff run tonight. The New Jersey Nets, who play at Izod, say they are moving to a propose arena in Brooklyn but critics say the structure is underfunded and will never be built. The team has agreed to play two pre-season games at the Prudential Center, but insists it has no intention of moving to Newark.

In the end, the fight between the state's sports authority and the Prudential Center, which has been brewing for years, is not about sports. The two arenas, not quite eight miles from each other, are also rivals for the same concerts, ice shows and circus events that represent the major source of revenue for both facilities.

Sports Authority officials have long argued there is room in the market for both arenas, and say Izod will remain open, even if the Nets eventually move. But Jeffrey Vanderbeek, president and chairman of Devils Arena Entertainment, says the continuing competition and the undercutting of Prudential by a state authority only benefits promoters who are leveraging both sites against each other.

Codey said whether or not the Nets leave, it is time for Izod and the Prudential Center to work together.

"At the end of the day, it will not be anyone but the Nets deciding where they are going to play," he said. "They will have to make a decision at some point of moving or throwing in the towel, but in the meantime, we need to do what's in best interest of both sides, and that's for the Sports Authority taking over the management of the Rock."

AEG, the nation's second largest concert promoter, has managed the Newark arena since its opening in October 2007, responsible not only for booking entertainment, but also the daily maintenance and upkeep of the building. But its role at Prudential has caused additional complications there because AEG is a direct competitor of Live Nation, the country's largest promoter, which has strong ties to the Meadowlands and has booked only one act into the Prudential Center since it opened. AEG also runs the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Sprint Center in Kansas City and the O2 arena in London.

Sports Authority Chairman Carl Goldberg would not discuss the proposed management agreement, but confirmed there have been talks.

"It is premature to announce any resolution, but those conversations have begun with the goal of achieving a joint management understanding," he said.

The authority manages all of its facilities in the Meadowlands.

Goldberg said the two arenas need not be competitive, pointing out that two can schedule more events than just a single venue, generating more tax revenue and entertainment opportunities for the state.

"The competition hasn't been healthy," he said. "It distracts from the goals of both facilities."

Vanderbeek also confirmed there had been discussions with Goldberg.

"Carl's a friend and we are trying to find a way to work together to eliminate the excess profitability that the promoters and acts are making by pitting the two arenas in north Jersey against each other," he said. "If we are successful, we will be able to sell less expensive tickets to our patrons."

[scrollhectic]

by Ted Sherman (tsherman@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger

Wednesday April 15, 2009, 8:00 PM


Truce talks have broken out in the arena wars. After nearly two years of fighting over which will be the state's premier entertainment venue, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority -- operator of the aging Izod Center in the Meadowlands -- and the Prudential Center in Newark are quietly trying find a way to co-exist without destroying each other.

The two sides have been talking behind the scenes about a possible joint agreement that would give the Sports Authority responsibility for the day-to-day running of the new arena in Newark, executives on both sides said today.

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/04/large_Prudential-Center.JPG."


Sports Authority running the Rock... NOT a good idea. I hope politics isn't going to mess this up even more. Izod Center should be closed and AEG or LiveNation (I'm indifferent) should run the Rock. But the Sports Authority doesn't need to get anywhere near Newark.

[scrollhectic]

April 14, 2009, 5:53 PM
by By Ralph R. Ortega/The Star-Ledger


A developer is expected to break ground Wednesday on the first affordable housing project to come to Newark's East Ward in 30 years, which is to include 80 affordable rental units, officials said.

The Pacific Apartments on Dawson Street, according to a news release, is a $22 million project being constructed by ETC Companies, and sponsored by the Ironbound Community Corp. The nonprofit organization will offer social services and other assistance to tenants at the 5-story building, once it is completed.

City officials said the 100,000 square foot residential building is the first affordable housing project in the East Ward in 30 years. It will offer central air conditioning, energy-saving design and appliances, laundry and common rooms on each floor, and have an 86-space parking garage and landscaped courtyard, officials said.

Newark provided a long-term property tax abatement to help reduce the project's operating expenses, and to keep rents affordable. In addition, the project received an allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the state, and a subsidy worth about $3 million from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Agency.

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador said public-private partnerships, like the one behind the Pacific Apartments, were critical to his area. "The Ironbound is in serious need of initiatives of this type, and the Pacific apartments will help fill a dire need in our community," he said in a statement.

Officials said the building's Ironbound location was chosen because of it's proximity to area highways and easy access to public transportation, Newark Liberty International Airport and the city's ports.

Amadour, Mayor Cory Booker, Deputy Mayor Stefan Pryor, who heads the city's Department of Economic and Housing Development, Michael Meyer, the city's director of Housing and Real Estate, representatives from ETC, and the Ironbound Community Corp., are expected for a ground-breaking ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

[JCMAN320]

^^^ Scroll I couldn't agree with you more. NJSEA will ruin that beautiful facility. The people that are at the Izod are unhelpful, short, rude, unfriendly, and do terrible maintence of the place. NJSEA will destroy that place and make it age unflatteringly in under 10 years. God help us do not let this come to pass.

[STT757]

The IZOD center needs to go, don't in vest any money into improving that facility. If they want to appease the Bergen county folks replace the IZOD center with an Ampithearter like the PNC bank arts Center and Tweeter Entertainment Center. That way the facility would get the Summer concerts and the Prudential Center would get the indoor shows.

Or even replace it with that much discussed minor league baseball stadium, but keeping the IZOD center and even investing in upgrades is not the right course of action.

[JCMAN320]

Bingo STT!!!

[newarkdevil1]

I spoke with some of the people at AEG and they seem to think its all BS and a pipe dream but who knows. I just hate the idea of another state agency running the arena as they are patronage institutions and don't give a crap about performance. I pray to go they leave private institutions that have to perform running the arena.

[block944]

http://new.gsmls.com/publicsite/propsearch.do?method=moredetails&sysid=2501134

Remarks: "Livingston Commons" a 24 Unit New Construction Complex-Located near UMD Hospital, Essex Court House & all local Colleges-5 Year Tax Abatement-Quality Living at Affordable Prices 1 of 8

Select This Property: http://new.gsmls.com/publicsite/images/moremedia.jpg (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:openmediaforresult%28%222501134%22,%223823199 %22,%228%22%29;)
http://pargraph.gsmls.com/imagedb/lowres/34/2501134_0.jpg (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:openlink%28%22http://pargraph.gsmls.com/imagedb/highres/34/2501134_0.jpg%22%29) Remarks: "Livingston Commons" a 24 Unit New Construction Complex-Located near UMD Hospital, Essex Court House & all local Colleges-5 Year Tax Abatement-Quality Living at Affordable Prices 1 of 8
Listing Office: EXIT ELITE REALTY GROUP
Office Phone: 973-268-4000
Listing Agent: JOAQUIM FERREIRA






$ 184,900
MLS# 2501134
County: Essex
Cities/Towns: Newark City
Style: One Floor Unit
FHA 55+: No
Zone/Comp: 3rd Fl Deluxe
Rooms: 4
Bedrooms: 2
Full Baths: 1
Half Baths: 0
Total Baths: 1.0
Acreage: 0.0
Living Room Level/Dim: /
Dining Room Level/Dim: Third /
Kitchen Level/Dim: Third /
Bedroom 1 Level/Dim: Third /
Bedroom 2 Level/Dim: Third /
Bedroom 3 Level/Dim: /
Bedroom 4 Level/Dim: /
Den Level/Dim: /
Sq Ft:
Association fee: $
Garage/Desc 1/ Detached Garage, None
Heat Source: Gas-Natural


Heat System: 1 Unit, Cent Register Heat
Cool System: 1 Unit, Central Air
Water: Public Water
Sewer: Public Sewer
Utilities: Gas In Street, Gas-Natural
Services: Cable TV Available, Garbage Included
Grade School:
Middle School:
High School:
Tax Amount: $ 0
Tax Year: 2008
Tax Rate Year: 2007
Easement/Desc: Unknown /
Farm Assessment: No
Land Assessment: $ 0
Building Assessment: $ 0
Total Assessment: $ 0
Lot Size: 225 x 100 IRR
Lot Description: Level Lot
YB/Desc: 2008 / Standing, Under Construction
Basmnt/Desc: No /
Family Room Level/Dim: /
Other Room 1 Level/Dim: Third /
Other Room 2 Level/Dim: /
Other Room 3 Level/Dim: /
Other Room 4 Level/Dim: /
Interior: Smoke Detector
Exterior: Metal Fence, Sidewalk
Application Fee: $



===

Does anyone know what street thats on?

[Marv95]

A block west of Irvine Turner Blvd. Might be near 18th Ave since there is recent development(new affordable housing units).

[newarkdevil1]

Yay! Yet, another housing project!

[scrollhectic]

Yay! Yet, another housing project!

I drove by these. They actually don't look bad. In the picture they look greenish, but in actuallity, the building is yellow. Very Miami. They are next to what appears to be a massive school under construction. Next to the school are rows and rows of brand new, ATTRACTIVE townhouses (still afordable housing.) They look way better than the bayonne boxes - which are market rate housing.

I just don't understand why the density is so low. And has the concept of mixed income housing gone completely out the window? Has it been proven ineffective or ideological? I think for it to work for both the developer and for those paying market rate is for the development to be primarily market rate with a low percentage set aside for affordable housing. Like 75% market rate, 25% affordable housing ratio or 80%/20%. The developers could get some sort of subsidy (as they do now) for providing so many affordable housing units, and they can still profit from the market rate units. And hopefully, since 75% would be market rate, residents wouldn't feel as if they are getting jipped for paying more than most of their neighbors and they possibly won't feel as if they are living in an affordable housing project. I know it's worked well in Chicago, New York and San Antonio.

[geoffbailey]

I just don't understand why the density is so low. And has the concept of mixed income housing gone completely out the window? Has it been proven ineffective or ideological? I think for it to work for both the developer and for those paying market rate is for the development to be primarily market rate with a low percentage set aside for affordable housing. Like 75% market rate, 25% affordable housing ratio or 80%/20%. The developers could get some sort of subsidy (as they do now) for providing so many affordable housing units, and they can still profit from the market rate units. And hopefully, since 75% would be market rate, residents wouldn't feel as if they are getting jipped for paying more than most of their neighbors and they possibly won't feel as if they are living in an affordable housing project. I know it's worked well in Chicago, New York and San Antonio.

You are right on the nose here. I think cities are scared to repeat the missteps of the housing project boom of the 60's, 70's and 80's. That is where Newark got its Brick City nickname after all. Higher density with adequate recreation facilities / park land is a far more desirable model if properly maintained and managed. The issue of the past was that the housing projects were built with racist intent to get the black people off the streets and into the projects. Built with no security, poor facilities, not maintained, etc etc etc

Higher density development makes sense not just from a delivery of services model but also environmental. I posted this article about a month ago (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/want-green-jobs-build-tall-buildings-dense-communities/) about tis topic exactly.

I find it funny that now that the children of suburbanites are rediscovering the benefits of high density urban living, public housing is moving the exact opposite direction with single & two family homes, COAH rulings moving spreading affordable housing through out the rural areas of the state...

[block944]

This pages serves as source of information for the public about the City of Newark’s plans and projects being supported through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, also popularly referred to as the Federal Economic Stimulus) signed into law by President Obama on February 17th. The page will be updated regularly to include the latest information available on projects (e.g. site plans etc.), grants announcements, and other funding opportunities. Additional information about the ARRA can be found at www.recovery.gov (http://www.recovery.gov/).

http://www.ci.newark.nj.us/userimages/downloads/Newark_Stimulus_Program_Report_v27_4-15-09.pdf

http://www.ci.newark.nj.us/government/city_departments/department_of_administration/purpose.php

[block944]

http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/

March 31 Newark Riverfront Parks meeting (http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/march-31-newark-riverfront-parks-meeting/) April 14, 2009, 5:22 pm
Filed under: Down by the river (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/down-by-the-river/), Newark (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/newark/)
On March 31, 2009, over 70 people attended the second public meeting about the planning and design of Newark Riverfront Parks. The project team, including the City of Newark Division of Planning & Community Development, the Trust for Public Land, and Lee Weintraub Landscape Architect, presented their first draft design ideas for the park.


http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/090331newarkriverfrontparks.pdf



How great would it be if they put a dog park there

[geoffbailey]

http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/booker-predicts-the-nets-will-be-sold-and-remain-in-nj/

The atlantic yards will never happen, Nets will be sold, NJ will win the jump ball, and the Nets will play in Newark.

Pretty simple if you ask me...

[ASchwarz]

LOL, will never happen. The Nets will be playing in Brooklyn in five years.

[geoffbailey]

http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/is-the-nynj-market-oversaturated-with-arenas/

The NYC Market is over-saturated with new sporting venues. NJ Devils and the Pru Center are in the best position due to being first movers while others are struggling with ticket sales, sponsorships, construction financing, etc...

Great idea for the state of NJ to finance a refurb of the IZOD center...

[Marv95]

LOL, will never happen. The Nets will be playing in Brooklyn in five years.
They've been saying that since 2005. If not Prudential, they'll end up in Seattle before they go to Brooklyn.

As for the state renovating IZOD, lol, sure. Why not. It's already near $700 million in debt; what's another $30 million?

[STT757]

They have to lose this idea of renovating the IZOD center, the Meadowlands does need another entertainment venue besides the new football stadium and the Xanadu mall. However the idea of renovating the IZOD center is a poor one, especially in this economy. The Nets belong in Newark, that's what got the "ball" rolling with the arena in Newark in the first place.

Move the Nets to the Prudential Center, and tear down the IZOD center. Replace the IZOD center with..

A.) A minor league baseball stadium
or..
B.) An out door amphitheatre

My favorite idea for the Meadowlands would be to build a NASCAR track, there's no where else in the Tri-State area that is able to handle the amount of traffic that NASCAR races generate. They have ample parking, good highway access, a new rail link, and most important to NASCAR they are within a few miles of Mid-Town Manhattan. It could host all sorts of racing including Indy Car, Formula One, etc..

[stache]

Don't they have a NASCAR facility on Staten Island?

[block944]

Getting staten island is a pain.

[STT757]

Don't they have a NASCAR facility on Staten Island?

It was proposed but shot down by local residents and City council members, the plan relied heavily on ferries which was not going to work as most folks would drive. And the West Shore and Staten Island expressways are already overwhelmed, especially on weekends.

Only suitable location for a NASCAR track in the area is the Meadowlands.

[geoffbailey]

They have to lose this idea of renovating the IZOD center, the Meadowlands does need another entertainment venue besides the new football stadium and the Xanadu mall. However the idea of renovating the IZOD center is a poor one, especially in this economy. The Nets belong in Newark, that's what got the "ball" rolling with the arena in Newark in the first place.

Move the Nets to the Prudential Center, and tear down the IZOD center. Replace the IZOD center with..

A.) A minor league baseball stadium
or..
B.) An out door amphitheatre

My favorite idea for the Meadowlands would be to build a NASCAR track, there's no where else in the Tri-State area that is able to handle the amount of traffic that NASCAR races generate. They have ample parking, good highway access, a new rail link, and most important to NASCAR they are within a few miles of Mid-Town Manhattan. It could host all sorts of racing including Indy Car, Formula One, etc..

It is the perfect venue for it. Didn't trump or someone sponsor grand prix events back in the late 80s early 90s?

[geoffbailey]

810 Broad street, the bank building next to the presbyterian church and in front of the arena on Broad Street was acquired on Jan 15th at a tax sale for under $800,000. The acquirer is a large owner in the area and owns a number of properties on Market Street. My understanding is that they are going to convert the upper floors to residential condos and are hoping to get a restaurant on the ground floor.

This could be great for Broad Street as this will draw event goers directly to broad street before and after events.

Other properties available in the area are 1188 Raymond Boulevard (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/1188-raymond-boulevard-for-sale/) and 190 Market Street (http://www.masseyknakal.com/listings/detail.aspx?lst=19151)

Now we need to see some action at 786 Broad Street - the original Fireman's Insurance building at the corner of Broad and Market Streets.

[BrooklynRider]

This is an aside to all the great news and info in this thread.

I've lived and worked in NY for 46 years. Although Newark is my preferred airport, today I visited Newark (the city) for the first time ever (for an interview). I was pleasantly surprised. It was quite a lovely area (I was at Broad Street by Bridge Street.

[scrollhectic]

Now we need to see some action at 786 Broad Street - the original Fireman's Insurance building at the corner of Broad and Market Streets.

I agree 110%. And the Kinney Building. I think the refurbishment of all three (Firemans, Kinney and 810 Broad) would have the greatest visual and psychological impact with revitalizing that area. Can you imagine all three buildings awash in light along with 744 Broad and 1180! Broad Street would look so beautiful

[block944]

Newark gets new hope for long-awaited park along Passaic River

by Ralph R. Ortega (rortega@starledger.com)/ The Star-Ledger Sunday May 03, 2009, 9:00 AM


http://blog.nj.com/ledgerlocal/2009/05/medium_Newark-Passaic-River.jpgJohn Munson/ The Star-LedgerA scenic view of downtown Newark from the east, looking across the Passaic River, in November 2000.
A park proposed for Newark's Passaic River waterfront has been an unfulfilled vision for at least a decade, kept waiting by a plodding federal project addressing problems along the gritty, industrial shoreline.
But city officials say the Trust for Public Land will help radically speed up plans for a park.
First, architectural designs will be presented to the public this week, showing what the park may look like along a 3/4-mile, narrow stretch of riverfront. The land runs parallel to Raymond Boulevard, starting just west of the Jackson Street Bridge and continuing east.
Then the trust will launch an aggressive fundraising campaign to help pay for construction. The total cost has yet to be determined, but the city has set aside more than $3 million in state Green Acres and Urban Enterprise Zone funding to get the job started in early 2010, according to officials in Mayor Cory Booker's administration.
"When you ask whether these are signs of progress you can hang your hat on, I think they are," said Joseph Della Fave, executive director of the Ironbound Community Corp., a social service agency that has long advocated for the park project.
City planning officials say they have made the park a priority to appease Newarkers who have long waited for its construction, and to provide a critical starting point for redevelopment along Newark's 3-mile shoreline.
The redevelopment possibilities include hotels, apartment buildings, and commercial, retail and office space along the public and private waterfront of the state's largest city. Booker, during an event at city hall promoting the riverfront park in March, said Newark must reclaim its place along the water.
"Our riverfront has to return to be the focal point of our city," he said. "It must be accessible. It must be a place where people come together."
The only park space now on the river is a two-block stretch owned by Essex County.
The unkempt, garbage-strewn land is an extension of the county's River Bank Park across the street, cut off by a dangerous stretch of Raymond Boulevard. Aside from a few people who fish along the river's edge, and homeless people who seek shelter there, the area is little used.
The land has no park-like amenities, not even a bench. The area consists of grass, some trees and remnants of a few old building foundations.
"It's time for us to stop ignoring it, realize it's there, and do something with it," said Shay-La Maxwell, one of a half-dozen teenagers from the Ironbound who designed a model of their vision of the waterfront. The model, which includes a floating hotel and golf course, is on display at city hall.
City officials originally saw hope for the waterfront when a project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in 1999 to rebuild bulkheads and stabilize the riverfront promised to also build a park along the river. The downside was the amount of time it has taken to complete the three-phase project.
The corps so far has received $27 million in federal funds to complete the first phase, which was estimated at $35.7 million, said the project's manager, Megan Jadrosich. Citing unexpected delays for the slow pace, Jadrosich said the work just southeast of Newark Penn Station should be finished in November.
Phases two and three, east of the Jackson Street bridge, would cost more than $40 million, and include the riverfront park, to be named after former Essex County congressman Joseph Minish, who died in 2007.
Progress on the federal project, Jadrosich said, will continue to be slow, because funding priorities given to riverfront stabilization aren't as high as those for other projects, like flood control. "It could be another 10 years, unfortunately," she said.
But Booker administration officials said a partnership with the Trust for Public Land would push the park plan forward and include the county land. The conservancy group had already worked on developing parks in Newark, and had the architectural expertise and the fundraising muscle to finally make a riverfront park possible by next year.
The first official design of the park will be shown from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
Landscape architect Lee Weintraub, known for incorporating community input into his work, which includes Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens, was hired by the trust to develop the designs.
An early rendering he presented to Newarkers included a dance pavilion, boardwalk, floating boat dock, dog run and science playground for children. The renderings weren't official, but Scott Dvorak, program director of the trust's Newark office, promised the park would satisfy the city's interests on several fronts.
"It's a really fantastic opportunity for Newark, in many different ways," he said. "As an open space, as a recreational type of amenity, and as a catalyst for redevelopment along the river."
Ralph R. Ortega may be reached at rortega@starledger.com, or (973) 951-3816.

[block944]

Phase 1:

N.J. insurer Horizon to shed 253 jobs

by Venuri Siriwardane (vsiriwardane@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Monday May 04, 2009, 3:57 PM


Facing lagging enrollment and falling revenues, Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey said today it will shed 253 jobs throughout the state.
The job cuts include laying off 170 employees -- effective this afternoon -- and eliminating 83 open positions. The company declined to say what kind of positions were terminated.
The state's largest health insurer is forecasting a slight dip in enrollment due to rising unemployment and employer benefit cutbacks -- something that hasn't happened in nearly a dozen years, said spokesman Daniel Emmer.
Besides the layoffs, the firm is also slashing advertising and travel costs to reduce operating expenses.
"This is a sad day for the company, but it's critical that we do this for the company's future," said Emmer.
The Newark-based company employs more than 5,000 people throughout the state.

[ironboundnewark]

Hello all,

I just wanted to introduced an old but relaunched website re: ironbound newark called IronboundNewark.com (http://ironboundnewark.com).

Please let me know what you think. :)

[block944]

AMEN.


New Jersey Can’t Afford Government, Booker Says (Update2)
Share (javascript:togShareLinks('shr_v');) | Email (?Subject=Bloomberg%20news:%20%20New%20Jersey%20Ca n%E2%80%99t%20Afford%20Government,%20Booker%20Says %20%28Update2%29%20&body=%20New%20Jersey%20Can%E2%80%99t%20Afford%20Go vernment,%20Booker%20Says%20%28Update2%29%20%0D%0A %0D%0A%20http%3A//www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3Demail_en%26sid%3DaVC6v8q8KUD0) | Print (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6g6isp6ZlCI&refer=us#) | A (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6g6isp6ZlCI&refer=us#) A (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6g6isp6ZlCI&refer=us#) A (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6g6isp6ZlCI&refer=us#)


By Terrence Dopp and Henry Goldman
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=ickJ_bl_W75Q

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- New Jersey’s tax-strapped residents can’t afford their government and the state needs to rein in the mounting costs of public worker benefits, said the mayor of Newark, the state’s largest city.
Cory Booker, 40, said rising expenses for health care, pensions and salaries are impinging on government finances. Operations need to be streamlined in a state with 566 towns and cities, 617 school districts and 21 counties, Booker said during a meeting with Bloomberg editors and on Bloomberg Radio today.
“New Jersey will go bankrupt in 10 to 20 years because we cannot afford our employees as a state,” Booker said. “I’m talking about every worker from the cities and counties to the state government. Eventually, we’re going to price ourselves out as a government or tax ourselves to death.”
Governor Jon Corzine (http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Jon+Corzine&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) in March proposed a $29.8 billion spending plan for next fiscal year that includes $4.3 billion to operate state government. Seventy percent of that, $3 billion, is for salaries and wages. Corzine, a first-term Democrat facing re-election in November, is seeking unpaid leaves and an 18- month wage freeze to save $400 million.
In Newark, Booker said he is looking to cut “hundreds” of jobs from the city’s 4,000-person workforce as he seeks to create a long-term balance in the municipality’s budget, which is currently $659 million. The mayor also wants to force city employees to take 18 unpaid days off to help reduce expenses and close an $180 million deficit by 2012.
Government Costs
Personnel accounts for 70 percent of the budget of Newark, Booker said. The first-term Democrat said the employment reduction was among “very difficult decisions” he faces.
“There should be a tax revolt in the state of New Jersey,” Booker said. “We’re the most inefficient state in the country. We have more government per person than we need. You would never manage a business the way we manage our government - - we have overlapping provision of services and in my opinion, it’s insane.”
Booker said he did not hold Corzine responsible for New Jersey’s financial crisis and considered the governor a political ally. When asked whether he planned to seek higher office, Booker said he intended to run again for mayor in 2010.
Economic Growth
The mayor blamed the city’s deficit on past mismanagement, not the U.S. recession. Booker’s predecessor, Sharpe James (http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Sharpe+James&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1), a Democrat who held the office for two decades, is serving a 27- month prison sentence after his conviction last year on federal corruption charges. Booker said the economic slowdown was affecting city residents in the form of lost jobs and homes.
Booker called crime an “inhibitor” to economic growth. He said the city had half the number of murders in the first four months of this year as in the same period of 2006.
The mayor said his administration is exploring the creation of a utilities authority to improve management of its water system and collect more money from surrounding municipalities that rely on the city to provide drinking water.
To raise city revenue and reduce crime, police in Newark have stepped up enforcement for parking violations and public drinking, Booker said. The mayor also is counting on $1 million from fines for tickets issued through to-be-activated red light traffic cameras.
To contact the reporters on this story: Terrence Dopp (http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Terrence+Dopp&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) in Trenton, New Jersey, at tdopp@bloomberg.net; Henry Goldman (http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Henry+Goldman&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) in New York, at hgoldman@bloomberg.net,

[block944]

Goodbye, Frat Row; hello, Greek Village?

A majority of the fraternity and sorority houses that are currently a fixture on MLK Blvd. may soon be relocated to a new Greek Village on Raymond Boulevard just south of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers-Newark campuses, according to the Campus Gateway Plan presented by NJIT President Robert Altenkirch to members of the community on Oct. 4.

The plan, several years in the making, envisions the redevelopment of a vast area currently held by homeowners, businesses and student fraternities. According to the plan, the area involved for conversion runs from Orange Street to James Street, including the row of brownstone-type houses housing the Greeks on MLK Blvd. as well as the old St. Michael's Hospital.

The project, which will take at least five years and $150 million dollars to complete, envisions turning Frat Row into a neighborhood akin to Sansom Row near University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University in Philadelphia. That neighborhood has brownstone homes alongside small businesses, boutiques and restaurants.

The idea, university officials said, is to create a vibrant community that could increase admissions at NJIT.

According to Zemin Zhang, secretary of the Historical James Street Commons Association, "Thirty percent of NJIT freshmen leave after the first year because of a lack of friendly environment." Implementing NJIT's plan would create a friendly environment, Zhang said.

The existing buildings on MLK Blvd. would not be torn down. According to the plan, a developer would purchase the existing houses from the Greeks who would then purchase "row houses" on 3.5 acres of land leased to the developer by NJIT. This would become the so-called Greek Village.

The redeveloper will keep the façade on the buildings on MLK Blvd., Zhang said. However, "they will redo the inside. The ground floor could be used by businesses, while the floors above would be used as Greek lofts," Zhang said.

The developer would also be expected to offer housing for lease or lease-purchase for the Greek organizations who currently rent their homes.

In meetings with Greek organizations, students have said that they would like a Greek Village to include parking spaces, have green/outdoor areas, basketball and volleyball courts and an outdoor stage area, according to a report prepared in May by the NJIT Office of Greek Life.

Currently, there are nine organizations who own their houses and four who rent their houses. Continued... (http://www.rutgersobserver.com/news/2006/10/24/PageOne/Movin.Over-2401023-page2.shtml)
Proposals for developing the plan have already gone out, Altenkirch said. The proposals will be returned in November. A vote of the selection committee will determine the final proposal and the redeveloper in December.

Construction will tentatively start 18 months from now, Altenkirch said.

According to Zhang, a "concrete plan must be proposed by the developer and approved by the stakeholders."The stakeholders include the president of NJIT, St. Michael's Medical Center, fraternities and sororities and the Association, Zhang said.

NJIT has permission from the City of Newark to work with St. Michael's and the Association to be the lead and exclusive developers of the area.

Altenkirch assured owners of private buildings on MLK Blvd. that NJIT will not use eminent domain to acquire private property.

Instead, NJIT will help private homeowners receive government grants to upgrade their properties.

While homeowners will have to use the university's redeveloper, they, as stakeholders, will be part of the plan, Altenkirch said.

NJIT has shared its plan with both Rutgers and Essex County College, Altenkirch said.

Rutgers-Newark Provost Steven J. Diner said that he is familiar with NJIT's plan, but Rutgers has nothing to do with it.

Of the homeowners, businessmen and Greeks at the Oct. 4 meeting, half were interested in moving and the other half were interested in learning more about the proposal.

Altenkirch said Rutgers fraternities and sororities will also be a part of the plan.

"Yes, we will talk to them. They will definitely be part of the conversation," Altenkirch said.

[stache]

What is a Greek loft?

[JCMAN320]

Frat Lofts

[stache]

Thanks. I always think of Greeks being in large houses.

[scrollhectic]

Public input wanted for new vision
Sunday, May 10, 2009 BY RALPH R. ORTEGA
Star-Ledger Staff


Newark Symphony Hall last month completed $1.5 million in roof repairs and safety upgrades that made the 84-year-old deteriorating building on Broad Street habitable as a rental facility. But the work falls far short of a more significant investment needed to address years of neglect and return the building that once hosted such artistic greats as Marian Anderson and George Gershwin to its former stature.

To rebuild Symphony Hall, its nonprofit operators will launch a $40 million capital campaign by next spring to generate public and private philanthropy for the needed renovations, which include new stage lighting; sound, heating and air-conditioning expansions; and other infrastructure improvements.

Combined with city, county and state funding, the building's managers hope enough money is raised to complete the kind of renovations seen in recent years at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway and the Welmont Theater in Montclair.

"It's legacy needs to be preserved for future generations. We should be trying to maintain the historical venues that we have in the City of Newark, as opposed to let them deteriorate and become inactive," said Philip S. Thomas, executive director of the Newark Performing Arts Corp.

On Saturday, the public is invited to help the city, which owns the building, and the hall's operators design the venue's future at a daylong conference billed as "Newark Symphony Hall Reimagined."

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who spurred symphony hall's renewal, said people have an interest in preserving the building that was once a gem in the city's downtown.

"That facility has a very strong hold on the spirit and the imagination of a lot of residents here, and many residents have great stories about seeing shows and concerts or just going to events there as well," Booker said.

Despite the recession, City Council President Mildred Crump said she is confident the campaign to raise funds will be a success.

"Mindful of the fact that these are very difficult times, there are still people out there who were around when Newark Symphony Hall was where you went," said Crump, who serves on hall's board of directors.

The building, also known as the Mosque and originally built by the Shriners as a Masonic Temple in 1925, had been the state's premier venue for a variety of famed entertainers and theater groups. Marian Anderson, William Warfield, George Gershwin, Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle were among the major stars whose names went up on the marquee.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Ballet, New Jersey State Opera and African Globe Theater also have used the building. In addition, two television stations -- WNET Channel 13 and the Spanish-language WNJU Channel 47 -- have made their home in the hall.

Changing priorities for the city, however, brought an era of deferred maintenance to the building, leaving it to deteriorate over the past two decades. With increasing competition from other area venues, fewer groups rented the Sarah Vaughan Concert Hall, Terrace Ballroom and a second-floor theater.

Tenants who leased office space on the third and fourth floors also departed when water damage from a leaking roof made the spaces uninhabitable.

Over the years, periodic repair work was done, but it wasn't enough, Thomas said.

"If you're making constant repairs to the building, then it's going to start looking shabby. And if you're not replacing broken or worn-out or outdated mechanical systems, then they're going to break down." he said.

In 2007, the Newark Performing Arts Council hired Thomas, a former vice president at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, to manage Newark Symphony Hall.

Thomas reduced a deficit in annual operating expenses from more than $400,000 in 2007 to just over $65,000 last year, according to an update he prepared for the city council in February.

He said he reduced costs by making hard decisions, such as canceling a summer program for about 100 Newark children one year and cutting his staff from 19 to 15 employees. Symphony Hall operates on a $2.1 million annual budget and relies on rentals of the building, tenant leases, concession revenues and a $650,000 donation from the city each year.

Last year, the city invested $1.5 million for the roof repair and to help to bring the building up to city codes. Electric exit signs, emergency lighting, panic bars on doors and a computerized fire and smoke alarm system were installed for the entire building.

Thomas said the work was the minimum for making Symphony Hall safe and that it was now primed for a major renovation.

Symphony Hall has already received a $30,000 grant from PSEG Foundation to create a strategic plan. Crump said she also hopes to gain state support this week from New Jersey's Secretary of State Nina Wells and Jason Tramm, maestro of the New Jersey State Opera. The opera, she said, expects to return to Symphony Hall in 2010.

Saturday's conference, featuring NJPAC President Lawrence P. Goldman and Newark historian Clement Price as speakers, begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. Registration forms are available at the box office. Crump said she already has her vision of how the building should be reimagined.

"It takes me back to the day when you walked the red carpet as you entered Newark Symphony Hall," she said. "It takes me back to the day when every seat was filled."

[block944]

Newark makes Forbes list of most expensive cities

by Venuri Siriwardane/ (vsiriwardane@starledger.com)The Star-Ledger Tuesday May 12, 2009, 8:30 AM


Newark is America's ninth-most expensive city, beating such high-cost heavyweights as Boston and San Francisco, according to Forbes magazine, which ranked a list of the nation's priciest locales.
Forbes, a magazine addicted to rankings, collated this crop of cities based on earnings potential and living expenses in the country's 50 largest continental metropolitan areas. Factors include cost of living, unemployment rates and average salary for workers with a bachelor's degree.

Los Angeles topped the list, grappling with bloated housing prices and double-digit unemployment. The city's troubles can be linked to many of the systemic problems plaguing the nation's economy, Forbes said, adding that L.A. residents face one of the least affordable housing markets in the United States.
Chicago and Miami, at Nos. 2 and 3 respectively, were also dragged down by housing woes and skyrocketing unemployment rates.
Forbes found that New Yorkers with bachelor's degrees have considerable earning power: $69,200 per year on average. Still, it's not enough to offset the city's sizable unemployment rate and exorbitant cost of living, placing it at No. 4 on the magazine's list.
Even those in smaller cities are having a tough time. Though fifth-ranked Providence, R.I., and eighth-ranked Cleveland boast low housing prices and living expenses, they sank underneath high unemployment and comparatively meager salaries of $56,000 on average.
In Newark, tied with San Diego for ninth place, modest salaries and a too-high cost of living are to blame.
That's not as bad as L.A., but at least residents of that city get to enjoy balmy weather year-round. Not only are we New Jerseyans ponying up more than we should, we've also got frigid winters and sweltering summers to deal with.

[DonJ81]

that's ridiculous, can somebody explain that?

[stache]

The way the ranking formula is set up, there are too few good paying jobs to pay for the area market rate housing choices.

[block944]

Saturday, May 16 – Two Newark Boating Events (http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/saturday-may-16-two-newark-boating-events/) May 15, 2009, 1:28 pm
Filed under: Down by the river (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/down-by-the-river/)
This Saturday, May 16, boaters of all ages will prove that it is easy and exciting to boat on the Passaic River in Newark.
First, at 8 am, the Lower Passaic Watershed Alliance launches its 5th Annual Passaic River Paddle Relay: A Race for the River. Boats launch from the bank of the Passaic across Raymond Boulevard from Riverbank Park. For more information, visit www.lowerpassaic.org (http://www.lowerpassaic.org/), or call or email Tom Pietrykoski at (973) 817-5737 or tpietrykoski [at] pvsc.com.
Then, at 10 am, the Shipwrights of Barringer Ninth Grade Success Academy, Discovery Charter School, Link Community School, and William Brown Academy, and the Staff and Board of Trustees of Project U.S.E. cordially invite you to the Third Annual Launching of the Newark Fleet! Boats will launch from near the intersection of Raymond Boulevard and Somme Street, at the bank of the Passaic River.
Students have learned about Newark’s nautical history, studied the science behind boats, and worked together to build wooden canoes. Join us as we honor their hard work and celebrate the launch of their vessels. For additional information, email Marie Pasquariello at mpasquariello [at] projectuse.org.

[geoffbailey]

Quick updates for those of you who care...

810 Broad Street - sold in January in a tax sale is being redeveloped into a condo/rental project and they are actively looking for a restaurant tenant on the ground floor

Down the street at the corner of East Kinney development is in full swing for a mixed use project. the GSA is taking the ground floor space and there will be approximately 16 loft spaces on the upper floors and they look to be georgeous.

All may not be bad for the owners of the building at Broad and West kinney... the burn building will likely be torn down. The owners should have a very nice insurance claim. Look for a new construction residential mixed use building.

Hopefully I will be bringing a significant development project to market in the center of downtown Newark. Trying to nail down our asking price but hopefully soon - keep you posted.

and last but not least... Mayor Booker spills the beans on the Nets being sold (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/mayor-booker-spills-the-bean-on-the-nets-being-sold/)

Have a great weekend all

[block944]

I didn't know it was that bad:
ROBBIE JOHNSON doesn’t like what she sees from the porch of the three-family house she rents on Seymour Avenue in Newark. The 61-year-old resident moved into one unit two months ago to wait while a spot in a senior housing complex opens for her.
“I just moved here and I’m already sorry I moved here,” she said as she waited for a ride to the doctor.
This stretch of Seymour Avenue in the Clinton Hill section once had one of the highest homeownership rates in Newark. But now, Ms. Johnson barely has to turn her head to look at six homes that are in foreclosure or have been left vacant. Teenagers party in the vacant houses and an accumulation of trash is attracting rats and mice, she said.
“What bothers me are these vacant houses,” she said. “It affects you and your view. It affects your health.”
At least 60 homes on Seymour Avenue have been in some stage of foreclosure since 2005, according to an analysis of foreclosure data across the region by The New York Times.
“Seymour Avenue probably looks the worst,” said Kathe Newman, an assistant professor of Urban Planning and Policy Development at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/rutgers_the_state_university/index.html?inline=nyt-org) who has extensively studied foreclosures in the state’s largest city.
This block is one of the dozens that Newark officials are trying to save. Newark has a 23 percent homeownership rate, lower than many other cities, and foreclosure is affecting some of the city’s most stable neighborhoods with the highest home ownership rates like Clinton Hill, Vailsburg and the new residential areas that sprouted during the building boom of the 1990s, including Sumo Village in the South Ironbound section.
Using $3.4 million in federal money from the July 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act, city officials have begun a program to allow area nonprofit organizations to buy, repair and resell foreclosed homes. The new owners will undergo homeownership classes. The city will also compete for a chunk of $2 billion from President Obama (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html?inline=nyt-per)’s $787 billion stimulus package that will be distributed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/h/housing_and_urban_development_department/index.html?inline=nyt-org) to expand its programs and to help surrounding municipalities.
Newark has embarked on a series of events to educate homeowners about fraudulent homeowner-assistance programs. In one such event in March, residents fanned out through Newark and took down more than 700 “We Buy Houses” signs that officials say are posted by people looking to swindle troubled owners.
Two other events that brought together lenders and homeowners to discuss how to renegotiate mortgages that are in arrears attracted about 1,000 people.
“This is the most amazing collaboration between the city, nonprofits and the community,” Ms. Newman said. “The city has been working aggressively to build relationships. The sign-teardown effort was important to bring the community together and eliminate the potential for scams.”
The city said it would use another powerful tool at its disposal to get banks to help homeowners who are on the brink of losing their homes. Officials have said that the city will make its decisions about where to deposit its vast accounts, from tax collections and other funds, by looking at which banks are most cooperative.
“The key to successfully enabling residents to work out their foreclosures is sometimes as simple as sitting them down with their lenders,” said Stefan Pryor, the deputy mayor for economic development. “The criteria by which we judge which banks to use will include how responsive they are to dealing with foreclosures.”
In 2005, Newark had more than 600 homes in foreclosure. In the first eight months of 2008, the city had more than 1,800, according to the analysis by The Times of foreclosure data.
Subprime loans — which had looser lending standards and higher interest rates than other loans — made up 60 percent of primary- and secondary-lien home mortgages granted between 2005 and 2007 in Newark, compared with 22 percent in New Jersey, according to an analysis of mortgage lending data by The Times.
The interest rates on more than 2,200 loans are expected to adjust upward by the end of this year, said Michael Meyer, Newark’s director of housing and real estate, which might mean many borrowers will face higher payments, and possibly more trouble meeting them.
Joseph Della Fave, executive director of the Ironbound Community Corporation, said he was seeing more higher-income residents seeking help to pay for basics like electricity bills, and more clients seeking help for domestic violence.
“Some of the families are picking up and moving back to the old country,” Mr. Della Fave said. “We’ve had 10 people this year return to South America.”
In many neighborhoods, the problem caused by foreclosure may be underestimated, Ms. Newman said.
“We are counting the number of names on mailboxes in heavily immigrant neighborhoods and what looks like a three-family house is actually a six-family house,” she said. “When those houses go into foreclosure it’s not just the borrowers, it’s also the renters living there who are left shuffling around.”
The goal now is to get ahead of the problem, Mr. Pryor said. The city has changed its tax abatement rules to give developers an incentive to complete projects in danger of being abandoned. An abandoned property law has made it easier for the city to group pieces of land together for redevelopment as it has done with 12 city blocks in the city’s West Ward.
City officials and nonprofit groups are fanning out into neighborhoods to tell residents that they do not have to vacate their homes as soon as foreclosure begins. The New Jersey Public Advocate’s office announced last year that landlords who force tenants out because of foreclosure could face civil and criminal penalties.
“This is a situation where understanding your rights and the resources available to you can make a huge difference,” said Stephanie Greenwood, coordinator of the Newark/Essex County Foreclosure Prevention Taskforce.
Donald A. Baldyga Jr., director of real estate development for Episcopal Community Development, has applied to receive some of the $3.4 million to buy and repair foreclosed homes. He is using other funds to repair two foreclosed homes in the Clinton Hill section.
“I want people to see something is happening,” he said. “What we are really saying is: ‘Hold on. Help is coming.’ ”

[NoyokA]

Newark makes Forbes list of most expensive cities

by Venuri Siriwardane/ (vsiriwardane@starledger.com)The Star-Ledger Tuesday May 12, 2009, 8:30 AM


Newark is America's ninth-most expensive city, beating such high-cost heavyweights as Boston and San Francisco, according to Forbes magazine, which ranked a list of the nation's priciest locales.
Forbes, a magazine addicted to rankings, collated this crop of cities based on earnings potential and living expenses in the country's 50 largest continental metropolitan areas. Factors include cost of living, unemployment rates and average salary for workers with a bachelor's degree.

Los Angeles topped the list, grappling with bloated housing prices and double-digit unemployment. The city's troubles can be linked to many of the systemic problems plaguing the nation's economy, Forbes said, adding that L.A. residents face one of the least affordable housing markets in the United States.
Chicago and Miami, at Nos. 2 and 3 respectively, were also dragged down by housing woes and skyrocketing unemployment rates.
Forbes found that New Yorkers with bachelor's degrees have considerable earning power: $69,200 per year on average. Still, it's not enough to offset the city's sizable unemployment rate and exorbitant cost of living, placing it at No. 4 on the magazine's list.
Even those in smaller cities are having a tough time. Though fifth-ranked Providence, R.I., and eighth-ranked Cleveland boast low housing prices and living expenses, they sank underneath high unemployment and comparatively meager salaries of $56,000 on average.
In Newark, tied with San Diego for ninth place, modest salaries and a too-high cost of living are to blame.
That's not as bad as L.A., but at least residents of that city get to enjoy balmy weather year-round. Not only are we New Jerseyans ponying up more than we should, we've also got frigid winters and sweltering summers to deal with.

Very misleading study. The reason Newarks apartment prices are jacked up is because its 15 minutes from NYC, I cannot believe this wasn't even touched on. "Jacked up" is not the right term considering this. You can get a studio in a Mies Van Der Rohe highrise with doorman and gym for $600 a month a block from the Broad Street station getting you direct to NYC in 15 minutes. If it wasn't for the gangs in Newark Id live there in a second, if they could curtail the gangs it be the best kept secret in the NYC area.

[stache]

There was an article in the Times several years ago about those buildings. The windows don't open and a guy posted (maybe on Curbed) that people spit in the elevators there and 'leave things behind' in the cars as well. But yes, it is an extremely attractive price.

[block944]

There was an article in the Times several years ago about those buildings. The windows don't open and a guy posted (maybe on Curbed) that people spit in the elevators there and 'leave things behind' in the cars as well. But yes, it is an extremely attractive price.


You get what you pay for.... including theft.

[scrollhectic]

You can get a studio in a Mies Van Der Rohe highrise with doorman and gym for $600 a month a block from the Broad Street station getting you direct to NYC in 15 minutes.

Are you talking about the Pavillion? That place is not cute! The Colonnades are better, but still needs a lot of TLC. All those windowns need to be replaced and the entire building upgraded/modernized. I saw a very cool rendering that Mies Van Der Rohe made in the 60's imagining what Newark would look like in the 90's. His rendering had numerous structures like the Pavillion and the Colonnades north of Broad Street station. He must not have had a firm understanding of how Newark politics sssslllllooooooowwwwwssss down progress and development.

[block944]

Even animals have it rough here

http://pics3.city-data.com/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif NEwark Police Horses
Last week some people I know went to the local horse auction. There were two horses who got no bids and were sent to #10 which is the killer buyers number. The killer buyer buys these horses and ships them to Canada or Mexico to be slaughtered for human consumption since the US Horse slaughter plants for human consumption have closed down. It is a long ride to slaughter with as many horses of all sizes, ages, temperaments etc are crammed in livestock trailers and shipped with out food, water or rest for days. On a NJ horse board I frequent, we have saved a number of horses from this fate, including one three year old filly I have in my barn today. Word got out about these two horses, who were former Newark Police Department horses and an effort was made to pass the word and save these guys. "We" emptied the Kill pen this week with all the horses finding good homes, including the two Newark PD horses. My hope is that this story gets "out" . The City of Newark whose civil service employees get retirement benefits that the Public sector could only dream of, doesn't give their animal employees a better retirement, infact there is no retirement, just a grizzly death after years of service. Those horses were out of the Kill Pen and in homes within 4 days of the auction so Newark COULD have advertised them for adoption rather then sending them to the sale, they just didn't.
The women that bought one of these horses traced his old owner through his tattoo and racing records. Never in a million years did this owner have expected their donation to end up on someones dinner plate.

My goal is simple.........it is to insure that civil service animal employees get a dignified retirement when they can't work in the community any longer. Of course we can't take care of them as well as the other double or triple pension padders we have in this State, but a dignified retirement for a horse means fresh water, grass pasture and a little TLC, it isn't that much to ask is it?
I would appreciate it if you agree with me, you contact your local represenative and

Cory A. Booker, Mayor
City Hall, Room 200
(973) 733-6400

Be a voice for the voiceless

[block944]

http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/


Brick City Urban Farms (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/)





The Beginning (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/about/)
Our Vision (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/our-vision/)
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Help Decide What We Grow! (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/2009/04/17/help-decide-what-we-grow/)

April 17th, 2009 · 1 Comment (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/2009/04/17/help-decide-what-we-grow/#comments) · Uncategorized (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/category/uncategorized/)

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We hope that you stayed warm this winter and are dreaming about the hot, sunny, days to come. Here at Brick City Urban Farms we are ready to get our hands back in the dirt again. We’ve been daydreaming about cucumbers, okra and fresh basil and we are so looking forward to offering the best locally grown produce for you and your families right in downtown Newark. We are thrilled to announce that Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District has agreed to give us a 2nd season of “the farm” on their Washington/Spruce Street Lot! We also have a rooftop location in the Ironbound and we plan to be in other areas throughout the city.
So while we count the days until the last frost of the season, we thought that we would collect some information from you all in order to make sure that everyone is able to find what they are looking for, when they are looking for it at our farms this summer!
Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey and tell us what you would like us to grow and share your thoughts, ideas, frustrations with us so that we can work together to make Brick City Urban Farms (Season II) the best ever! (click anywhere on this paragraph to view the survey) (http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2hfnw8tfsc3ien7/start)
We are looking forward to working with you in the coming months!

→ 1 Comment (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/2009/04/17/help-decide-what-we-grow/#comments)Tags:Basil (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/basil/)·Cucumber (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/cucumber/)·Ironbound (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/ironbound/)·Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/lincoln-park-coast-cultural-district/)·Okra (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/okra/)·Rooftop Garden (http://brickcityurbanfarms.org/tag/rooftop-garden/)

[block944]

http://greekvillage.njit.edu/docs/index.php

2 New designs:

http://greekvillage.njit.edu/greekvillage/docs/2009/Jenessa_Frey_Academic_Village.ppt

http://greekvillage.njit.edu/greekvillage/docs/2009/Steve_Keller_Academic_Village.ppt


As exurbanization starts to gain speed I see Univ Heights Newark being the next hotspot

[newarkdevil1]

Tried the village link and it left me in a loop of trying to save...?

[block944]

A new robert treat school is opening in Aug 2009. They are blue ribbon schools in newark:

http://www.roberttreatacademy.org/page145.html


http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/nj/3340

[Jspellma]

Schools such as the Robert Treat opening in Newark is great for the city. My view upon this whole issue of Newark becoming better is this. If we fix our public school system, then we should have no problem. Why? Well the reason why is because the school system is what produces the money for the city, that is if students stays in the city that is. If we have successful residents graduate high school, go onto college, get a medium to high paying job, and still stay in Newark...thats good for the city. Because then we will have residents with jobs, which should lower the crime level, these residents will have disposable income, therefore signaling retailers to come and post shop in Newark. And many other things to start flooding into our city like more office towers, entertainment venues, and more.

Look at NYC, the reason why there are so many beautiful condos, apts, and lofts is because you have NYC residents who have the money to spend. Which is also due to the numerous paying jobs in NYC. Not only do developers look at this, but retailers and everyone alike will see this, they will do anything they can to take a chunk of the new/available market.

But if you look at Newark whose residents don't have that many jobs which kind of explains the absence of the beatiful high rise luxury residential buildings, and the absense of the Best Buys and JC Penny's. If Booker can improve the city's public school system (or whoever is responsible for that), and create jobs by luring in businesses and etc., then Newark maybe on an upspring. But the point is, Newarkers must have some type of educational foundation to make it in America.

But if this problem with Newarkers getting a good education and a good job and contributling to the taxes that is much needed for the city, developers will be the solution to this problem. Look at Jersey City, which use to be just like Newark (In terms of severe crime, unemployment rate, and etc.), but now it has homes ranging to the millions (But the only reason why developers are running to JC is because of NYC across the river), now JC has numerous new tax payers and revnue for the city.

Developers who build these residential towers for middle class and upper class people who live outside of the city isnt favored much by residents who can't afford it. But the positive to this is this, new tax payers for the city, new residents...period, new additions to the skyline, new stores opening, restaurants, offices, and the list can go on and on. But whether people like it or not, these projects are severly needed for Newark. If we just have at least 10 of these projects, Newark will really see a tun around. And trust me, I've seen numerous proposals for pojects such as 999 Broad St. (Which will be built! I spoke with the man in charge of this project)...they're coming...as soon as the economy gets better lol!

But I'm more interested in this development project that will span 5 city blocks...and its only phase 1, I cant imagine what Phase 2 would look like. God Bless Berggruen Holdings, thats the project that we should be anticipated for...oh and the Red Bull Park Arena opening across the arena will be a development magnet...it should be.

Im Josh by the way....

[block944]

http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/

On May 5, the Newark Riverfront Parks team presented the latest iteration of the the park design for public comment and discussion.
Download a PDF of the presentation and discussion notes here (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/090505newarkriverfrontparks.pdf).
http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cimg6683.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cimg6683.jpg)
http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cimg6666.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cimg6666.jpg)

[block944]

Uh oh, here comes the buffonery:

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1243051509136880.xml&coll=1

"Zabala said the Newark UEZ will have to rethink new projects and will have to pull back funding from others. He said the Newark UEZ helps fund streetscape projects, including one on Ferry Street in the Ironbound. "



Cities balk as state demands $40M back

Saturday, May 23, 2009 BY CARMEN JURI
Star-Ledger Staff

Asking cities to return millions of dollars because of a state error will halt major economic development projects that help stimulate the economy, according to mayors and Urban Enterprise Zone directors around New Jersey.
In addition, officials believe the state has miscalculated the amount of money cities have to return.
http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/star_ledger/nn/nnj/@StoryAd?x Officials were left reeling last week after they learned their cities must return $40million to the state Treasury Department after a state auditor discovered the money had been inadvertently placed in the wrong account for the past three years. The Treasury Department said half of a 1 percentage point sales tax increase, which went into effect in July 2006, should have been deposited in the state's Property Tax Relief Fund, but the money was instead placed in an Urban Enterprise Zone account.
As a result, cities like Elizabeth and Newark may have to postpone projects, officials said. But in many cases, those funds already have been spent or committed to long-term projects. Elizabeth needs to return more than $3.8 million and Newark is being asked to return $4.7million, according to the Treasury Department.
Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage said a $1.8million project to install 150 security cameras throughout the city will be delayed or halted as a result of having to return UEZ funds.
Vineland in Cumberland County must return the most money -- $5.1million -- followed by Jersey City at $4.9million, according to the Treasurer's Office.
Bollwage called the act "a short-sighted money grab on behalf of the treasurer with no thought to the implication of economic development and creation of jobs in New Jersey" and called an emergency meeting for next Wednesday in Elizabeth to address the issue.
"The most outrageous claim in all of this is that it's being done retroactively," Bollwage said. "The cities create jobs, make communities safer. Now we have to give it back. Why are they punishing cities that have done a good job for their communities?"
State Department of Community Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Ryan said if a city already has spent or committed funding to projects, the DCA and Treasury will work with officials on a repayment plan that will not endanger the projects.
The DCA runs the UEZ program, which began in 1983 to encourage business growth and stimulate local economies. The program offers tax and other financial incentives. The zones allow businesses to charge half the normal sales tax, and the revenue generated helps fund development within the zones.

[66nexus]

10 Most Affordable Big metro areas where residents are most able to afford to buy a home.
Rank
Metro area

Affordability Index
Median home price
1
Indianapolis, IN (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Indiana/Indianapolis;_ylt=AmSQXHv5zVGWjqJGm5cx0QDxkdEF)
94.8
$98,000
2
Youngstown, OH (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Ohio/Youngstown;_ylt=AunoqUT5TqF0j6QIHDYQ7S3xkdEF)
94.4
$67,000
3
Akron, OH (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Ohio/Akron;_ylt=AugHHgDAClRaGqrUFxxVwGzxkdEF)
93
$78,000
4
Grand Rapids, MI (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Michigan/Grand_Rapids;_ylt=AjkQxm87RzDCZmT4funDPt3xkdEF)
91.8
$97,000
5
Syracuse, NY (http://realestate.yahoo.com/New_York/Syracuse;_ylt=AvV751cZH8HR10q8Mo.dNqfxkdEF)
91.3
$85,000
6
Warren, MI (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Michigan/Warren;_ylt=Auhgeo8KX23tBOgxjUDH73fxkdEF)
91.2
$119,000
7
Cleveland, OH (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Ohio/Cleveland;_ylt=AnRqlSx.LHcJfac_cW2ErlTxkdEF)
91
$86,000
8
Buffalo, NY (http://realestate.yahoo.com/New_York/Buffalo;_ylt=AoblDhUW0igGNE9PyUYDDLvxkdEF)
90.4
$90,000
9
Toledo, OH (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Ohio/Toledo;_ylt=AvkmKpntMkhB.L3Jk060kTPxkdEF)
90.2
$78,000
10
Dayton, OH (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Ohio/Dayton;_ylt=Av_V4NqPpIbhtoXhPJMZGkbxkdEF)
90
$85,000

10 Least Affordable
Big metro areas where residents are least able to afford to buy a home.
Rank
Metro area
Affordability index
Median home price
1
New York, NY (http://realestate.yahoo.com/New_York/New_York;_ylt=AmlbipOynXs89cZQ7X_T0xrxkdEF)
21.5
$418,000
2
San Francisco, CA (http://realestate.yahoo.com/California/San_Francisco;_ylt=AlwJy6UEsNEArACkH7.u8ljxkdEF)
32.1
$525,000
3
Los Angeles, CA (http://realestate.yahoo.com/California/Los_Angeles;_ylt=ArSwHQyyJ7MVeE4.Y5ucfefxkdEF)
42.1
$288,000
4
Nassau-Suffolk, NY (http://realestate.yahoo.com/New_York/Nassau;_ylt=Al_0AbkXCOEVOYYKXmbjnl7xkdEF)
43
$375,000
5
Honolulu, HI (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Hawaii/Honolulu;_ylt=Am9pPc4_oyz9axFhtzs04.vxkdEF)
44.1
$360,000
6
Santa Ana, CA (http://realestate.yahoo.com/California/Santa_Ana;_ylt=AqwUjt7WC_CrvIw4VDcrJuLxkdEF)
48.2
$360,000
7
Newark, NJ (http://realestate.yahoo.com/New_Jersey/Newark;_ylt=Ap2AOHDY4JkbecsRiRR.EL3xkdEF)
49.3
$315,000
8
Miami, FL (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Florida/Miami;_ylt=ArAm0sWTdAhvJ45lsKA0n2fxkdEF)
49.6
$185,000
9
McAllen, TX (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Texas/Mcallen;_ylt=AlqrBsxfQrDzJKJPOHzr23vxkdEF)
50.3
$106,000
10
El Paso, TX (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Texas/El_Paso;_ylt=AlEoZErKWlWGrZmVF8XbOxDxkdEF)
52.9
$127,000
Source: NAHB/Wells Fargo
Copyrighted, CNNMoney. All Rights Reserved.


http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/homes-most-affordable-in-2-decades.html;_ylc=X3oDMTIxOG42cHNnBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkE X3MDOTc2MjA0NjUEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNtb3N0LWFmZm 9yZGFibGUtMi1kZWNhZGVz

[66nexus]

^I believe a major reason the Newark metro has a least affordable rank is because of NYC proximity. (Many Newark suburbs are affluent)

A bargain in the Newark-area (or NYC for that matter) would be an outrage in other parts of the country.

[block944]

NJIT Master Plan Executive Summary (http://gateway.njit.edu/gateway/docs/2008/2008-gateway.executivesummary2008.pdf)
http://gateway.njit.edu/gateway/docs/2008/2008-gateway.executivesummary2008.pdf

NJIT Master Plan Final Report (http://gateway.njit.edu/gateway/docs/2008/2008-gateway.finalreport2008.pdf)
http://gateway.njit.edu/gateway/docs/2008/2008-gateway.finalreport2008.pdf

[block944]

http://www.njdevs.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35203&st=580

http://www.newarkrbp.org/pdf/NIFPresentEdison1.09.pdf

[block944]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/photos/2140318768_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/59-New-Jersey-Railroad-Ave-Newark-NJ-07105/2138745195_zpid/

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=59-65+NJ+Railroad+Avenue,+Newark+NJ+07105+&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.957999,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=40.731861,-74.166641&spn=0,359.972534&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=40.731779,-74.166728&panoid=CgfvOW8X5XdfIoGAMyyIhg&cbp=12,67.38,,0,-12.59


Coming soon...

[newarkdevil1]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/photos/2140318768_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/59-New-Jersey-Railroad-Ave-Newark-NJ-07105/2138745195_zpid/

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=59-65+NJ+Railroad+Avenue,+Newark+NJ+07105+&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.957999,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=40.731861,-74.166641&spn=0,359.972534&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=40.731779,-74.166728&panoid=CgfvOW8X5XdfIoGAMyyIhg&cbp=12,67.38,,0,-12.59


Coming soon...


I actually passed this the other day and they seem to be moving along faster than richardson, I am wondering about amenities ect.

[newarkdevil1]

http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20090615175435668

http://glocallynewark.com/2009/06/lets-do-the-math-glocally-bushberg-jajo-much-newark-love/

www.glocallynewark.com (http://www.glocallynewark.com) too many articles to link in regards to the launch party last night.

[block944]

http://www.buttonfactorylofts.com/

http://buttonfactorylofts.com/old/floorplans.pdf

[block944]

Newark's Military Park loses funding for renovation


by Philip Read (pread@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Sunday July 05, 2009, 12:27 PM


Newark's Military Park, home to famed Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum's "Wars of America," was to get a cash infusion to begin a transformation of "extremely underutilized" acreage into a destination in the heart of New Jersey's largest city.
In 2004, Essex County signed off on a $295,000 award from its Open Space Trust Fund, one of that year's biggest grants and representing 50 percent of the seed money needed to begin to make the historic 5.1-acre park more inviting -- or into what some envisioned as "Newark's living room."
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/07/large_wars.jpgJohn Munson/The Star-LedgerSculptor Gutzon Borglum's "War of America" is the focul point of Military Park in Newark. An extensive improvement plan for the park has been scuttled.
But now, the gift has been rescinded, the money snatched back.
It was the largest of $527,433 in awards Essex County "repatriated" last month, for the most part because the recipients couldn't -- or wouldn't -- come up with the matching cash.
"We extended and we extended and we extended, and here it is 2009, and the projects were just not going to materialize," Joyce Harley, the county administrator, said at the June 25 meeting of the Essex County board of freeholders.
Some of the rescinded money could more precisely be called a refund. Cedar Grove wrapped up a project to improve trails at Community Park under budget. "It ended up with $675 left over," said Thomas Tucci, the township manager.
In some cases, the lost funds can be retrieved.
Maplewood forfeited $91,350 to add synthetic turf and lights at DeHart Park, the result of a defeated referendum. But days after the freeholder vote rescinding the grant, it regained the money to put toward a $1.6 million DeHart Park makeover that includes natural grass.
"Very good news," Mayor Victor DeLuca said.
The Newark Conservancy lost a $125,000 grant earmarked for renovations at the Oheb Shalom Congregation on Prince Street in Newark.
"Well, it's been difficult to raise funds," said Robin Dougherty, the executive director.
Newark has had similar difficulties.
On May 4, 2004, the City of Newark made an application for half the estimated $590,750 needed to begin Military Park's transformation with the realignment of pathways and entrances, new flower and tree beds, and lights for the adjoining buildings to bathe the park in light.
"On a day-to-day basis, the park is mostly empty," the city's proposal said.
Newark had already partnered with the Newark Alliance and Cogswell Realty to develop a plan to restore the park: They jointly funded a $75,000 study by Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corp., which is credited with energizing New York City's Bryant Park. Ultimately, a complete makeover of Military Park would run $2.9 million, according to Newark's grant application.
But when it came time to match the county's dollars from Newark's capital budget, as outlined in the proposal to "begin the groundwork," the private funds Newark hoped to tap for the project had disappeared, slipping away amid Wall Street's collapse and the national recession, said Toni L. Griffin, Newark's director of community development.
By 2007, the deadline to match had come and gone, and Essex County reclaimed its money.
"Unfortunately, we were not able to take advantage of the grant, which, of course, we were saddened by," said Griffin.
"We think it wouldn't be prudent to go ahead with a capital expansion without a plan to maintain it over time," she said. "As we move into this year and the market begins to uptick a little .â€....â€.... I think we'll be able to bring the project back on line."
In the BRV study, the consultants found that on a 10-point scale of features needed to enliven a public space, Military Park scored a lowly 2. To achieve critical mass as a "lively and popular" locale, the park would need to attract 500 visitors during peak hours.
The consultants suggested seating in the form of 500 movable chairs and 75 tables, movable kiosks, regular event programming and a "sharply detailed park entry" as well as history signs perhaps noting that Thomas Edison's first use of electric lights in a public space was in Military Park.
The park, laid out in 1667, was later an encampment during George Washington's retreat from British forces across New Jersey. In 1776, Thomas Paine camped in a tent there, writing the first lines of his famous essay "These are the Times that Try Men's Souls" in "The American Crisis," according to documents submitted with Newark's grant application.
Douglas Eldridge, executive director of the nonprofit Newark Preservation & Landmarks Committee, said his organization years ago sponsored the Military Park Commons Historic District.
"This is a wonderful opportunity from the county," Eldridge said. "If they're not going to take advantage of that, who do they intend to take care of the park?"
In the days before the long Fourth of July weekend, the park was mostly empty. No water came from a massive rose marble drinking fountain, its pedestal shifted off its base, revealing a stash of empty snack bags beneath. As a farmers market drew a small crowd to the opposite end of the park, Pete Maguire of East Brunswick was out for a lunchtime run.
"Very responsible of them," Maguire said of Newark's decision not to accept the money without a private partner. "Besides, I think the park is in fine shape."

[newarkdevil1]

Its that time again...time to get my favorite munchies for less...Go Newark Restaurant week... for more information check here :

http://www.gonewarkrestaurantweek.com/

[block944]

1 Washington Park spurring redevelopment in Newark, creating a 24/7 city
June 16, 2009
The presence of Rutgers Business School at 1 Washington Park (http://www.business.rutgers.edu/default.aspx?id=1577) will assist in the ongoing redevelopment of the northern end of Newark’s Downtown/Arts District, and Broad Street station area, which has many assets but also many vacant properties.

The new building will bring approximately 3,500 Rutgers Business School students and 150 faculty and staff members to Washington Street and the historic James Street neighborhood, increasing foot traffic, public safety, and the overall attractiveness of the area. The majority of the students will be undergraduate business majors, who will take liberal arts courses on the main part of the campus three blocks to the south and business courses at 1 Washington Park, thereby increasing the Rutgers presence in the James Street district.

“The move of our business school to 1 Washington Park is a major step in the revitalization of the north end of downtown Newark,” said Steven J. Diner, Ph.D., Chancellor of Rutgers University in Newark. “The Broad Street train station is the least leveraged asset in downtown Newark. Revitalization of the area surrounding the station is a critical part of Rutgers-Newark’s goal of creating a vibrant 24/7 campus with retail development that will attract and support a growing student residential population. The move also has sparked the City of Newark’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to redevelop the neighborhood surrounding the Broad Street Station, in partnership with the university.”

As with the recently completed Center for Law and Justice, Rutgers anticipates that 1 Washington Park will quickly become a magnet for community use — from all levels of the residential, corporate, and civic communities, given its adjacency to the Newark Public Library, The Newark Museum, the burgeoning corporate community at the northern end of Broad Street, and the James Street District.

A business school on the move
The facility at 1 Washington Park is the second largest capital investment in Rutgers history. A total of $83 million has been committed for the purchase, complete renovation, and expansion of the facility. The project is being funded by an $18-million state appropriation, $7 million through federal New Market Tax Credits, and the balance invested by Rutgers directly. Another RBS building is to open in 2012 on the Livingston campus, to be a center for Business and Professional Studies.

“This is an appropriate move for the bustling and expanding business school that RBS has become and the only business school that delivers business, science, and technology credentials demanded to drive local, national, and global markets,” said Dean Michael R. Cooper (http://www.business.rutgers.edu/default.aspx?id=1806), PhD. “The new building will provide state-of-the art facilities for the RBS community as well as room for the inevitable growth at the business school.”

[block944]

NJ Expands Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit




http://blog.tstc.org/2009/07/02/nj-expands-urban-transit-hub-tax-credit/

NJ Expands Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit

http://mobilizingtheregion.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/newark_lr.jpg?w=253&h=238Parts of Newark are close to light rail but not commuter rail stations.

Last week, state legislators passed the New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act of 2009, an omnibus bill designed to stimulate private sector development and job growth while revitalizing urban hubs. Sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Joe Roberts, A4048 (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A4500/4048_U2.HTM)/S2299 expands the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit (http://blog.tstc.org/2008/01/16/tod-red-light-camera-bills-pass-nj-lame-duck-legislature/) by broadening the definition of a “transit hub” to include light rail stations and businesses that are located along and utilize rail freight lines, doubling the geographic radius for Camden, and lowering the minimum investment needed to qualify.
The expanded tax credit program will provide a 100% corporate business tax credit to companies planning capital projects that invest at least $50 million and create or relocate 250 jobs within a half-mile of a transit station, and within one mile in Camden.
Similarly, the bill creates an Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program to encourage redevelopment in transit villages, “centers of place,” and port and airport areas. It authorizes Newark and Elizabeth to impose a 5% rental car tax to fund local redevelopment activities.

[stache]

Car rentals are getting on the expensive side.

[block944]

Newark at night: It's not a surprise anymore that the city is alive after dark


http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2009/07/newark_at_night_its_not_a_surp.html

[NoyokA]

I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone can help me with about the area around MLK Blvd. I was involved in the restoration of a couple of the tenements here a couple years back. Looking at google earth it looks like theres some new infill in and around mlk between Muhammad Ali Avenue and Spruce Street. Is it any good or is it more of the same gated garden apartment anti-urban crap that they've been putting up in this area? Is MLK Boulevard still MLK Boulevard or did they rename it High Street yet?

Now this has been eating at me for the longest time. What is the story with this gigantic abandoned housing complex between Muhammad Ali Avenue and Montgomery Street and Barclay and Somerset Streets?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/2964494406_6dc3949566.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2964494322_281f7c7e3a.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2963653955_3bed4edd67.jpg?v=0

It has beautiful bones. If I had the money I'd restore it in a second. I'd hate to see this torn down and replaced with more of the same old disgusting anti-urban developments proliferating in the neighborhood. Looking at google maps it looks a massive housing development was just recently torn down as you can still see the outlines of the foundations immediately to the west between Muhammad Ali Avenue and Montgomery Street and Prince and Barclay Streets. Another two blocks west between Prince and Irvine Turner Boulevard also sits vacant. What was here and for the whole neighborhood for that matter, was it tower in the park public housing or was it as I fear walkup and tenement building stock that could have been nicely restored? Which leads to my second question what happened to this central neighborhood roughly MLK to Springfield to Bergen Street to Muhammad Ali Avenue that lead to such mass abandonment and what looks to be recent attempts at failed urban renewal. Was this one of the worst parts of Newark? Lastly what is planned for the giant empty lots that remain in this stretch is it anything decent or is it more of the same cheap prefab anit-urban HUD housing?

[stache]

The riots were mainly on Springfield.

[Marv95]

Another two blocks west between Prince and Irvine Turner Boulevard also sits vacant. What was here and for the whole neighborhood for that matter, was it tower in the park public housing or was it as I fear walkup and tenement building stock that could have been nicely restored?It was mainly public housing that was torn down. The new developments in that area now aren't HUD-regulated housing, just affordable with a few units at market rate.


Which leads to my second question what happened to this central neighborhood roughly MLK to Springfield to Bergen Street to Muhammad Ali Avenue that lead to such mass abandonment and what looks to be recent attempts at failed urban renewal.The riots, that's what happened. And what's wrong with what's there now? The ant-urban crap is 50 times better than what was before it. Wish there was more of it; it coincides with the big-box retail like Home Depot and chain restaurants like Applebees up the road. What would you put there, out of curiosity?

[NoyokA]

Multifamily housing atleast 3 storeys. Buildings that actually approached the street and with retail. Gated communities are just as bad for cities as tower in the park housing.

[Marv95]

Meh I dunno. Society Hill has actually worked IMO. And because of that exact area(away from downtown, limited mass transit, "anti-urban" development like Applebees and Home Depot[and who knows what else is being planned on Springfield Ave] up the road), it makes since to have that type of housing there. But something like 3+ stories with retail would work downtown.

[NoyokA]

It just seems self-defeating to me. This area is pretty close to downtown.

[Ninjahedge]

Here's the key though.

"Urban" just means city, and it is up to the definition of the user what that really means when you say "anti-urban".

What is it? Country? Do they have stables and a farm? Where's the hay loft?

The only thing that Home Depot screams is "suburban" and "run of the mill". You will getthat EVERYWHERE and it is not any kind of marker of character, soul or identity.

And Applebees is the CHEAPEST of the restaurant chains. TGIF, Bennigans, Houlihans, Ruby Tuesdays. The whole lot screams "mall".

Now, if they could go "Urban Brownstone" and get some classic feel to it, similar to what you have in the village in the city, with possibly a bit more room for comfort, I think THAT would bing people in going "wow, this looks nice!"

As for the development? That would be hard to completely convert Noo. I think that it has good bones, as you described it, but it still looks industrial. I am not for any glass boxes, gated communities, or mall-like neighborhoods, but something like what you showed might be difficult to get all dolled up nice. maybe if it weren't so MANY buildings... Or if they decided to do it SoHo style and rip down some walls and make he units bigger and less cell-block like......

[Marv95]

Now, if they could go "Urban Brownstone" and get some classic feel to it, similar to what you have in the village in the city, with possibly a bit more room for comfort, I think THAT would bing people in going "wow, this looks nice!"You mean what's there on Edison Place across from the arena and what's being planned for Market Street?

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/E/9/C/xy_E9CE6BA6-727C-4384-9F97-500C0D415168__.jpg


http://www.squarefoot.com/Property/NewarkParamount.pdf

[Ninjahedge]

Sort of.

the problem there being that that is all pre-fab. I want to see some real bricklaying out there!!! ;)


You mean what's there on Edison Place across from the arena and what's being planned for Market Street?

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/E/9/C/xy_E9CE6BA6-727C-4384-9F97-500C0D415168__.jpg


http://www.squarefoot.com/Property/NewarkParamount.pdf

[block944]

Championship Plaza Construction has begun!


http://devils.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=MediaGalleryPlayer&galleryId=11994

More info:
http://www.brvcorp.com/park.php?projectID=70

http://www.brvcorp.com/images/projects/project_70_1.jpg
http://www.brvcorp.com/images/nav-map.jpg (http://www.brvcorp.com/map.html) http://www.brvcorp.com/images/title-park.gif NEWARK'S PRUDENTIAL CENTER
Newark Downtown Core Redevelopment Corporation
Newark, NJ
Bill Crawley, Chief Operating Officer

BRV analyzed the sizes and uses of existing and planned public spaces near Newark's Prudential Center arena for the redevelopment agency in charge of the area. BRV strategized on how to make an arena entry plaza flexible enough to be an urban oasis during daytime hours, and a fully-programmed event space for thousands of visitors before arena events. BRV also created a complex programming scheme for the approaches to the arena, synthesizing best practices from around the United States and adding dozens of original, site-specific ideas.

http://www.brvcorp.com/images/projects/project_70_2.jpg




They REALLY got to get the Nets down here asap.

[NoyokA]

As for the development? That would be hard to completely convert Noo. I think that it has good bones, as you described it, but it still looks industrial. I am not for any glass boxes, gated communities, or mall-like neighborhoods, but something like what you showed might be difficult to get all dolled up nice. maybe if it weren't so MANY buildings... Or if they decided to do it SoHo style and rip down some walls and make he units bigger and less cell-block like......

Are you referring to the buildings I posted?

They were apartment buildings. I did some research and found out that the City of Newark exercised a tax lien on the property and sent out a RFP for redevelopment:

http://www.ci.newark.nj.us/userimages/downloads/Douglas%20Harrison%20Presentation.pdf

I'm really hoping someone from Newark can tell me the result of this? Who won, what does their proposal entail? I can't believe there is so little information about this, 12 abandoned buildings with artdeco flourishes taking up two whole City blocks and has an abandoned city park between them, if restored this could be a major boon to Newark.

[NoyokA]

Also the urbanism of this project is great. Built in 1934 it predates other tower in the park housing developments but it leagues ahead of them in terms of city planning. The buildings actually front the street and maintain a streetwall. They are very slender and placed as close to the street as possible, this allows for a real park between them a block in width and two blocks in length, there's no bizarre nooks and empty areas allowing for crime to congregate and dirty dirt lots which is usually the case with the typical "+" shaped tower in the park housing developments. Each apartment is afforded plentiful light and air.

[block944]

http://blauberg.com/rockplaza/welcome.htm



Two outstanding retail spaces located at the Rock Plaza (Edison Market area), just outside the entrance to the new Prudential Center Arena, home to the New Jersey Devils professional hockey team.
Rock Plaza Area Amenities:
• 150 events each year at the 17,500 seat arena
• Located across from Gateway Center
• Walking distance to Penn Station
• Estimated 2 million patrons will visit the Prudential Center this year
• 50,000 college students enrolled in Newark’s six major colleges/universities (e.g., Rutgers, Seton Hall Law, NJIT)
• +1,000 new residential units in Downtown Newark including a fully occupied 300-unit luxury rental within 2 blocks of the site
• Within a 5 block radius + 6 mill SF of fully leased Class A office space w/ national tenants (e.g., Prudential, Verizon, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, IDT, PSE&G, McCarter & English)



http://blauberg.com/rockplaza/images/new_retailplaza.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll314/PruRock07/IMG_2053.jpg

[block944]

I saw some signs posted and did some research. If it wasn't for Sharpe James's nonsense crooked deals this would of started by now

http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/pdfs/080925%20Springfield%20Marketplace%20Sell%20Sheet. pdf


http://www.michelswaldron.com/portfolio/24-springfield_avenue01.jpg




http://hardnewsnj.com/economy/101-large-retail-development-announced-for-newark-

"Springfield Avenue Marketplace" announced for Newark Written by HardNewsNJ staff Friday, 09 January 2009 07:16 A massive retail development has been announced for 11 acres at Springfield Avenue and Jones Street in Newark that will be the city's largest new retail development.
To be built along the Springfield Avenue retail corridor, the development will comprise 200,000 square feet of national, regional, and local retailers. The project is to be constructed by Tucker Development Corp. (http://www.tucerkdevelopment.com/), which acquired the land.
The project is planned toinclude a two-story parking deck as well as storefront parking – enough for 825 free parking spaces - a major attraction in a city known for limited free parking in commercial areas.
The project, to be known as the "Springfield Avenue Marketplace," will servean estimated 280,000 residents, 180,000 office workers and 60,000 college students and faculty. Developers targeted the site because ofits location to UMDNJ.


“Newark has significant demand for new retail centers, as evidenced by the fact that 38 percent of retail purchases are made outside of the city. That’s a loss of $575 million in sales to the city every year,” said Richard Tucker, president and CEO of Tucker Development Corporation, based inHighland Park, IL. “The development of Springfield Avenue Marketplace will help recapture the enormous leakage of retail spending," he added. "It will also provide a necessary resource to neighborhood residents, create employment opportunities, as well as help to increase the city’s tax revenue base.”
Springfield Avenue Marketplace is Tucker’s second major development commitment in Newark. The company also plans to build Liberty Plaza, a $150 million mixed-use development and the first new Class A office building to be developed in the city in more than 15 years.'


http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/images/081007%20SM%20Grocery%20Rendering%20cropped400.jpg




http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/pdfs/081007%20SM%20Grocery%20First%20Floor%20Plan.pdf

http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/pdfs/081007%20SM%20Grocery%20Second%20Floor%20Plan.pdf

http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/pdfs/081007%20SM%20Grocery%20Massing%20Plan.pdf

http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/pdfs/081007%20SM%20Grocery%20Explosion%20Plan.pdf

[The Rock 07]

I always enjoy your updates block, but may I just request that you credit that last photo to me. Thank you!

http://blauberg.com/rockplaza/welcome.htm



Two outstanding retail spaces located at the Rock Plaza (Edison Market area), just outside the entrance to the new Prudential Center Arena, home to the New Jersey Devils professional hockey team.
Rock Plaza Area Amenities:
• 150 events each year at the 17,500 seat arena
• Located across from Gateway Center
• Walking distance to Penn Station
• Estimated 2 million patrons will visit the Prudential Center this year
• 50,000 college students enrolled in Newark’s six major colleges/universities (e.g., Rutgers, Seton Hall Law, NJIT)
• +1,000 new residential units in Downtown Newark including a fully occupied 300-unit luxury rental within 2 blocks of the site
• Within a 5 block radius + 6 mill SF of fully leased Class A office space w/ national tenants (e.g., Prudential, Verizon, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, IDT, PSE&G, McCarter & English)



http://blauberg.com/rockplaza/images/new_retailplaza.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll314/PruRock07/IMG_2053.jpg

[newarkdevil1]

I don't know...Block is starting to post like an optimist...I will be stuck digging up political garbage to post to rebalance this thread ;-)

on another note, I am very psyched about getting my brick inte the plaza, however cheesy that is

[66nexus]

I don't know...Block is starting to post like an optimist...I will be stuck digging up political garbage to post to rebalance this thread ;-)

on another note, I am very psyched about getting my brick inte the plaza, however cheesy that is



I am in full agreeance with the above bolded statement

[block944]

BLOSCHAK: LIGHT RAIL EXTENSION IN BELLEVILLE WOULD INVIGORATE DOWNTOWN AND PROVIDE CONNECTION WITH NEWARK

By Andrew Bloschak (http://www.politickernj.com/user/bloschakforassembly) For Immediate Release:
Contact: Daniel Beckelman
(201)-446-9889




Bloschak: Light Rail Extension in Belleville Would Invigorate Downtown and Provide Connection With Newark



Belleville-Republican Assembly candidate Andrew Bloschak, a lifelong union member and community activist, announced the second part of his light-rail initiative that will bring more jobs, better transportation, and a cleaner environment to his greater Newark district. The second phase of the plan involves turning a scantly used freight track in Belleville and the North Ward of Newark into a light-rail track. This would revitalize Belleville’s Washington Avenue shopping district.
“We’ve seen that light-rail has been a boost for many neighborhoods in nearby Jersey City and has improved public transportation options there,” Bloschak said. “I think a Belleville light-rail service could be the answer to the transportation and retail challenges downtown Belleville has faced since I moved here 25 years ago.”
The expansion would start at the Nutley-Belleville borderline and include station stops at appropriate spots in Belleville including by the Pathmark shopping center, Town Hall, and former Bigelow Motors site near the Newark borderline. The line would then continue to follow the freight track into North Newark, passing through an old industrial site by the McCarter Highway that has been sited for redevelopment. “My hope would be that the light-rail would allow for more sustainable commercial re-development of both these sites and others along the route,” Bloschak said.
Bloschak believes this project will be one way to grow the economy in a district that has been hit hard by the recession. “The revival of the economy and jobs in our district is my number one priority. Under Jon Corzine and his rubber-stamp, Ralph Caputo, jobs and economic opportunities have diminished in our area. That will be reversed when Chris Christie is our Governor and I am your Assemblyman,” Bloschak concluded.

[block944]

URBAN REPUBLICAN BLOSCHAK VOWS TO EXPAND NEWARK LIGHT RAIL INTO IRVINGTON AS ASSEMBLYMAN

By Andrew Bloschak (http://www.politickernj.com/user/bloschakforassembly) For Immediate Release:
Contact: Andrew Bloschak
(201)-705-2257
July 22, 2009

Urban Republican Bloschak Vows To Expand Newark Light Rail System Into Irvington as Assemblyman
Irvington-Urban Republican Assembly candidate Andrew Bloschak announced that one of his first initiatives as an Assemblyman for the 28th District would be to expand the Newark Light Rail System further into the city’s neighborhoods and into the neighboring Township of Irvington. Bloschak would fund the project partially through federal stimulus funds.
“Right now the light-rail system in Newark is great for accessing downtown from the North Ward, but it is simply too limited as it stands. We need better public transportation options from the surrounding communities as well as an economic incentive to redevelop retail areas in Newark and Irvington,” Bloschak said.
Under the candidate’s plan, the light-rail spur would run along Springfield Avenue through Newark’s Central, South and West Wards into Irvington Center and possibly expand to Maplewood. This would revitalize a key retail district in an area with no nearby malls and create new jobs with good wages, as well as make it easier for Newarkers and Irvingtonians to reach the downtown of the state’s largest city. To facilitate the creation of new businesses, Bloschak would support income and property tax incentives specific to urban areas. Bloschak would also want rules requiring local residents to be hired and trained to construct and maintain the route.
“There has been a lot of lip service from politicians over the years about economic revival in urban areas, but this proposal would create jobs, reduce congestion and pollution, and bring back an entire neighborhood. I hope I get the chance as the next Assemblyman from the 28th District so I can work for Newark and Irvington to create this project,” Bloschak concluded.

[block944]

Cogswell is done with Hahne and Griffith

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1249344908286410.xml&coll=1
A Newark vision vanishes with 'For Sale' signs

Tuesday, August 04, 2009 philip read
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Arthur Stern, credited with transforming Newark's tallest buildings from symbols of despair into gleaming towers of a city's rebirth, is retreating on another front in New Jersey's largest city, putting the landmark Hahne & Co. and Griffith Piano Co. buildings up for sale.
"He said, "Things are over, and I'm done.' ... It was very disheartening," said Zemin Zhang, a member of the nonprofit Newark Landmarks & Preservation Committee who attended a meeting where Stern, seated next to a foot-high pile of ill-fated plans for the landmarks, discussed the properties. "It was more than sad. He looked in the other direction."
http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/star_ledger/nn/nnj/@StoryAd?x Stern, chief executive of Cogswell Realty Group, pumped $250 million into reclaiming the 33-story National Newark Building at 744 Broad St. and neighboring 1180 Raymond Blvd. His 2002 acquisition of the long vacant Hahne & Co. flagship store, its neighbor, the Griffith Piano Co. high-rise, and a collection of other properties on the west side of Broad Street came with visions of apartments abutting relatively bustling Halsey Street, near Rutgers University.
"The only person who saves anything is Cogswell," said Elizabeth Del Tufo, another member of the preservation committee.
Now, Stern is stepping back from Newark, keeping his trophies at 744 Broad and 1180 Raymond, but opting to sell the others opposite Military Park and focus on his New York holdings.
At Cogswell's New York office, Stern's assistant said he would not comment.
The 8.6 acres encompassing the Hahne's and Griffith buildings have been listed by Holliday Fenoglio Fowler L.P. of New York for an undisclosed price.
Jon Mikula, HFF's senior managing director, said his team has given tours of the properties to prospective buyers, though he would not identify them.
"It's great real estate. It's important for Newark. Whoever ends up with the property, it will be a successful project," Mikula said.
Jeff Kolodkin, a senior vice president at Grubb & Ellis in Fairfield with in-depth knowledge of the Broad Street market, said the space could be converted into apartments or even dorms but acknowledged the hurdles even Stern and Berger apparently could not overcome.

[Marv95]

URBAN REPUBLICAN BLOSCHAK VOWS TO EXPAND NEWARK LIGHT RAIL INTO IRVINGTON AS ASSEMBLYMAN


I like how they fail to mention the use of the #25 and #1 buses. which both run frequently. It'll be the same as the Broad Street extention: it'll stop for traffic lights and still take as much time to get up there as the bus would if not longer(the 25 buses run express from King Blvd to Grove Street during rush hours). A trackless trolley with the current buses would be better imo.

[scrollhectic]

URBAN REPUBLICAN BLOSCHAK VOWS TO EXPAND NEWARK LIGHT RAIL INTO IRVINGTON AS ASSEMBLYMAN

I think this is a great idea. And Marv, maybe the light rail can replace on of those bus lines because there would be redundancy in service. It would be good for Irvington. Anything right now would be good for Irvington... including the H-bomb. The Springfield ave light rail line should extend into Maplewood which in many areas is an NYC/Newark bedroom community. I think there needs to be one down South Orange ave as well... perhaps to the South Orange train station. And the Bloomfield Ave station should extend to Montclair. The Hudson-Bergen light rail lines are a lot more extensive then the Newark light rail system. The Newark light rail system should be more of an Essex county line. I'm kind of surprised a republican is advocating it...

[scrollhectic]

Cogswell is done with Hahne and Griffith

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1249344908286410.xml&coll=1
A Newark vision vanishes with 'For Sale' signs

Tuesday, August 04, 2009 philip read
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Arthur Stern, credited with transforming Newark's tallest buildings from symbols of despair into gleaming towers of a city's rebirth, is retreating on another front in New Jersey's largest city, putting the landmark Hahne & Co. and Griffith Piano Co. buildings up for sale.
"He said, "Things are over, and I'm done.' ... It was very disheartening," said Zemin Zhang, a member of the nonprofit Newark Landmarks & Preservation Committee who attended a meeting where Stern, seated next to a foot-high pile of ill-fated plans for the landmarks, discussed the properties. "It was more than sad. He looked in the other direction."
http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/star_ledger/nn/nnj/@StoryAd?x Stern, chief executive of Cogswell Realty Group, pumped $250 million into reclaiming the 33-story National Newark Building at 744 Broad St. and neighboring 1180 Raymond Blvd. His 2002 acquisition of the long vacant Hahne & Co. flagship store, its neighbor, the Griffith Piano Co. high-rise, and a collection of other properties on the west side of Broad Street came with visions of apartments abutting relatively bustling Halsey Street, near Rutgers University.
"The only person who saves anything is Cogswell," said Elizabeth Del Tufo, another member of the preservation committee.
Now, Stern is stepping back from Newark, keeping his trophies at 744 Broad and 1180 Raymond, but opting to sell the others opposite Military Park and focus on his New York holdings.
At Cogswell's New York office, Stern's assistant said he would not comment.
The 8.6 acres encompassing the Hahne's and Griffith buildings have been listed by Holliday Fenoglio Fowler L.P. of New York for an undisclosed price.
Jon Mikula, HFF's senior managing director, said his team has given tours of the properties to prospective buyers, though he would not identify them.
"It's great real estate. It's important for Newark. Whoever ends up with the property, it will be a successful project," Mikula said.
Jeff Kolodkin, a senior vice president at Grubb & Ellis in Fairfield with in-depth knowledge of the Broad Street market, said the space could be converted into apartments or even dorms but acknowledged the hurdles even Stern and Berger apparently could not overcome.

I'm sure newark politics had a hand in this. Cogswell seems angry and disheartened. That company has many years combined experience; they can whether an economic storm, but maybe not a NJ political hurricane. No need to mention Berger's name. He was just holding on to Cogswell's coat tail waiting to pick up any change that may overflow from the success of the project that Cogswell would have developped. It's unfortunate because Cogswell seemed passionate about Newark at first and both 744 and Eleven80 are well executed projects. They would have done right by that site. Now who know how long anyone is going to show interest in that area and how much longer it will take to get the political backing to develop that site. Booo Newark! Boooo! :mad:

[Marv95]

I'm sure newark politics had a hand in this. Cogswell seems angry and disheartened. That company has many years combined experience; they can whether an economic storm, but maybe not a NJ political hurricane. No need to mention Berger's name. He was just holding on to Cogswell's coat tail waiting to pick up any change that may overflow from the success of the project that Cogswell would have developped. It's unfortunate because Cogswell seemed passionate about Newark at first and both 744 and Eleven80 are well executed projects. They would have done right by that site. Now who know how long anyone is going to show interest in that area and how much longer it will take to get the political backing to develop that site. Booo Newark! Boooo! :mad:
Maybe there are other sides to this.
a)Where's the money?
b)Stern sat on these projects for 6 years before the market dropped. He had plenty of time to do something with them
c) He probably wanted the same sweetheart tax deals he got from the Sharpe administration, and Booker put his foot down(coincides with a. I guess; see NewarkSpeaks forums)
Still sucks though. Just tear em all down.

[block944]

I'm sure newark politics had a hand in this. Cogswell seems angry and disheartened. That company has many years combined experience; they can whether an economic storm, but maybe not a NJ political hurricane. No need to mention Berger's name. He was just holding on to Cogswell's coat tail waiting to pick up any change that may overflow from the success of the project that Cogswell would have developped. It's unfortunate because Cogswell seemed passionate about Newark at first and both 744 and Eleven80 are well executed projects. They would have done right by that site. Now who know how long anyone is going to show interest in that area and how much longer it will take to get the political backing to develop that site. Booo Newark! Boooo! :mad:


Indeed.... restoring "landmarks" should be secondary to cleaning up a blighted area. Stern wanted to tear down the Griff building as it has decayed so badly that it would cost more to restore it . That is where the problem lies as the political activists blocked the project unless they revitalized the building structure to what it sort of looked like. The building was abandoned for decades with the windows cracked open so the internal structure is damaged from water and mold. Now Cogwell is gone and I'm certain another buyer isn't going to show up for awhile considering the current financial matters. The closest neighbors ...Rutgers ...will not entertain restoring buildings if the cost is more than tearing it down.

Shaq towers went through the same: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E0D91631F937A35755C0A9609C8B 63

[stache]

The location is not great. Far from light rail etc.

[Marv95]

If far you mean 2 blocks away from Washington Park Station or 4 blocks from Military Park station(not to mention along numerous bus lines) then okay... And it's 2 blocks from Rutgers so it has some value to it...

[block944]

The location is not great. Far from light rail etc.


The park and light rail are 2 blocks away with Halsey street and rutgers right behind it which is always pushed as the new Hoboken with trendy bars and nightlife. With canco lofts asking 300k for a 1 bedroom in the middle of nowhere in Jersey City then I would say the market is very strong for purchasing a condo in a downtown area near mass transit and close to nyc.

[stache]

I can see the Rutgers proximity as being a plus.

[block944]

http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/

Newarkers on the river! (http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/newarkers-on-the-river/) July 31, 2009, 12:24 pm
Filed under: Down by the river (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/down-by-the-river/), Newark (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/newark/)
The first of a series of Newark Riverfront Boat Tours took place the weekend of July 25, 2009. The group spent two hours on the water traveling from the southern stretches just north of the Port to near Newark’s border with Belleville, carried on boats provided and operated by Captain Bill and Hugh from the Hackensack Riverkeeper. This and other upcoming riverfront programs are generously funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/1.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/1.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/containers.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/containers.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/5.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/5.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/diamond.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/diamond.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/4.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/4.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/riverfrontpark.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/riverfrontpark.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/2.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/2.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/pennbridge.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/pennbridge.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/31.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/31.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/6.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/6.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/upbridge.jpg?w=225&h=300 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/upbridge.jpg)http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/tanks.jpg?w=300&h=225 (http://newarksriver.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/tanks.jpg)

[block944]

FWIW:


There are plenty of plans, but no one willing to invest. My company tried building a hotel next to the new stadium, but financing just wasn’t available at a reasonable rate. And this was before the crisis of last year. After that hit, the entire project went up in smoke. The city has tried to provide tax breaks for development, but they really have to choose between tax breaks for wealthy businesses or subsidize their poor residents. You can tell which one wins. It will be a long time, if ever, that newark emerges from its mess. sure has the potential, esp. with its location and mass transit options.

[block944]

Monday, August 03, 2009

New Walgreens


I went to the Home Depot on Springfield Avenue at Fairmount Avenue yesterday and was startled to see a new building where there hadn't been one last year. On September 17, 2008, I showed this picture of the Cleveland Elementary School as seen from the Home Depot parking lot.


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1fvo5fiLmcM/SNC8Ec9rbSI/AAAAAAAAGhQ/PsB3mk_btg8/s800/ClvldSc1.jpg
Yesterday, a new building blocked part of the earlier view. Newark is not remotely as ever-changing, and quickly changing, as Manhattan, but there is enuf new popping up that you might be surprised if you haven't been to a given neighborhood in several months.


http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1fvo5fiLmcM/SnpjqkpGqGI/AAAAAAAAQHA/iEMoneDMq0A/s800/BStWalgr.jpg
I didn't check out the hours of that new location at the time, nor if they do inkjet cartridge refills. The Walgreens.com website shows the store as being at 361 Bergen Street, Newark 07103; (973) 622-3021, Store Number 12064; and offers this further useful bit of information: "SWC of Bergen & Springfield". Hours are 8am-10pm every day for the store overall; for the pharmacy, 8am-10pm Mon.-Fri.; 9am-6pm Sat.; 10am-6pm Sun. But that new store doesn't do inkjet cartridge refills. The Irvington Avenue Walgreens on Manor Drive in Ivy Hill is somewhat closer to me, does do refills, and is open 24 hours a day (tho refills are done only till about 9:30pm). And Hewlett Packard apparently has put some kind of coding on its tricolor cartridges banning refill (at $13) by Walgreens' equipment, because I have taken at least three different color cartridges to Walgreens and all three were shown as not refillable because of "the electronics".
+
I can refill HP black cartridges (also $13; when Walgreens first started to do refills, the charge was $10 for black, $15 for color), and I can set my K60 printer (multifunction machine) to print black only, but the machine resists printing if either cartridge reports empty. I have recently had an infuriating problem. The printer insists on "aligning" the cartridges, and printing an align page, wasting ink and paper. And today it reported repeatedly that the align process failed, so would not let me print, nor cancel, because it couldn't align the cartridges. I wonder if that is because the color cartridge ($40 new!) is empty. Whatever the reason, I couldn't print a thing until I accidentally found a workaround. I turned the printer off in frustration, then later issued the Print command from within WordPerfect, forgetting the machine was off. A 'this print job failed to print' error message box came up, whereupon I realized the printer was off. I turned the printer on, and it printed. I did this twice successfully, but don't know if it will continue to work.
+
I also don't know if it is safe to spend $40 (plus tax) on a new color cartridge, or if the machine will insist on printing an align page with expensive color ink. Ideally I should make sure I have color-printing capability within a day or two, because I got a parking ticket I want to fite by showing fotos that prove there was no sign prohibiting parking where I parked, and those fotos would probably be clearer in color than b&w. I'll try this other empty color cartridge, fresh from the printer, at Walgreens Ivy Hill, and if that doesn't work, see if they have a generic cartridge that will fit my K60 or I have to go to Staples. There is, alas, no Staples in Newark. So maybe I'll just offer b&w proof.
posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 11:59 PM (http://newarkusa.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-walgreens.html) links to this post (http://newarkusa.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-walgreens.html#links)

[block944]

Newark unveils second phase of $21M affordable housing project

by David Giambusso (dgiambusso@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Tuesday August 11, 2009, 4:16 PM


NEWARK -- The second phase of a $21 million housing project was officially unveiled today by the Newark Housing Authority, opening 43 units of state-of-the art public housing units for some of Newark's poorest families.
"This gives people a chance to really grow with dignity and be a proud contributor to the neighborhood," said authority Director Keith Kinard.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/08/large_newark-housing.JPGJennifer Brown/The Star-LedgerThe exterior of the $21 million affordable housing project in Newark today unveiled by city officials.
Oak Brook square -- on the 400 block of Clinton Avenue -- features one- two- and three-bedroom townhouse-style homes with energy efficient appliances, central air conditioning, and and recycled glass counter tops.
According to Kinard the design and construction of the homes -- all of which are income based, affordable housing -- represents a new approach to public housing that departs from the traditional "super-block projects" and provides individual, well manicured homes for low-income, working families.
The complex unveiled today is roughly identical to the Park Place complex opened (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/newark_opens_first_soontobe_fu.html) in June.
Previous coverage
April 28 -- Newark receives high marks from federal government for Section 8 program (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/newark_housing_authority_gets.html)
April 14 -- Newark's East Ward affordable housing project set to begin (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/affordable_housing_project_to.html)
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/08/large_clinton-housing.jpgGoogle MapsThe 400 block on Clinton Avenue in Newark, the home of the new affordable housing complex unveiled today.

See more in Essex County (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/essex_county/), Newark Live (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/newark_live/), News (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/news/)

[block944]

http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/


From “Brick City Bike Collective Puts Newark Back on the Bicycle Map (http://blog.tstc.org/2009/08/13/brick-city-bike-collective-puts-newark-back-on-the-bicycle-map/trackback/)” published today in Mobilizing the Region, a blog of the transportation advocacy group Tri-State.

Since the middle of the last century, Newark has been an autocentric place that is hostile to cyclists. Wide roads like McCarter Highway bisect communities and encourage speeding, while broken glass and potholes increase the chances of a crash. The Collective is working get more Newarkers out on bikes, make drivers more aware of bikers and encourage city planners to implement bike-friendly policies and infrastructure. So far, the group has 60 members.
At its inaugural ride, the Collective traveled up Beaver Street through Branch Brook Park, ending at Independence Park in the Ironbound. Members got the unique opportunity to chat with their Mayor in an informal setting.
“Enjoying Newark on two wheels is a vision I share with many others, and Newark has the potential to be a truly green, bike-able city,” BCBC member Elizabeth Reynoso told TSTC staffer Zoe Baldwin during the ride. “The Brick City Bike Collective taps into that, giving riders a voice and building a community that will encourage more and more people to get around the city by bike.”

In late July, the group tabled at the Lincoln Park Music Festival, handing out spoke cards, bike safety coloring books and collecting information on where people commonly ride in Newark. Free bike maintenance and a “bike waterfall,” built by members Ryan Reedell and Marie Pasquariello, were popular with the crowd.
Cool! Things are rolling!




http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3823752351_09056ba8ab.jpg

[scrollhectic]

I noticed some work being done today on the Fireman's Insurance Building on the corner of broad & market. People were on the scaffolding & material was being brought up on a pully. I know someone posted on here that the scaffolding was erected for preventative maintenance as the building is old & falling apart. Is it too much to hope that its being renovated?

--- I am now officially a Newark resident! Moved to the Colonnades.

[Marv95]

I noticed some work being done today on the Fireman's Insurance Building on the corner of broad & market. People were on the scaffolding & material was being brought up on a pully. I know someone posted on here that the scaffolding was erected for preventative maintenance as the building is old & falling apart. Is it too much to hope that its being renovated?

--- I am now officially a Newark resident! Moved to the Colonnades.
For right now the building is for maintenance but who knows what the near future holds.

I feel for ya. Sadly the Colonnades are a step or two above the Pavilion. But how do you like it? Couldn't find anything on Mt Prospect Ave. in Forest Hill?

[block944]

http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060498.JPG

[block944]

Bleak Bears

(http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060749.JPG) “Gee what more stuff could we possibly do?”
That quote, blasted through the sound system by the Riverfront Stadium announcer, essentially sums it up for the Newark Bears. They bring in former major leaguers like Carl Everett and Keith Foulke to place competitive team on the field with some star power. They bring in celebrities from all walks of life – from Colin Powell to Queen Latifah to Whitey Ford to Artie Lange – to generate a buzz and throw out first pitches.
http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060735-300x225.jpg (http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060735.JPG)Artie Lange throws out the first pitch during the Bears' 6-5 loss to the Camden Riversharks on Tuesday.

Fan-friendly activities like a bounce house, balloon artists, face-painters, kids running the bases, chicken wing eating contests and even Newark Idol (a riff on moneybags American Idol) occupy nearly every second of downtime in the park. A mascot duo prance around the park to put smiles on kids’ faces.
The team has even gone so far (about 70 years back in time, that is) to pay homage to the Negro League’s Newark Eagles, logos and merchandise commemorating the defunct squad easily spotted in and around the ballpark.
http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060733-225x300.jpg (http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060733.jpg)Signs like these are all along Broad Street around the stadium.

Hell, its cheaper to catch a game than a flick.
On paper, the Bears are pulling out all the stops to make it work in Newark. The reality, though, is that the games look like a morgue. The sparse crowd is dead, as the PA announcer’s fan prompts echo off the right field wall.
http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060742-300x225.jpg (http://glocallynewark.com/files/2009/08/P1060742.JPG)The crowd...

Even to someone like me, big on getting rowdy with friends at the ballpark regardless of who’s there, the lack of atmosphere is disheartening.
It makes me wonder, how much longer can this keep up before someone says, “Okay, enough. Time to pack it up, boys. It’s not happening here.”
Because honestly, what more stuff could they possibly do?

[NYatKNIGHT]

Not to mention the stadium has its own light rail stop now. What's the status of the abandoned hotel across the street - Lincoln hotel? What I'm getting at is that it would help if the neighborhood was a little more vibrant instead of being a little creepy. Still, it isn't shocking it will take time to get the public "out there" to Newark for any reason, but I'd imagine many would return after attending a game. I do like that rooftop bar in right field.

[block944]

Free Newark Riverfront Boat Tours – August 22 and 23 (http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/free-newark-riverfront-boat-tours-august-22-and-23/) August 14, 2009, 7:41 pm
Filed under: Down by the river (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/down-by-the-river/), Newark (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/newark/)
The next four public boat tours are scheduled for Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23. These boat tours are free and open to the public, and look at the history and future of the Newark Riverfront.
Space is limited-RSVP to save your seat today!


Saturday, August 22, 9:15-12:30 pm
Saturday, August 22, 12:15-3:30 pm
Sunday, August 23, 9:15-12:30 pm
Sunday, August 23, 12:15-3:30 pm

RSVP to newarkriverfront [at] gmail.com (newarkriverfront@gmail.com) or (973) 733-5918. Once your reservation is confirmed, you will receive the meeting location and other information.
See photographs of other recent tour here (http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/newarkers-on-the-river/).




http://newarksriver.wordpress.com/

[block944]

Not to mention the stadium has its own light rail stop now. What's the status of the abandoned hotel across the street - Lincoln hotel? What I'm getting at is that it would help if the neighborhood was a little more vibrant instead of being a little creepy. Still, it isn't shocking it will take time to get the public "out there" to Newark for any reason, but I'd imagine many would return after attending a game. I do like that rooftop bar in right field.


Gosh I didn't know it was that bad!

Artie Lange throws out first pitch for Newark Bears (video)

August 19, 1:19 AMhttp://image.examiner.com/img/greydot.gifHoward Stern Examiner (http://www.examiner.com/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner)http://image.examiner.com/img/greydot.gifLiz Brown

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http://image2.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Baseball_picnik%283%29.jpg
Morguefile Photo/Alvimann
Howard Stern Show (http://www.examiner.com/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m8d2-Seth-Rogan-talks-about-Katherine-Heigls-diss-on-The-Howard-Stern-Show) co-host Artie Lange (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m8d15-Fans-nominate-Artie-Lange-for-next-Mayor-of-Hoboken-New-Jersey) avoided pulling the dreaded “Baba Booey (http://www.examiner.com/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m5d26-Who-is-Baba-Booey-video)” at Tuesday night’s Newark Bears (http://events.examiner.com/venue.aspx?venue_id=14970&perf_id=1044503) minor league baseball game against the Camden Sharks. Artie Lange threw a solid, steady pitch in the dirt and then trotted off the mound without to a crowd what appears to be--about six people.
Artie Lange (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m7d10-Artie-Lange-busted-for-driving-Nissan-Sentra) accepted the Newark Bears’ invitation to throw out the first pitch after months of tormenting Howard Stern Show producer Gary “Baba Booey (http://www.examiner.com/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m5d26-Who-is-Baba-Booey-video)” Dell’Abate for Dell’Abate’s humiliating first pitch performance at the New York Mets game back in May. Baba Booey’s infamous pitch at the Mets game has been touted as one of the worst first pitches in history, and has made dozens of sports blooper reels nationwide. Baba Booey later auctioned off the errant ball for charity, raising more than $18,000.
While Baba Booey’s (http://www.examiner.com/x-11279-Howard-Stern-Examiner%7Ey2009m5d26-Who-is-Baba-Booey-video)first pitch has provided Howard Stern Show listeners with months of entertainment, the most interesting thing about Artie Lange’s first pitch at the Neward Bears game was that there only appeared to be about six people in the audience.
Go Bears.
Watch video of Artie Lange’s pitch at the Newark Bears game here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAx1HeyuH_A&feature=player_embedded

[Marv95]

Not to mention the stadium has its own light rail stop now. What's the status of the abandoned hotel across the street - Lincoln hotel? What I'm getting at is that it would help if the neighborhood was a little more vibrant instead of being a little creepy. Still, it isn't shocking it will take time to get the public "out there" to Newark for any reason, but I'd imagine many would return after attending a game. I do like that rooftop bar in right field.
The Bears' job isn't to attract the suburbanites. They should be trying to market themselves within the local community, which they've done a terrible job doing. A lack of a MLB affiliation doesn't help either. If they were affiliated with the Washington Nationals their crowds will improve.

Again, the arena has attracted 3 million people and NJPAC at times gets bigger crowds than the Bears so you can't blame it on the city. It's ignorance.

[NYatKNIGHT]

Ignorance by who exactly? If you mean those doing the marketing, that does sound like it is the problem based on what's been posted here, but as they asked, "what more could we do"? I guess that is the question.

[66nexus]

^It's ignorance by the team's marketers. They are trying all the wrong formulas to attract crowds.

I believe they want the NJPac, Prucenter star-power but they're definitely going to have to go about it a different way (i.e. getting MUCH more engaged with community baseball events.) If nothing else, to get Newarkers to even realize that there is a Bears stadium on the riverfront.

[block944]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kztKYvzqoeM

[block944]

Block by block Newark continues its urban transformation



http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/images/stories/misc/ribbon082009_opt.jpg (http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/images/stories/misc/ribbon082009_opt.jpg)Mayor Cory Booker cuts ribbon at affordable housing project

BY JOSH CHAPIN

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Every time Rashida Muhammad sets foot in her apartment, she cannot believe its size.
"This place...it's beautiful, it's spacious," Muhammad said. "It's a pleasure to have."
Muhammad was just one of several tenants on hand showing their apartments off for the opening of the housing development at 132-136 Hawthorne Avenue in Newark.
Mayor Cory A. Booker and several other officials from the Episcopal Development Corporation (ECD) joined residents for the ceremony. The complex contains two one-bedroom units, two two-bedrooms and four three-bedrooms.
The building is also the final phase of the 21-unit Low Income Housing tax credit project sponsored by ECD, including 10 homes for formerly homeless households which opened in Fall 2008. The City gave $1.3 million in HOME funds for all 21 units and a long-term property tax abatement to support the project.
"...Day by day, block by block, brick by brick, we are building a stronger, safer and prouder city," Booker noted. "This project is especially important to me on a personal level because I live on this block and passed by the blight that existed previously every day. Today we are seeing the power that can happen as a result of our commitment to make Newark a place for everyone and mow each of these apartment units are homes to a family in need so they can fulfill their dreams."
Gail Eunice is one of the residents hoping to carry out her dreams. While she lived in East Orange, she had longed to move back to her birthplace of Newark.
Several months ago, Eunice drove by this development on Hawthorne Avenue and called the number on the side of the building. Now she feels right at home.
"We need more of these buildings," Eunice said. "These buildings are secure and stay locked. It is really not a bad place at all; it's real quiet."
Gerard Haizel, executive director of ECD, said the process for landing an apartment was on a first-come, first-served basis and at one point the wait list grew as high as 200 people.
ECD was a recent recipient of $4.4 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding to rehabilitate over 60 foreclosed properties for sale to low- and moderate-income families in Newark and Irvington.
"Today is a real testament to the city and the people who are working hard in Newark to create more affordable housing opportunities," said Trace Battis, chief of programs for the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMA). "I'm so happy for the new tenants who will be walking through these doors into their beautiful new homes."
Later in the afternoon, Mayor Booker and other City dignitaries came together with West Ward residents to re-open West End Park, a 25,000 square foot space. Newark is in the midst of its largest parks initiative in nearly half a century.

[scrollhectic]

http://www.globest.com/newspics/nej_260-washington-st.jpg
260 Washington St.
By Alyson Grala (http://www.globest.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.author.contact.view?client_id=globest&story_id=180559&title=Massey%20Knakal%20Sells%20Retail%20Building&author=Alyson%20Grala&address=http%3A//www.globest.com/news/1478%5F1478/newjersey/180559%2D1.html&summary=NEWARK%2DA%20%24980%2C000%20all%2Dcash%20t ransaction%20took%20the%20three%2Dstory%20260%20Wa shington%20St.)



NEWARK-The three-story retail property at 260 Washington St. recently sold to 260 Washington LLC in a $980,000 all-cash transaction to Fleet Washington LLC. The 20,880-square-foot retail property sits on an 87-foot by 80-foot footprint. There are eight fully occupied suites with lease expirations staggering over the next four years. The property is located half a block from the Market Street Retail Corridor and two blocks from the Prudential Center.


The close proximity of 260 Washington to universities, office buildings and arts and entertainment venues makes it an ideal candidate for residential conversion. In recent months, residential development in Newark’s Downtown has been spurred by the "Living Downtown Plan," which streamlines the permitting and approval process for these conversions.

The plan builds on revitalization strategies in comparable downtowns, including Center City Philadelphia and Oakland. Thanks to input from the city’s institutional, business and resident stakeholders, the plan represents a comprehensive vision for Newark’s central business district--replacing a diverse collection of plans, all covering different boundaries or concentrating on specific rather than comprehensive goals.

The company declined to provide any additional information, but according to Massey Knakal’s website, total annual operating expenses will run around $30,000, with gross monthly income at $12,139 and gross annual income in the $146,000 range, for a total net operating income of close to $116,000.

[scrollhectic]

In recent months, residential development in Newark’s Downtown has been spurred by the "Living Downtown Plan," which streamlines the permitting and approval process for these conversions.

When I first moved to downtown LA in 2002, they implemented a process that made it easier for redevelopment of older office buildings and the downtown area really took off after the first few successful projects. The growth was exponential and downtown LA is completely different now. Thank God Newark finally caught on.

[block944]

^It's ignorance by the team's marketers. They are trying all the wrong formulas to attract crowds.

I believe they want the NJPac, Prucenter star-power but they're definitely going to have to go about it a different way (i.e. getting MUCH more engaged with community baseball events.) If nothing else, to get Newarkers to even realize that there is a Bears stadium on the riverfront.

... this is part of the problem too?


Free Newark Bears Tickets Now Available!



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Free Newark Bears Tickets Now Available!
Newark Bears Fans! Are you ready for another great baseball season?
A limited number of free tickets are available to NJIT students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Contact Dottie Wright in the Campus Center Office at wrightd@njit.edu or X3601 (Monday - Thursday from 10am - 4pm to reserve your tickets).

[block944]

http://photos.nj.com/photos/star-ledger/c5af82c763f5629807da6c1c104c092e.jpg



Thats the park being created across the street from me


http://photos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/03/3_excapp_aristide.html


Artistic rendering of the Essex County Veterans Memorial Park

Added by Aristide Economopoulos (http://photos.nj.com/user/Aristide%20Economopoulos) on March 16, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr., left, Essex County Sherrif Armando Fontoura and Tony Caprigleone of the Nutley AMVETS Lodge 30, tour the area of the new Essex County Veterans Memorial Park. NEWARK, NJ, USA, Photo by Aristide Economopoulos-The Star-Ledger

[block944]

The Newark Municipal Council approved the Broad Street Station District Redevelopment Plan, of which the NJIT Gateway Plan (http://gateway.njit.edu/ (http://gateway.njit.edu/)) is a subset, and approved a Redevelopment Agreement between the City and NJIT designating NJIT Redeveloper of properties north of campus, plus the NJIT parking lot bounded by Raymond Blvd. and Colden and Warren Sts., which comprise the Gateway Plan area. The Gateway Project, to be funded through private investment, is focused on neighborhood retail and entertainment enhancements for the enjoyment of the community and for NJIT, providing living opportunities that will make NJIT an attractive destination for students, faculty, and staff, and a "Greek Village" that will contribute to growing our fraternity and sorority population. As Redeveloper, NJIT is responsible for overseeing proper execution of the plan and has access to tax and funding incentives that can be provided to private investors and developers to make implementation financially attractive.

[block944]

Construction resumes on Newark's Ferry Street project

by Chanta L. Jackson (chanta_jackson@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Monday August 31, 2009, 6:30 AM


Work has resumed on the Ferry Street streetscape redevelopment project in an effort to complete Phase 1A of the Ferry Street Streetscape Project between Jefferson and Madison Streets that began last fall. The work is being done by Berto Construction of Newark.

During construction, vehicles will be detoured at Jefferson Street between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. to maintain safety in the construction area. Westbound traffic toward downtown Newark will be permitted.
Mayor Cory Booker and Councilman Augusto Amador worked with the Newark Municipal Council, Urban Enterprise Zone Authority and the Ironbound Business Improvement District (IBID) to obtain more than $3 million dollars in additional state funding for the streetscape project. Construction for Phase 1B, which will start at Polk Street and move up to Madison Street, will begin in late September.
Construction will be suspended during the holidays, between Thanksgiving on Nov. 26 and New Year's Day 2010. Construction for this phase is expected to be completed by Spring 2010.
"If you need information or experience construction-related problems such as excessive noise and dirt, blockage of your building, injury or unsafe conditions, we urge you to contact us immediately so that corrective action or assistance can take place," said Seth A. Grossman, IBID executive director.

[block944]

http://www.dgarchitects.com/index.php?id=1253


BAT district lofts in Newark

In Newark, the BAT District Lofts at 368 Broad St. will receive $6.7 million in aid and tax credits to help finance a 68-unit building that will include 18 low- and 15 moderate- income apartments. Brick Towers at Montgomery and Quit man Streets will get $4.9 million in aid and tax credits to provide 80 affordable apartments. And Newark Genesis Apartments at Mount Pleasant Avenue and Oriental Street will receive $3 million in aid and tax credits to provide 51 affordable units.

[block944]

http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/060909nets.jpg
When we derided the bait-and-switch redesign (http://gothamist.com/2009/06/05/atlantic_yards_nets_arena_from_worl.php) of developer Bruce Ratner's Nets arena as "a banal homage to any number of unremarkable field house arenas across America," some readers accused us of snobbery. But isn't that the same anti-elitist attitude that gave America eight years with a simian president just because the knuckle draggers found him folksy? That's not to say Gehry's scrapped design was the Obama of arenas, but you can certainly imagine, say, Sarah Palin feeling right at home watching some arena football in this eyesore (above). And Nicolai Ouroussoff at the Times gets it (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/arts/design/09arena.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss):
Whatever you may have felt about Mr. Gehry’s design — too big, too flamboyant — there is little doubt that it was thoughtful architecture. His arena complex, in which the stadium was embedded in a matrix of towers resembling falling shards of glass, was a striking addition to the Brooklyn skyline; it was also a fervent effort to engage the life of the city below. A new design by the firm Ellerbe Becket has no such ambitions. A colossal, spiritless box, it would fit more comfortably in a cornfield than at one of the busiest intersections of a vibrant metropolis. Its low-budget, no-frills design embodies the crass, bottom-line mentality that puts personal profit above the public good. If it is ever built, it will create a black hole in the heart of a vital neighborhood.
But what’s most offensive about the design is the message it sends to New Yorkers. Architecture, we are being told, is something decorative and expendable, a luxury we can afford only in good times, or if we happen to be very rich. What’s most important is to build, no matter how thoughtless or dehumanizing the results. It is the kind of logic that kills cities — and that has been poisoning this one for decades.
And on and on he goes, calling the new design "as glamorous as a storage warehouse"... "a monstrosity" and "a shameful betrayal of the public trust, one that should enrage all those who care about this city." The article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/arts/design/09arena.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss) is one of those fun, scathing indictments that come around now and then to warm your heart. But what matters now are the hearts and minds of the Empire State Development Corporation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Development_Corporation), which will now decide whether to approve this boondoggle.




http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/arts/design/09arena.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss

[block944]

Looks like everyone is heading south:

Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 9:47am EDT
BDSI to close Newark office; CSO Mannino resigns

Triangle Business Journal - by Jeff Drew (http://www.bizjournals.com/search/results.html?Ntt=%22Jeff%20Drew%22&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial) Triangle Business Journal



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http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/336941-120-0-1.jpg (http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/336941-0-0-1.jpg) Steve Wilson
BDSI CEO Mark Sirgo says the company opted to move forward in a more cost-efficient manner.
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BioDelivery Sciences International (http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/gen/BioDelivery_Sciences_International_F5E35FAD2F4242B 49A456C636F0A4E53.html) will close its laboratory and other operations in Newark, N.J., and Chief Scientific Officer Raphael Mannino will resign effective Sept. 30 – moves that the Raleigh-based company says will produce savings of nearly $1 million a year.
The Newark facility has served as BDSI’s laboratory for the development of Bioral Amphotericin B, a treatment for fungal infections such as esophageal candidiasis and parasitic diseases such as Leishmaniasis. With the drug now in human trials, BDSI determined that it no longer needed the Newark facility and that it could consolidate operations into the company’s Raleigh headquarters.
BDSI (Nasdaq: BDSI) will shutter the Newark operation by Sept. 30, the same date on which Mannino will resign from his roles as CSO and executive vice president.
The company says it is in negotiations to sublicense the Bioral technology to Mannino for the development of certain drugs. BDSI would keep all rights to Bioral Amphotericin B.
The Bioral technology is an encapsulation approach designed to facilitate the development of orally administered versions of drugs previously available only through intravenous administration such as injections. BDSI licenses the technology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey.
“On behalf of our board of directors and management, I want to sincerely thank Dr. Mannino for the significant contributions he has made to BDSI as the inventor of the Bioral technology and a founder of BDSI’s predecessor in 1995, as well as in his capacity as a long time officer and former director of the company,” said Mark Sirgo, BDSI’s CEO. “We look forward to continuing our discussions with Dr. Mannino on a potential sublicense of certain Bioral applications, which would allow him to continue his dedication to the advancement of this technology and also allow BDSI and its stockholders to potentially participate in the benefits thereof in the future.”
BDSI has third-party vendors lined up to manufacture clinical supplies of Bioral Amphotericin B.
“We continue to believe in the value of the Bioral drug delivery platform and, in particular, the significant potential for Bioral Amphotericin B,” Sirgo said. “We believe our actions announced today will allow us to capture and progress the most advanced potential Bioral application in a more cost effective manner.”

[stache]

block it looks like your park is almost finished! :)

[block944]

A green oasis for residents of Pilgrim Baptist Village in Newark

Posted by Barry Carter (bcarter@starledger.com)/Star-Ledger Columnist September 03, 2009 8:00PM

Categories: Must-See (http://blog.nj.com/njv_barry_carter/mustsee/)
NEWARK -- In the 14 years she has lived at Pilgrim Baptist Village in Newark, Shirley James never had a reason to sit on her balcony.
Tall weeds were the playground for rodents, some so big you could put a saddle on them. The barren land below her window was a dumping ground for residents and commuters to get rid of whatever: Washing machines, tires, all manner of construction debris. It was there for decades, casting what James calls "a bad spirit," over the neighborhood.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_barry_carter/2009/09/large_nat%20turner%20park%20view%20pilgrim%20bapti st%20village.JPGJerry McCrea/The Star-LedgerThe view looking east of Nat Turner Park from an apartment balcony of Pilgrim Baptist village, in this Sept. 1, 2009 photo.
What a nice view does for the spirit would seem to be not in dispute. People pay millions for it, along Central Park or the shore, on majestic hills and mountains across the country. What's in a view? Some kind of food for the soul, perhaps. James and her neighbors were lucky. The city and a national agency that crusades for more urban green space. recently built a park near them and what it has done for their sense of peace and calm is worth a million, they say.
The expanse of green is Nat Turner Park, a nine-acre swatch turned into an urban treasure in the Central Ward. It's the kind of space where people congregate and relax. Here's a safe place for children to play, the kind of space you just look at and life feels a little better. One of those intangibles poor people can seldom afford or enjoy
The trees and a combination of annuals and perennials planted near walking paths give the landscape a fiery energy, backed by a grassy hillside rolling up toward Pilgrim Baptist.
"All we do is go out on the porch and enjoy the view," James said, looking toward her 28-year-old autistic son. "I just love it. I just love it."
http://blog.nj.com/njv_barry_carter/2009/09/medium_nat-turner.JPGJerry McCrea/The Star-LedgerAntunet Womble, 2, of Newark, enjoys the cool fountain waters while playing at new Nat Turner Park in Newark.
Smack in the middle of this expanse of environment is a new football field and track, a 200-seat amphitheater embedded into the hillside. On the other side of the field is a children's playground and water sprinklers. You can hear them laughing and the older kids splashing at a city pool and recreation center, a facility that looked vacant when the weeds and debris dominated the landscape. The pool and its center have a home now. It looks like it's a part of something. Finally.
Depending on where you stand, the view continues with a new Central High School and trendy looking townhouses on its backside.
The park anchors the outdoor complex, serving as a focal point for activity. To look at it, you would never think this neighborhood was once the footprint of failed high-rises demolished in the 1990s.
Now, as early as 6 a.m, people are out walking or running laps around the track. Some come in the evening just before park lights cast a tranquil glow over the grounds.
Some residents worry that change will bring gentrification, making the area too pricey for the poor. Pilgrim Baptist is privately owned and residents like John Odom fear it could be sold to developers.
The park is a cooperative venture, spearheaded in part by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit park development organization based in San Francisco that works with communities and cities to create green open space in urban areas around the country.
Odom was one of a core of residents who attended the planning meetings the Trust held before the park was built. He says he and his fellow residents are now being vigilant about protecting the beauty that's come into their lives.
"We have to continue to organize with tenants to ward off any potential outside interest," Odom said. "This should be preserved for good tenants."
Annie Smith, a home health aide, normally walks through the park, but this day she sat a few moments to think about her mom, who just had both legs amputated because of diabetes. Smith didn't want to leave the park. It was that comforting, a sort of emotional battery charge helping her consider how to help her mom. On another level, though, one more personal, Smith said the park made her feel proud to live in Newark and not to have left it as she had once been thinking.
"I just feel so relaxed," she said. "I feel so good, like I can tackle anything. I had no idea it was going to be like this. This is beautiful.
The park, in all its infancy, makes Rashidah Jefferson want to cry. Kids are playing again. People are exercising. Pop Warner and high school teams are practicing. Cheerleaders are doing their thing.This is what she sees from her second-floor apartment in a senior citizen building a few blocks away. It looks even better from the ninth floor when she visits a friend.
"This puts some joy inside my tears," Jefferson said.

[block944]

During the 1990 construction of the Central Avenue Building, NJIT’s contractors discovered gasoline contamination in the bedrock below the site. NJIT has worked with its environmental consultant, TRC Environmental Corporation, under the regulatory oversight of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to investigate the extent of the contamination

NJIT has regularly monitored the site for gasoline vapors in the atmosphere in and near the library; no organic vapors have ever been detected. The contamination is present approximately 20 feet below the surface. Users of the library, other building occupants and pedestrians do not come in contact with the constituents detected in ground water.

Pursuant to new regulations from NJDEP, a sign is posted on the Bleeker Street side of the Central Avenue Building providing contact information for the NJDEP Office of Community Relations or TRC Environmental Corporation.

We will continue to monitor the site, working closely with NJDEP and TRC.

Should you want to address questions through me, please feel free to call x5279.

[stache]

Me who?

[scrollhectic]

Newark opens its first skate park


Wednesday, September 02, 2009 STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Ollies, grinds and feebles were among moves on display yesterday at the opening of Newark's only skateboard park -- the first part of a three-phase program to revamp Jesse Allen Park and provide some uncommon diversions for Newark kids.

"If Jesse Allen were physically alive today, he would have looked out here and seen all of God's people," said the Rev. Levin West, pastor of the Grace Reformed Baptist Church, as he looked out over a crowd of neighborhood kids, community leaders and professional skaters who had come out to display the aerial possibilities of the newly designed skate park on Avon Avenue.

David Dowd, owner of the Division East skate shop in Montclair, showed off the quarter pipes, rails, and hubba-ledges that he helped design for the park with the help of his uncle, Daniel Dowd, a local landscape architect. Dowd said Newark has been a destination for ambitious skaters and the design is meant to mimic natural cityscapes, such as concrete stairs, railings and ledges.

About 30 Newark kids gathered with their boards as Mayor Cory Booker, Councilman Oscar James, and officials from the Trust For Public Land addressed the crowd.

Jesse Allen Park -- named for the Newark civil rights activist and former Central Ward councilman -- has long been an eyesore and a haven for crime. Under its new design, city leaders hope to turn it into a positive outlet for kids and families of the neighborhood.

"Today is one of my prouder days," James said, emphasizing the park also has tennis courts and volleyball nets, not common to inner city parks. "You're going to see older people teaching younger people -- I guarantee it."

Mayor Booker cast the opening as a big step in the revitalization of Newark parks.

"People who are sharing this park are coming together from the South Ward and the Central Ward," he said," This has been a dream for many years."

A group of about 30 kids armed with boards, kneepads and the occasional helmet gathered in the tent where community leaders were speaking, then headed to the skate park to practice their moves.

One group of Newark teens had been skating the city for two years but said they were so eager for the park's opening they jumped the fence earlier this week to break it in, prior to it's opening.

Dominick Smith, 15, sported a large mohawk and said he'd been skating any surface he could for two years. "I even skate the halls of my school until the security guards tell me not to," he said yesterday, adding he was grateful for the park "because it's close to home."

Saying they liked the design, the kids admitted the natural cityscape was more alluring for the seasoned skater. This was echoed by designer, David Dowd, who has been skating for over 20 years.

"I'm sure they'll congregate here to start," Dowd said of the generation of skaters the park will serve, "But from here they'll skate the city."

[block944]

First Friday Ride-September (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/47)

September 4, 2009 – 12:38 pm
Here is a link to Moiz’s route for tonight’s ride, hope to see you there!
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nj/newark/897125194354397742
*****
…. some documentation from the ride!


By secondadmin (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/author/secondadmin/) | Posted in events (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/category/events), rides (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/category/rides) | Tagged Event (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/tag/event), First Friday Ride (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/tag/first-friday-ride), rides (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/tag/rides) | Comments (1) (http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/archives/47#comments)


http://www.brickcitybikecollective.org/

has a video too

[block944]

N.J. Chief Justice Rabner tours site of new appeals court home in Essex County

by Philip Read (pread@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Tuesday September 08, 2009, 6:37 PM


ESSEX COUNTY -- New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner today stepped briskly through the cell doors on the upper floors of the old Essex County lockup.
They were stark reminders of the circa 1970 Newark high-rise now undergoing the most ironic of makeovers. By year's end, the old haunt of jumpsuit-wearing convicts will become the abode of judges accustomed to wearing judicial robes.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/09/large_rabner-jail.JPGAristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerNew Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner tours the old Essex County Jail as it undergoes a $24 million retrofit to accommodate the pending return of appellate judges to Newark after a decades-long hiatus.
Today, Rabner toured the work-in-progress -- cell doors and all -- as it entered the final stages of a $24 million retrofit (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/cost_to_transform_old_essex_ja.html) to accommodate the return of appellate judges to Newark after a decades-long hiatus.
"Everyone's got to remember, this was a jail," Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo said of a lockup where prisoners use to yell catcalls at prosecutors and law enforcers as they arrived at the adjoining Veterans Courthouse.
The entourage stepped up and grabbed white hard hats as they entered what is now called the LeRoy F. Smith Jr. Public Safety Building.
"Unisex, right?" Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow quipped as she grabbed her headgear.
The jail, empty since a new one opened in 2004 and once a candidate for a $5 million demolition, in December will land its first anchor tenant: the chambers of as many as 14 appellate judges. The annual rent: $521,268.
Close behind will be the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/essex_county_leases_exjail_to.html), as well as offices of the Essex County Vocational Technical School, the Essex County Improvement Authority, the county Board of Taxation and elements of the prosecutor's and sheriff's offices, among others.
For months, DiVincenzo has been talking up the $1.7 million annual rent and savings from county office consolidation in the years to come, a figure likely to increase as leases come due.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/09/large_rabner-construction-jail.JPGAristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerPhil LiVecchi, right, the Essex County Director of Public Works leads the tour of the old Essex County Jail, as Essex County Sherrif Armando Fontoura, left, New Jersey's Chief Justice, Stuart Rabner and Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr. listen.
At the same time, the retrofit pricetag has mushroomed from $12 million to $19 million and finally to $24 million as what was first envisioned as storage space turned into costlier offices with the arrival of rent-paying tenants.
Anthony Abbaleo, the county's chief financial officer, has said it will take about 15 years to recoup the expenditure.
At times, DiVincenzo and Rabner sounded like opposing counsel today, each arguing that the other was responsible for the conversion.
"He's the one who had the faith in us," DiVincenzo said of Rabner's decision to move appellate judges from Hackensack and Springfield.
"I can't agree I made this happen because you did," said Rabner, a Harvard Law School grad.
The tour included a visit to the 13th floor, soon to become a conference center with panoramic views of the Empire State Building on one side, the soon-to-open 2.7-acre Veterans Memorial Park and the classic Society Hall townhouses on the other.
"My apartment on the top floor, it's just going to be fantastic," joked Armando Fontoura, the Essex County sheriff.
The floor's previous life as the inmates' 2,800-square foot recreation space and library was evident.
There was a imposing hand-painted mural of a herd of mustangs, dated "2/9/75" and the remnants of a mural of the Newark skyline, signed in 1997 by "the Colombian from Long Island." The images are being put on a DVD for posterity.
"Some of its beautiful," said Philip LiVecchi, Essex County's director of public works. "They must have had a lot of free time."
Several fliers are posted on an inmate bulletin board. "You may be disappointed if you fail," reads one, "but you are doomed if you don't try."
"They're all inspirational things," Dow said after stopping to read them.
Back at the neighboring courthouse, through an underground tunnel typically used to transfer prisoners, DiVincenzo and Rabner headed to Courtroom 1114, where the three-judge appellate panels will actually convene.
There, Rabner reminds everyone of his promise to have New Jersey's highest court conduct a session there as a "thank you" to Essex County.
"We made it big enough," DiVincenzo said.
"First rate," Rabner said. "First rate."

[block944]

Essex County adds N.J. homeland security officials as tenants to ex-jail office building

by Philip Read (pread@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Tuesday June 23, 2009, 8:05 PM


http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/06/medium_essex%20public%20safety%20building.JPGStar-Ledger file photoAn artist's rendition of the LeRoy Smith Public Safety Building.
ESSEX -- County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. cranked up his revenue-producing machine another notch today, signing on a second state agency as a tenant for a one-time jail now being transformed into a modern office high-rise. About two-dozen staffers of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are to arrive early next year at the LeRoy F. Smith Jr. Public Safety Building, which is next to the historic Hall of Records and Veterans Courthouse, and pay $118,551 in annual rent for some 5,121 square feet on two floors.
"A great day for the taxpayers of this county," DiVincenzo said before a crowd of law enforcement officials in the freeholder chambers. "We're always looking at ways to bring in more money."
The announcement comes just six months after DiVincenzo announced that 10 judges from the Appellate Division of state Superior Court will return to Newark as the building's "anchor tenant" after a 25-year hiatus, paying $521,268 a year for 25,000 feet in four floors starting this December.
In all, Essex County projects $910,000 in new revenue and $783,000 in savings from consolidating offices of such agencies as the Essex County Improvement Authority into the new complex for a gain of $1.7 million a year.
The jail, built circa 1970, has been empty since 2004 and was once a candidate for a demolition estimated to cost $5 million. It is in the midst of a $19 million renovation. The jail-turned-office building will overlook a new 2.7-acre park with a gazebo that is replacing a now-demolished parking garage on Howard Street, as well as the stately looking Society Hill townhomes.
The park is to open Sept. 8.
Representing the new arrivals today was Richard Canas, who as director of New Jersey Homeland Security praised DiVincenzo's "creativity" in helping seal the 10-year lease relocating the agency from Newark's Washington Street.
The lease will put Homeland Security in the same building with elements of the Essex County Sheriff's Office and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.
"You are indeed strategically located," said Amando Fontoura, Essex County sheriff.
In his February State of the County address, DiVincenzo said the county is working to increase revenue amid the fallout of a national recession.
He projected $17 million in income for housing state and federal inmates at the county correctional facility on Newark's Doremus Street and $4 million to house youthful offenders from Passaic County at the Essex youth house.

[block944]

Newark breaks ground on Martin Luther King Boulevard public housing complex

by David Giambusso (dgiambusso@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Tuesday September 15, 2009, 7:12 PM


http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/09/large_keith%20kinard%20newark%20housing%20authorit y.JPGTony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerNewark Housing Authority Executive Director Keith Kinard in an April file photo.
NEWARK -- Newark community leaders broke ground today on 80 units of mixed-income housing at Martin Luther King Boulevard, a corridor long known for blight and crime, which is now being targeted for renewal by city leaders. "This whole strip, Martin Luther King Boulevard, is going to be reclaimed," said Keith Kinard, director of the Newark Housing Authority.
Kinard was joined by Mayor Cory Booker as well as community and business leaders for the groundbreaking of Montgomery Heights, which will provide housing for low- to moderate-income families as well as provide space for retail stores and restaurants.
The development is set for completion the fall of 2010, and will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as 10,000 square feet of commercial space where developers hope to open a bank, a restaurant and several locally owned shops.
The $29 million project resulted as a partnership between the housing authority, the city and local civic leaders. According to Kinard, the development represents the fruition of a partnership initially fraught with mistrust and skepticism.
"The fears were that the housing authority wasn't going to deliver," Kinard said, citing years of mismanagement prior to his arrival, three years ago, at the federally funded agency.
Projects like Montgomery Heights are a departure from decades-old public housing projects that featured large block buildings and became breeding grounds for crime and dilapidation, said Kinard. Calling the old-style developments "campuses of poverty," he said Montgomery Heights -- designed by Newark-based architect Gregory Comito -- were meant to bring diverse interests together and foster community growth.
Kinard credits Booker with helping to bring the various stakeholders "under the same tent."
For Booker, today's opening had personal significance, as it is adjacent to the since-razed Brick Towers -- the crime-plagued project where he lived for a decade before becoming mayor.
"Today is one of those days -- without exaggeration -- where it really is a dream come true," Booker said before the groundbreaking.

[newarkdevil1]

they can rebuild these things but I noticed this is all alloted to low-moderate income residents which makes me wonder how they have solved the campuses of poverty probablem that plagued the first round?

[block944]

Improvements approved for Newark Penn Station


The Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. - Federal stimulus money will be used to ease traffic congestion and improve pedestrian safety at Newark's Penn Station.
NJ Transit's Board of Directors on Wednesday approved the project that includes a new roundabout on Raymond Plaza West. An upgraded plaza would be built at the corner of Market Street and Raymond Plaza West.
Other features include crosswalk warning lights, increased drop-off spaces, new street lighting and signs.
NJ Transit says more than 50,000 passengers use the station each day.
The project will be built in phases to minimize inconvenience and is expected to be finished by the middle of 2011.

[Marv95]

they can rebuild these things but I noticed this is all alloted to low-moderate income residents which makes me wonder how they have solved the campuses of poverty probablem that plagued the first round?
Back then all of the low income poverty stricken folks were stacked up together. According to this article it's different since it's made not just for low income folks. It's the same as the new developments in that same area.

[scrollhectic]

Newark breaks ground on Martin Luther King Boulevard public housing complex

NEWARK -- Newark community leaders broke ground today on 80 units of mixed-income housing at Martin Luther King Boulevard, a corridor long known for blight and crime, which is now being targeted for renewal by city leaders. .

80 units? :confused: Does anyone know how large an area there going to cover with these 80 units? Is the commercial space ground level commercial with residential above or are they doing the sprawling townhouse development thing again and building freestanding commercial buildings within the development? Why is Newark so afraid of density? I understand the worry of creating large blocks of low income housing, but that's why mixed income is being introduced, which I think is the right idea. But they density, once again, is too low. What's incouraging is that Comito's designing it.

[block944]

It begins, NJIT is next.

Rutgers hopes building will improve image

by Brian Whitley (bwhitley@starledger.com)/ The Star-Ledger Friday September 18, 2009, 9:30 AM


http://blog.nj.com/business_impact/2009/09/large_rutgers_building.jpgPHOTOS BY JOHN O'BOYLE/THE STAR-LEDGERA ticker wraps around a classroom used to simulate a real stock trading room at the new Rutgers Business School in Newark.
The new Rutgers Business School -- at $83 million, the most expensive building in university history -- opened its doors to students in Newark this month.
Administrators are proud of the facility's high-tech classrooms, stock trading floor and sweeping views of Manhattan. But they say its real value isn't visible yet: a fresh start for both town and gown.

"The concept is to pull the reputation of the city of Newark and Rutgers University up together," said business school dean Michael Cooper. "This is where the talent will be."
On the university side, Cooper hopes a dramatic expansion of the school's business program will jumpstart the downtown area.
Demand for business education is booming, he said, especially the science and technology-heavy courses that Rutgers offers.
About 3,200 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students are enrolled, split between the Newark and Piscataway campuses. Both populations will double within three years, he said, making Rutgers "one of the largest programs in the world, by far."
Much of that growth will be absorbed in Newark and the gleaming 17-story office building at 1 Washington Park. Rutgers bought the first 11 floors, refurbishing most of them.
The university hopes it will boost foot traffic in the area, which includes the Broad Street light rail station, public library and Newark museum.
At the base of the building, 64 computers, two electronic signs with real-time stock prices and six clocks highlight a trading floor. Each computer has two monitors to facilitate rapid multi-tasking.
Inside, students sit in 30 classrooms, some with touch-screen podiums and others set up to record lectures. Six conference rooms can host video conferences with people across the globe.
http://blog.nj.com/business_impact/2009/09/large_rutgers.jpg Jonathan Klim studies in a student lounge at the new Rutgers Business School in Newark.
During a break in a three-hour class session, finance professor Ben Sopranzetti gushed over his new home. "Students are energized," he said.
Sopranzetti said the facility lends a physical outline to the school's emerging spirit of collaboration -- both with industry and among professors.
As part of a new institute he leads, he said, MBA students took drew up six business plans for inventions by university researchers -- with three likely to become companies, an "unreal hit ratio."
And by centralizing faculty, the building is helping spur research ideas. A conversation with a supply chain management expert, he said, has already given him the idea for a new paper.
As a result of excitement over the building, city and university leaders both envision a revitalized Broad Street corridor. Cooper said the school will soon begin asking firms who left Newark in years past to consider returning.
Two years ago, after the project was announced, at least one business -- a law firm -- opted to return to the area, Pryor said. Like many other firms, he said, it had retreated to the suburbs.
"The outcome is spectacular," Pryor said. "The business school building is marvelous. The life it brings to that section of the northern downtown is enormously catalyzing."
Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Steven Diner said graduate students are reviewing proposals from jazz clubs and other potential tenants, with the goal of making Newark into a "24-hour city."
City leaders worked with Rutgers to recruit developers to the area from around the U.S., said Stefan Pryor, Newark's deputy mayor for economic development.
City leaders are also working on plans to bring a retail center to a 7-acre property along Orange Street, Pryor said.
For now, not even the physical dimensions of the project are complete. A few carts with drills and wrenches still dot the halls, in addition to flat-screen TVs.
But Cooper says the building's symbolism will soon -- and finally -- put the 80-year-old business school on the map.
"We're not Top 10 yet, but we will be shortly," he said.

[block944]

80 units? :confused: Does anyone know how large an area there going to cover with these 80 units? Is the commercial space ground level commercial with residential above or are they doing the sprawling townhouse development thing again and building freestanding commercial buildings within the development? Why is Newark so afraid of density? I understand the worry of creating large blocks of low income housing, but that's why mixed income is being introduced, which I think is the right idea. But they density, once again, is too low. What's incouraging is that Comito's designing it.


Because everytime they pack a ton of people in an area, the area becomes the slums very quickly. Instead of shoving people in a box they are given a townhouse type home so that they can properly own and maintain. Just like in downtown new brunswick

[ASchwarz]

Because everytime they pack a ton of people in an area, the area becomes the slums very quickly.


Um, no. It has nothing to do with density or highrises. It has nothing at all to do with the buildings.

The problems are the tenancy and the management. This is what needs to improve.

And NYC has TONS of public housing highrises that are generally well-maintained and did not have the kinds of problems one saw in Newark.


Instead of shoving people in a box they are given a townhouse type home so that they can properly own and maintain. Just like in downtown new brunswick

These properties are not ownership properties. They are the exact same as before.

And no one was "shoved in a box". Postwar era public housing properties were very much in demand, and had long waiting lists (they still do in some cities, like NYC). And they are actually more spacious than private sector apartment buildings of the same era.

[ablarc]

Wtf ?

[NYatKNIGHT]

Wtf?

Edit: I meant to say, what do you mean, wtf?"

Just curious who that was directed at. Expand?

[block944]

Sometimes you just have to give a politician credit where credit is due. Sometimes public money is well spent on the public.
Joe DiVincenzo has been running Essex County government for seven years and has led a transformation of parks and public facilities.
What he has done is simple: it's called stewardship.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/09/large_joe-d-veterans-park.JPGAmanda Brown/The Star-LedgerEssex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo stands in the new Veterans Memorial Park in Newark.
On Monday, DiVincenzo will cut the ribbon on Veterans Memorial Park, a block long plaza that completes a network of outdoor plazas that run through the Essex government and court complex (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/nj_chief_justice_rabner_tours.html) in Newark.
In the court complex, DiVincenzo inherited some of the most impressive public buildings in the country, built at a time when Newark and its suburbs were one of the wealthiest areas of the world. Their disrepair was a barometer of how far the county had fallen.
"This place was a disgrace," DiVincenzo said. "People were afraid to come down here."
The jail at the complex was a no-man's land at night. Federal monitors ordered the county to fix it, and the historic courthouse, after the bar association complained it was uninhabitable. The Hall of Records and the second courthouse had dissolved into a series of DPW Band-Aids.
Money had to be spent: $49 million to restore the historic courthouse, considered one of the best examples of Beaux Arts public architecture in the country and another $50 million went into improvements at the newer courthouse for parking areas and plazas. There is a new glass-and-steel entrance to the newer courthouse, and a new suite of jury selection rooms with lockers and wireless connections in workspaces.
The old jail was closed and inmates moved to a new facility down by the port. That building is being renovated (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/cost_to_transform_old_essex_ja.html), and will house a state appellate court, and county law enforcement divisions. The ratty parking deck behind the jail was torn down and turned into the new park, with a marble wall with bronzed shields of the American military branches, and a centerpiece fountain.
"Everything we do has a fountain," DiVincenzo said. He did not add it is inherent in his Italian DNA.
What DiVincenzo has done in the county-owned public areas is a repeat of history.
View a map of the Veterans Memorial Park (http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/09/veterans-memorial-park.pdf) View a list of Essex County government complex improvements (http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/09/essex-projects.pdf)
Just after the turn of the 20th Century, Essex County wanted to show off its monumental wealth, and top architects and artists were brought in to enhance the area's public appearance.
"There was a 'city beautiful' movement at the time, inspired by some of the World's Fairs, and Newark was a major participant," said Doug Eldridge, the executive director of The Newark Preservation & Landmarks Committee.
Cass Gilbert, who designed the Woolworth Building in Lower Manhattan, was the architect of the old courthouse. He hired famed sculptor Andrew O'Connor, Jr., to do the statues of Justic, Truth and Power among others. Gutzon Borglum, later of Mount Rushmore fame, did the seated Lincoln out front.
"Every Christmas, my family would come to Bambergers, then we'd take pictures with Abraham Lincoln," DiVincenzo said.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/09/large_veterans-memorial-park.JPGAmanda Brown/The Star-LedgerThe new Veterans Memorial Park in Newark is built on the site of an old parking garage.
The architectural firm of Guilbert & Betelle designed the Hall of Records. James O. Betelle had worked for Cass Gilbert, and gave the Hall of Record the same look, with the eight Corinthian pillars out front. (Betelle also designed most of Newark's old high schools, from Arts to Weequahic, and Columbia High in South Orange.)
The parks, too, were part of the "city beautiful" movement. Branch Brook and Weequahic county parks were designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the firm of Fredick Law Olmstead, who designed New York's Central Park.
It was in Branch Brook Park, that DiVincenzo first realized the beauty, and subsequent failings, of his home city and county.
"My father didn't drive, and my mother didn't drive until she was in her 50s," he said. "So we didn't go away; all we had was the parks."
And the trash, and the unplayable fields, and the crumbling bridges, walls and pavilions.
"All the county did was cut the grass. The fields were maintained by the people who used them. Before you played, you'd have to rake out the potholes. If it rained, you'd have to rake out the mud puddles."
As athlete at Barringer High, DiVincenzo traveled to the suburbs and played on fields he envied. "I thought, 'Why can't we have that in our parks?' The excuse always was, there was no money.''
But there was money. Grants, Green Acres, Open Space, and partnerships with park foundations. The parks were not only restored, but improved. At his state of the city address last year, Newark Mayor Cory Booker said DiVincenzo's work in the parks inspired him to start a parks improvement campaign of his own.
Along the way, DiVincenzo unwittingly adopted the same philsophy Teddy Roosevelt did 100 years ago as he pushed the 'city beautiful' mentality: parks and public buildings speak to the health of a society.
"For me, it's simpler than that," DiVincenzo said. "Essex County residents deserve the best. Whatever we do, I want it to be the best."
Now Branch Brook has three "sanctioned" Little League fields, which means Newark can host tournaments, and a football field with artificial turf for the Newark's Pop Warner league. Turtle Back Zoo, which was on the verge of closing, is now not only accredited by the American Zoological Association, but is making money.
"The transformation of the parks and buildings has been quite dramatic," Eldridge said. "I can't recall anyone else in that position taking that kind of interest. He has respect for the history and as steward of a tremendous legacy, and he has created tremendous legacy of his own."

[block944]

Prudential Center to host East Regional in 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament

By Star-Ledger Staff (http://connect.nj.com/user/njoslstaff/index.html)

September 21, 2009, 1:19PM

http://media.nj.com/setonhall_main/photo/prudential-center-8b180282eaa9f8b0_large.jpgTony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerThe Prudential Center, which opened in 2007, will host regional first- and second-round games in the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament.The NCAA men's basketball tournament is coming back to New Jersey -- though it's making a significant address change.

With Seton Hall serving as the host, Prudential Center will host the semifinal and final games in the 2011 East Regional, the NCAA announced Monday.

The NCAA Tournament previously had been held at the Meadowlands, which put in a competing bid for the East Regional (http://www.nj.com/setonhall/index.ssf/2009/04/local_arenas_to_vie_for_future.html). But the NCAA decided to make the move to Newark's downtown arena.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase our University and the state-of-the-art Prudential Center to a national audience,” Seton Hall director of athletics Joe Quinlan said in a statement. “A great deal of hard work went into the bid process and we look forward to playing a role in what has become one of the preeminent events in all of sports.”

Said Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex): "It's great for the Rock and great for Seton Hall to finally be the host. Hosting the NCAA Tournament will help the program, and Rutgers too. It is great to have the NCAAs back in New Jersey, and hopefully one of the New Jersey teams will play in the East Regional at the Prudential Center. All in all, this is great for college sports in the state of New Jersey."
The NCAA Tournament played games at the Meadowlands 11 times, most recently in 2007 (http://www.nj.com/setonhall/index.ssf/2007/03/as_meadowlands_hosts_ncaa_regi.html) when it hosted the East Regional semifinals and final. Izod Center, as it's now known, also hosted the 1996 Final Four.

Prudential Center is the only first-time host selected for any of the sites announced for the 2011-13 NCAA Tournaments, though the East Regional in 2013 is still to be determined.

The 2011 Final Four will be played at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

[NYatKNIGHT]

Tonight, the five-part documentary series about Newark called Brick City (http://www.sundancechannel.com/brick-city/) airs on the Sundance Channel at 10pm.

New York Times: Film Finds Hope Living Amid Newark’s Troubles (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/arts/television/21brick.html?scp=1&sq=%22brick%20city%22&st=cse%5BB)

[block944]

HUD to award Newark $11M in stimulus funds to rebuild Baxter Terrace complex

By David Giambusso (http://connect.nj.com/user/dgiambus/index.html)

September 21, 2009, 8:52PM

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/baxter-terrace-newark-gets-stimulus-fundsjpg-b766078792d8a3e2_large.jpgJim Pathe/The Star-LedgerA windowless ground-floor exterior door opens to stairs leading to occupied apartments at Baxter Terrace. The Newark Housing Authority wants to demolish the Baxter Terrace projects for years. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today it will award Newark $11 million in stimulus money to raze and rebuild the complex.NEWARK -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today it will award Newark $11 million in stimulus money to raze and rebuild one of the city’s oldest and most decrepit complexes as part of a nationwide overhaul of low-income housing.
Baxter Terrace, three barracks-style buildings in the city’s Central Ward that were targeted for demolition two years ago, has 429 units and has been an eyesore and site of several fatal shootings.
The federal funds, part of a $300 million pot set aside for public housing projects throughout the country, will be used to pay for energy efficient product and green construction materials.
HUD secretary Shaun Donovan said the city must now find the additional money to fund the $100 million for the first phase of the project.

"We awarded over 11 million dollars to public housing redevelopment," Donovan said. "But you’ve got to bring more than that as well -- like the creative spirit that you’ve seen from (Newark) Mayor (Cory) Booker and other leaders throughout the country."
Donovan made the announcement during a walking tour of sections of the Central Ward with Booker, Newark Housing Authority Director Keith Kinard, Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Donald Payne.
The entourage of politicians and policy makers strolled through Martin Luther King Boulevard, a corridor that once featured luxury mansions and served as a conduit for the downtown area but has since earned a reputation for crime, drugs violence, and blight.
They walked past areas that have already seen major redevelopment, including the location of the former Brick Towers, an aged high-rise low-income development raised years ago and now replaced with dozens of single-family homes built for low-income families.
Kinard highlighted the developments that he has overseen since taking office three years ago, including Oak Brook Square and Park Place, both with 45 units for low-income families, and City View Landing.
Kinard said it was difficult to attract investment and higher income residents to the project, but that it was an important element of the project.

Previous coverage:

[block944]

FUKC

AP – In this May 31, 2007, file photo, Mikhail Prokhorov speaks at a news conference in Moscow. Russian tycoon …


9 mins ago
NEW YORK – Russia's richest man has a deal to buy a controlling interest in the New Jersey Nets and nearly half of a project to build a new arena in Brooklyn.
Mikhail Prokhorov's Onexim Group announced the deal Wednesday with Forest City Ratner Companies and Nets Sports and Entertainment. They say they have signed a letter of intent to create a strategic partnership for the development of the Atlantic Yards Project.
NBA Commissioner David Stern is praising the move. He says it's a chance for the NBA to expand globally and ensures that the Nets will have a new arena.
The deal would have to be approved by the NBA's board of governors.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's richest man, an amateur basketball player who made billions in metals, says he wants to buy the New Jersey Nets in exchange for funding the team's troubled plans to build an arena in Brooklyn.
Mikhail Prokhorov wrote Tuesday on his blog that he wants to improve Russian basketball by getting access to NBA training methods and sending Russian coaches for internships.
Prokhorov said that he sent team shareholders an offer over the weekend. Under the proposal, Prokhorov's holding company Onexim would obtain a controlling share in the NBA team in return for loaning the money to build a new arena.
The posting says the controlling shares would be obtained for "a symbolic price."
Nets owner Bruce Ratner faces a crucial December deadline for his plan to build an arena in Brooklyn and move his team there in 2011. The construction needs to break ground by then or lose access to the tax-free bonds financing much of the project.
Ratner spokesman Joe DePlasco said Wednesday that "we do not have a comment as of yet."
It was not immediately clear whether NBA regulations permit foreigners to own a team; Chinese businessmen hold a minority share in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Baseball's Seattle Mariners are owned by the American division of Japan's Nintendo.
"I don't think players really care who own the team," Nets president Rod Thorn said. "Whatever happens, I think it will get resolved in a timely fashion and I don't think it will have any effect on the players."
Prokhorov, who owns a share in the Russian basketball team CSKA, was ranked as the country's richest man in the Russian edition of Forbes, with an estimated fortune of $9.5 billion. He has weathered the global economic crisis better than many of his wealthy compatriots by cashing out of some lucrative assets before the downturn battered commodity markets.
According to Forbes, his fortune shrank by some $7 billion — a breathtaking loss by most standards, but mild in comparison with some Russian oligarchs. Roman Abramovich, who as owner of Chelsea is Russia's best-known international sports magnate, lost more than $9 billion, and Oleg Deripaska, a rival in Russia's metals business, lost around $35 billion.
Prokhorov's interest in basketball isn't only as a spectator. The 44-year-old was an avid player in his high school and college years.
He shot to prominence in the murky and chaotic early years of privatization deals that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1993, the Onexim bank that he headed acquired Norilsk Nickel, one of Russia's huge but lumbering and inefficient industrial conglomerates.
Prokhorov's stewardship saw Norilsk become more efficient and profitable. He resigned as Norilsk chairman in 2007 and sold off his shares for $7.5 billion, but retains substantial interests in other metals companies through Onexim, including shares in gold miner Polyus and Rusal, the world's largest aluminum company.
Onexim's other interests include real estate, insurance and energy.
He also cuts a wide swath in the circles of the super-rich, living a lavish lifestyle in such glitzy haunts as the French Alps ski resort of Courchevel.
He was detained by French police in Courchevel for four days in 2007 as part of a prostitution investigation, but was released without charges.

[block944]

Seats still available for Newark riverfront walkshops

By Chanta L. Jackson (http://connect.nj.com/user/chjackson/index.html)

September 23, 2009, 8:00AM

Newark Passaic Riverfront Revitalization will sponsor several riverfront walkshops.
Downtown Riverfront Walkshop
Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.
Meet at the Information Booth in Newark Penn Station
Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes and bring water.


Ironbound Riverfront Walkshop
Oct. 4 2 to 5 p.m.
Meet at the Information Booth in Newark Penn Station
Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes.
North of 280 Riverfront Walkshop
Oct. 25 2 to 5 p.m.
Meet in Burger King parking lot at Broad St and Broadway
Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes.
These tours will cover different stretches of the Newark riverfront, touching on its history and visions for its future. During the tour, participants will be encouraged to document their travels.The day concludes with a workshop where participants will discuss their visions for the area and how people from Newark and beyond can make it happen.
For more information on any of the tours or RSVP, e-mail to newarkriverfront@gmail.com or call (973) 733-5918.
As always, learn about what’s going on down by the river at www.newarksriver.wordpress.com (http://www.newarksriver.wordpress.com/).

[Marv95]

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's richest man, an amateur basketball player who made billions in metals, says he wants to buy the New Jersey Nets in exchange for funding the team's troubled plans to build an arena in Brooklyn.
Awful news for the Devils. But until then there are still issues for that thing to get built; not just financing.

[scrollhectic]

FUKC
NEW YORK – Russia's richest man has a deal to buy a controlling interest in the New Jersey Nets and nearly half of a project to build a new arena in Brooklyn.

Disappointing. I'm surprised Booker didn't find this guy first and get to him. Can we lure anyone from Dubai to counteroffer?

[block944]

If anyone gets a chance and is near NJIT pick up a copy of the Vector student newspaper. It seems Intrinsic cafe (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2209786298) is shutting down the balcony/deck they created because it doesn't fit in with the historical setting of the street according to the "Newark Historical Society" and they want it torn down and put back the way it was. The deck even though small has been a place for NJIT and Rutgers student to meet and callaborate. Its a draw that brings in educated students instead of drunks,drug addicts and thieves. http://www.flickr.com/photos/msilb/sets/72157618387471330/

If you want to check out what it use to look like go to google maps and you will see it was a big hole filled with trash and garbage (http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5227/crapa.gif) . Why would anyone want to preserve that? That area needs to be cleaned up, ironically on the next page is a the police blotter with: "9/16/2009 5:00PM a student reported that whlie on sussex ave she was harrassed by 3-4 black males who slapped her books out of her hands and shouted obscenities at her."


Cory Booker get off your ass and get involved, MLK blvd is a shit hole and the cafe is the first safe area for students to hang out off campus. The Newark Historical Society didn't even want to meet with the owners to discuss any options. If you want to go after someone go after coffee cave on Halsey that blasts hip hop music late into the night on weekdays and disturbs all the neighbors.



Stupid. No wonder cogswell left town, and really when I think about it nothing new has happened in Newark since Booker came except for an obnoxious over flow of park benches and flower pots all over downtown. Everything else was from Sharpe James including the arena

[stache]

You don't like park benches? :confused:

[66nexus]

Saying that nothing new hasn't come to town since Booker came to office doesn't make much sense. (especially considering the info in the last 4-5 pages of this thread)

Sure Sharpe had build successes but he also had over 2 decades to do it. Booker isn't finished with his first term and build credit is dried up anyway.

[scrollhectic]

when I think about it nothing new has happened in Newark since Booker came except for an obnoxious over flow of park benches and flower pots all over downtown. Everything else was from Sharpe James including the arena

:confused::confused::confused:

Block, i'm surprised by your comment... especially coming from someone who posts real content so frequently

[block944]

Newark resident's fight against graffiti scrawlers cheers his neighbors

By Barry Carter/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/bcarter/index.html)

September 27, 2009, 7:55AM


http://media.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/photo/tony-tanel-graffiti-newarkjpg-0c181070bca9573e_large.jpgSaed Hindash/The Star-LedgerTony Tanel can't stand graffiti in his Newark neigbhorhood. Armed with only a roller and a can of paint, he has spent the past four months covering up and cleaning up the graffiti.NEWARK -- If you can get up that early, drive along Chester Avenue in Newark’s North Ward some morning around 4:30 and behold a massive crusader of a man, carrying a small paint bucket and roller, patrolling the walls of a neighborhood church and the Route 21 exit ramp.
Anthony Tanel is a graffiti fighter, the guardian of order and civility, protector of white walls, self-appointed mayor of Chester Avenue. He and the gang members who deface his street are carrying on a faceless war. They leave signs for him like: “We see you, snitch.” Tanel looks at the message and paints right over it. Yeah, the gangsters or disgruntled taggers were upset someone had covered up their bubble letters, their so-called designs, even the insults that rival gang members trade back and forth on concrete canvases.
Tanel, 37, doesn’t care. He can’t stand graffiti or anyone bent on marking up the place where he lives. He’s obsessed with getting rid of it and is not moved by threats labeling him a tattletale. In his eyes, they are the threat, the leeches who bleed a community dry. So, as soon as it goes up, Tanel bounces out of the house. Sometimes he is out the door while it’s still dark outside. His wife, Lauren, wishes he would wait until sunrise. He can’t. That stuff, it’s got to go.

When taggers strike, Tanel believes you hit them back just as quick with a fresh coat of paint, sending a message that this will not be tolerated. With paint roller and bucket, Tanel takes it down off the church wall and the Route 21 exit ramp for Chester Avenue.
"I don’t want to give them the pleasure of seeing their work as they are on their way to school or wherever they go,” he said. “When I see graffiti, I go crazy.”
He’s compulsive about it -- making sure things are neat and clean, much like personal aspects of his life. Undershirts, socks and underwear have their own dresser drawer. Pants are on one side of the closet, shirts on the other. Sneakers and shoes are in boxes, not tossed around. Foods on the plate can’t touch, either.
He gets his tidy ways from his parents, who came to this country from Cuba in 1968. They raised him to take pride in his appearance, his home, his community.
http://media.nj.com/njv_barry_carter/photo/tony-tanel-graffiti-newark-2jpg-db16d22ddc9d2a75_medium.jpgSaed Hindash/The Star-LedgerTanel, known to his neighbors as 'graffiti man' is not afraid of a threatening graffiti message left on an exit ramp of Route 21 near his home. It said, "We see you snitch." Tanel just paints over it. So Tanel defends the sanctity of his new neighborhood, making himself a presence even larger than his 6-foot-8, 330-pound frame. He goes after the blight like he did quarterbacks as a standout defensive end playing high school football.
Tanel, who grew up in Union City, says he needed a new start four months ago, when he came to Newark. He had left Hudson County to get away from reminders of how he broke his neck in football practice, an injury that ended hopes of athletic scholarships. He spent a year in a wheelchair. Bones from his hip helped reconstruct his neck. He wore a steel crown with four bolts screwed into his head. Doctors thought he would never walk again. He had doubts, too.
His playing field now is Chester Avenue. He saw potential in the Newark neighborhood. Developers turned empty lots into new homes, and people bought ones like he did. The graffiti he saw on the church wall was an afterthought. Tanel figured it was nothing to spring for some gallons of paint and cover it up. He would keep it clean and that would be it, not knowing fully there would be resistance.
Ten years before him, when the area was desolate, the church caretaker thought like Tanel. He tried to fight the same battle, but got frustrated and gave up. No sooner than he cleaned it, the taggers initialed it again. He was gun-shy about giving me his name -- the taggers could seek some payback -- but said he decided to join the fight again when he saw Tanel one day painting over graffiti on the church wall.
Tanel made the wall -- a barrier for the church parking lot -- his responsibility. He watched it like a hawk and painted it as many times as needed. North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos has given him a hand: Ramos buys the paint for Tanel, seeing how he’s so dedicated about taking down the graffiti right away.

The neighborhood wants to help, too, but they can’t. He beats them to the punch with his early-morning campaign. You never know when he’s out there. You just see the results.

“That’s Tony. He’s doing his thing," said Amirah Rashid, his neighbor. “We need more people like him."

In a short time, he has endeared himself to residents. He’s the graffiti man, the mayor of the block, the guy who told a business owner that he would dime him out to the city if he didn’t cut his weeds. Tanel goes the extra mile to have a decent place to live, taking on issues that bother him just as much as graffiti.

Tanel and his wife have cleaned the Chester Avenue exit ramp for Route 21 and underpass, a well-known spot where people dump their garbage and debris. A car seat was there recently. Tanel made note of it. There’s only so much he can do, and for now it has worked with the church.
The war there is in armistice; vandals have skipped the church for a while. The wall has been clean for weeks. Tanel has had to paint it only twice.
The exit ramp along Route 21 is a different story. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse between Tanel and the taggers. They put it up, he whites it out with a blotch of paint. It’s not a uniform coat. It’s just enough to make it go away temporarily with whatever color he receives. Sometimes white, sometimes beige. It doesn’t matter. He keeps fighting. He won’t be beaten.

[stache]

Foods on the plate can’t touch.


This is a sign of mental illness.

[newarkdevil1]

Block,

I don't think booker bashing is going to get a porch saved. Rather I would work with NJIT and the city planning office on making suggestions to perserve or add on to keep the "feel" they are attempting to create on MLK. I know you have been following the movements int he city so take a look at the city and colleges master plan for MLK and find a way to mesh the ideas. It seems to me that he porch would meerly need design add ons (maybe brick facing a area facing the street or changing some materials) to make it mesh with the look they are trying to acheive.

As for Tony Tanel, good for him, it is paramount that people take ownership of where they live.

[Diogenes]

As a point of clarification, the deck was put up on a Saturday morning without a single permit -not just the Historic Commission ok as the article mentions. The cafe perpetually kept a dumpster in the middle of the sidewalk making it impassible for the residents and had an unbelievable odor and rats the size of rabbits. There were bands on the deck, during the week, often until 2am. Lastly, the issue went before the Historic Commission 3 times. The cafe owner never showed up for a sigle meeting, including the meeting where the deck was ordered down. Don't believe everything you read.

[JCMAN320]

Newark to host 2010 Dodge Foundation poetry festival

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger
September 28, 2009, 3:51PM

NEWARK -- The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation will present its signature poetry festival in Newark next year, probably in early October, foundation officials said today.

Newark beat out Montclair and Trenton to host the internationally respected event, which the Morristown foundation has presented every other year since 1986. The festival will encompass the performance spaces at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center as well as at least two local churches, the New Jersey Historical Society and possibly part of Military Park.

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/geraldine-dodge-poetryjpg-1c1beb193225bfa8_large.jpg
Lynn Saville/For The Star-Ledger
Coleman Barks accompanied by the Paul Winter Consort reading "Early Morning Rumi" during the 2006 Dodge Poetry Festival at Waterloo Village. The foundation announced Newark will host the poetry festival next year.

"Dodge views this as a Newark festival, and NJPAC will be a valued partner and host in its main performance halls," said David Grant, president and CEO of the Morristown foundation.

In January, Dodge announced it had to cancel the next festival, set for the fall of 2010, for financial reasons. The event was held in Waterloo Village in Byram Township every year but 2004, when Duke Farms in Hillsborough served as host.

The 12 Dodge Poetry Festivals attracted more than 140,000 visitors, including tens of thousands of high school students who attended for no charge. The four-day events have featured well-known poets, from Pulitzer Prize winners Maxine Kumin and Paul Muldoon to poet laureates Rita Dove and Billy Collins, as well as emerging writers, musicians and dramatic artists.

Grant said eight places around the state showed interest in hosting the event. In the end, Newark, Trenton and Montclair were given serious consideration.

"All were extraordinary in their openness and imagination," Grant said.

[JCMAN320]

Newark gun violence is a grave threat to its reputation

By Mark DiIonno
September 28, 2009, 9:00PM

http://media.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/photo/newark-police-investigate-shooting-in-julyjpg-3a643099071ca207_large.jpg
Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger
Newark police investigate a shooting in Newark in July.

NEWARK -- There is no graver threat to Newark’s reputation, or bigger obstacle to its economic success, than gun violence.

Fear deadens neighborhoods, and scares visitors off.

While statistics show Newark homicides and shootings have declined, any spree of violence or highly-publicized shooting brings the perception that the city is a dangerous place in every corner. Fear rules, justified or not.

And when innocent bystanders, especially children, are caught in crossfire, or when running gun battles leave multiple victims, the statistics lose luster as signs of hope. Instead, the grief of loved ones, the fear of neighbors, and the banners of yellow police tape mark the harsh realities of gun crime.

In the coming weeks, Newark police and the Essex County prosecutor’s office will unveil a major new gun strategy to get illegal guns, and the people who use them, off the streets.

"Basically, there are three elements: intercept guns coming into the city, get the guns in the city off the streets, and get more convictions in gun cases," said Garry McCarthy, Newark’s police director.

The biggest change will be in the way gun cases are handled. The Newark police will use two detectives to investigate every gun taken off the street, and two assistant prosecutors will be assigned to take those cases into court. It doesn’t matter if the gun was used in a crime or taken from a guy drinking beer on a corner. Once the gun falls into hands of police, it will be investigated like any major crime.

McCarthy calls it "enhancement." The focus will be on making weapons possession charges stick, and tracking how the gun got into the city.

McCarthy said teaming detectives with prosecutors is "an enormous step" in getting more convictions.

"This way, there will be shared expertise," McCarthy said. "We’ll know exactly what they need to bring a strong case to court."

Things like good fingerprints, airtight evidence procedures and reliable witnesses.

In the past, weapons charges were often downgraded or dismissed to clear the court for more serious crimes. For awhile in Essex County, weapons charges were often remanded to municipal courts, like less serious misdemeanors.

Earlier this year, the state upgraded weapons possession to a second degree offense, which in legal parlance brings with it "a presumption of incarceration." The rest of us call it jail time.

With stronger cases, authorities will be able to move weapons charges into federal courts. Federal convictions mean longer sentences and incarceration in faraway penitentiaries.

Carolyn Murray, the Essex County first assistant prosecutor, said the Newark police strategy comes at the perfect time because of the harsher state penalties and the U.S. Attorney’s willingness to make federal cases based on prior records of defendants.

"We do sentence analysis on our cases to see where defendants will be dealt with more severely," she said. "Stronger cases will allow us to confidently bring cases to the court with the highest penalties."

McCarthy said another front on the new strategy is developing intelligence through weapons traces. The State Police E-Trace program has the bugs worked out allowing every New Jersey police force to get trace information from the ATF. The city will then set up its own database of gun histories.

"We will find the circumstances in which the weapon got into town," McCarthy said. "Then we’ll treat it the way we treat narcotics investigations. We’ll see where the guns are coming from, and where they’re going and we’ll set up things like undercover buys."

The new database will also help police track people and places with "high risks of violence," McCarthy said.

"We’re using a series of filters to flag certain cases," he said. "People with two previous felonies, or one arrest for unlawful weapons possession or someone with any involvement in gun violence over the last two years. This includes people who were shot, because you have to look for the possibility of retaliation."

In the neighborhoods or corners where there is a history of gun violence, police will do more quality-of-life stops, looking for weapons.

"It makes sense for us to look at the people and places that keep showing up as problems," McCarthy said.

Newark police took 374 guns off the street last year, up from 347 the year before.

"Those are 374 potential shootings, 374 potential homicides," McCarthy said. "Every gun we take off the street, in my book, becomes a crime that doesn’t happen."

[newarkdevil1]

As a point of clarification, the deck was put up on a Saturday morning without a single permit -not just the Historic Commission ok as the article mentions. The cafe perpetually kept a dumpster in the middle of the sidewalk making it impassible for the residents and had an unbelievable odor and rats the size of rabbits. There were bands on the deck, during the week, often until 2am. Lastly, the issue went before the Historic Commission 3 times. The cafe owner never showed up for a sigle meeting, including the meeting where the deck was ordered down. Don't believe everything you read.

Diogenes, thank you for your input. I personally had a hard time seeing the city harass anyone in that district given how the frats are. I hope it comes to a resolution that we can all live with.

[block944]

Booker buying?
Maybe he’s tired of paying rent and wants to take advantage of low mortgage rates. Or maybe he’s tired of being asked when he’s going to set down roots in the city he leads. Either way, Newark Mayor Cory Booker has put in a bid on a house.
The mayor made the disclosure at the end of a meeting with The Star-Ledger editorial board last week. He described the place as a real fixer-upper, saying it’s been a dream of his to take an old house and remodel it to his own taste.
The deal isn’t final yet so "I can’t tell you where it is. I can tell you it’s in the Central Ward," Booker said. He’s been renting an apartment in the South Ward for $1,200 a month.


http://blog.nj.com/njv_auditor/2009/09/gov_jon_corzine_sticks_close_t.html



Bet ya its this one: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/132-Hudson-St-Newark-NJ-07103/2144027729_zpid/

On the nj blog where the agent was showing houses that was the one they went to. Right now its a real mess as the garage is covered in grass 4 feet high, it looks like a jungle

[block944]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/conan_o.html

Pretty funny

[newarkdevil1]

I kind of wish we had a letter campaign to Conan's bosses so he had to eat crow like Barry Melrose.

[block944]

Booker responds: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/newark_mayor_cory_booker_bans.html

Seems like a nice PR stunt to get Newark on national tv

[NYatKNIGHT]

Yes it is, Booker is all over the place using his star power to promote Newark as best he can, and good for Conan for playing along.

[block944]

Wow the championship plaza is done and it looks really nice now

[scrollhectic]

By Sharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/sbadarlo/index.html)

October 03, 2009, 5:55PM

After three months of construction, the new 50,000-square foot Championship Plaza opened yesterday afternoon in front of Newark’s Prudential Center, also known as "The Rock," complete with the looming sculpture of a 22-foot tall hockey player poised to make a slapshot across Mulberry Street.

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/championship-plaza-4f28de146e540616_medium.jpgSharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger

Officials opened the new 50,000-square foot Championship Plaza in front of Newark's Prudential Center Saturday October 3, 2009.

Officials such as Mayor Cory Booker, Devils owners Jeff Vanderbeek and Mike Gilfillan, and Prudential Financial representatives attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the plaza filled with dozens of cheering fans, who endured a short afternoon shower.

Construction started on the plaza in July and continued until the night before the ceremony when a large rock shipped from China was finally delivered to the plaza and installed, said Gilfillan. The rock is a close facsimile of Prudential Financial’s logo, the arena’s namesake.

The Newark Downtown Core Redevelopment Corporation was responsible for designing and building the plaza, said Bill Crawley, the group’s president.

Crowds gathered around the hockey statue that Jon Krawczyk, the sculptor, had driven last year from his studio in Malibu, Ca. to his boyhood home in Boonton Township, where it sat until its installation in August.
The plaza also has commemorative bricks with names of fans.

A different kind of rock was brought to the event by Anthony Trapanee, 30, of West Paterson, who thought the plaza was the perfect place to propose to his girlfriend, Debbie Puzio, 34, of Little Falls. They have bonded over their love of the hockey team.

"It’s awesome. I was very surprised. It’s very romantic," she said sporting her new diamond engagement ring.

[block944]

By Sharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/sbadarlo/index.html)

October 03, 2009, 5:55PM

After three months of construction, the new 50,000-square foot Championship Plaza opened yesterday afternoon in front of Newark’s Prudential Center, also known as "The Rock," complete with the looming sculpture of a 22-foot tall hockey player poised to make a slapshot across Mulberry Street.

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/championship-plaza-4f28de146e540616_medium.jpgSharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger

Officials opened the new 50,000-square foot Championship Plaza in front of Newark's Prudential Center Saturday October 3, 2009.

Officials such as Mayor Cory Booker, Devils owners Jeff Vanderbeek and Mike Gilfillan, and Prudential Financial representatives attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the plaza filled with dozens of cheering fans, who endured a short afternoon shower.

Construction started on the plaza in July and continued until the night before the ceremony when a large rock shipped from China was finally delivered to the plaza and installed, said Gilfillan. The rock is a close facsimile of Prudential Financial’s logo, the arena’s namesake.

The Newark Downtown Core Redevelopment Corporation was responsible for designing and building the plaza, said Bill Crawley, the group’s president.

Crowds gathered around the hockey statue that Jon Krawczyk, the sculptor, had driven last year from his studio in Malibu, Ca. to his boyhood home in Boonton Township, where it sat until its installation in August.
The plaza also has commemorative bricks with names of fans.

A different kind of rock was brought to the event by Anthony Trapanee, 30, of West Paterson, who thought the plaza was the perfect place to propose to his girlfriend, Debbie Puzio, 34, of Little Falls. They have bonded over their love of the hockey team.

"It’s awesome. I was very surprised. It’s very romantic," she said sporting her new diamond engagement ring.

The sculpture looks really nice in person

http://www.njdevs.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=49179

[stache]

I went to the new park (nice, but I wished for more hills). Next time I will try to remember to look at the statue.

[block944]

Here comes the crazyness:
Newark City Council expected to release $4M to reassess property values

By Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/rmascare/index.html)

October 06, 2009, 6:52PM

NEWARK -- The Newark City Council is expected to release $4 million Wednesday to reassess property values, six years after a calamitous revaluation sparked angry protests and thousands of tax appeals.
The city set aside the money to keep property appraisals current after a 42-year lapse prior to 2003 left some residents with wild swings in their tax bills.
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/newark-aerialjpg-1f78ec17c4d73a72_large.jpgStar-Ledger file photoA 2007 file aerial photo of Newark.
"The state requirement is that we do this every five years," North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos said. "We’re a little bit beyond the five years."
If approved, the funds will allow Newark to seek bidders for a contract before it chooses a vendor to assess every property in the city, Ramos said. He said he hopes the process will be completed in 2012.
The measure will impact a significant part of Newark’s budget.
Facing a shortfall of $75 million, Mayor Cory Booker this year proposed an increase in the municipal property tax rate of 8.9 cents per $100 of assessed property value, meaning the average Newark property owner would pay $155 more a year in taxes.
Property taxes are expected to account for roughly 20 percent of the city’s proposed $590 million budget.
Ramos said he was not sure how the revaluation, which comes after the housing bubble burst, will affect tax revenues.
"That’s really the big mystery right now," he said. "We know that property values across the country are down but it’s really too early to speculate."
Property taxes have long been a source of tension in Newark, which went longer than any New Jersey municipality without a revaluation.
In the 1970s, a group of council members, including former Mayor Sharpe James, were arrested after refusing to institute revaluation.
Bowing to county and state pressure, the city completed a reassessment of the city’s estimated 39,700 properties in 2003. More than 4,500 residents filed tax appeals.
City leaders faulted Certified Valuations, the firm that ran the 2003 process, for improperly assessing properties. They hope to find a firm that will provide a more accurate profile this time around.
The Department of Community Affairs did not prod Newark to begin another revaluation, an agency spokeswoman said.

[block944]

not sure what to think:

Although conventional wisdom has the Nets moving to Brooklyn after the team's official sale, the Nets have not phased out Newark completely.
Could this be a contingency plan if Brooklyn falls through? Hard to say, but the Nets have scheduled three preseason events for Newark, including today's pep rally. Netstoberfest takes place in front of the Prudential Center from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The rally "will feature Sly the mascot, the Nets dancers, music, giveaways and basketball games, such as Pop-a-Shot. Food and drink will be available."
The Nets will also play preseason games against the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at The Rock on Oct. 13 and Oct. 21, respectively.
“We’re promoting our preseason games in Newark,” Nets spokesman Barry Baum told The Record's John Brennan (http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/Nets_Brooklyn_move_is_still_Plan_A.html).
The question is why? The proposed move to Brooklyn won't take place until the 2011-12 season, provided the Atlantic Yards project goes according to plan. The Nets will play in The Izod Center until then.
The Nets executives remain steadfast on their stance that “there is no Plan B” for the move to Brooklyn.
The deal is not official, however. The sale must go through, and the entire deal is pending David Stern's background check of Mikhail Prokhorov.

[geoffbailey]

By NJ State law every municipality must reassess all properties every 5 years. Newark is one year past due. The previous assessment was 42 years past due and the illustrious Sharpe James testified against the reassessment!

Of course it ended up in a massive number of appeals. Property Owners should be prepared this time around with a market evaluation and a tax attorney on speed dial.

See my post on this topic here (http://newarknjcre.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/newark-to-reassess-all-ratables/) with links to articles from 1998 about the reassessment then.


Here comes the crazyness:
Newark City Council expected to release $4M to reassess property values

By Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/rmascare/index.html)

October 06, 2009, 6:52PM

NEWARK -- The Newark City Council is expected to release $4 million Wednesday to reassess property values, six years after a calamitous revaluation sparked angry protests and thousands of tax appeals.
The city set aside the money to keep property appraisals current after a 42-year lapse prior to 2003 left some residents with wild swings in their tax bills.
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/newark-aerialjpg-1f78ec17c4d73a72_large.jpgStar-Ledger file photoA 2007 file aerial photo of Newark.
"The state requirement is that we do this every five years," North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos said. "We’re a little bit beyond the five years."
If approved, the funds will allow Newark to seek bidders for a contract before it chooses a vendor to assess every property in the city, Ramos said. He said he hopes the process will be completed in 2012.
The measure will impact a significant part of Newark’s budget.
Facing a shortfall of $75 million, Mayor Cory Booker this year proposed an increase in the municipal property tax rate of 8.9 cents per $100 of assessed property value, meaning the average Newark property owner would pay $155 more a year in taxes.
Property taxes are expected to account for roughly 20 percent of the city’s proposed $590 million budget.
Ramos said he was not sure how the revaluation, which comes after the housing bubble burst, will affect tax revenues.
"That’s really the big mystery right now," he said. "We know that property values across the country are down but it’s really too early to speculate."
Property taxes have long been a source of tension in Newark, which went longer than any New Jersey municipality without a revaluation.
In the 1970s, a group of council members, including former Mayor Sharpe James, were arrested after refusing to institute revaluation.
Bowing to county and state pressure, the city completed a reassessment of the city’s estimated 39,700 properties in 2003. More than 4,500 residents filed tax appeals.
City leaders faulted Certified Valuations, the firm that ran the 2003 process, for improperly assessing properties. They hope to find a firm that will provide a more accurate profile this time around.
The Department of Community Affairs did not prod Newark to begin another revaluation, an agency spokeswoman said.

[stache]

Is that a photo of Springfield blvd.?

[NewarkDevil5]

That photo is of Clinton Ave between Lincoln Park and MLK Blvd.

[stache]

Thank you, Sir Devil!

[newarkdevil1]

http://glocallynewark.com/2009/10/ironbound-district-named-%E2%80%9Cdowntown-of-the-month/

[newarkdevil1]

http://www.goironbound.com/portal/content/news/News_Item.asp?content_ID=51

http://www.goironbound.com/portal/content/news/News_Item.asp?content_ID=48

[JCMAN320]

Newark Mayor Cory Booker to appear on 'Tonight Show' with Conan O'Brien

By The Associated Press
October 12, 2009, 5:28PM

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/conan-obrien-cory-booker-newark-njjpg-0cc5553160c8b1a9_large.jpg
Star-Ledger photos
Newark Mayor Cory Booker and 'Tonight Show' host Conan O'Brien have been engaged in a humorous feud over the past two weeks. It was announced today taht Booker will appear on O'Brien's show on Friday.

NEWARK -- Goodbye YouTube, hello "Tonight Show."

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who has garnered national attention for his passionate defense of New Jersey's largest crime-plagued city, is taking his act to airwaves.

Host Conan O'Brien, who has been engaged in a playful feud with Booker since Sept. 23, has booked Booker to appear on his Oct. 16 show.

The exchange began when O'Brien poked fun at Booker's new health care plan for gritty Newark — long an icon for urban decay — saying it consisted of a bus ticket out of town.

Booker fought back with a humorous response on the YouTube video Web site in which he "banned" the 46-year-old redhead from Newark Liberty Airport.

Videos Here:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/newark_mayor_cory_booker_to_ap.html

[JCMAN320]

Newark man works to improve community despite unwelcome backlash

By Barry Carter/The Star-Ledger
October 12, 2009, 8:00PM

http://media.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/photo/kevin-lewis-highland-ave-newarkjpg-2b4c792745e02aeb_large.jpg
William Perlman/The Star-Ledger
Kevin Lewis, outside his home with one of the many boarded up homes behind him, wants to keep his block clean, but he's hated by an anonymous group of people who want the neighborhood to stay in chaos.

NEWARK -- It’s not that Kevin Lewis is unwelcome on the street where he makes his home. Unwelcome would be kinda nice.

Actually, Lewis is hated.

And the reason will make your jaw drop.

He wants to improve this community along Newark’s Highland Avenue, but he’s fighting a trifling, anonymous group of folk who want their community to be buck wild and wide open.

"I don’t get it," Lewis said. "I’ve given up on trying to understand it."

The 34-year-old Wall Street security analyst moved to Newark two years ago from New York, thinking the city was on the move and could undergo change like Harlem and sections of Brooklyn where he has lived. He figured Newark was on the same pace, that he would be part of the renaissance by investing in a home. It just hasn’t gone the way he expected, especially on Highland. You’d think Lewis would be embraced for wanting a nice place to live, but instead he is considered a snitch for calling the cops about speeding cars and drug houses. They damn him if the city’s department of neighborhood services board up abandoned homes. Sweep the street, as he has done, and they think this newcomer is naive and crazy. He’s been frowned upon just for asking people to curb their dog.

"For that, I get flack," he said. "I’m trying to change this area. I didn’t move out here to do this. I just want to have peace."

The cowards who won’t confront him face to face, go underground with their ugliness.

In huge black letters, they spray painted his name and address last month on the side of an abandoned house, surrounding it with racial obscenities. There was the "N" word, then the curse that begins with the letter "F." One sloganeer wrote "snitch rat jerk" on the same house. In June, "black dog go back home to Africa" was spray painted on the sidewalk with an arrow pointing to his house.

Newark police are investigating, but haven’t caught anyone yet. Flyers have been posted around the black and Latino neighborhood to make residents afraid of Lewis: He’s an informant, a prosecutor, a fraud. Don’t open your door if he knocks. In some cases, the fear campaign has worked. Residents said neighbors had their car windows smashed and were told such harassment would continue for anyone associating with Lewis.

"People don’t want to change," said Nelson Abrew, a resident on the street. "They are used to things being the same way."

A teenager who didn’t want to be identified said there’s another reason. He said people believe Lewis is a snob, someone who thinks he’s better than they are, because he has a new house, drives a nice car. Lewis knows he’s a threat to a way of life that breeds turmoil, bringing with it drug sales, derelicts, crime, disorder, pure nonsense.

Cars fly down the street like its Route 280, sideswiping parked cars along the way, including Lewis’ Jaguar that was totaled. Responsible parents keep their kids in doors while unsupervised children are outside on school nights. Adults play loud music, sit on stoops of vacant homes and drink. Some live on the block. Many don’t.

Highland has been a troubled street ever since older homeowners moved away 10 to 15 years ago. Since Lewis bought his home, residents said they have seen gradual changes, even though problems are still afoot. They said he’s gotten authorities to catch speeding motorists and shut down the long one-way street with barricades to cut down on narcotics traffic.

It still hasn’t stopped those trying to scare him off. But Lewis is stubborn.

He doesn’t mind being the target of threats, because he would rather have something happen to him than families he has convinced to stay on the block.

"I’ll be the scapegoat," Lewis said. "It doesn’t even bother me anymore. I’m fine with that if it makes this neighborhood better."

Mon’l Martinez, who grew up there, said he was about to move from the community but Lewis’ dedication changed his mind and they became friends.

Martinez could see what Lewis was trying to do for the neighborhood. It started with the kids. If they needed a bike fixed, Lewis did it. If they were hungry, he pre-paid at the local pizzeria and told them to go get something to eat. He even purchased a basketball hoop for them to play on. Little things like that made Martinez realize Lewis cared.

Slowly the community is showing some spunk and rallying around Lewis.

Neighborhood meetings that started with two people now have 20.

The momentum may be on his side now.

Martinez, who almost moved, said what Lewis’ determination can be contagious.

"There’s no way I can leave him stranded," Martinez said. "He actually had the balls to do something for the block."

[scrollhectic]

Newark man works to improve community despite unwelcome backlash

By Barry Carter/The Star-Ledger
October 12, 2009, 8:00PM

http://media.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/photo/kevin-lewis-highland-ave-newarkjpg-2b4c792745e02aeb_large.jpg
William Perlman/The Star-Ledger
Kevin Lewis, outside his home with one of the many boarded up homes behind him, wants to keep his block clean, but he's hated by an anonymous group of people who want the neighborhood to stay in chaos.

NEWARK -- It’s not that Kevin Lewis is unwelcome on the street where he makes his home. Unwelcome would be kinda nice.

Actually, Lewis is hated.

And the reason will make your jaw drop.

He wants to improve this community along Newark’s Highland Avenue, but he’s fighting a trifling, anonymous group of folk who want their community to be buck wild and wide open.

"I don’t get it," Lewis said. "I’ve given up on trying to understand it."

The 34-year-old Wall Street security analyst moved to Newark two years ago from New York, thinking the city was on the move and could undergo change like Harlem and sections of Brooklyn where he has lived. He figured Newark was on the same pace, that he would be part of the renaissance by investing in a home. It just hasn’t gone the way he expected, especially on Highland. You’d think Lewis would be embraced for wanting a nice place to live, but instead he is considered a snitch for calling the cops about speeding cars and drug houses. They damn him if the city’s department of neighborhood services board up abandoned homes. Sweep the street, as he has done, and they think this newcomer is naive and crazy. He’s been frowned upon just for asking people to curb their dog.

"For that, I get flack," he said. "I’m trying to change this area. I didn’t move out here to do this. I just want to have peace."

The cowards who won’t confront him face to face, go underground with their ugliness.

In huge black letters, they spray painted his name and address last month on the side of an abandoned house, surrounding it with racial obscenities. There was the "N" word, then the curse that begins with the letter "F." One sloganeer wrote "snitch rat jerk" on the same house. In June, "black dog go back home to Africa" was spray painted on the sidewalk with an arrow pointing to his house.

Newark police are investigating, but haven’t caught anyone yet. Flyers have been posted around the black and Latino neighborhood to make residents afraid of Lewis: He’s an informant, a prosecutor, a fraud. Don’t open your door if he knocks. In some cases, the fear campaign has worked. Residents said neighbors had their car windows smashed and were told such harassment would continue for anyone associating with Lewis.

"People don’t want to change," said Nelson Abrew, a resident on the street. "They are used to things being the same way."

A teenager who didn’t want to be identified said there’s another reason. He said people believe Lewis is a snob, someone who thinks he’s better than they are, because he has a new house, drives a nice car. Lewis knows he’s a threat to a way of life that breeds turmoil, bringing with it drug sales, derelicts, crime, disorder, pure nonsense.

Cars fly down the street like its Route 280, sideswiping parked cars along the way, including Lewis’ Jaguar that was totaled. Responsible parents keep their kids in doors while unsupervised children are outside on school nights. Adults play loud music, sit on stoops of vacant homes and drink. Some live on the block. Many don’t.

Highland has been a troubled street ever since older homeowners moved away 10 to 15 years ago. Since Lewis bought his home, residents said they have seen gradual changes, even though problems are still afoot. They said he’s gotten authorities to catch speeding motorists and shut down the long one-way street with barricades to cut down on narcotics traffic.

It still hasn’t stopped those trying to scare him off. But Lewis is stubborn.

He doesn’t mind being the target of threats, because he would rather have something happen to him than families he has convinced to stay on the block.

"I’ll be the scapegoat," Lewis said. "It doesn’t even bother me anymore. I’m fine with that if it makes this neighborhood better."

Mon’l Martinez, who grew up there, said he was about to move from the community but Lewis’ dedication changed his mind and they became friends.

Martinez could see what Lewis was trying to do for the neighborhood. It started with the kids. If they needed a bike fixed, Lewis did it. If they were hungry, he pre-paid at the local pizzeria and told them to go get something to eat. He even purchased a basketball hoop for them to play on. Little things like that made Martinez realize Lewis cared.

Slowly the community is showing some spunk and rallying around Lewis.

Neighborhood meetings that started with two people now have 20.

The momentum may be on his side now.

Martinez, who almost moved, said what Lewis’ determination can be contagious.

"There’s no way I can leave him stranded," Martinez said. "He actually had the balls to do something for the block."


This article and this man's circumstances conveys and typifies one of the major problems plaguing Newark... the fear of change. This city is gripped with that fear and it's holding Newark back. Like him, I don't get it. I just don't get it. Everyone is afraid of "outsiders" from neighborhood groups to politicians. And it seems as when something is proposed, there's always someone or some group quick to throw up resistance. Newark is lagging behind so many other cities that faced the same trials and hardships brought on by suburban flight and urban decay. With all the resources in place, the only real excuses for Newark's deficiency is corruption and tunnel vision. Kevin Lewis should be praised for his "stubborness" because it's gonna take people with bullish determination to change Newark. This city is not for the faint hearted.

[Ninjahedge]

It is not a fear of change, but a fear of failure. It is also a fear of comparisons made. People do not WANT to work harder to clean up their neighborhood, and do not like it when someone does all this work and others look up to him as a result.

They feel like less important less liked individuals. they are not as cool anymore.

The other guys just don't want to be caught. Speeders, dealers and drinkers all wanto to sell, inject, and do what they want to do. He is a threat and is being treated as such (and, from THEIR perspective, rightly so). But what is good for the delinquent, is NOT good for the neighborhood.


Teh one thnig he has to remember though. It is not a pure $$ thing. His helping kids out, like fixing a bike, means more than buying the hoop (although that helps). The more people help a neighbor paint their house, look after their kids, and generally make a NEIGHBORHOOD out of an area, the better.

Money helps, but we have already found out money is not the whole answer. It takes something more expensive than money.

Effort.

[66nexus]

:(We wonder why Newark is struggling.


Only genuine supporters wonder why Newark is struggling. You, however, I feel get a certain rise out of Newark's blemishes.

In the past, you made no secret of your wish for JC to surpass Newark, and it is because of that, some of your statements (while seemingly innocent to a newcomer) seem to have a hidden message in between.

Some of your statements about the city in posts-past make me feel this way. And while I'm not trying to hold it against you now, I'm just trying to point out that I find it hard to forget.

[Marv95]

Is a long running road beginning from Park Avenue up into Forest Hill(where there is a lack of boarded up homes, drug dens, grafitti, etc.) I like how the Star-Liar fails to mention the name of the neighborhood or its exact coordinates. Would it really hurt to say "between Park and Bloomfield Aves."(I bet this where the story takes place)? Thanks again Star-Liar for not getting all of your facts straight.

[JCMAN320]

Nexus that couldn't be further from the truth. I'd love to see Newark overcome these issues nothing would make me happier. The fact that a stronger and more viable Newark strengthens the regions economy and helps strengthen and support Jersey City as well is a fact that is not lost on me. I scratch my head when I read stories like this because it makes no sense. I do wish for JC to prosper and eventually surpass Newark in population because we would get more federal money; however not at the expense of Newark's struggles.

I would not like it if someone from New York or Newark enjoyed any struggles that Jersey City faces or roots for us to fail. It's completely juvenile and inconsiderate to take joy out of a community's struggles.

If I truly wanted to put Newark in the stockade I would have posted the stories of 5 shootings including 2 murders that happened in less than 24 hours the other day. These incidents anger me; I don't get enjoyment out of them. I have had a friend gunned down here in JC so it makes no sense why I would enjoy it in Newark.

I do not wish Newark to fail at all and to say as such I find disheartening. I get extremely angry when I read stories like this and the senseless violence that occurs in the community. I do not support any of this or take joy in Newark's struggles and I can't reinforce that enough.

[block944]

It is not a fear of change, but a fear of failure. It is also a fear of comparisons made. People do not WANT to work harder to clean up their neighborhood, and do not like it when someone does all this work and others look up to him as a result.

They feel like less important less liked individuals. they are not as cool anymore.

The other guys just don't want to be caught. Speeders, dealers and drinkers all wanto to sell, inject, and do what they want to do. He is a threat and is being treated as such (and, from THEIR perspective, rightly so). But what is good for the delinquent, is NOT good for the neighborhood.


Teh one thnig he has to remember though. It is not a pure $$ thing. His helping kids out, like fixing a bike, means more than buying the hoop (although that helps). The more people help a neighbor paint their house, look after their kids, and generally make a NEIGHBORHOOD out of an area, the better.

Money helps, but we have already found out money is not the whole answer. It takes something more expensive than money.

Effort.


its fear of hardwork, its fear of being responsible, fear of getting an education, fear of building a family and taking care of your kids. In their eyes its much easier to be a hooligan.

[OmegaNYC]

I've seen this story on Eyewitness News, the other night. It is really sad, when someone is looked down upon, all becauase they want to clean up the area and make it a better place for all residents. I think it is a combination of fear of change, and being a damn fool.

[newarkdevil1]

I thought the interview was interesting especially when Booker "jokes" about how people were outraged at him overstepping his powers by banning Connan. I can imagine there were actually people saying this, not understanding a joke and jumping on the hate booker bandwagon.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/102944/the-tonight-show-with-conan-obrien-fri-oct-16-2009

[arcman210]

From NJ.com

NJ Nets warming to the idea of a move to the Prudential Center
By Dave D'Alessandro/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/ddalessa/index.html)
October 22, 2009, 12:59AM

http://media.nj.com/nets_impact/photo/crowd-shot-of-prudential-center-for-nets-celtics-12ede5388db9412e_large.jpg
Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

The preseason Nets game against the Boston Celtics drew more than 12,000 spectators. Wednesday's game against the Knicks drew more than 15,000.
The Nets are considering playing their regular season home games at the Prudential Center in Newark while a new arena is being built for them in Brooklyn, several team officials said Wednesday night.
After drawing large crowds for two preseason games in Newark — including nearly 16,000 Wednesday for a game against the New York Knicks — the Nets are warming to the idea of spending a few years at the Prudential Center as long as they can get out of their lease at Meadowlands without having to pay an $8 million penalty.
A temporary move to Newark could happen as early as next season, said the officials, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak for the club.
The team now plays at the Izod Center in East Rutherford and has said it will remain there until the move to Brooklyn, which could come as early as the 2011-12 season.
Brett Yormark, the team’s CEO, would not discuss a move to Newark, saying only that he appreciated the fan support the team received for Wednesday’s game.
However, a number of other officials indicated the Nets have softened to the idea of making the temporary move to the Prudential Center as long as the state waives the penalty the team would have to pay to break its lease at the Izod Center.
The lease with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority runs through 2013 but the Nets can can opt out at any time as long as they are moving to Brooklyn. Otherwise, they are subjected to the $8 million penalty.
Nets owner Bruce Ratner is reluctant to leave the Izod Center because a move to Newark could undermine the Brooklyn plans and give New York officials the impression they’re playing one side against the other, the team officials said.
Ratner needs to break ground for the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn before the end of the year to beat a Dec. 31 Internal Revenue Service deadline for the issuance of tax-exempt bonds that will be used to fund construction costs. He also must come out on the right side of a New York State Court of Appeals decision about the legality of using eminent domain to acquire land at the site. That decision is expected next month.
The Nets have played two preseason games in Newark. The first game, on Oct. 13 against the Boston Celtics, drew 12,790 which officials said was roughly three times the the size of a typical preseason crowd at Izod Center. The game against the Knicks drew 15,721.
The Prudential Center, which seats 18,342 for baskeball, is home for the New Jersey Devils hockey team and Seton Hall University basketball team. The Nets have played in East Rutherford since 1981.
Last month, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov agreed to purchase 80 percent of the team and 45 percent of the proposed arena by pouring $200 million into the cash-depleted Brooklyn venture.
Under the agreement, Ratner’s Forest City Enterprises group will retain controlling interest in the proposed Barclays Center but relinquish authority over basketball operations. It also will give Prokhorov’s Onexim Group the right to purchase up to 20 percent of the Atlantic Yards Development Company, which will develop the area around the proposed $800 million arena.
Prokhorov was not at Wednesday's game, but sent a number of Onexim executives.who were seated at courtside opposite the Nets bench.


http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2009/10/nj_nets_warming_to_the_idea_of.html

[block944]

I was there, what an amazing game, especially for preseason

Nets May Move to Newark While Awaiting Mythical Brooklyn Arena


http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/102209nets.jpg
The Nets may prefer the Prudential Center court.
Two preseason games at the Prudential Center in Newark have been so highly attended that the Nets (http://gothamist.com/2009/07/24/so_anybody_want_to_buy_the_nets.php) are considering moving there from the Meadowlands while they wait for a new home in Brooklyn. An October 13th preseason game against the Celtics drew 12,790 fans to the Prudential Center, three times the the size of a typical preseason crowd at the Meadowlands' Izod Center. Then, a game against the Knicks drew 15,721. Those are nice numbers, but getting out of their lease could cost Nets owner and Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner millions.
The Nets' lease with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority runs through 2013. If the team is moving to Brooklyn, it can opt out of the lease without penalties. But decamping to Newark would incur an $8 million penalty, which Ratner is hoping the state will waive. On the other hand, insiders tell the Star-Ledger (http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2009/10/nj_nets_warming_to_the_idea_of.html) that Ratner "is reluctant to leave the Izod Center because a move to Newark could undermine the Brooklyn plans." At this point he's probably pretty fed up with all the undermining (http://gothamist.com/2008/04/04/murakami_party.php)!
Ratner needs to break ground on the Brooklyn arena by the end of the year to qualify for tax-exempt bonds to finance construction, but he's waiting on the State Court of Appeals decision about the use of eminent domain to acquire land at the site. And earlier this week opponents of the highly controversial development filed yet another lawsuit (http://dddb.net/php/press/091019MGPPsuit.php), faulting the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) for not conducting a second environmental impact statement after Ratner radically changed the project (http://gothamist.com/2009/07/28/nets_arena_resembles_sinking_ship_i.php).
Meanwhile, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov had his first meeting with NBA owners last night at the St. Regis Hotel. Prokhorov has agreed to purchase (http://gothamist.com/2009/09/23/russians_will_own_most_of_brooklyn.php) 80 percent of the team and 45 percent of the proposed arena in exchange for $200 million. But he needs approval of at least 23 of the NBA’s 30 owners, who were rumored to be enchanted by Prokhorov last night. One anonymous source tells the Post (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/russian_positive_net_result_6lLkV9jxKILJ0FRciDaDIO ), "Everyone seemed excited over the love he has of basketball and the unlimited amount of money he can inject into the game."

[block944]

Newark's Prudential Center gets N.J. Nets under arenas deal, report says

By The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk (http://connect.nj.com/user/njoslcnd/index.html)

October 23, 2009, 5:04AM

NEWARK -- The New Jersey Nets would play at the Prudential Center for at least the next two years while the Izod Center in the Meadowlands will get more concert and family show bookings under the deal that is close to being signed, according to a report in The Record (http://www.northjersey.com/news/nets_prudential_.html).
The report said the deal would include the creation of Jersey Presents LLC between the owners of the Prudential Center and the Izod Center. Jerry Zaro, Gov. Jon Corzine’s economic czar, told the newspaper “You can’t have two venues that close together fighting each other and have that be productive for the state. The governor recognized that this was going to be a festering wound."
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/pru-centerjpg-5d19237f11839c70_large.jpgJohn Munson/The Star-LedgerAerial scene of the Prudential Center in Newark
Under the deal, the report said the Prudential Center would become New Jersey's prime sports venue -- home to Nets pro basketball, New Jersey Devils hockey, Seton Hall University basketball, indoor pro soccer and indoor pro lacrosse. The city of Newark would reportedly get more than $2 million in back rent from the Devils.

[Marv95]

^^^Retarded journalism at its finest. Unless Vanderbeek is that stupid to accept this "deal".

[block944]

^^^Retarded journalism at its finest. Unless Vanderbeek is that stupid to accept this "deal".


Does miley cyrus or american idols or disney circus really have a bigger reoccuring fan base than the nets?


http://www.prucenter.com/default.asp?page=1&id=79

It would be great for the city to have a team that they can get behind as I don't see them really caring about baseball/bears or hockey/devils. Basketball, residents through out the city show up!

[stache]

Newark is actually looking pretty now, with the planters etc.

[Marv95]

Does miley cyrus or american idols or disney circus really have a bigger reoccuring fan base than the nets?


http://www.prucenter.com/default.asp?page=1&id=79

It would be great for the city to have a team that they can get behind as I don't see them really caring about baseball/bears or hockey/devils. Basketball, residents through out the city show up!

Yes they do. These concerts/family shows make more money than the Nets do. They'd be getting more dates than the Nets. I all for the Nets being there, but if they aren't fully committed to the place then what's the point?

Which is worse,
1)having Devils/Pirates and some concerts/family shows, or
2)having Devils/Pirates/lame-duck Nets who are already bleeding money and can still be relocated shortly after, and no concerts/family shows?

That's why Vanderbeek can't fall for this scam(if it's true), as his place has a potential of being more empty on most nights than it already is come 2012. Less and less revenue coming. You want that?

In order for all of this to work short and more importantly long-term, shut down Izod permanently.

[arcman210]

The Nets in Newark has always made sense. If this is the plan that gets them there, then Vanderbeek and Newark should jump at it. Secure the second tenant and then when people come to their senses and realize the handful of events being held at Izod Center is useless compared to what the Prudential Center is accompishing, then close down the Izod Center.

All of the events belong in Newark. The Izod Center is an absolute waste.

[newarkdevil1]

The whole NJSEA is a waste of taxpayer money, it is now costing us to run it and is a subsidy to the horsing industry as well as the meadowlands. The problem is that Bergen County and Hudson County Pols will fight not to have it closed because it employers voters fo theirs. Just think how backwards it is that the government is once again running items in competition of private industries, everything from horse racing to arenas. Seriously, is this why I pay taxes, so that it can be used to pay for parking attendants and NJSEA administrators?