Jersey City Rising

[JoeSas]

there are a few buildings getting redone on Newark Ave near Grove St. They look like pretty good renovations to historic buildings. nice to see the south side of Newark finally getting a bit of a facelift, though I can't wait until all of those buildings getting redone along C Columbus and that mural is gone.

[JCMAN320]

A Waterfront Setting Inspires Nautical Themes at Jersey City’s Maritime Parc
By Laryssa Wirstiuk • Oct 4th, 2010 • Category: Featured, Food


The open kitchen at Maritime Parc

The latest upscale American restaurant to open in Jersey City, Maritime Parc, is a little different than earlier comers. For one, it sits inside Liberty State Park, with its excellent views of Manhattan. It’s also enormous, with three full floors of space inside its massive gray octagonal building.

“I recently turned 40, and I wanted to do something different,” Maritime Parc executive chef Chris Siversen says. “I saw the sign ‘Space Available’ and wondered what I could do with a 30,000 square foot building with two floors of event space.”

Siversen, a former chef with the Glazier Group, brought his expertise and experience to New Jersey, not too far from the restaurants in Manhattan where he mastered his craft.

“I’m blessed to come to work every day in a serene marina,” he says. “I love New Jersey, but my heart is also in New York City. This is the perfect mix.”

Acquired about a year ago, the Liberty State Park space has evolved into a 190-seat American restaurant, with emphasis on seafood and local, seasonal offerings. According to Siversen, the menu will change every few months.

All meat is locally sourced — chicken, quail, squab, pheasant, pork, and lamb come from farms in New Jersey. The restaurant is working with Zone 7, a service that connects chefs with New Jersey and Pennsylvania-based organic and sustainable farms.

Menu highlights include a raw bar and appetizers like grilled squid with harissa oil, warm olives, arugula, and cured lemon vinaigrette. Star entrees (ranging from $22-$36) include pan-roasted black cod and rib eye steak with bone marrow. Duck fat garlic fries are a heavenly indulgence, and Mash Potato Rings combine the eatability of onion rings with the homey, comforting taste of mashed potatoes.

Designed by mixologist Greg Seider, of Manhattan’s acclaimed Summit Bar, the creative cocktails are named after ships that were wrecked along the New Jersey coastline. At a launch dinner last week, Maritime Parc’s friendly bartenders urged me to try the San Saba, a blend of Correlejo Blanco tequila, pineapple puree, a hint of jalapeno and fresh lime juice, served on the rocks. The bar also offers a well-edited selection of microbrews and fine wines.

A separate bar menu offers casual, light dishes like the MP Bar Burger with Special Sauce and home relishes and pickles, duck fat fries, and Mash Potato Rings.

Designer Stephanie Goto, principal and founder of New York City design firm STEPHANIEGOTO, is responsible for the interior design of the space. Design highlights include a Guggenheim-inspired staircase and a contemporary chandelier made of fishing line.

“Designing the space was a two to three month process. For the restaurant, we took cues from nautical themes. We wanted the space to resemble a modern summer home, where you can spend an entire day,” says Goto. “I really admire the architecture of Finland, and the linear approach.”

While the restaurant is the main focus at Maritime Parc, given the location’s prime views and unhurried setting inside a state park, the owners can also expect to bring in plenty of special events, much like its neighbor, Liberty House.

The second floor of Maritime Parc — which, along with the third floor, is reserved exclusively for events — was designed to resemble a night sky, with “cloud ceiling” panels wrapped with translucent fabric and filled with rope light casting a serene glow on the hardwood floor. (The Maritime Parc logo is actually based on this memorable ceiling). The third floor has an open room with high, vaulted cedar ceiling and a wrap-around balcony with some of the most beautiful views of Downtown Manhattan around.

The restaurant hopes that its careful attention to detail and high-quality offerings set Maritime Parc apart from a typical waterfront bar and restaurant. Boats can dock at the restaurant and order “boat service”, a delivery service that brings fresh food from the restaurant directly to the marina.

“If you think you’re going to get off your boat at Liberty Landing Marina and have a Corona here,” Goto says, “you will definitely be surprised.”

THE DETAILS

Maritime Parc | 84 Audrey Zapp Drive | 201-413-0050 | maritimeparc.com

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com...maritime-parc/

[JCMAN320]

Husband-and-Wife Team Behind Jersey City’s Madame Claude Cafe Open Madame Claude Wine
By Amy Petriello • Oct 6th, 2010 • Category: Featured, Food



Rustic wood shelves, counters propped up on wine barrels, vintage corkscrews mounted on concrete walls. Is this a winery in the middle of Jersey City? No, it’s just the new Madame Claude wine store, opening today in the ground floor of the Hamilton Square development near Hamilton Park.

Madame Claude Wine, a spin-off of the popular Madame Claude Cafe on 4th Street, is owned by husband-and-wife team Mattias Gustafsson and Alice Troietto. While not formally schooled in oenology (“we just like wine,” they say), Gustafsson and Troietto have been taking wine classes since they first decided to open the store about four years ago.

“Every wine we’ll carry, we’ll know about … a little story about it,” Gustafsson says.

On the day of our visit, they were pouring a 2008 Chateau Virgile Blanc from Costières de Nîmes. The Costières de Nîmes is a small appellation in the south of France, not one of the larger wine regions most Americans know about. It’s a clean, round white wine, neither too fruity nor acidic.

Sixty-five percent of the store’s stock will be French wines, “because we’re French,” Gustafsson says. “We want to stay authentic.”

He wants to introduce customers to wines they’ve never had before, from regions other than Bordeaux and Burgundy.

“That’s our job,” he says. “We want to sell what people like, but we have to present them with wine they don’t know.”

For example, Gustafsson says the Chateau Virgile Blanc pairs well with fish dishes, as its region of origin is especially known for its bouillabaisse.

In addition, Madame Claude Wine will sell cheese and pâté, as well as harder-to-find, unusual spirits, such as rum from the French Antilles, French-made single-malt scotch and cider.

“When you eat crêpes in France, you always have cider,” says Gustafsson. “It’s like the thing. You have to have cider with crêpes.”

There will also be in-store tastings and other events to educate customers on wine. “People can be a little intimidated with the labeling of French wines,” says Gustafsson. “We will be there to explain it.”

Most of the wines in stock will cost between $10 and $20, with a few higher-priced options. Along with focusing on affordable, everyday wines, Gustafsson and Troietto will sell only food-friendly wine.

What is food-friendly wine? “It can’t be too fruity, too woody, like the Californians can be sometimes, because then it just overpowers the food,” says Gustafsson. He plans on displaying information on food and wine pairings in the center of the store; many examples will be dishes from Madame Claude Cafe’s menu, such as duck in orange sauce or steak au poivre.

One of Gustafsson’s goals is to “have both places work together.” As such, he is offering incentives for customers to buy wine there and then take it to the nearby BYOB restaurant, such as a free dessert at the restaurant with a wine purchase at the store.

Future plans include selling vacuum-packed meals from the restaurant at the wine store. The meals can be dropped into boiling water and will cook in the bag, according to Troietto — a method that is already widely used in France.

Gustafsson and Troietto were actually offered this space by Hamilton Square for their eight-year-old restaurant, with the thought that they’d want to expand. But they declined, stating that they wanted to retain the cozy cafe feel of Madame Claude.

“We like the size, we think it works,” Gustafsson says. “We’re like, ‘Why not a wine store?’”

The interior melds the pair’s French and Jersey roots. The shelves and counters were crafted out of reclaimed barn wood by artist Matt Johnson, whose studio used to be located on Brunswick Street across from Madame Claude Cafe. The metal fixtures and store sign (as well as the sign for the eatery) were also created by Johnson. A chair originally created as a stage prop and then abandoned on a street in Jersey City sits under a large banner of the Eiffel Tower, near the walk-in refrigerator. Vintage corkscrews, passed down in Troietto’s family, are mounted on a wall underneath a metal chandelier, another Johnson sculpture. Nearby a helpful map of all the wine regions of France is posted for nouveau wine enthusiasts.

“We wanted to make it different from everybody else around,” Troietto says of the design. “We didn’t want to make it a typical liquor store. We wanted it warm, rustic. And the space is so great to work with.”

While the design seemingly came easy, obtaining a liquor license proved a harder task, particularly when Gustafsson discovered a city ordinance stating that liquor stores needed to be 750 feet apart.

“We thought we were clear of distance issues, but apparently not,” he says. Madame Claude Wine is indeed within that distance of a few liquor stores, including Sidoroff’s Liquors on 8th Street and Liquor House on Erie Street. As we previously reported, the City Council changed the law in March to permit a distribution license being transferred into a redevelopment zone to be as close as 520 feet to another establishment holding a license. And a year and a half after the process began, the store finally has its license.

THE DETAILS
Madame Claude Wine | 234 Pavonia Ave. | No phone yet | madameclaudewine.com | Hours (subject to change): 11 am to 10 pm daily

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com...e-claude-wine/

[JCMAN320]

First Max's of Manila franchise on the East Coast opens in Jersey City

Published: Thursday, November 04, 2010, 1:06 PM Updated: Thursday, November 04, 2010, 1:11 PM
Adam Robb/For The Jersey Journal


Adam Robb/For The Jersey Journal
Philippines Consul General Cecile Rebong chops a whole chicken and serves Mayor Jeremiah Healy the first taste. The chopping ceremony is a custom at the opening of every Max's restaurant.

With two snips of the scissors last week, Jersey City Mayor Jeremiah Healy cut through the red ribbon crossing the threshold of Max's of Manila, the first East Coast franchise of the storied Philippines eatery, at 687 Newark Ave.

For any other business, such a ceremony would signal its grand opening, but Max's has its own ritual, and moments later, Cecile Rebong, Consul General of the Philippines, was deftly splitting a chicken with a butcher's knife under the skylight of the restaurant's second-floor dining room.

Slicing through the small bird, prepared in a dedicated fryer in the downstairs kitchen, she was ready to serve the first pieces to her honored guests on a dais -- including Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez and Council President Peter Brennan -- who proceeded to indulge following the mayor's first bite. With a full mouth he gave them the go-ahead, signaling his approval with two thumbs up.

Afterward, all guests received a single piece of chicken eaten in a toast to the new establishment.

Despite the restaurant's formal introduction to the Journal Square community, most guests felt at home, as if they had eaten at Max's all their lives, and with good reason.

For many immigrants to Jersey City, their familiarity with the brand dates back 65 years to when Maximo Gimenez opened his Philippines home to American GIs following World War II.

"In 1945 my grandfather started the restaurant," Bill Rodgers, the current managing director of Max's LLC told a crowd already well versed in the story. "He was inviting GIs over to his house, serving them drinks and his niece concocted some fried chicken. We're not sure where this secret recipe came from, whether it was in her head or from a GI."

But while the recipe remains a guarded secret to this day -- despite several attempts not even the mayor could extract the formula -- word spread, as did the opportunity to experience the tender meat, traditionally served with hot sauce or banana ketchup.

There are now more than 100 branches of Max's of Manila throughout the world and after reaching from coast to coast in the United States, forthcoming franchises are preparing to open in Toronto, Canada, Sydney, Australia and Dubai.

Noting the state of the economy, the mayor was quick to share his appreciation for Max's commitment to opening in Jersey City.

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. As you know, we are in the new Great Depression not just here in Jersey City or these United States, but all over the world," Healy said. "There's tremendous economic downturn, and its very encouraging to see that businesses such as Max's of Manila and entrepreneurs such as Patricia (Berberabe) and her family are still moving forward in investing here in Jersey City."

That forward progress began in the summer of 2008, when Max's first announced it was hiring staff, and continued a year later when, ready to open, the restaurant was forced to remain closed until it adapted to new building codes. Still, nothing could deter franchisee Berberabe whose nostalgia for Max's cuisine inspired her to open in New Jersey.

"Because of my love of Max's Chicken from when I was in college, as soon as I learned Max was a franchise I put in my application," she told the room of guests dominated by friends and family.

Such intimacy was why Rodgers believed Berberabe was the perfect candidate for a franchise. He wanted to see his family business become the business of other families.

The new owner's decades-long connection to Max's is not surprising to Rebong.

"Finally part of the Philippines is now in Jersey City," she delighted in announcing before becoming wistful herself. "How many wedding receptions were held at Max's Restaurant in the Philippines? Baptismal receptions, birthday celebrations, anniversary celebrations, graduation celebrations, parties were held at Max's Restaurant in the Philippines? It started long before we had the pizzas and the hot dogs and all those stands and restaurants in the Philippines. And we have all been part of that culture."

It is true the menu at Max's is more focused on the cuisine of the Philippines than similar chains like Jollibee in Woodside, Queens, which infuses its menu with American dishes like spaghetti served beside their own variation on fried chicken. While Rebong dines there as well, she feels a stronger connection to her homeland here where meals feature more traditional dishes including crispy pata or pork knuckle, kare-kare oxtail in peanut sauce, lumpiang ubod heart of palm wrapped in an egg crepe and, for dessert, halo-halo, a frozen mixture of fruit, rice, beans and ice cream.

"You ask all these people who migrated from the Philippines to here: Before we had hamburgers, we had Max's,'' she said. "It's part of the Philippines history, part of the Philippine way of life."

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...franchise.html

[JCMAN320]

Banh mi is (finally) coming to Jersey City
Published: Thursday, November 04, 2010, 2:21 PM Updated: Monday, November 08, 2010, 6:50 PM
Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal


Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal
Dianna Munz and Gary Rego in front of the location of Jersey City's first banh mi restaurant, Rue Viet.

The banh mi craze has finally hit Jersey City.

Although the Vietnamese sandwiches have been the darling of foodies across the river for several years, and despite Jersey City’s many fine Vietnamese restaurants, banh mi have not been regularly* available in town until now.

Rue Viet, located at 270 Newark Ave. (the former site of both Cafe Nia and the Baker Boys Café), is slated to open in a couple of weeks, although an exact date has not yet been set.

The restaurant is owned by Dianna Munz, a classically-trained chef, and Gary Rego, who decided to open it after they moved here and found a dearth of banh mi shops.

“When we were living in Brooklyn, we would eat banh mi at least twice a week. There’s one (a shop) on every corner” said Munz during an interview in the restaurant’s garden.

The pair wanted to open the restaurant in Hoboken, Munz’s hometown, which returned to from Brooklyn in 2007. (Rego moved to the Heights two years later.)

But high rents caused them to look in Jersey City. When the location at the corner of Newark Avenue and Monmouth Street (which Munz had lusted after for years) became available, the pair decided it was fate.

(In an even larger coincidence, Munz later discovered that her aunt used to own the building, where Munz spent many a happy Easter.)

Munz and Rego are veteran restaurateurs, having opened two restaurants in Brooklyn: Paninoteca 275, an Italian tapas and Panini place, in Carroll Gardens and the diner Hope & Anchor in Red Hook.

Rue Viet (an homage to Newark Avenue’s Vietnamese shops) will serve a half-a-dozen kinds of banh mi.

Traditionally the baguette sandwiches are not sold in restaurants, but rather in sandwich shops, bakeries, and even at newsstands.

Munz and Rego will serve the classic variety, consisting of pate, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, chili peppers and mayonnaise, as well as variations incorporating such ingredients as tofu, sardine, chicken and roasted pork belly.

There will also be an extensive salad menu, a slew of cold and warm noodle dishes and the traditional Vietnamese soup, Pho.

But the pair, neither of whom is of Vietnamese decent, is care to note that they’re not trying to compete with the existing Vietnamese restaurants.

“The most important thing to us was not to interfere with anybody’s business that was already here,” said Munz. “We’re borrowing the idea and putting a spin on it.”

The Pho, for example, will be vegetarian. And Munz plans to incorporate flavors from other cultures, such as lemongrass from Thailand and Chinese pork buns.

The café will also serve a French/Vietnamese brunch with, for example, fried pork belly and rice instead of bacon and home fries.

In addition it also will serve as a neighborhood café, with a full coffee bar and free WiFi (yippee).

And, to satisfy a decades-long desire of Munz’, there is going to be a soft serve ice cream machine allowing them to offer such treats as green tea ice cream and tamarind topping.

Asked if the café will also wear the hat of a local ice cream shop, doling out cones to go, Munz said, she hadn’t thought about it, “But if that’s what keeps the restaurant going, sure.”

Rue Viet is located at 270 Newark Ave. The phone is 201-918-2704. The restaurant will be open M-F from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

*One Newark Avenue grocery store occasionally sells them on Saturdays, Munz said.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...ally_to_j.html

[JCMAN320]

Jersey City man recreates childhood memories with Paulus Hook gelato shop

Published: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 2:14 PM Updated: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 4:27 PM
Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal


Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal
Tom Parisi behind the counter at Tommy 2 Scoops.

When Tom Parisi was a child, one of his favorite pastimes was hanging out at his uncle’s local candy store.

“It was a meeting place, people used to say, ‘I’ll see you at the store,’” he said.

A half a century later, the 63-year-old former carpet salesman and Jersey City landlord decided to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, as well as those of his father, who owned the grocery shop next door.

And with its tin ceilings, hardwood floors, ceiling fans and wrought-iron-and-wood benches out front, Tommy 2 Scoops and Then Some! is off to a good start.

Even with the “then some” added, the name is somewhat deceiving, because the cozy eatery at the corner of York Street and Marin Boulevard is more than a gelato shop.

The friendly café, which opened July 2, is also a sandwich joint with such offerings as Cuban, Ruben and grilled veggie Panini, Cobb and Caesar salads, and chicken quesadilla.

But Parisi also puts a spin on things with truffle-oil-topped French fries and a burger served on focaccia and topped with chipotle peppers.

Of course serving gelato instead of ice cream is also a departure from the old-timey theme. But Parisi points out that not only do many people find the denser flavor tastier, but that it also has significantly less fat – two-thirds less fat, he said.

He also adds a modern twist with such flavors as Parmesan olive oil; maple syrup, brown sugar and bacon; coconut curry and wasabi, in addition to tamer varieties such as Oreo and honey ricotta.


Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal
Tommy 2 Scoop's backyard.

Although Parisi says he’s been having a blast opening the restaurant, its occurrence was somewhat of a fluke.

“It should have been called “Tommy oops,” he said.

Parisi bought 177 York Street with the intention of renting it.

But although he quickly found tenants for the rental units, there were no takers for the commercial space on the ground floor.

So he decided to develop it himself.

And why a gelato shop?

“I just felt that this place needed one, there really isn’t anything like it nearby,” he said.

Although the inside of the restaurant only has a few tables, there’s a 1,200-square-foot backyard that provided outdoor seating for dozens last summer. This winter Parisi plans to turn part of that space into a second dining room.

The cafe also offers free WiFi and has a few outlets available for laptop users.

So far the café has been most popular with parents, since it keeps the little ones contained. Parisi said he’s already hosted about 25 birthday parties. With a water dish out front, it's also been popular with dog owners, he said.

Although Tommy 2 Scoops if Parisi first eatery, it’s not going to be his last.

Plans are underway to open a two-story, 2,200-square foot restaurant and bar called The Bright Side at 141 Bright St., with three separate areas.

“There’s going to be bar area like 'Cheers,' an elegant dining room like the Light Horse, and a fireplace lounge like Skinner’s Loft,” he said, acknowledging his optimism at comparing the future restaurant to what he called two of Jersey City's "premier" spots.

“It’s been rewarding,” he said of his new career. “It’s been a lot of fun.

Tommy 2 Scoops and Then Some! is located at 177 York St. It is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. until midnight and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Delivery is available, with a $10 minimum, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...es_chil_2.html

[JCMAN320]

Jersey City approves zoning changes to block natural gas pipeline
Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 7:04 PM Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 7:12 PM
Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal


Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
Spectra Energy wants to run a natural gas pipeline through Bayonne and Jersey City, which would travel under the Hudson River to New York. Here's a map of the proposed route.

Despite a federal agency saying Jersey City can’t use local zoning law to block a natural gas pipeline, the City Council adopted 10 ordinances tonight trying to do just that.

“This is part of the city’s strategy to oppose the installation of the Spectra pipeline in the City of Jersey City, to prohibit natural gas pipelines in redevelopment plans,” City Clerk Robert Byrne said before opening the first ordinance up for a public hearing.

Resident Yvonne Balcer was the only resident to speak and noted that the city can’t tell the state or federal government what to do, but she did ask if the city could require maintenance of the pipelines to prevent an explosion like the one in San Bruno earlier this year.

“The issue is not whether or not to have it, the issue is to require maintenance so we don’t have that same problem they had in California,” she said.

Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano said he believes both the state Board of Public Utilities and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission require maintenance.

The ordinances are only one of several ways the city is trying to block a Houston company from running a pipeline through Jersey City.

The project would also include running pipeline through parts of Bayonne.
Tamara Young-Allen, a FERC spokeswoman, said municipal law cannot be used to block interstate commerce.

Regardless, the City Council voted 8-0 to approve the ordinances and also introduced a first reading ordinance to block the pipelines in other zones in the city. Councilwoman Willie Flood was absent.

Spectra officials have not commented on the ordinances but released a statement saying the company hopes to continue working with Jersey City to build the pipeline and finalize the route.

Spectra officials have said the pipeline would generate about $2 million annually in tax revenue for Jersey City. The proposed route would follow Route 440 to the New Jersey Turnpike extension and cut through Newport to the Hudson River, where it would cross to Manhattan.

The ordinances approved tonight prohibit natural gas pipelines in the following redevelopment zones: Bates Street, Caven Point, Grand Jersey, Greenville Industrial, Jersey Avenue Light Rail, Jersey Avenue Park, Jersey Avenue Tenth Street, Liberty Harbor, Montgomery Street and Morris Canal.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...zoning_ch.html

[mariab]

As I write this there is a protest outside of a restaurant to save the jobs, where inside there is a fundraiser going on for the mayor. Link at the bottom includes video.


Jersey City may follow Newark's lead in police layoffs

Updated at 05:07 PM today


Eyewitness News
TRENTON, N.J. (WABC) -- Jersey City is considering police layoffs to cover a massive budget gap.


"It's something we all want to avoid at all costs," Mayor Jerramiah Healy said. Emerging from a closed door shouting match of a meeting, Mayor Healy carefully explained the yelling to reporters.

"it was about the negotiations. There was some miscommunication. That's what that was about," he said.

A perfect example of just how emotional the proposed police budget cuts have become.
On the line, 82 police officer's jobs, 7 civilian police employees and about a dozen demotions.
The mayor says he has negotiated in good faith with the police union.
"That comment is so disingenuous. He never sat across the table from us and even attempted to hash this thing out," union president Jerry DeCicco said.
The mayor was set to send the proposed cuts to Trenton, but a last minute agreement has the union mulling over this.
Just two concessions:
A week's pay lag, which officers would get back when they retire. That would save 3.4 million.
And giving up a 13-hundred dollar uniform allowance for one year. That would save 1.2 million.
Meanwhile, the police department in Hoboken is also demoting superior officers. And it's re-deploying desk workers to put 38 percent more officers on the street, even with budget cutbacks.
All this follows the layoffs of 167 officers in Newark and plans in Camden to eliminate half of its police department.
Amid all these cutbacks and demotions, Atlantic City on Wednesday swore in 17 officers who were among 60 let go in two prior rounds of layoffs.
They're coming back under an agreement between the city and its police union that calls for each of the city's 300 officers to give back $410.
Mayor Healy watched carefully what happened in Newark earlier this week. "I don't want to see any of that happen in Jersey City," he said.
He says it doesn't have to, but the budget gap is huge. State funding has dried up, but he says if the union agrees to these two concessions, 82 officers will keep their jobs.

---
(Copyright ©2010 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...medium=twitter

[JCMAN320]

Jersey City mayor delays filing for police layoffs in hopes of striking deal with union

Published: Thursday, December 02, 2010, 2:46 PM Updated: Thursday, December 02, 2010, 2:48 PM
Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Talks between Jersey City administration officials and police unions seem to have gotten traction last night and there is now some hope for an agreement to avert layoffs and make budget cuts the city says are needed, officials said today.

At about 7 p.m. last night Mayor Jerramiah Healy told The Jersey Journal that talks had broken down and the city would notify Trenton today of its intention to layoff 82 police officers.

But this afternoon Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said the city has decided to delay notifying Trenton of the planned layoffs in order to allow talks to continue through tomorrow.

Once notified, Trenton has up to 30 days to review the layoff plan before giving its approval. The city then most provide 45 days notice to workers to be laid off.

Last night Healy said the city's proposal to the Police Officers Benevolent Association included a pay lag that would save the city approximately $3.4 million and cost the officers nothing, and a one-time give back of the officers' $1,300 annual uniform allowance that would save an additional $1.2 million.

If the POBA agreed to those concessions, the administration — in conjunction with Police Director Sam Jefferson and Police Chief Tom Comey — had identified other cuts and revenue sources that would save the city another $2.4 million.

The mayor said the combination of the concessions by POBA members and effort by the department to cut costs and find revenues, would avert police department layoffs altogether.

Police union officials couldn't be immediately reached to comment.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...ays_filin.html

[mariab]

If the POBA agree to the concessions, which seem reasonable, then everyone benefits, especially the citizens.

[JCMAN320]

If the POBA agree to the concessions, which seem reasonable, then everyone benefits, especially the citizens.

I'am a union person; but I am also a concerned citizen; so I hope they agree to the concessions. They do seem reasonable.

[mariab]

It makes sense, & they seem more amicable than Newark. Cutting cops anywhere is a giant mistake. I can understand though that it's easy for someone like me to say that when I'm not sitting behind that desk staring at the budget proposal wondering how to make ends meet. It's just that I don't think the cities that are doing this have looked at it as a last resort. I think there are things that they're hiding that they simply refuse to cut.

[JCMAN320]

American heritage is 'in' in Jersey City

Wednesday, November 24, 2010
By ADAM ROBB
FOR THE JERSEY JOURNAL

American heritage fashion is in season this winter, and at the heart of it are two local businesses.

Brothers Chris and Billy Bray house the design studio for their hand-tooled Billykirk leather goods in a Bay Street warehouse in Jersey City, while What Goes Around Comes Around stores its collection of prime vintage denim, dresses and accessories in a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in the city's Heights section.

Billykirk's tanned belts, wallets and bags are produced by artisans in Amish country.

As their Made in the USA accessories have grown more popular, the brothers have been courted for collaborations with stores including J.Crew and Opening Ceremony. They now produce women's felt hats, waxed cotton totes and dopp kits as their line expands upon the bounty of signature leather goods on which they founded their company back in 1999.

This past weekend the Brays were part of the Pop-Up Flea in Manhattan, a weekend-long market for classic American menswear including Pennsylvania shirtmakers Gitman Vintage and Maine's LL Bean Signature collection, which reproduces classic looks from Bean catalogs dating back to the 1920s.

However, if you're not looking for reproduction vintage, consider What Goes Around Comes Around before you shop the Salvation Army.

WGACA, as it's more commonly called, opens their warehouse by appointment only. But often the owners invite celebrities, stylists and bloggers into the storage space and showroom to pull looks for special events or to curate collections for their SoHo store. Recent evenings have been hosted by the bloggers behind Sea of Shoes and Atlantis Home and DJ Becka Diamond.

To learn about WGACA's next shopping event, check out whatgoesaroundnyc.com or stop by their Manhattan boutique at 351 West Broadway.

To buy Billykirk, check out billykirk.com or visit the J.Crew Liquor Store at 235 West Broadway or Opening Ceremony at the Ace Hotel, 1190 Broadway, both in New York City.

http://www.nj.com/living/jjournal/in...100.xml&coll=3

[JCMAN320]

Beau Cafe Opens Up Shop on Summit Avenue
By Laryssa Wirstiuk • Nov 18th, 2010 • Category: Featured, Food



Crossing Route 139 by foot during morning rush hour — a feat required to get from my home in the Heights to the Journal Square PATH — should be done only after ingesting caffeine. Dodging cars in that messy intersection requires cat-like reflexes and a certain level of awareness. Beau Cafe, a new coffee shop on Summit Avenue, helps prepare commuters for their daily trek, but as one of the shop’s managing partners explains, it does much more than that.

“We have a complete mix of customers: Caucasian, Indian, Pakistani, Spanish, Italian, and Irish-American,” Isnel Sanon says. “We have commuters, but also people in the neighborhood.”

The cafe, located at 664 Summit Avenue on the corner of St. Paul’s Avenue, celebrated its soft opening last month, and is currently the only business of its kind in this southern area of the Heights near Journal Square.

“I’ve lived in Jersey City since September 2001. I love the Heights, and I know the potential in this area. It seems like every little business that opens brings up the neighborhood,” says Sanon. “I was driving around one day, realized the store was vacant, and I talked to the owner. That’s how this all came about.”

Sanon met his business partners, Ana Victoria Gonzalez and Darnibe Dossous, while living and working in the area. His own experience in the food and beverage industry began in Miami, where he worked at a pizza shop.

“I learned that the customer is always looking for great food, friendly service and a clean place to eat,” he says. “If you treat the customers and employees right, and make sure they’re happy, you can sell just about anything.”

All business partners are involved in daily store operations, and they’ve also become very involved in helping the community. The Haitian-born Sanon is CEO of KateOpen, a nonprofit organization founded after the earthquake that leveled Haiti earlier this year.

Over time, the organization has branched out, raising money not only for those suffering in Haiti but also for expecting mothers and the elderly of Jersey City. Most recently, the organization partnered with Home Depot and Kaboom to build a playground for Camp Liberty and Liberty State Park.

“We’re going to put a charity cup at the front of the cafe for anyone who chooses to donate,” Sanon says. “From time to time, we will also make special donations. We’ll be donating either food or whatever services they require.”

Beau Cafe is open seven days a week, and even later on Friday and Saturday nights, which makes it a great place to unwind with a slice of cheesecake and coffee after work. Free wifi also distinguishes this business from others in the area — previously, much of the Heights lacked a virtual office space for those tied to their laptops.

Beau Cafe currently sells coffee, cappuccino, mochas, tea-based smoothies, hot chocolate, bagels, croissants, basic sandwiches, and bottled beverages like soda and water. All baked goods are delivered fresh from Brooklyn’s Kabir’s Bakery, which doesn’t use preservatives. The rest of the food is prepared on premises.

The cafe also went all-out for high-quality coffee, choosing a high-grade Columbian blend that costs between $7 and $7 per pound (most coffee shops brew coffee that costs under $4 per pound). They add whole, steamed milk to their coffee drinks, but customers have the option of using cold milk as well.

“We interviewed quite a few different coffee vendors and decided to pay a bit more to get a good taste,” Sanon says. “We don’t have a contract with any coffee vendor. If our customers aren’t satisfied, we have the option to switch vendors. We brew it on a small scale, and we ask our customers for feedback.”

In the future, Sanon plans to open an on-site kitchen, which will allow the team to add a few hot items like pasta and rice and beans to the menu. The partners also plan to acquire an off-site bakery space in Jersey City so that they will have full control over the bakery items and be able to make them fresh all day. Within the next two to three weeks, Sanon also hopes to hire new servers.

“We’ve received some great feedback. So far, the customers like the way our store looks — it’s clean. They say the coffee tastes great, and the smoothies – especially the sour green apple and strawberry banana – are a hit,” says Sanon. “They’re happy to have us in the neighborhood. People have been looking for a new coffee shop.”

THE DETAILS
Beau Cafe | 664 Summit Ave. | beaucafe.net | Hours: Monday – Thursday, 7 am to 7 pm; Friday, 7 am to 8 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 8 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm. (NOTE: We did not include our usual Google Map, since Google is incorrectly mapping this location. It is at the corner of Summit and St. Paul’s Avenues, just north of Route 139.)

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com...summit-avenue/

[JoeSas]

A 40-story building for Newport
Planning Board approves 790-unit project
by Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter Staff Writer
Dec 12, 2010 | 186 views | 0 | | 2 | |

NEW STRUCTURE - The Planning Board at their Nov. 30 meeting approved the plan for a 790-unit structure to be built at 700 Washington Blvd. in downtown Jersey City’s Newport community. Image provided by Page and Steele Architects.

Newport residents will probably see a new 40-story building rising in their neighborhood next year.

The Planning Board at their Nov. 30 meeting approved the preliminary and final site plan for a 790-unit residential/retail structure to be built at 700 Washington Blvd., across the street from the Target Department Store.

The Newport section of Jersey City is located on the waterfront near the Hoboken border. The project will be built in the last undeveloped portion of Newport, called the “northeast quadrant.” The land is currently occupied by construction equipment.
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“This is a post-modern structure that is surprisingly good, almost too good to be true,” Yost said.
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Charles Harrington, the attorney representing the applicants for the project, Newport Development Associates Company, a subsidiary of the Lefrak Organization (the developers of the Newport residential community), said the project includes 15,000 square feet of retail and 876 parking spaces – 794 garage spots and 82 on the street.

The significance of the project, Harrington said, is it will be the first project underway in the northeast quadrant. Harrington said the project will take 18 to 20 months to complete but no definitive date has been set for the start of construction other than “sometime next year” He also could not provide a price tag for the project, currently unnamed. The developer is considering designating it a rental building.

‘Surprisingly good’ buildings

Leon Yost, senior commissioner on the Planning Board, said the project is really two towers and that he was “pleasantly surprised” by the architecture, which he credits to the design of the Toronto-based architecture firm Page and Steele. Yost said that the firm had designed another Newport building called the Aquablu that is located near this new project.

“This is a post-modern structure that is surprisingly good, almost too good to be true,” Yost said.

He was also surprised that the developer had not publicized the project more, as it was the first time he had seen any presentation on the project. Yost said the rest of the Planning Board also praised the project.

Yost also said he believed that the project was pushed by the developer to get approval so that it would be constructed before the proposed Spectra natural gas pipeline is ever built through that area to Lower Manhattan, and not be subject to delay from the pipeline construction.

The Lefrak Organization is among many groups in the city opposed to the pipeline.

Yost also pointed out that the building will close to the waterfront and to the Hoboken-Jersey City border, to allow future residents to gain access to the pedestrian bridge linking the two towns.


Read more: Hudson Reporter - A 40 story building for Newport Planning Board approves 790 unit project