Liberty Harbor Could Get Interim Buildings

Over the weekend, the Hudson Reporter printed a bit on grocery stores leading to the inevitable speculation on whether a Whole Foods would come to town (still not coming). More interesting though was Liberty Harbor North developer Peter Mocco's mention of constructing an interim building:

“The kind of dilemma that I deal with is the idea of single stand-alone supermarket building that would be an interim solution, but would have to be taken down when I build a much a larger building that would allow for a food store on the ground floor,” Mocco said.

The original Liberty Harbor plans called for a grocery store and mixed use mini-tower on the corner of Grand and Jersey Avenue. The building would round out the north west corner of the development.

But since the opening of the first LHN buildings, the economy crashed and new construction has been delayed. The completion of existing structures has been a slow process with no plans to break ground on new buildings any time soon. Mocco has previously said, about a year ago, that new construction was at least two years away.

The construction of a dedicated single story grocery store, even if temporary, would not be a positive step for the redevelopment of the neighborhood. Interim buildings tend to take on a more permanent role then intended, even in master planned communities. There is not a dearth of grocery stores available either, with PathMark about 500 feet further west then Liberty Harbor.

Currently the location serves as a parking lot for public school staff by day and beer garden patrons by night.

Valentine's Day Comes to Lucky 7 / NBC's Mercy

Yesterday. the cast of NBC's Mercy were again busy filming on the streets of Jersey City. Abbey's Pub was dressed up as a restaurant for the shoot, while the characters' favorite hang out, Lucky 7, was done up for Valentine's Day:



It would seem also that Valentine's Day is going to be a bloody one. A motorcade of Jersey City emergency vehicles including police and ambulances from Liberty Medical Center were circling around Second Street in front of the Lucky 7 Tavern for the shoot.

Monaco Towers Popping Up

The form of the double towers is taking shape above the shared parking deck. Along that base, there is some brick facade already installed. This week a worker fell from a scaffold, about 4 feet when a board broke.

The Graphic Guide to Riding the PATH

Comic book artist blog The Glass Urchin has put together a visual Guide to Riding the PATH, just in case words are too difficult to understand.

Patch Invades Hoboken, Promises Better Coverage of Beer Specials, Beer Pong Scores

Patch, the hyper local news startup turned corporate arm of AOL has launchedHoboken Patch, a Hoboken version of the site meant to compete with local newspapers and blogs while turning a profit. Patch launched in suburban New Jersey markets in February of last year and has spread faster than the virus in the Dustin Hoffman film Outbreak.

The launch of the site could spell trouble for Jersey Journal blog Hoboken Now and independent blogger Hoboken 411 with both sites competing for the local business ad dollars that fuels Patch. Hoboken411 has made notable contributions with breaking stories from city hall while Hoboken Now has the backing and resources of the Jersey Journal behind it. Patch Editor Claire Moses was poached from the Journal late last year.

PATH Crushed by Holiday Traffic

The Port Authority was, as expected, ill equipped to handle holiday crowds Sunday night. A crush of passengers at 33rd Street were corralled by transit police causing lines to form back to the Manhattan Mall and up stairs at the Herald Square entrance. Large crowds at other stations fought for position to board crowded cars.

When a PATH representative was asked why more trains had not been added for the holiday weekend, he simply responded that the next train would arrive soon, though it arrived at the regularly scheduled time.

Jersey City After the Blizzard of 2009

The Grove Street PATH Station entrance at Grove Street and Columbus Drive


Bank of America was one of the few Newark Avenue businesses not shoveled out by late morning


Jersey Avenue


Newark Avenue and Jersey Avenue


3rd and Erie Street


3rd Street


1st Street

272 Newark Avenue

From Third Street, the two faces of this building are evident: a modern glass and metal facade on the right and the faux historical addition to the adjacent building. The fourth floor of the brick building is entirely new. The proportions seem strange, as though missing a set of windows, and also on the Newark Avenue side is a tumor protruding vertically that breaks with the sloped rooflines.




The Newark Avenue side.



More from Third Street

Muscle Maker Grill Opens Tonight

The Muscle Maker Grill is to be making a soft opening tonight beginning at 5pm. Muscle Maker replaces Camille's Cafe in the northwest corner of Harborside Plaza 4A.

Jersey Avenue Medical Building

Across the street from the mostly well planned Liberty Harbor North is a new medical office building. The uninspired design which would easily feel at home in a suburban office park circa 1992 is just south of the Jersey City Medical Center.