Another week down, another seven days full of events and news. Among the local headlines — new measures to curb bamboo growth in West New York, the Loew’s Theater in Jersey City will finally begin renovations, juice bar Fruiti Fi opens Hoboken location, and so much more. Settle in and keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City + Hudson County:
The Montclair Girl Has Launched
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our sister site, The Montclair Girl on February 26th, 2021. Our neighboring county of Essex is home to a vibrant community of people, arts, food, and cultures from across the world, and we couldn’t be more excited to highlight the local businesses, events, restaurants, news, health + wellness, fashion + beauty, and more than the area has to offer.
To stay up-to-date on the launch, things to do, and weekly in the Montclair + greater Essex County area, visit TheMontclairGirl.com, follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram, and sign up for our Montclair email list here. We’re also hosting giveaways on @themontclairgirl Instagram throughout the week with local businesses — so head there for some fun + prizes! 💚
Governor Murphy Establishes the Community College Opportunity Grant Program
Governor Murphy signed A4410, which permanently established the Community College Opportunity Grant Program {CCOG}. It allows qualified students to attend any New Jersey community college without tuition or educational fees.
“For far too long, higher education has been out of reach for countless New Jerseyans due to its high cost,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s bill signing underscores our continued commitment to college affordability, ensuring that our young people and working adults have the opportunity to earn post-secondary degrees and advance their promising careers.” Read more about the guidelines of the grant here.
Most Expensive Penthouse in Jersey City Hits Market
At $5.488M, the most expensive penthouse ever listed in Jersey City, The Villa at The Oakman Condominiums, just hit the market. With exclusive rights to handle the listing Modern Spaces agents, Sharon Weinstein and Silvana Arias Yepez will oversee the record-breaking real estate. Located 15 minutes from New York City in the heart of Jersey City, the 4 bed, 4.5 bath home is ideal for city dwellers seeking more space.
4 Little Souls Delivers Meals to Hoboken Shelter
Photo credit: @4littlesoulsinc
A locally-based non-profit, 4 Little Souls Inc., founded by Hoboken residents Jordan + Joelle Hernandez along with friends Mariah + Jonathan Alston has set their focus for this year to eliminate hunger. Their goal is to donate 2,021 meals in 2021. A meal will consist of protein, carb, and vegetables. Meals will be delivered to local shelters and food pantries in need such as The Hoboken Shelter and Hoboken Community Center. To donate a meal, head to www.4littlesouls.org to find out more.
Residents Continue to Leave Jersey City
According to a new report, Jersey City had the sixth-worst ratio of people moving in, to people moving out, per Jersey City Times. At -53% Jersey City’s move-in/move-out ratio clocked in behind New York City, Oakland, San Francisco, Omaha, and Ft. Lauderdale. Amid the pandemic, large cities have seen unprecedented numbers of residents moving elsewhere.
West New York Aims to Preemptively Curb Bamboo Growth
Having a yard is a luxury in urban areas like West New York, but while not everyone has a yard, the city may put new regulations into place regarding bamboo. The fast-growing plant has spread rapidly through New Jersey yards, reports NJ.com. This preemptive measure would help to mitigate any issues by requiring bamboo to be planted in above-ground planters.
CD Interiors to Renovate W Hoboken Lobby
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In an announcement made on Instagram, CD Interiors shared news of their newest client. Marriot Hotels has awarded CD Interiors the renovation project at the W Hotel in Hoboken which would include styling the lobby and hallways.
Loew’s Jersey Theatre Renovation Moving Forward
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After years of sitting untouched, the Loew’s Theater in Jersey City will finally see some action. In an Instagram post, Mayor Fulop announced that the team who renovated the sister theater in Brooklyn will be working on the project in Jersey City. The renovation will be in partnership with the NJ Devils Entertainment Inc.
New Smoothie + Juice Bar Opens in Hoboken
When one door closes, another opens. Hoboken and Jersey City have seen many great businesses close down due to the strains of the pandemic, but there’s a silver lining for locals, as the two towns have seen a gradual uptick in new businesses coming to town. Fruiti Fi is the latest business to make its debut in uptown Hoboken. Click here to learn more about what to expect at this new smoothie bar located at 1404 Grand Street.
Hoboken’s Longstanding Restaurant, Mario’s Pizza For Sale
Mario’s Pizza has been serving the Hoboken community for 36 years. Mario Albunia, the longtime Hoboken resident and owner of Hoboken’s Mario’s Classic Pizza on Garden Street, announced via Facebook that his restaurant is for sale.
In the Facebook post, Mario wrote,
“For sale Hoboken well-established pizza business 36 years fast food with liquor license corner building. With two apartments. Seating indoor and outdoor when it’s nice out. 4.25 mil. You get two free weeks to Casa Albunia Santa Maria Italy for 10 years on the beach.” For more information on Mario’s Pizza closing, click here.
Ordinances Withdrawn Ahead of City Council Vote
Two ordinances were withdrawn before Jersey City Council met on Wednesday, February 24th. The ordinances in question would establish a Civilian Complaint Review Board and an arts trust fund. Officials say they will eventually return for consideration, according to NJ.com. The ordinances were pulled in order to investigate complaints of police misconduct, saying that some councilmembers and those with “vested interest” had raised concerns about the legislation.
Two New Boutique Buildings Bring 8 Luxury Condos to Jersey City Heights
Two new buildings in Jersey City Heights have recently become available for leasing. The first at 366 New York Avenue, offers luxury at its finest. The boutique building marries spacious layouts with luxurious finishes. The expansive roof deck features speakers, water, and gas making it the ideal place to entertain during warm weather months. The second building located at 66 Poplar Street, consists of five new units, with either a Juliet balcony or the two-bath duplex has a private backyard. According to Jersey Digs, four of the five units have access to one-car garage parking.
Development Director Poised to Take on Jersey City Councilman in November
Danielle Freire, who works as the development director for the non-profit group Building Equity & Alignment for Impact, filed a D-1 form with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission yesterday, per Hudson County View. As it stands, she does not currently have a campaign chair which means she will serve as her own campaign treasurer.
What You Need to Know About Marijuana Legalization in New Jersey
In the 2020 election, New Jersey voters took to the polls and approved the legalization of marijuana in the state. The new law officially went into effect on January 1, but there were strict rules regarding who could use the drug and who would still face penalties for marijuana usage. But, as of February 22, marijuana use for those 21 and over is legal in the Garden State, as Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to legalize adult use of cannabis and decriminalize marijuana possession in small amounts. Click here to learn more.
Dear World Academy Offers Childcare Solution in Hoboken
Dear World Academy, located at 101 Marshall Street in Hoboken, will be offering enrichment classes and an open play space to start and will roll out a daycare component shortly after. The play area of Dear World Academy was designed to feel like the outdoors, per the company website. There are sections that allow the children to explore and pick an activity that they want to do.
Hoboken Man Who Harassed Two Businesses is At it Again
A Hoboken man, Qiuwen Zheng, 59, has been arrested twice for harassing Bayonne businesses and was arrested again Sunday night after violating a no-contact order. According to NJ.com, the police reported that Zheng showed up at The Rock Tavern and Little Boho Bookshop. when he violated a no-contact order by showing up at one of those establishments, police said. Zheng has had detention hearings on his prior arrests twice and each time he was released with future court dates. He was also told to have no contact with the victims.
Hoboken Seeks Student Submissions for Innovation Portal
As the birthplace of innovations like the zipper, baseball, and American Brewing, Hoboken is no stranger to new ideas. According to Tap Into, the Stevens Venture Center is joining Mission 50 in a call for future engineers, designers, programmers, and entrepreneurs to build a prototype web user interface for the future Innovation Portal.
MetLife Stadium Approved for 15% Capacity Beginning March 1st
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On Tuesday, February 23rd, the NY Giants shared the exciting news via Instagram that Governor Murphy has approved MetLife Stadium to host events at 15% capacity starting March 1st. The account said, “As the months go on, we are hopeful that the data will continue to be positive and the number of people allowed into MetLife Stadium will steadily increase.”
Man Arrested With Heroin With Someone’s Hoboken Housing Card
According to Patch, the Hoboken police said they arrested a man Sunday evening on several heroin charges and found him carrying “a Hoboken Housing Authority access card that did not belong to him.” Police say that their Street Crime Unit made an arrest of Stephen White, 52, around 6:08PM after becoming aware that he was in the area of 310 Jackson Street in Hoboken.
Hoboken to Give Triple Vaccines This Week
Even as the state continues to roll out coronavirus vaccinations, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla informed the city of the passing of two more residents due to COVID-19. In the wake of the continued tragedy, there is hope as vaccines are expected to roll out in great numbers this week. “Fortunately, if the inclement weather across the country does not disrupt the supply provided to the State from the federal government, we will be able to triple our first dose vaccine allocation for next week to 300,” reported Patch. “While it is still under the 500 first-does vaccines we were provided in the first few weeks of vaccines distribution, it is still a positive step in the right direction.”
Roadwork to Continue in Northwest Hoboken
Exciting news for the residents of Hoboken, The City is continuing to move forward with the Northwest Resiliency Park. The 5-acre plot has been under construction for the better part of the past two years. The new park will feature above and below-ground infrastructure to withhold up to two million gallons of rainwater to help mitigate local flooding, per Tap Into. The contractor is slated to begin earthwork and installation of stormwater collection systems along Adams Street while continuing storm drainage construction on the park site and building a climbing wall, pile cap foundations for the building.
Hilsa Grocery Opens on Newark Avenue’s Western End
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Hilsa Grocery opened earlier this year, bringing a unique Bangladeshi influence to India Square, reported Jersey Digs. It recently completed its re-location into the space at 822 Newark Avenue which was renovated for the market’s opening. The business offers a wide variety of products that can be hard to find for those searching for authentic Bangladeshi products.
