Happy Holidays to all of our The Hoboken Girl readers! Whether you stayed local or you’re visiting with loved ones elsewhere, we know winding down into the holiday break can be busy — so as always we’re here to cover the local news and bring you a weekly roundup of everything you might have missed in Hoboken + Jersey City. Catch up on all there is to know, including the following headlines: Hoboken PD warns of Zelle + Venmo scam; new luxury dessert shop now open in Bergen-Lafayette; Story Dispensary approved after 10-month lawsuit; and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.
Street Sweeping Suspended in Hoboken This Week
Earlier this week the City of Hoboken announced a temporary suspension of street sweeping in light of heavy rains expected on Thursday, December 22nd and Friday, December 23rd. Street sweeping was suspended through Friday. According to Patch, the city also offered discounted garage parking and issued weather advisories.
Hudson Pride Center Opens New Space by Journal Square
Hudson Pride Center has a new permanent space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The longtime-standing Jersey City based organization, which hasn’t had a home base until now, opened its doors earlier this month. Located at 3000 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, Hudson Pride Center has a large welcoming space that’s open to all new and old members. Click here to learn more about Hudson Pride Center.
Flooding at Hoboken Terminal Causes Delays
Heavy rains on Thursday, December 22nd resulted in flooding at the Lackawanna Train Terminal in Hoboken this week. Areas including the tracks and platforms were flooded in the terminal. On Friday, December 23rd, NJ Transit announced delays of 30 minutes or more. Click here for everything we know.
Hard Hat Tours Pause for Winter Clean-Up at Ellis Island
Save Ellis Island, a local non-profit organization, announced it will pause hard hat tours of the abandoned Hospital Complex on Ellis Island for winter updates, Patch reported. Tours will resume on Monday, January 30th with six tours a day. The buildings are over 100 years old and include the autopsy room, infectious disease wards, laundry facilities, and more.
Weehawken to Challenge Hoboken’s Acquisition of Union Dry Dock
On Thursday, December 22nd local officials in Weehawken announced plans to challenge the City of Hoboken’s use of eminent domain to acquire the Union Dry Dock property. According to NJ.com, the City of Hoboken purchased the property for $18.5 million in June of 2021 and plans are already underway for how to redevelop the area into a public space.
Story Dispensary Approved After 10-Month Lawsuit
For the better part of 2022, Hoboken has watched (and some have participated) in the lawsuit regarding Story Dispensary which is proposed to open in uptown Hoboken, per NJ.com. In a final vote, the Hoboken City Council supported the dispensary five to four, which means the recreational cannabis dispensary will be allowed to open at 14th and Hudson Streets.
Planning Board Approves Seven-Story Development Near Embankment in Jersey City
The Jersey City Planning Board officially voted four to one to approve a new development at 362-364 Sixth Street in Jersey City, according to Jersey Digs. The property currently houses a single-story garage. The new plans include a seven-story residential building featuring parking on the first floor and 17 units.
30+ New Businesses Opening in Hudson County in 2023
The New Year is right around the corner and many local entrepreneurs are launching their businesses right here in Hudson County. Several new businesses including a coding academy, a sushi restaurant, a bubble tea shop, a boxing gym, and more have plans to open in 2023. Click here to read more about all of the exciting new businesses with plans to open in Hoboken and Jersey City in 2023.
City of Hoboken to Host Office Hours for Residents
Hoboken’s Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the Office of Constituent Services recently announced extended office hours in which the community can schedule appointments to discuss local happenings, Patch reported. The extended hours will occur on Thursday, January 12th from 4PM to 6PM at Fox Hill Gardens located at 311 13th Street. Community members are invited to schedule 10-minute appointments by contacting Head of Constituent Services Nora Martínez DeBenedetto.
Yemeni Philanthropist Donates $5M to NJCU
A foreign philanthropist, Monseigneur Adib Murshed of Zabid, Yemen recently donated a legacy gift of $5M to New Jersey City University, NJ.com reported. A legacy gift only goes into effect once the giver passes away so the funds are not immediately available. Murshed also gifted $500K to the school which can be used in the coming years.
New Luxury Dessert Shop Now Open in Bergen-Lafayette
A new luxury dessert shop has opened in the burgeoning Jersey City neighborhood of Bergen-Lafayette, called Bon Vivant. Bon Vivant is a luxury boutique for miniature cakes and petits fours (think small fancy cake) that just opened in a retail space at 295 Johnston Avenue at the 295J Apartments. Click here to read more about Bon Vivant in Jersey City.
SantaCon 2023 Reports 300 Police Calls + 4 Arrests
The annual SantaCon bar crawl event is one of the most-attended events in Hoboken and typically results in long lines, hundreds of Santas, and a number of calls to local law enforcement. According to Patch, this year, the Hoboken Police Department received 300 calls and arrested four people — one man was arrested for jumping on a car and two others were charged with drug possession. Hoboken Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante said the day remained relatively calm and that 300 calls during a 24-hour period on a Saturday is typical.
Jersey City Steel Tech Redevelopment Project Reveals Renderings
Skyline Development Group revealed renderings for the 600,000-square-foot Steel Tech development coming to 417 Communipaw Avenue. According to Jersey Digs, plans include a 17-story tower featuring 420 residential units and over 7,000 square feet of retail space. The project is expected to cost $5.5 million.
Dakota Johnson, Joe Pesci, Sean Penn Filming Different Movies in Hoboken
From a Robert De Niro thriller being shot in Jersey City to recurring zombie appearances at the Hoboken station for a Walking Dead spin-off, Hudson County has seen no shortage of film crews this year. It’s only fitting then, that in the last two weeks of 2022, locals took notice of film crews at two locations in Hoboken: Pier A and 11th Street, between Park + Bloomfield. We did a little digging to find that Hoboken will actually be the setting for two separate, upcoming movies — one of which stars Dakota Johnson + Sean Penn, the other Joe Pesci + Ron Pearlman. Click here for what we know about the two star-studded movies currently shooting in Hoboken.
Hoboken Issues Flood Watch Ahead of Heavy Rains Thursday + Friday
On Tuesday, December 20th the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Hudson County. According to Patch, the advisory also included a warning of widespread flooding of low-lying property and numerous road closures.
Federal Grants to Fund Accessibility Upgrades at PATH Station
On Monday, December 19th, federal transportation officials announced the first round of grants from a new program allocating $686 million nationwide for accessibility upgrades at legacy rail lines and subway stations, NJ.com reported. A portion of those funds will be used in upgrading accessibility features at Hudson County PATH Stations. Many of these stations were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, so this funding will bring them up to speed.
Hoboken Welcomes New Art Installations by Brooklyn-Based Artist
The Hudson County area has no shortage of art galleries and talented artists to go with it — especially being so close to New York City. Over the weekend, locals have been noticing another art addition come to The Mile Square, this time an array of stained glass houses by Brooklyn-based artist Tom Fruin. Click here for what we know about this new art installation.
21 New Firefighters Join Jersey City Fire Department
Earlier this month, the Jersey City Fire Department welcomed 21 new firefighters in a swearing in ceremony at City Hall, per NJ.com. The department now consists of 682 uniformed firefighters and have recently promoted 16 deputy fire chiefs, 35 battalion fire chiefs, and 160 fire captains.
Hoboken PD Warns of Zelle + Venmo Scam
The Hoboken Police Department sent out a press release this morning, Thursday, December 22nd, alerting residents about a scam happening around town. The detective bureau is currently working on the cases, but the scam involves unidentified males asking for donations via electronic payments through Zelle or Venmo. The request is an attempt to gain access to the person’s phone in an effort to gain control of their phone and bank account information. This is not the first time we’ve seen a Zelle scam here in Hudson County. Click here for what Hoboken PD has released about the ongoing Zelle and Venmo donation scam.
Hoboken Announces Redevelopment Plans for 930 Monroe Including $15M for New Resiliency Park
Photo credit: City of Hoboken
On Thursday, December 22nd, the City of Hoboken announced redevelopment plans for 930 Monroe Street which include affordable housing, retail space, public outdoor space, and stormwater detention facilities to help with flooding in western Hoboken. According to the press release, the agreement includes $15 million for a new resiliency park at 800 Monroe Street which is now owned by the city as part of the Monarch waterfront property acquisition. The plans include three 11-story mixed-use buildings featuring 675 residential units.
