A week of life in Hoboken + Jersey City means there is plenty of news to catch up on. Among the local headlines: Jersey City fireworks to return this year; mask mandates have been left up to the school districts; Whole Foods is coming to Jersey City, and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.
New Orleans Restaurant Opening on Bergen Avenue
New Orleans-inspired restaurant, Krewe, is opening at 673 Bergen Avenue in Jersey City, per Jersey Digs. The space was the former location of Honey Bakery. The menu at Krewe will feature New Orleans favorites like shrimp etouffee, jambalaya, and po’ boys.
Chipotle Coming to Jersey City
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In an Instagram post this week JC Upfront shared, “Burritos, anyone? A new @chipotle is coming to the waterfront at 30 Montgomery (in what was formerly a B.Good outpost). Signage is up and windows are covered. (They’ll be across the street from Amiya and City Diner).”
Carepoint Health Creates Vaccine Hotline
Encouraging people to get vaccinated is a challenging endeavor and doing so requires overcoming barriers of awareness, availability, and vaccine hesitancy. Hoboken University Medical Center continues to focus on encouraging the community to get vaccinated through innovative ways. Carepoint Health recently developed a vaccine hotline for residents to schedule a vaccine appointment by calling 201-821-8972 or emailing Community.Vaccination@CarePointhealth.org. The Neighborhood Health Center has designated times and days to offer the vaccine, so leave a message with your details and someone will reach out.
PSE&G Lights Hoboken Substation for Pride Month
Thanks to PSE&G for agreeing to light up the substation in northwest #Hoboken for LGBTQ+ pride month! This will be a nightly feature starting later this week 🏳️🌈👸👩❤️💋👩👨❤️👨🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/jB7pdc2HMv
— Councilman Mike DeFusco (@mike_defusco) June 10, 2021
The PSE&G substation in northwest Hoboken will feature an array of rainbow lights in honor of Pride month, per Twitter. Each night during the month of June the exterior lights will display two rectangular rows in a spectrum of colors.
Carl Radke from Bravo TV’s Summer House Has a DAY in Hoboken
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Summer House fans, this will be exciting for you, and maybe only you — but that’s a large portion of us and we’re not ashamed of it. Carl Radke, one of the stars from Bravo’s hit show Summer House spent the day in Hoboken on Thursday promoting his fellow co-stars’ sparkling hard tea + cocktails-in-a-can brand, Loverboy. The reality star trekked around Hoboken in what appeared to be a promotional bar tour to get Loverboy into local bars in Hoboken. Click here to read more of what we know about Carl’s visit.
Hoboken Releases Full Movies Under the Stars + Concert 2021 Schedule
The City of Hoboken just released the final schedule of Movies Under the Stars and Concerts in the Park, returning this summer 2021 in Hoboken. The selection of movies was based off of input from residents in a survey released by the City. All movies and concerts are free of charge.
“After a difficult year, we are glad these community-favorite events are returning for our community to enjoy. Come on out and enjoy the fun in our parks this summer,” said Mayor Bhalla in a press release. Movies begin at sundown (9 pm in June and July, 8 pm/8:30 pm in August). Click here for the movie lineup this summer.
Duman Home to Close Hoboken Location
Local home goods store, Duman Home is closing its Hoboken shop located at 118 Washington Street. The entire store is currently up to 60% off and the retail space is available to rent. Duman Home has another location in Brooklyn at 213 Court Street for when you need that Duman Home fix in the future.
Centre Pompidou of Paris to Open North American Location in Jersey City
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In an exciting collaboration, Jersey City and the Centre Pompidou of Paris are teaming up for its first art institution located in North America, per Hudson Reporter. The museum will be located at the heart of historic Journal Square, and is set to open in 2024. The Centre Pompidou has previously collaborated on other locations in Spain, Brussels, and Shanghai.
Hudson Table Partners With the Ricardo Roig Gallery to Host Private Dining Experience
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Hudson Table, a local hot spot known for hosting cooking classes in Hoboken, has teamed up with artist Ricardo Roig to host a unique dining experience at Roig’s art gallery, which just opened last month. Both businesses have been working hard in recent weeks planning the first event in July. Click here to read more details and find out how to sign up to be part of the unforgettable experience.
New Mobile Coffee Truck, Drip, Takes Over the Streets of Jersey City
There is a new coffee shop in town, and it’s completely mobile. Drip, the name of the coffee truck, has recently taken over the streets of Jersey City, bringing its “rhythm and brews” along for the fun. Founded by Eric Maury, Drip brings a “different concept, different attitude, and most definitely, different music” to the average coffee shop. Click here to read more about Jersey City’s newest food truck, Drip.
Is Chip City Still Opening in Hoboken? Here’s What We Know
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Hoboken Girl reported back in March that the New York-based cookie company, Chip City, was opening an outpost in the Mile Square at the former Imago Beauty spot at 113 Washington Street. Months later, the signs have been taken down, leaving residents wondering if it still intended to open. Click here to read what we know about Chip City opening in Hoboken.
Newly-Opened Hoboken Pizzeria Announces Closure in Hoboken
After opening in October of last year at 152 Newark Street in Hoboken, Verizza, a pizzeria that specialized in artisan Italian food, has announced that it has closed. Verizza, opened by three Italian friends who all share a passion for pizza, hoped to shift the perception of pizza delivery, proving that gourmet pizza can be enjoyed in the comfort of your home and at an affordable price. The team aimed to deliver a contemporary style of Italian pizza that “combines fresh ingredients with a strong focus on the pizza dough,” they told Hoboken Girl when the pizzeria initially opened. Click here to read what we know about the sudden closure of Verizza in Hoboken.
Jersey City to Redevelop Closed-Down Pool
A former Jersey City pool could soon see new life, but city officials aren’t sure what will go there yet, per NJ.com. The plan is to develop the site of the former Jarmon Street Pool which has been shuttered for years. The Jersey City City Council approved a two-year, $35,815 consulting contract with Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions to develop possibilities.
Jersey City’s 4th of July Fireworks to Return to the Hudson River in 2021
Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced this week that New Jersey’s largest fireworks display will return to the Jersey City waterfront this Fourth of July with Fireworks by Grucci. Following recent years of crowds with headliners like Snoop Dogg and Pitbull, the annual Independence Day celebrations were canceled in 2020 to protect the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While this year’s Freedom and Fireworks event will not be able to include the yearly festival and concerts, the fireworks for the 4th of July in Jersey City will still be taking place. Click here to read more about what we know.
Walmart to Host Community Academy
Walmart is launching a first-of-its-kind, free program at the North Bergen location called Walmart Community Academy. Participants must be 16+. Classes will cover the following topics: personal finance, resume building, interview skills, standardized test prep, and navigating college admissions. Enrollment is now open.
Jersey City’s Unemployment Shows Signs of Decreasing
The latest numbers in unemployment and jobs figures show that the labor market is moving closer to normal, per Patch. The country still has a record number of job openings, but since the beginning of the pandemic, the unemployment rate in the Jersey City area has improved. Hudson County’s unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in March and has improved to 7.9 percent in April.
New Whole Foods Location Coming to Jersey City
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Whole Foods will have a new location in Jersey City at Harborside 4A, per Patch. The plan is not only to open a store, but to plant the Northeast headquarters in Jersey City as well. As of now, the closest Whole Foods store is in Weehawken or Newark.
Creative Center for Artists and Non-profits Coming to Jersey City
Jersey City will soon have a new Creative Center for Artists and Non-profits based in a historic downtown building, per NJ.com. This building will have bargain-priced office and rehearsal venues. The building will be called the Washington Street Creative Center.
Jersey City Church Potentially Being Replaced
If a new proposal continues to advance, a Jersey City church could be torn down and replaced with a six-story development, per Jersey Digs. The new complex would include 110 residential units, 56 parking spaces, a house of worship, a daycare facility, and more. These plans would involve the A Better Life Ministry’s property and was authorized by the pastor of A Better Life Ministry.
Vision Screening for Students Secured in New Grant
Jersey City schools will give students the option for vision exams because of a $15,000 grant, per Patch. A nonprofit called Vision to Learn and the Provident Bank Foundation partnered with Jersey City Public Schools to bring this project to life. The non-profit will provide vision exams and glasses prescriptions to children in the district.
Journal Squared Tower 2 Opens
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The second rental skyscraper from Kushner Real Estate Group and National Real Estate Advisors at 615 Summit Avenue in Jersey City, has opened, per New York Yimby. The new 68-story tower stands 754 feet tall and has 704 residences. This building has about 70,000 square feet of amenity spaces including multiple lounges, a fitness center, an indoor bouldering wall, and a personal training room.
Jersey City Raises Flag to Honor Philippine Independence
Philippine Independence day is June 12, and Jersey City hosted a flag-raising ceremony on June 7 to celebrate, per Patch. The flag-raising was hosted by the Jersey City office of Cultural Affairs and attended by the City Council. The ceremony recognized the Philippine American Friendship Community, the Philippine Consulate General of East Coast, and members of the Filipino community in Jersey City.
Construction Boom Hitting Journal Square
Despite stalled projects, 2021 has been a big year for Journal Square, including a deal to renovate the Loews Jersey Theatre and the upcoming Pompidou museum, per Jersey Digs. The most obvious change is the recently completed second phase of Journal Squared, which is 68 stories tall and has 704 apartments. Several other developments are also close to wrapping up.
New $5.2B Surge in Projected Tax Collections
New Jersey is projected to collect $5.2 billion more in tax revenues in current and upcoming years than expected, per NJ.com. The bulk of the anticipated tax revenue is in the current fiscal year, ending June 30. The Treasury Department predicts that revenues for this fiscal year will be nearly $7.3 billion higher than anticipated when Gov. Phil Murphy signed the budget.
N.J. Workers Likely to Continue Splitting Time Working From Home
Business groups in New Jersey and New York will likely expect employees to continue splitting their workweeks between home and the office, as more places begin to reopen after the pandemic, per NJ.com. The Partnership for New York predicts that 62% of workers will return to the office by September, and many workspaces will offer hybrid work schedules. A Rutgers University expert said it’s unlikely that “knowledge-based” office workers are going back to working five days a week in an office setting.
Mask Mandates Left Up to Local School Districts
New Jersey school districts are now allowed to make their own decisions on mask mandates, per NJ.com. During the summer months, extreme heat can make wearing a mask difficult, and so Gov. Phil Murphy allowed schools the freedom to choose whether masks are mandated. Murphy stressed that schools shouldn’t ditch masks entirely, but instead use judgment for when they are or aren’t needed.
New Bus Company to Take Over N.J. Transit Routes
NJ Transit’s bus and ridership has reached new highs since the coronavirus pandemic, Hudson County bus routes will soon have a new bus company, per NJ.com. The agency decided to replace Academy bus companies on five of the routes. The official switch will happen on June 25th.
Hoboken Summer Streets 2021 Begins This Weekend
The City of Hoboken and Hoboken Business Alliance today announced the return of the Summer Streets program for 2021. This year, Summer Streets, which incorporates the City’s Open and Slow Streets programs, will continue to provide additional space for residents to participate in outdoor dining at local businesses and for recreation activities and socialization. Click here to read more about Summer Streets and for the full schedule.
Hoboken City Council Denies Budget Amendment
The Hoboken City Council voted down an ordinance that would have decreased residents’ municipal taxes, per Hudson Reporter. In a 4-5 vote, the council denied the budget amendment sponsored by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher. The amendment would have helped pay for the restoration of two historic streets and called for restoring the city’s Rent Control Office. The amendment would have cut about $2.74 million from various departments.
Hoboken Police Officer Named Acting Police Chief
Hoboken Police Captain Daniel LoBue has been named Acting Police Chief after the retirement of Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante, per Hudson Reporter. The appointment was announced on June 4 and will be enacted next month. LoBue has been working with the department for over 33 years.
Biden Selects Jersey City to Support Local Programs
Jersey City has been selected by the Biden Administration to participate in the Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP) program, per Tap Into. The city is one of only 13 communities nationwide chosen to participate. The program supports community-led efforts to reinvest in existing neighborhoods, protect the environment and improve residents’ health and quality of life.
Hoboken American Legion to Commemorate Flag Day
In celebration of Flag Day, American Legion Post 107 and Hoboken Elks Lodge 74 are partnering to have a joint ceremony on Monday, June 14th, per Tap Into. The celebration will be on Pier A, near the Hoboken Vietnam Memorial at 7PM.
