The Spring Equinox took place on March 19th, despite what the weather forecast says. It’s been another busy week in Hudson County and we’ve got all the news to get you caught up. Among the headlines: a plethora of new cafes, restaurants, and coffee shops are set to open in Hoboken and Jersey City this spring; March Madness began and there are viewing events all over Hoboken and Jersey City; and mayors of both Hoboken and Jersey City delivered State of the City addresses for their respective communities. Read on for all the news in Hoboken + Jersey City for the week ending March 24th, 2024.
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Among the Headlines (read on for the full stories):
Tap and Go Technology Added at WTC PATH Station
Hoboken City Council Approves Partnership with NJ Devils to Renovate Rink
Six New Coffee Shops to Open in Hoboken this Spring
Proposal to Regulate E-Bikes in Hoboken Passes; Will Take Effect June 2024
BYRD Takes Steps Towards Opening at 800 Jackson in Hoboken
Always Sunny Stars spotted at Jersey City BuyRite over the weekend
Urban Market Hoboken Set to Open Later this Year
Saint Peter’s Briefly Returns to the March Madness 2024 Tournament
Confirmed: Paris Baguette Coming to Maxwell Place in Hoboken
Signage Indicates New Spa Could be Coming to Uptown Hoboken
Arrest Made in Hoboken Stabbing on 3/16
Hoboken Police have confirmed reports of a stabbing incident that took place on Saturday, March 16th. The victim was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and has been released. On March 20th, a suspect in the case was arrested. Click here for more.
Cafexico + 5 Other Coffee Shops to Open in Hoboken This Spring
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A new contender has entered the proverbial ring of Hoboken’s coffee shops, making the fifth newcomer this spring. Cafexico will open later this spring at 515 4th Street in Hoboken. A source close to the shop confirmed the news to The Hoboken Girl. Click here for more.
Confirmed: Paris Baguette Coming to Maxwell Place in Hoboken
The Maxwell properties have been around for almost two decades in Hoboken, but 1000 Maxwell Place’s storefront on the Elysian side has been vacant for years during its construction. Permit signage was seen on the South side of the building indicating that there is a new cafe/restaurant coming to 1000 Maxwell. As it turns out, the empty storefront will soon be a Paris Baguette location, a popular bakery and cafe chain. Click here to learn more about Paris Baguette’s new Hoboken location.
Hoboken City Council Approves Partnership with NJ Devils to Renovate Rink
At the March 20th Hoboken City Council, buried amongst the nearly 500 pages of meeting materials, was a contract formalizing a partnership between the City of Hoboken and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. The agreement, which was approved by the council, will see the Devils’ contribute $240,000 for the team to take the lead on the renovation of the Multi-Service Center Roller Rink at 124 Grand Street. Read the full story here.
Always Sunny Stars spotted at Jersey City BuyRite over the weekend
Philly has once again come to Hudson County: more cast members of the popular It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia show were spotted in Jersey City over St. Patrick’s Day weekend— just weeks after co-creator and star Rob McElhenney was seen in Hoboken promoting the Four Walls whiskey brand. Fellow cast members Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day met with fans on Saturday at a bottle signing event for the brand at the BuyRite liquor store in Jersey City, per NJ.com. News spread about the out-of-town guests through photos and videos fans posted to social media.
Zero Deaths in 7 Years, But What’s the Real Story of Traffic Injuries in Hoboken?
Hoboken reached an incredible milestone in early 2024, marking seven years without a traffic-related death in the city. While drivers may be slowing down, Hoboken and Jersey City are stepping on the gas to increase safety initiatives across both cities. Read on to learn how Hoboken reached this milestone, the work still being done, and changes coming to select Hoboken + Jersey City intersections.
Urban Market Hoboken Set to Open Later This Year
Uptown Hoboken isn’t starved for choices when it comes to grocery stores. Trader Joe’s, Kings, and ShopRite are all accessible food shopping options in the area — and lucky for us, we’re about to get another. Back in October of 2022, we reported that Brooklyn-based shop Dumbo Market is officially coming to Hoboken at 1425 Washington Street, under the name Hoboken Market (surprising, we know). Now, moves are being made at the massive space. Construction started near the Hudson Tea House on Tuesday, January 23rd and signage officially went up earlier this week. This move marks Dumbo Market’s first New Jersey location. We’ve covered what you need to know about this new uptown supermarket. Click here to learn more about Urban Market, coming soon to Hoboken.
Buster, The Sweet Pitbull Abandoned in Hoboken, Who Brought the Community Together
When Hoboken resident Hilary Christensen took a walk with her dog Penny on the morning of March 9th, the last thing she expected was to find a dog tied to a fence near Church Square Park. An older pitbull mix was spotted tied to a fence, with no owner in sight. Hilary, not knowing if the owner was coming back or not, waited with the pup — for over an hour — with other residents, as well as called the police + animal control to help find the owners. Now the dog is lovingly known in Hoboken as ‘Buster’, and is going into the care of Wise Animal Rescue, after a week of adventures in Hoboken, all documented in the local Facebook Group Hoboken NJ Dog Lovers, where Hilary and another resident posted to get some initial help for Buster. Keep reading here for the full story.
BYRD, Coming to 800 Jackson Street in Hoboken, Takes Steps Towards Opening
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The team behind Millburn’s Common Lot restaurant has announced plans to open a new venture in Hoboken. The new restaurant, BYRD, will be located at 800 Jackson Street and will open soon, according to its owners — breathing new life into a space that has had several restaurants in its locale over the last decade. According to its owners, the menu will embody a relaxed and global dining experience. Find out all the details here.
Three-Alarm Fire in Bayonne Extinguished; No Injuries Reported
Bayonne firefighters answered the call of duty on early Wednesday morning when they were dispatched to a reported fire at a two-story home. What began as a dispatch call turned into a six-hour-long battle against a blaze which escalated to a three-alarm fire before being eventually extinguished. All residents of the home were unharmed and safely evacuated, as well as those occupying neighboring properties. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, per the Hudson County View.
Jersey City Council members on mission to display WWI Monument
A bronze tablet gifted to Jersey City to commemorate soldiers from the city who lost their lives serving in World War I has been “languishing” in storage since 2011. Councilmembers Richard Boggiano and Yousef Saleh are trying to change this. In 2011, city council adopted a resolution to display the tablet publicly in Pershing Field, but this resolution has yet to come to fruition. Boggiano and Saleh recently wrote a letter to the chair of the Community Advisory Board for the Open Space Trust Funds requesting funds for the restoration and installation of the monument. If the request is granted, the monument honoring Jersey City residents who died while serving in World War I could be on display by Memorial Day, per the Jersey City Times.
Your Guide to March Madness Events in Hoboken + Jersey City 2024
The college sports event that all basketball fans look forward to is almost here: March Madness, when 68 NCAA teams from around the United States participate in the tournament. This year’s games will be played from Tuesday, March 19th to Monday, April 8th. The games kick off in Dayton Ohio, with the championship game in Glendale, Arizona. Luckily for us, Hoboken + Jersey City know how to turn out for any major sporting event, especially since Saint Peter’s University will go head-to-head with the Tennessee Volunteers on March 21st. Click here for more.
Signage Indicates New Spa Could be Coming to Uptown Hoboken
An eagle-eyed reader sent a tip to The Hoboken Girl with an update on the vacant space at 1201 Hudson Street in Hoboken. Renovations are ongoing in the space, but a clue on the building permit indicates that a new spa will be opening before long. Click here for more.
New Hoboken Yogurt Shop ‘Hey Yogurt’ is Open on Hudson Street
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Say “hey” to Hey Yogurt, the newest dessert shop in Hoboken. With its first location in Fort Lee, Hey Yogurt is a “health-conscious,” Japanese-inspired dessert shop with various drinkable yogurts and other sweets (think: Japanese-style cheesecakes, creampuffs). The Hoboken storefront is now open at 90 Hudson Street, right near the Hoboken terminal. Click here for more.
Jersey City Residents Speak Out Against Closure of Alleyway Near Historic Loew’s Theater
Residents of Jersey City are pleading with city leaders to reject a plan to close “Loew’s Alley,” a pedestrian walkway next to the Loew’s Theater. There is currently a proposed plan to close the alley for up to two years in order for construction on the Loew’s Theater to progress unimpeded. According to the Jersey City Times, flyers put up before the meeting stated that the alley serves as a shortcut– saving over a 1000 commuters time on their way to and from the Journal Square PATH Station. About 150 people– including local business owners in the area– attended a meeting Thursday to learn more about the plan and voice their concerns to city leaders.
Hoboken High School First School District in US to put on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Hoboken High School is set to stage the first school production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the nation this May. The play will feature students from kindergarten through 12th grade and will run from Thursday, May 15th to Sunday, May 19th. Click here for tickets.
Mayor Bhalla Delivered Fifth State of the City Address
Photo Credit: City of Hoboken
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla gave his fifth State of the City address to Hoboken residents on Tuesday night. The speech, delivered in-person at the Mile Square Theater and streamed live via Youtube and Facebook, highlighted the city’s affordable housing initiatives, including the renovation of current units and construction of new ones. Per a press release, Mayor Bhalla also outlined plans for Hoboken’s construction of a new resiliency park as a part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the city’s protection against extreme weather events such as flooding.
Juice Press Hoboken has Closed
Juice Press has closed its 1400 Washington Street location in Hoboken. A rep confirmed the closure to the HG team. Those still looking for their juice and health food fixes can order Juice Press products online for delivery.
Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop Delivers State of the City Address
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On Thursday, March 21st at Jersey City Hall, Mayor Steven M. Fulop delivered the 2023 Jersey City State of the City address. The address was his 11th since becoming mayor in 2013, per the Jersey City Times. Some of the topics the Mayor touched on included affordable housing, community redevelopment, crime, and transportation.
Best Friends from Jersey City Compete for NCAA Title
Live from New York it’s Sunday night! #Toughness pic.twitter.com/fXB2PVF0EY
— Wagner Men’s Basketball (@Wagner_MBB) March 18, 2024
Two friends from Jersey City who grew up playing basketball together met again briefly in the competition for the March Madness title– returning as head coaches instead of players. From the Jersey City Boys and Girls Club to games with millions of viewers, Bashir Mason and Donald Copeland have always bonded over basketball. Mason is head coach of Jersey City darlings Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball team who were the Cinderella story of the 2022 tournament. This year it is Copeland, head coach of Wagner College, whose team possesses the underdog status after qualifying for the tournament with only seven healthy players, per NJ.com. Saint Peter’s, New Jersey’s only March Madness represnation, was sent home from the tournament after its first game against Tenessee on March 21st.
Missing Jersey City Teen Found Dead in Bayonne
A Jersey City teen who was reported missing in December 2023 has been found dead in Bayonne. A body floating in the Bayonne Bay was an 18-year-old female, presumed to be Hayley Erin “Lee” Avestruz Alvarado, per Patch. Lee was a student at Montclair State University and a graduate of BelovED Charter School in Jersey City.
Stark Choices for NJCU’s Future, Merger Advised
An officer with the New Jersey Office of Higher Education has spelled out the choice available to Jersey City’s New Jersey City University (NJCU) to pull itself out of the financial quagmire it has been in. The state-appointed monitor acknowledged the improvements that NJCU has made recently, including its bond rating being increased, but said that the most likely scenario for NJCU’s future would be to merge with another institution, per the Jersey City Times. The recently delivered report highlighted other strengths and weaknesses of the institution, but pointed to the school’s unsustainable debt load as the main reason for its inability to stand on its own.
Tap-and-Go Payment Added at WTC PATH Station
Five PATH stations now have Total Access PATH Payment (TAPP), known as tap-and-go payment technology for riders to use to pay fares. Twelve TAPP turnstiles were added this week to the World Trade Center PATH Station, marking the fifth PATH station with the machines as part of a phased approach to installing them throughout the system.
Per a press release from NJ Transit, more stations throughout New Jersey and New York will be outfitted with the turnstiles throughout 2024.
Progress at Second Jersey City Pizza Twist Location
Signs are up in Jersey City at the second location of Indian-fusion pizza spot Pizza Twist. A reader sent photos to HG with the new signs aglow at the downtown location at 10 Provost Street. Per JerseyDigs, work began on this location in September 2023. It joins a Pizza Twist location at 2 Journal Square.
Proposal to Regulate E-Bikes in Hoboken Passes; Will Take Effect June 2024
As e-bikes become more popular for personal transportation and delivery services, they are also crowding roadways. A new regulation governing the use of e-bikes in Hoboken has just been approved by the City Council. Click here for more.
NJDEP sued by Conservancy Group over Lack of Public Access
The Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy filed a lawsuit against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for failure to complete a public walkway at 725 River Road in Edgewater. According to BetterWaterfront.org, a string of restaurants and shops known as the Marketplace currently occupy the location along the water on land that the NJDEP owns. Diners may enjoy the waterfront, but it is inaccessible to the public– the suit alleges this violates the Public Trust Doctrine.
Lionel Messi Injured; Absent from Red Bull Stadium Match This Weekend
When news broke that Inter Miami CF would return to Harrison on March 23, 2024, locals speculated the Argentine soccer star would once again grace the Mile Square — but a recent injury means Lionel Messi didn’t visit the Garden State at all. Messi suffered a hamstring injury during an international tournament match and stayed in Florida for recovery training this weekend, while his teammates took the field in Harrison. Click here for more.
Jersey City Board of Education Passes 2024-2025 Budget
The Jersey City Board of Education approved its preliminary 2024-2025 budget of $1 billion. The special meeting was held against a backdrop of organizational chaos, as the Board was unable to complete its most recent election and an ethics complaint between two members, per the Hudson County View. Many tensions erupted at a February 29th in person meeting, which was why this meeting on March 19th was held virtually.
Saint Peter’s Briefly Returns to the March Madness Tournament 2024
After claiming our second conference title in three years, our season comes to an end tonight in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Charlotte.
A special to Peacock Nation for your support all season long!
We’ll be back.#StrutUp | #Toughness pic.twitter.com/bW7qYGgMhy
— Saint Peter’s Men’s Basketball (@PeacocksMBB) March 22, 2024
In 2022, Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball team stunned March Madness viewers when the Jersey City college won against the second seed, Kentucky University Wildcats. After also winning the second round, the team then went on to win the Sweet 16 matchup against Murray State University. This year, Saint Peter’s returned to the basketball tournament on Thursday, March 21st against the University of Tennessee Volunteers. While the team lost to Tennessee 83-49, Team HG is proud of the Peacocks!
