Lots going on around Hoboken as June came to a close and we’ve got all the info for you in the latest edition of Word on the {Washington} Street- the one stop shop to everything news in Hoboken.
Gay Marriage Legal in the US
^thanks to @mrgreenhimself for capturing this beautiful image!
Ok… so we know this isn’t news exclusive to Hoboken, but it’s pretty big news and definitely deserves a mention. On Friday, June 26th a Supreme Court ruling legalized same-sex marriage across all 50 states. In what has been a topic of major controversy, Justice Anthony Kennedy cast the deciding 5-4 vote amongst the Supreme Court Justices. Kennedy is considered conservative but voted along with the courts four liberal justices writing that same-sex couples, “ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” #LoveisLove
1100 Maxwell Apartments Reach 90% Sold
The 12 story apartment building developed by the City Living Division of Toll Brothers Inc. has reached 90% sold. The waterfront Maxwell Place building holds apartments that sell for anywhere between $604,995 and $2.3 million. The building was designed by architects, SLCE Architects and interior designer, Stephen Alton. Along with Manhattan skyline views, each unit features spacious amenities including, quartz stone countertops, custom rift-cut oak cabinets, Viking and Bosch appliances. The building amenities include a shuttle service, fitness centers, resident lounges, and a rooftop pool and hot tub {yes please!}.
Three A’s to Close for Renovations
Three A’s Bar & Grill announced on their Facebook page that they will be closing for renovations as of June 28th. The days before closing featured daily specials, djs, live music, and a closing party Saturday June 27th. The reopening date has yet to be announced, but they are expecting to complete renovations sometime this fall.
Hoboken Music Video Proposal Goes Viral
Hoboken resident, Jessica Burzichelli, will surely never forget the moment Sam Maccarone proposed to her, and neither will over 4 million other people. Sam and Jessica have known each other since they were ten years old. For their engagement, Sam told Jessica that his cousin and musician, Matt Mac, needed a couple to star in his music video. At the end of the taping for the video, Sam proposed to Jessica on camera in front of their entire family. Their entire engagement is the backdrop for the music video {watch it now!} to the song The Proposal, which to date has 4.3 million views on YouTube. Congratulations to the Hoboken bride and groom!
La Isla Opens Uptown
^La Isla, downtown – their new uptown location has JUST opened!
It’s official! You can now get the famous “Tasajo Con Boniato” uptown in Hoboken {on the ground floor in Maxwell} opened on June 30th. The restaurant is much bigger than the Hoboken-favorite downtown. According to their OpenTable, the new location “aims to capture the character and charm of the original with the same sense of authenticity and high value in a setting that would be at home in South Beach… (and) also features a full bar with over fifty wines by the glass, a large selection of fine rums, original tropical drinks and a dynamic offering of craft beers and spirits.” We can’t wait to check it out!
StorageBlue Opens Locations in New Jersey
Founder of E! Entertainment Television Alan Mruvka has launched a new Self-Storage Company that has opened four locations in New Jersey. Two of the locations- 315 Coles Street in Jersey City and 3322 Hudson Ave in Union City- are just outside of Hoboken next to the Holland Tunnel and Lincoln Tunnel respectively. StorageBlue prides itself on the best customer experience possible. Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the storage company has a large variety of container sizes to fit a wide range of customer needs. They even help you move your things to the storage unit itself, which they mention is often taken for granted in the industry. Although currently available only in the New York/New Jersey area, the company plans to expand nationwide within 18 months.
Hoboken Works to Improve Pedestrian Safety
The City of Hoboken is working to improve safety measures for anyone walking through town. The efforts include street resurfacing, curb ramps and bump-outs, improved crosswalks that pass the Americans with Disabilities Act standards, improved bike, “Don’t Block the Box” treatments, and street symbols to help the fire department locate fire hydrants more easily. Additionally, they plan to reassess the placement of crossing guards in relation to each Elementary School to get a better plan for the upcoming school year. The overall focus of the improvements are to make all pedestrians feel safe walking through the city.
Hoboken Named One of the Top Location For Recent Grads
Plexuss.com named Hoboken #5 on its list of the top ten places to move after college –and we couldn’t agree more. The rankings took into account the amount of 20-somethings in each city, availability of rental housing, job market, and mean annual earnings. Hoboken’s working young professional demographic, great proximity to NYC, and social activity opportunities- it fit the bill. The article also featured interesting “quick stats” including hot job markets {publishing, insurance, health care} and nearby colleges {Berkeley College, NJIT, and Rutgers- thought they failed to mention Stevens located right in town}.
Updates from City Hall
A memo from Mayor Zimmer to City Council members and residents dated June 16th, detailed plans to continue improving the City of Hoboken. The City has applied for two low interest loans through the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust for infrastructure upgrades to Washington Street, and received a $457,000 grant from NJ DOT for the same purpose. They’ve also applied for a “$14 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER program to resurface and revitalize Washington Street” according to the memo, and hope to hear back about an answer by the end of the summer. The city is also looking to award Greenscape Landscape Contractors a contract for the City Hall sustainable stormwater demonstration project. They are also coming closer to finalizing the sponsorship for the Bike Share program. For more details, read the entire memo here.
Stevens Continues its Search for Expansion Approval
With its continually growing students and staff, Stevens Institute of Technology is looking to expand its academic buildings. The expansion would include construction on an empty lot on 6th street and the replacement of the Lieb building, also on 6th. Controversy exists over making changes to the Lieb building as it was originally constructed for use as a dorm during World War I. Some feel that the historical connection is reason to preserve the building, despite the fact that many changes have already been made to the building over the years. This will be the second time Stevens asks for expansion approval from City representatives, as a previous request was already made back in April.
Peskens Named Provisional Fire Chief
Since the June 1st retirement of Hoboken Fire Chief Richard Blohm, the city fire department has been operating under an “officer in charge”. On June 19th, Mayor Zimmer appointed Anton Peskens as Provisional Fire Chief. The city will soon begin conducting interviews to appoint a permanent Fire Chief.
Hoboken Elementary School loses “Focus School” Title
After a reevaluation thanks to improved test scores and reviews by administration the Thomas G. Connors Elementary School will no longer be considered a Focus School by the federal government. According to the NJ Department of Education, “focus schools comprise about 10% of schools with the overall lowest subgroup performance, a graduation rate below 75% and the widest gaps in achievement between different subgroups of students.” As a result of low performance, schools in this category receive specific plans to target solutions for improvement. According to Hoboken Patch, the Connors school improved test scores, which aid in the removal of the Focus School title.
That’s the latest Word on Wash! Have any news tips? Email kate@hobokengirl.com with the info!
