http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/song_of_jersey.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/song_of_jersey.html/comment-page-1#comment-56017 Frank Thu, 14 Dec 2006 23:53:20 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/12/song-of-jersey-city.html#comment-56017 Indeed, those are some very important points. I was hoping (for my sake!) that J-Square could get some good restaurants and shops, and beautify a little, without becoming so pricey. But if the measurement of the "success" of a neighborhood is tied too closely to property values, as you note, a lot of people are going to get excluded. Indeed, those are some very important points. I was hoping (for my sake!) that J-Square could get some good restaurants and shops, and beautify a little, without becoming so pricey. But if the measurement of the “success” of a neighborhood is tied too closely to property values, as you note, a lot of people are going to get excluded.

]]> http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/song_of_jersey.html/comment-page-1#comment-56016 Solangel Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:18:22 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/12/song-of-jersey-city.html#comment-56016 I lived in downtown Jersey City for 10 years and saw it transform itself from an area not all that different from Journal Square into yuppieville. People who purchased property in downtown Jersey City in the 90s saw their value more than quadruple. However, many immigrant families and recent college grads who had been raised in Jersey City found that they could no longer afford to live there. The area has changed from a neighborhood where people settle for decades to a plade where yuppies (myself included) buy property, make some money and move on when they are ready for more space, less noise and the hipness factor isn't as important. It's also worth mentioning that the downtown area, specially historic Paulus Hook, is quite homogenous. There aren't many minorities purchasing or renting in that area because rent for a two bedroom apartment exceeds $2,500 and to buy, you need $650,000 and up. Although I love the new downtown Jersey City, I wonder if we want Journal Square to follow in its footsteps. I lived in downtown Jersey City for 10 years and saw it transform itself from an area not all that different from Journal Square into yuppieville. People who purchased property in downtown Jersey City in the 90s saw their value more than quadruple. However, many immigrant families and recent college grads who had been raised in Jersey City found that they could no longer afford to live there. The area has changed from a neighborhood where people settle for decades to a plade where yuppies (myself included) buy property, make some money and move on when they are ready for more space, less noise and the hipness factor isn’t as important. It’s also worth mentioning that the downtown area, specially historic Paulus Hook, is quite homogenous. There aren’t many minorities purchasing or renting in that area because rent for a two bedroom apartment exceeds $2,500 and to buy, you need $650,000 and up. Although I love the new downtown Jersey City, I wonder if we want Journal Square to follow in its footsteps.

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