Acupuncture in Lincoln Park, NJ

The Jersey City Planning Board denied a three-phase project at 80 Water St., which would’ve include 3,079 units and four towers, largely due to the fact that had not solidified an agreement with NJ Transit for a proposed Hudson-Bergen Light Rail extension.

By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View

The first phase called for a 30-story tower with 473 units, with the second phase seeking two towers: one with 38 stories and another with 55 for a combined 1,567 units, and then finally a third phase with a 55-story tower with 1,039 units for a total of 3,079.

“Our client is redeveloping this property … which has been vacate for some time,” attorney Jennifer Mazawey said.

She said in 2013, the city created the Route 440 Culver Redevelopment Plan, which describes taking large industrial blocks and making a pedestrian-friendly grid.

Mazawey said they would donate property to NJ Transit to develop the light rail, which was first announced in March 2020.

“55 percent of the property is actually given back for park and green infrastructure: There have been extensive discussions and meetings with the community over the last two past years … This is a variance-free application,” she added.

Since no variances were being requested, there would be no trigger for the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance provision mandating affordable housing.

Engineer James Ward discussed the light rail plan with NJ Transit to coordinate.

“We’re pretty consistent with the redevelopment plan,” he said.

“The light rail, right of way, why isn’t that its own lot?” asked Board Chair Christopher Langston asked.

“We’ve had conversations with NJ Transit on how they want to receive that,” Ward said.

Mazawey also noted that they only wanted partial approval for Phases II and III.

“Being that’s it not a separate lot if something were to happen as far phase II and III weren’t built out in an appropriate timeline, that would hold up the light rail,” Board Chair Christopher Langston said.

“There’s an option or right for NJ Transit to take the property. The bonuses for which are clients are seeking are similarly related to phase II,” Mazawey replied, reiterating that they’re still sorting out the details

Commissioner Joey Torres said if the light rail weren’t built, it would harm many projects in the area.

“We don’t believe that will happen. Their timeline is consistent with ours,” Mazawey responded.

“You say that. But I don’t see that,” Torres answered.

“Without the dedication of the transit right of way, we’re not entitled to the bonuses we’re seeking,” Mazawey argued.

“It’s critical infrastructure,” Langston interjected.

Mazawey again stated that the light rail is critical to their project, but argued that taking the position that they need a redeveloper’s agreement to proceed is inconsistent with the deal they worked out with the city.

“There is more that goes into the redevelopment agreement. I thought we were clear … the applicant has to be designated as the redeveloper,” Board attorney Santo Alampi explained, though Mazawey expectedly disagreed with that interpretation.

“If the applicant is setting it aside as a right of way for specific use, even though the terms are not finalized, it’s still baked in the cake. It will exist as a right of way for NJ Transit,” Commissioner Steve Lipski argued, which Mazawey thought was the correct interpretation.

Still, Torres and Commissioner Dr. Orlando Gonzalez said this wasn’t a time to act on hypotheticals and maybes.

“We see the congestion happening. It makes it very difficult,” added Commissioner Vidya Gangadin.

“NJ Transit has the absolute right to take by condemnation this property. The intention is to dedicate and donate this land,” Mazawey said.

“What if they don’t want to go there?” Lipski asked, to whichMazawey responded that they could make the NJ Transit land a separate lot.

“It’s your intention to dedicate this to NJ Transit no matter what,” Lipski continued.

“Correct,” Mazawey answered.

She said the plan would be finalized in a separate board approval for Phase II and III, including light rail details.

During the public portion, many community activists came out against the measure before the board.

“West View is a complicated project,” Lincoln Park North Association President Kayla Burrell said during the public comment period, claiming that the project burdens the area and has no affordable units, and therefore, they did not support it.

“I’ve been sent here to oppose this project. The board is spot on getting the developer certified by the JCRA. This is a project built on wishes, hopes, and dreams,” West Side Station Condo Association Treasurer Troy Shuman said.

Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey joined them in coming out the development.

“The residents that have spoken have made compelling points. Without having this RDA in place … community bonuses that are coming at the end are concerning. I’m lending my voice to yours in opposition to the subdivision,” she said.

“They’re in conversation with NJ Transit. But they cannot provide that document because that document doesn’t exist. If that’s an issue for the board, it’s an issue for the board,” Alampi said in summation.

Langston said that he didn’t think they were in compliance with the redevelopment plan without a clear cut agreement with NJ Transit, to which Alampi said that NJ Transit currently doesn’t have a dedicated lot, either.

“Without the set aside for the light rail plan, I don’t think they’re complying with the redevelopment plan,” Langston said.

Ultimately, Gonzalez made a motion to deny, which Gangadin seconded.

“I haven’t been comfortable since the beginning of the presentation when I found out the RDA was not in place,” Gonzalez said.

“It’s too much of a chance right now that we have nothing in place,” Torres indicated, to which Gangadin also agreed.

The project was voted down 6-1, with Lipski voting against.

Alampi then said the site plan application could not go forward without the first approval, so a motion to dismiss site plan approval for all three phases was approved unanimously (7-0).

DEPTFORD, N.J. (CBS) -- You've probably seen them driving around the Delaware Valley, or parked outside of Lincoln Financial Field -- school buses decked out by diehard Eagles fans. Each one has its own little look.

We see them at every Eagles tailgate as they pull up, park and party. It's the buses that back the Birds.

They started off as yellow school buses and transformed into green tailgate headquarters.

They're built from the bottom up, wrapped in Eagles finest and decked out with all things Philly.

Keith Dotegowski owns one.

"Every Sunday, we are out here," Dotegowski said. "We have futons, chairs TVs, always playing CBS. We have a pantry, we have a bathroom."

This one is Daniel Diamond's.

"Everyone is allowed," Daniel Diamond said of his bus, "but no Dallas fans."

And their other friend owns one.

Together, they tailgate with the rest of the city.

"Oh, it's crazy, even driving on the highway," Diamond said. "Everyone is giving you thumbs up and honking the horns. You get to the toll booth and they are slapping hands."

Their tailgates are massive and are filled with food, drinks and disc jockeys.

"It's usually anywhere from 100-200 people every week," Diamond said. "Crazy diehard Bird fans."

Eagles fans hoping their energy will fuel the team and are feeling confident ahead of this weekend.

"We are going to the Super Bowl," Bill Slough said. "We are the No. 1 seed because we are the best team. So just do what you do, be the best team and it's all going to work out OK."

The group says they will be at Linc on Sunday to tailgate the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. They say they are expecting to have one of the biggest tailgates they ever had.

Kerri Corrado

Kerri Corrado joined CBS3 Eyewitness News as a reporter in July 2021.

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| Courtesy of ERI

ERI has opened a processing facility outside of Phoenix, marking the company’s ninth U.S. plant and its first in the southwest region. The company’s CEO said more recycling locations are coming.

In December, ERI held a soft opening for its recycling and ITAD processing facility in Goodyear, Ariz., which is a Phoenix suburb. The leased space, which is just over 100,000 square feet and is located in a brand new building, has data destruction, reuse/refurbishment and recycling capabilities.

“This is a very underserved market, is what we’re finding,” John Shegerian, ERI’s co-founder, CEO and chairman, said in an interview with E-Scrap News.

Shegerian said three different clients asked ERI to open a processing facility in the area, with the companies citing logistics challenges as driving the need for a local plant. The three companies, which are very different brands that aren’t involved with each other, all shared the message with ERI within about a 100-day period, he said.

The facility in Goodyear represents an investment of over $2 million, Shegerian said. Within a year, ERI aims to employ 75 people on two shifts or a shift and a half at that location, he said.

Much of the latest technology in the facility is focused on front-end processing of the ITAD stream, not downstream shredding and separation of end-of-life equipment. For example, the plant doesn’t have a large shredding and separation system or commodities-recovery robots that ERI uses at some of its other plants.

But Goodyear does sport the company’s recently released technology for processing incoming ITAD stream equipment, called SOAR, which was originally unveiled in April 2022 and then had an updated iteration announced in December. SOAR uses proprietary software with AI capabilities to work toward automating the process of capturing data on incoming IT equipment and triaging it into reuse or end-of-life streams. Equipment is placed under a camera, and the computer captures the make and model. Then, after referencing a database of over 13,000 SKUs, the system informs the technician whether it’s resellable or has reached its end of life.

“It’s improved production speeds, quality of service, quality of client happiness,” Shegerian said. ERI plans to automate the sorting steps with robots later this year, he said.

ERI also noted that the Goodyear facility, as well as other facilities throughout the company, are now carbon neutral for their operational emissions.

A year ago, ERI published its first environmental, social and governance (ESG) and data security report, which detailed the company’s GHG impacts. At the time, the company estimated its Scope 1 direct emissions (such as ERI’s capital goods, purchases of goods and services, energy use, etc.) totaled 2.47 million pounds of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). Its Scope 2 and 3 indirect emissions (both upstream and downstream impacts) totaled 45.9 million pounds of CO2e.

Paul Williams, ERI’s vice president of communications and media relations, said ERI is now carbon neutral for Scopes 1 and 2 emissions. “We are working with our partners and vendors to help them improve their own carbon footprint in an ongoing effort to be able to announce Scope 3 neutrality soon,” Williams said.

Shegerian said the company has done what it can to offset its emissions through steps such as using EVs, installing solar power on buildings, and purchasing green power. For the remaining impacts, it purchases carbon credits through CO2.com, which invests money in projects that reduce CO2 emissions.

“We’re the first recyclers on the planet in our space to be carbon neutral, and that means a lot to our clients. We know it does, they’ve told us so,” Shegerian said. But the effort isn’t about gaining a competitive advantage, he said, calling it an aspirational effort to inspire other companies.

“This is not a Game of Thrones atmosphere when it comes to environmental services,” he said.

The Goodyear space is the ninth processing location for Fresno, Calif.-based ERI, which has others in Fresno; Aurora, Colo.; Plainfield, Ind.; Holliston, Mass.; Badin, N.C.; Lincoln Park, N.J.; Flower Mound, Texas; and Sumner, Wash. The company also has branch offices in Columbus, Ohio; New York City; and Raleigh, N.C.

The company is now searching for a space in the southeastern U.S. for a recycling plant that will hold a “monster” shredding and separation system, Shegerian said. ERI uses such systems at its Fresno, Plainfield and Holliston plants.

The company will likely be ready to announce that new southeast location in early 2024.

ERI serves international customers by striking partnerships with processors outside the U.S. But the company is now looking to install its own recycling facility abroad, he said, estimating it would happen within about a year and a half.

When asked about nervousness investing money expanding the company’s footprint at a time of widespread concern about recession, Shegerian said ERI has no concerns.

“We don’t believe there’s going to be a recession, No. 1. And No. 2, old electronics don’t watch Bloomberg or CNBC. They need to be recycled,” he said.

He said 2022 was ERI’s best year in terms of revenue and profit, despite disruptions such as the war in Ukraine and China’s coronavirus lockdowns. Since then, China has lifted its “zero-COVID,” policies, and commodity and ITAD prices are trending upward, he said. ERI’s financial numbers are on pace to beat last year, he added.

“We’re zero concerned about the nonsensical talk about recession,” Shegerian added, “because it’s all just noise.”

It’s been over a year since construction began on The View at Lincoln Park in Jersey City, which is a new dining, catering, and banquet hall. And good news is it’s almost done. Passersby at the circular park can observe for themselves the luxury building that’s to be completed by the end of the summer. Read on to learn more about The View at Lincoln Park, located at 670 West Side Avenue.

It all began in February 2021 when the Jersey City Planning Board approved the design of The View, located at 670 West Side Avenue. The following month, news circulated that Hudson County officials and Landmark Hospitality broke ground on The View — a three-story, 47-feet high building that will feature two banquet halls, a public restaurant, and a rooftop dining area. There will also be an outdoor patio and balconies on the second floor.

The first banquet hall will be 2,850 square feet, capping the capacity at 190 guests, and the second will be approximately 3,375 square feet and can accommodate up to 225 guests. The public restaurant will be 1,225 square feet and will be able to host 175 patrons.

The architect of the multi-million-dollar project (approximately $12M), Jeffrey Fleischer, previously stated that there will be two elevators, one of which will be a service elevator for the staff. A new parking lot will also be part of the expansion.

Prior to The View, the historic landmark, Casino In The Park, took over the space. It opened in 1950 and closed in 2017 before being demolished in April of 2020. Casino In The Park was a banquet hall that hosted political events, weddings, and fundraisers. Fun Fact: In 1963, Frank Sinatra celebrated his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary here.

Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise stated at the groundbreaking ceremony for The View: “Lincoln Park has long been a jewel for Jersey City, with its previous banquet hall hosting distinguished guests from Frank Sinatra to President Bill Clinton. Today marks a new chapter for the future of Lincoln Park and once again puts our community on the map as a place where lifelong memories will be created. We are excited to bring this special new venue to our community and look forward to this dining experience opening in the not so distant future.”

Angelo Del Russo, CEO of the contractor Del-Sano Contracting Corp., added, “The current renaissance in Jersey City will sustain and advance the history of the former Casino in the Park. We are grateful to serve as the General Contractor working with the Hudson County Improvement Authority and Landmark Hospitality on The View at Lincoln Park.”

While Hudson County Improvement Authority owns The View, Landmark Hospitality, which also owns Liberty House Restaurant, has reportedly signed a long-term lease to operate the new dining hall.

The View at Lincoln Park was last expected to be completed by September, but a sign on the construction site now, which includes ownership details, states the estimated completion date is August 2022. Anyone who frequently visits Lincoln Park has seen how much hard work has gone into the construction by workers hoping to complete it in the time period given of 12-14 months. Click here to see a rendering of the final look of the design.

Lincoln Park is a popular spot where locals go to take in some greenery. The massive 273.4 acres of space features a well-kempt water fountain with a picturesque statue, a lake to go fishing, track, tennis court, kids’ water park and playground, bike and running path, baseball fields, basketball courts, football fields, soccer fields, barbecue and picnic areas, and gazebos.

In the meantime, locals and visitors can check out West Side Community Alliance’s (WSCA) Farmers Market at the West Side Ave Lincoln Park entrance every Sunday from 9AM-2PM.

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Fans of many music genres will be at Lincoln Park this weekend for the festival, which celebrates longtime North Jersey duo The Awesome 2.

NEWARK, NJ — On its 15th anniversary, Newark's Lincoln Park Music Festival is celebrating two New Jersey hip hop radio pioneers with a pop-up exhibition and two weekends of performances.

The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) has seen the festival grow to a full season of music, arts, culture, and wellness. It's free for all, and celebrates film, arts, culture, digital media, and music business education as well as music.

This year's theme is "Ahooga! A journey through 40 years of hip hop radio pioneers," celebrating DJs and radio personalities The Awesome 2. The duo is made up of Special K and Teddy Tedd, who are both from North Jersey.

A pop-up media exhibition about The Awesome 2 opened Monday at Cement Gallery, 6 Crawford Street in Newark. Viewings are Thursday and Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1-8 p.m.

The closing event is an artist talk with The Awesome 2 on August 1 from 6-8 p.m.

There's also a "Spirit of Dance Soul Line Dancing" on Thursday from 6-9, with Step 4 Step Soul line dancers Andrea "Lil Bit" Mason, Jillian "Lady J" Barrick, and Douglas "X-Man" Hawkins.

Artists performing in the park span several genres, including house, gospel, R&B, hip hop, reggae, dancehall, and music of the Latinx/Hispanic diaspora.

Here's a list of music events:

Wednesday 7/27: Gospel Night In The Park from 5-9 p.m. with Le'Andria Johnson, Provenance Music Group, Anthony Ponder & Ministry's Desire, and voices from Newark's choirs.

Friday 7/29: Yendor presents Rodney’s House: A Celebration of the late Rodney M. Gilbert, from 5-9 p.m. Performances by Mia X, Kenny Bobien and Students of Yendor, and "vibes by DJ Fauzi."

Saturday 7/30: House Music Day from 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., starring Barbara Tucker. With Mike Dunn of Chicago's Chosen Few DJs, as well as DJ Danny Krivit, DJ Kamala, DJ Chris Flowers, DJ Shawn Lover, Sara Devine, and Aaron K. Gray.

Sunday 7/31: Hip Hop Culture Day, beginning at noon and featuring The Awesome 2 with special guests Nice & Smooth and other guests.

Saturday 8/6: The Soul of Lincoln Park – announced soon.

Sunday 8/7: Lincoln Park Caribana – announced soon.

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