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Proud to post this about Downtown Jersey City, of which my family lived there for over 90 years

Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New

Jersey, after Newark. It is the seat of Hudson County as well as the county’s largest city.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program calculated that the city’s population was 262,075 in 2019, ranking as the 80th-most-populous incorporated place in the nation.

The 2019 estimate represents an increase of about 5.8% from the 2010 United States Census, when the city’s population was at 247,597, ranking the city the nation’s 78th-largest by population.

After a peak population of 316,715 measured in the 1930 census, the city’s population saw a half-century-long decline to a nadir of 223,532 in the 1980 census. Since then, the city’s population has rebounded, with the 2010 population reflecting an increase of 7,542 (+3.1%) from the 240,055 counted in the 2000 census, which had in turn increased by 11,518 (+5.0%) from the 228,537 counted in the 1990 census.

Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City is bounded on the east by the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay and on the west by the Hackensack River and Newark Bay. A port of entry, with 30.7 miles (49.4 km) of waterfront and extensive rail infrastructure and connectivity, the city is an important transportation terminus and distribution and manufacturing center for the Port of New York and New Jersey. Jersey City shares significant mass transit connections with Manhattan. Redevelopment of the Jersey City waterfront has made the city one of the largest centers of banking and finance in the United States and has led to the district and city being nicknamed Wall Street West

-wikipedia

00:00​ Starting from 4th St at Merseles St

00:50​ Newark Ave (entering historical downtown of Jersey City)

05:47​ Grove Path Station 06:51​ Christopher Columbus Dr

11:01​ Waterfront (J Owen Grundy Park, Katyń Memorial, 9-11 Memorial, Colgate Clock)

19:12​ Essex St

20:09​ Greene St

21:43​ York St (Post Office Building)

22:35​ Montgomery St

24:18​ City Hall of Jersey City

26:11​ Montgomery St, Jersey Ave, Mercer St, Grove St

30:48​ Columbus Dr, Jersey Ave

34:22​ 1st St, Newark St, Coles St, 3rd St, Monmouth St

38:38​ Harsimus Stem Embankment(a half-mile-long historic railroad embankment)

39:44​ 5th St

The post Tour of downtown Jersey city first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

Those who drip, press or perk coffee they purchase in a plastic container or who grab a cup from the corner take-out may want to wake up and smell the java at 9 Bar Café on Erie Street in Jersey City. Thatâ€s where owner Stefania Cocozza brews coffee like a scientist and the results are one fine cup of elixir from the Gods.

Too much?

Then youâ€re obviously not a coffee connoisseur. But if you canâ€t live without your daily dose of freshly roasted coffee then 9 Bar Café may be worth the trip. Located a block off Newark Ave in Jersey Cityâ€s downtown district, 9 Bar Café, which opened in January, offers an oasis for coffee-lovers: big storefront windows for daydreaming and people-watching, large wooden tables for communal sipping, and two-tops where one or more java-lovers can sit with a laptop to write the  Great American Novel.

Thereâ€s even a counter near the brewing station for those who prefer drinking their espressos standing up, which according to Cocozza is how Italians like it in Italy.

“Iâ€ve been in the coffee business over 20 years,” Cocozza says, taking a quick break between customers. “Iâ€m originally from Rome, and I moved to Seattle and went to Torrefazione Italia owned by Umberto Bizzari which served his brand of fresh roasted coffee. I used to go there for my espresso, everyone was Italian, and I felt at home there. After a few months, they offered me a job.”

She moved on to Southern California where she opened a branch of the business and then opened her own place with a partner. After three years Cocozza sold her share, moved east and after working at Illy Café in Manhattan, decided to be her own boss.

“I like owning my own place,” Cocozza says. “I can make my own decisions.”

Cocozza named her bistro 9 Bar Café in reference to the science of making an espresso, she says. To properly extract a perfect 25-second shot of espresso, a 9-bar of pressure is the right level of pressure for the water to extract the ‘gold†part of the coffee.

“It should be a burst of flavor, a little bomb in your mouth – in a good way,” Cocozza says.

Cocozza serves her customers a special 9 Bar Café blend she uses for coffees and espressos; and the “bubble method” for steaming milk, which creates a thick, creamy foam.  The 9 Bar Café menu is simple and all about the coffee. Thereâ€s Macchiato and Cortado (Italian & Spanish versions of espresso with varied amounts of foamed milk); and Cold Brew (coffee brewed in cold water for 18 hours). You can get Americano, Cappuccino and Café Latte; Hot Chocolate and Hot Tea. (Prices include $2 for hot tea; $2.45/$3 for coffee; and $2.55 for an espresso – extra shot for $.75. Macchiato $2.75; Cortado $3; and Café Latte $3.45/$4 & $4.75, depending on size.

Along with coffees and espressos, the menu features sandwiches and pastries made on site and by local artisans. 9 Bar Café serves sandwiches like the Caprese with fresh mozzarella, tuna and basil, Ham & Provolone, Salami & Provolone, and Tuna Salad. (Sandwiches $7-$7.50.)

Pastries include Cannoli imported from Italy, Tiramisu, Sfogliatelle and Biscotti. Sweet and savory scones, the Italian pastry Occhio bue, and Orange Pound Cake are also on the menu.

About every three months, Cocozza teaches coffee classes at her shop and she has very strong opinions about what makes a great cup of coffee. First of all, smell the coffee you purchase. If itâ€s stale, it will have a rancid smell. Therefore, she says itâ€s better to purchase coffee from a smaller roasting company because the coffee will be fresher than big brand names, and of a better quality, too. Expect to pay $12-$15 for a pound of good coffee, and grind your own beans for freshness.

“Grind as you go,” Cocozza says. “The oils in the coffee start to dry out quickly.”

You can purchase really good coffee, but you also have to know how to brew it.

“Get the person who is selling you the coffee to educate you,” Cocozza says. “Iâ€m trying to educate the consumer on how to get a good cup of coffee at home. Like water, for instance. It has to be 197 degrees to brew espresso; 200 degrees to brew coffee, or you wonâ€t get the right extraction.”

A destination for people to connect, thatâ€s how Cocozza sees 9 Bar Cafe. She puts in a lot of time at her bistro – more than 80 hours a week – and itâ€s a labor of love for Cocozza and husband Giancarlo Mongera who supports her efforts 100 percent, she says.

Cocozzaâ€s also a huge fan of the products she serves her customers.

“I love coffee,” Cocozza says. “I could drink it all day.”

If you go

 9 BAR CAFÉ

18 Erie Street, JC

(201) 432-2000

www.cafeninebar.com

Mon-Fri, 7 am–7 pm; Sat, Sun: 8 am-7 pm

The post 9 Bar Café in Jersey City, Where Great Coffee is Science first appeared on River View Observer.

Read what is happening at jcast this weekend!

 JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs present the 2014 Jersey City Art & Studio Tour, a FREE self-guided tour featuring more than a 130 galleries, artist studios and pop-up exhibition spaces. The tour will take place from 12 pm to 6:00 pm throughout the city on Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th.

The 24th Annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour is a weekend celebration of Jersey Cityâ€s diverse and burgeoning art scene that features over 600 artists and venues that include galleries, studios, public art, live music and performances, food, drink and parties. This year’s exhibitions include visual art, multimedia, film, music, performance and everything in-between.

Every year the tour attracts thousands of visitors during its two-day run. The Jersey City Art & Studio Tour is New Jerseyâ€s premier art and cultural event, and is free and open to the public. 

“Jersey City has one of the most vibrant arts communities in the region and the Annual Studio Tour is a way for residents and visitors to view the art, meet artists, purchase artwork and support our growing arts community,” said Mayor Fulop.  “In addition to dozens of new sites throughout the city, the tour this year also includes an interactive website with a geolocation feature and mobile apps.”

The Jersey City Art & Studio Tour Kick-Off Party is open to the public and will be held from 6 pm to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17th on J. Owen Grundy Park at Exchange Place, featuring opera by Roland Burks, dance performance by Your Move: New Jersey’s Modern Dance Festival, and live music with Manouche Bag,Sylvana Joyce & The Moment, the Milwaukees, and Cecilia Celeste.

The Village neighborhood in Downtown Jersey City has flourished over the past year and will be bustling with events over the JCAST weekend, including “The Whiskey Rebellion” at Village West Gallery, The Original Fifty8 Reunion Show at Mary Benson Gallery, and The Raven Galleryâ€s Group Exhibition “Nesting.”

The Bergen/Lafayette and Greenville neighborhoods have also expanded their participation with more than 15 separate exhibitions that include an afternoon of visual art and music in Ummiâ€s Living Village Community Garden at 612 Communipaw on Saturday, Raku and Pottery Throwing demos at Evening Star Studios, and a “Glass Jam” at the glass art studio of Larry Feldman.

This yearâ€s Jersey City Art & Studio Tour features a personalized online guide at www.thejcast.com that makes it easier than ever to find clusters of activated arts areas in all major neighborhoods. Visitors can find events nearby with an advanced geolocation feature that pin-points your neighborhood and offers event suggestions in your radius with walking and driving directions.  Visitors can search by artist, venue, and neighborhood with the advanced search tool and get up to date details on what’s happening.

Printed Tour Maps can be obtained from our Tour Welcome Tents at the Grove Street PATH Plaza, City Hall and various locations around Jersey City during the weekend. Complimentary upgraded shuttle busses will run in 15 minute intervals on the following routes:

Route 1:
– Grove Street PATH
– 150 Bay Street
– Erie Street & Pavonia Avenue
– 500 Palisade Avenue
– Perishing Field (the Heights)
– Newark Ave / Brunswick St

Route 2:
– Grove Street PATH
– Newark Avenue & Brunswick Street
– 399 Halladay Street
– 11 Monitor Street
– 612 Communipaw Avenue
– 660 Grand Street

Route 3:
– Grove Street PATH
– 136 Magnolia Street / Art House Productions
– 888 Newark Avenue / Mana Contemporary (Saturday Only)
-  50 Dey Street / Canco Lofts
– 2039 Kennedy Blvd. / NJCU Galleries
– 128 Winfield Avenue / Project Greenville
– 140 MLK Drive / Bethune Center

Tour Highlights:

Bergen/Lafayette:
The Shua Group - http://thejcast.com/item/shua-group-performance/ – World famous percussionists STEPHAN GARIN (France) and SAM SOWRYDA (New York) and dancer/choreographer TZVETA KASSABOVA join Shua Group (Jersey City) for a performance of live percussion, dance and light. Audiences move through an environment of immersive drumming on steel beams, hand held spotlights and ghostly movement. Set in a former metal working garage in Jersey City and the space of artist Elaine Hansen.

The Heights:

500 Palisade – Community exhibition featuring over 50 participating artists, including the curated show “Don’t Play With Fire.”

126 Sherman Avenue - http://thejcast.com/item/bojana-coklyat/ – Artists Bojana Coklyat and Michael DiFeo met over a year ago at an art show in Jersey City and are now living together, creating new works in their “artnest” in the Heights! Come over and help them celebrate new inspiration and a collaborative vision.

Journal Square:

Mana Contemporary – 2nd, 4th, 5th Floors – Saturday only, 12-6

136 Magnolia Avenue, Art House Productions - http://thejcast.com/item/art-house-productions-obsolescence/ – Inaugural visual art show at Art House Production’s new location: How do contemporary artists engage with obsolete ideas, materials, processes or technology? Do they infuse the obsolete with something new, or embrace it on its own terms. Is there something to be had from mining what might seem passé? The artists of Obsolescence present alternatives and opinions if not answers to that quandary.

150 Dey Street, Canco Lofts – Group exhibition and multimedia displays.

Downtown:

Dylan Egon at Marco & Pepe – “22” - http://thejcast.com/item/dylan-egon/

The Drawing Rooms – 180 Grand Street – 2 full floors of group exhibition.

Alley Cat Gallery – Alley on Coles between 4th & 5th, featuring Beth Achenbach and The Silver Sculptor
114 Brunswick – Iris Records Presents Michael Ambrose

29 McWilliams Place – Community exhibition featuring mural artist Mark Samsonovich, Reviv JC, The Farm Mechanic and more

247 10th Street – Bar Luca: Community exhibition “Book Arts & Literary Wonders” with Instigatorzine, Lucy Rovetto, and more.

The Mayorâ€s Office, Jersey City Municipal Council and the Office of Cultural Affairs are grateful for the support of our generous JCAST 2014 Sponsors, Bank of America and SILVERMAN.

 Photo of Mural by Finlain Magee-Remembering Clouds 

The post 2014 Jersey City Art & Studio Tour East Coast’s Fastest Growing Art Scene Features Hundreds of Artists and Exhibitions, Galleries, and Live Entertainment first appeared on River View Observer.

We don’t know who to credit for this film but it is a wonderful look at a Jersey City long gone and we are happy it was taken.

Pay close attention to the camera angle as the camera pulls close ups on building being offered for sale at the time.
Enjoy and The River View Team thanks the person or persons who took this film.

The post Downtown Jersey City’s Italian Village 1973 first appeared on River View Observer.

Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy,

The Pan-African flag, also referred to as the Universal Negro Improvement Association flag, or Black Liberation flag, is a tri-color flag consisting of three horizontal bands colored: red, black and green. The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and African Communities League adopted the flag on August 13, 1920.

“The African-American flag is a symbol of unity, suffrage, strength and dignity,” said

Mayor Healy. “In raising the flag, we are paying special respect to the countless contributions made by African Americans throughout the ages; contributions that continue to enrich our great city and great nation.”

Black History Month originated in 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson developed what was known as “Negro History Week” in an effort to educate people about the accomplishments of Africans and African-Americans. Carter G. Woodson made it his cause to teach the broad spectrum of African-American history to all Americans, black and white alike.

In 1976, the celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February, the birth month of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, an African-American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman and abolitionist. Black History Month is celebrated to remember important individuals and events in African and African-American history. Carter G. Woodson is acknowledged as the Father of Black History.

This yearâ€s observance of Black History Month marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement.

For more information, please contact the Division of Cultural Affairs at (201) 547-6921.

The post Jersey City to Raise African-American Flag In Honor of Black History Month first appeared on River View Observer.

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy

A separate press conference will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2013, at the Police Department Property Room, 365 Summit Avenue (entrance off Newkirk Street), to display the results of the buyback and to discuss 2012 crime stats.

“We firmly believe that the fewer guns that are out there in our city, the safer all of our residents, businesses and visitors will be,” said Mayor Healy. “Our initiative is funded without taxpayer dollars and over the course of the past several years has resulted in nearly 1,300 guns being removed from the households and streets of our city.”

Since taking office in late 2004, Mayor Healy has hosted two gun buyback programs – the second with several phases – in which all funds used to pay for the weapons collected were raised from corporate and private donors as well as funds from the Hudson County Prosecutorâ€s Office forfeiture funds. During those buybacks in 2005, 2011 and 2012 a collective of 1,297 handguns, rifles and assault weapons were taken into police custody.

Like prior operations, the turning in of weapons for cash is considered an amnesty program, meaning those individuals turning in weapons need not fear prosecution for possession of such.

The post Jersey City Gun Buyback Saturday January 5th- NO QUESTIONS ASKED first appeared on River View Observer.

A weeklong celebration honoring the African heritage and culture

– Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and members of the Municipal Council, along with the Division of Cultural Affairs, will celebrate Kwanzaa from 6:00 p.m. through 9:00 p.m., tomorrow, Thursday, December 27, 2012 at the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, at 140 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

“The seven principles of Kwanzaa are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith,” said Mayor Healy. “These are the fundamental strengths of building a great city and I am proud to celebrate the rich African-American culture and traditions, and their contributions to Jersey City.”

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration observed each year from December 26th  through January 1st. The event features a candle lighting ceremony which seven candles (Mishumaa Saba) are placed in a kinara, a special candle holder. Each candle represents one of the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa. The lighting of the candles will be performed by Daniel Wiley, a former African-American studies professor at New Jersey City University.”

Tommorrow’s event, “Matunda Ya Kwanzaa -The First Fruit”- will feature expressionsof thanks, music, poetry and the candlelighting ceremony.

“As we gather to commemorate this seven day celebration,” continued Mayor Healy. “May we be reminded that Kwanzaa is an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of our African American citizens and I encourage everyone to partake in the events of Kwanzaa.”

About Kwanzaa

The historical legacy of Black Americans is best reflected in the Kwanzaa Holiday, a “first fruits” celebration created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 California.

Kwanzaa introduces and reinforces seven basic values of African culture that contribute to building and sustaining family, community and culture among African American people. The values, commonly referred to as the Nguzo Saba, which is Swahili for seven principles, are at the heart of the origin and meaning of the celebration.

The seven principles Kwanzaa are:

umoja (unity) to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race; kujichagulia (self-determination) to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves; ujima (collective work and responsibility) to build and maintain our community together and make our brotherâ€s and sisterâ€s problems our problems and to solve them together; ujamaa (cooperative economics) to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together; nia (purpose) to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness; kuumba (creativity) to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it; imani (faith) to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

For more information regarding Kwanzaa, please call the Division of Cultural Affairs at 201-547-6921 or visit jerseycitynj.gov

The post Jersey City to Celebrate Kwanzaa first appeared on River View Observer.

The foot patrols, which are being made possible with the additional 22 officers who are set to be sworn in Friday, will be added in areas throughout the city where needed, the Police Department. In addition, the Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security will unveil a new piece of equipment that will add to crime deterrence capabilities. 

“Public safety has always been mission number one for this administration,” said Mayor Healy. “One of our goals this year was acquiring grant funding to hire new officers and we have done that. We will continue to seek funding to hire more officers so thereby adding to our police presence throughout the city.”

In July, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded the City $1.85 million through the COPS hiring program to hire 15 new officers. The additional seven officers in the new class are paid for through the municipal budget. Additionally in April, the City hired 13 officers through lateral transfers from other police departments.

With the 22 new recruits, the Police Department will have a total of 806 sworn personnel. When Mayor Healy took office in 2004, he quickly worked to hire new police officers as the Department was at an all-time low with only 789 officers. By 2008, under the leadership of Mayor Healy, ranks in the department had risen to 905 sworn officers, but that number has dropped with massive retirements taking place in recent years and due to the fiscal challenges that have faced municipalities across the state.

“We suffered a significant reduction in staff due to retirements over the past two to three years,” said Police Chief Tom Comey. “We have been working with the administration to identify funding, including federal grant funds, to hire additional officers to replenish our ranks. We are pleased to be able to add these officers in the areas where they will be needed.”

 The “Eye in the Sky” surveillance tower, which is a $100,000 piece of police equipment, was acquired by the Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security through the state Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. Used by Police Departments around the nation, including the NYPD, this piece of technology allows law enforcement to rise above a second story roof line. It is used for crowd management, emergency response, port security, and is widely considered a successful crime deterrent apparatus.

“Having an ‘Eye in the Sky†allows our Police Department to have a 360 degree vantage point for surveillance,” said Greg Kierce, Director of OEM & Homeland Security. “We know this is an effective deterrent and are pleased to be able to have this valuable tool as part of our crime fighting arsenal.”

The post Jersey City Mayor Healy & Police Chief Comey to Announce Two Crime Fighting Initiatives first appeared on River View Observer.