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@3underscores.bsky.social

1.3K followers 590 following 2.9K posts

Mostly tweeting about cities, climate change, demographics, land use, and housing econ on this account. I post photos and facts about Jersey City, where I live. Twitter:@jc_permits, @3_under_scores_ 🇨🇴🇺🇲

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 38m

Sometimes one of my posts gets picked up and retweeted by the wrong account, and I get an endless series of retweets and comments from bots.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 4h

It's a bit more complicated. State agencies are only exempted from local zoning insofar as what they're building aligns with the agency's mission. Arguable either way when it comes to apartments on NJT property.

law.justia.com/cases/new-je...

Rutgers v. Piluso

Rutgers v. Piluso - 286 A.2d 697, 60 N.J. 142

law.justia.com

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 4h

Yes absolutely.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

If this is indeed a plan to almost totally divert Aspire credits to NJT, then yeah I guess it should work under whatever mayor!

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

They did do that at Hoboken Connect, but if they do that at all these sites it really will just be NJT hoovering up all available Aspire funds.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

It's being touted as a plan to raise money for NJT. In theory the state could just reallocate the subsidy money to NJT directly.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

It's a bit silly if you think about it, one state agency paying another.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

Oh for sure! But that was at full market-rate. Now imagine with a set-aside weighing down the land value and possibly pushing it into negative territory without an adequate PILOT and/or Aspire.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

Set-asides, especially higher than 10%, are only going to make it more difficult. By the way a developer was ready to go on this land in 2020 and NJT did basically nothing.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

In the US you can build up to 4 stories of wood over a masonry base.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

I really respect Ali for having bold vision and a positive message about housing. And also recognizing that JC's budget is going to death spiral if the city stops growing.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

Brick veneer outside, wood frame inside.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

Market rents around West Side Ave light rail are surprisingly low, and NJT has been very reluctant to redevelop. At best it's going to be a very drawn out negotiation.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 5h

West Sides Ave had a designated redeveloper all the way back in 2020. They had a concrete plan with the building programs, footprints, phasing, unit counts, parking, etc all worked out.

NJT under Murphy has dropped the ball.

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

Fulop has been trying to push NJT to develop these sites forever. For the West Side Ave site above, he had the JCRA designate a redeveloper to try to encourage NJT to sell it. No movement on NJT's part, they just ignored. He is doing the same now with the LSP light rail stop parking lot.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

Like if it's at an "illustrative opportunity" stage, it's way way too late. On the bright side, there will probably be a new mayor by the time they actually develop a plan.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

Given the two leading candidates for mayor, they've run out of time to get stuff like this done.

They had decades.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

Ah thanks. I will delete my original comment.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

I feel like we see a news article about this every couple of years. Then I look at NJTransit's dozens of acres of parking lots and vacant land near transit stops in JC worth many millions of dollars, and see no progress.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

Hate to say it, but Bluesky is more infested with bots and fake engagement these days than Twitter is. All while having less real engagement.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 6h

It was still there in 2022.

maps.app.goo.gl/xrZcG3cqrE5Y...

3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 22h

If there were more construction here and in similar urban locations, our carbon footprint would fall by a lot.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 1d

Going from 213 apartments to 590.

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, that's what makes it notable to me!

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3underscores.bsky.social @3underscores.bsky.social · 4d

Ok cool but, uh, what does that have to do with climate change?