Monday, February 29, 2016

Clifton Savings Bank Coming to Montclair


Montclair, New Jersey: A regional bank is planning to open a location in Montclair.

A Clifton Savings Bank branch is planned for the new Valley & Bloom development in the Montclair Center Business District, located at 638 Bloomfield Avenue, between Valley Road and Orange Road. The complex, which was completed last year, contains offices, apartments, and retail space. DCH Montclair Lincoln Mercury Jaguar previously stood at the site.

The branch will be 2,400 square feet, according to Bloomberg, and will be the first Clifton Savings Bank location in Essex County. There are 13 other locations in Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties. 

Click here to learn more.

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Chinese Restaurant Opening Upper Montclair Location


Upper Montclair, New Jersey: A new Chinese restaurant will open in Upper Montclair.


The restaurant, called The Noble East, is coming to 4 Alvin Place, off of Valley Road. The space is located across from the plaza containing the ACME Market, and was occupied by the Sapporo Sushi & Japanese Steakhouse until 2015.


The business will be owned by the owners of the Hunan Taste Chinese Restaurant, a local landmark in Denville, Morris County.


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Day Care Center Plans to Open in Newark's South Ward


Newark, New Jersey: A new day care center could be coming to Newark's South Ward, according to a public notice.

Young Scientist Academy, which will be owned by Taaima Carter, is planning to open in the Clinton Hill neighborhood at 660-680 Clinton Avenue, between Clinton Place and Narin Place. In order for the new day care center to open, the Newark Central Planning Board will have to change to use of the vacant space, which is currently zoned for community commercial use, according to the Newark Office of Planning, Zoning, and Sustainability. 

A hearing will be held regarding the proposal at the next Planning Board meeting on Monday, March 7th at 6:30pm. 

The space, currently vacant, is located within a shopping plaza that contains a Family Dollar location. The plaza, which is currently for sale, was expanded in 2012 after Family Dollar replaced a Rite Aid Pharmacy location.

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Photo of the Day 2/29/16


This photo shows the Chamber of Commerce Building in Downtown Newark.

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Sunday, February 28, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/28/16


Construction on the Route 280/Route 21 project in Newark is expected to last two years.

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Saturday, February 27, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/27/16


This photo shows the Essex County Hall of Records and the new 24 Jones building.

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Friday, February 26, 2016

Bloomfield Library to Host Jazz Concert


Bloomfield, New Jersey: An Essex County library will host a concert this weekend.

The Loren Daniels Quartet will perform in a jazz concert at the Bloomfield Public Library on Saturday, February 27th, beginning at 4:00pm. The event will be held in the library's Little Theater, and is free and open to the public. Essex County and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts will sponsor the event.

The Bloomfield Public Library is located at 90 Broad Street, between Liberty and Park Streets.

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Photo of the Day 2/26/16


This photo shows Downtown Newark's vacant Griffith Building as seen from the Robert Treat Hotel rooftop.

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/25/16


This photo shows the view of Newark's North Ward from Downtown. Montclair State University's University Hall can be seen in the distance.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

How Should West Orange Streets Change?


West Orange, New Jersey: Changes could come to the streets of West Orange. 


A program will be held tonight at Liberty Middle School at 7:30pm regarding the proposed West Orange Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, part of the Complete Streets initiative. Attendees will learn about proposed improvements to help walkers and cyclists throughout the township, and will hear about a proposed West Orange Bicycle Network.


West Orange, which is largely suburban, has many streets without sidewalks, and there are no bike lanes on township streets. 


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Dominican Flag to Rise in Newark


Newark, New Jersey: The City of Newark will celebrate Dominican Independence Day this week.


An event will be held at City Hall on Saturday, February 27th, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The flag of the Dominican Republic will rise at City Hall during the program, which will celebrate Dominican culture. City Hall is located at 920 Broad Street between Franklin and Green Streets. Transportation is available using Coach USA and NJ Transit buses.


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Photo of the Day 2/24/16


This photo shows the main branch of the Newark Public Library on Washington Street.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Newark Library to Hold Children´s Event


Newark, New Jersey: The main branch of the Newark Public Library will hold a program for children.

Building on Books will be held on Saturday, March 5th, from 11:00am to 2:00pm. The event is open to children under age 5 who come with an adult. There will be a photo booth, arts and crafts, book reading, a giveaway, and other activities. Pre-registration is required for the event, which is sponsored by Newark Mommies.

The main Newark Public Library is located at 5 Washington Street, near the Washington Park. Transportation is available using the Washington Park Station of the Newark Light Rail and local NJ Transit buses.

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New Building Coming to MLK Boulevard in Newark


Newark, New Jersey: A new building will rise in Newark's Central Ward. 

The Donnelly Building will be constructed at 535 Martin Luther King Boulevard, at the southwest corner of William Street. It will contain retail space and offices, and will have a roof garden atop the building, according to site plans. 

It will be built at the site of the Hamilton Building and Loan Association Building, which was most recently occupied by the Rising Sun Academy, a free preschool. The Hamilton Building and Loan Association originally used the building as a bank, which was founded in 1905. 

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Photo of the Day 2/23/16


This photo shows the former Griffith Piano Building on Broad Street in Downtown Newark. It is one of the largest entirely vacant buildings in the city.

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Monday, February 22, 2016

Columbia High School Baseball Coaches Rehired


Maplewood, New Jersey: Columbia High School's baseball coaches will be rehired for the upcoming season. 

Coaches Joe Fischetti, Matt Becht, Sam Maietta, and Steve Campos were all reappointed at the South Orange Maplewood Board of Education meeting on Monday evening. 

The reappointment comes after a lawsuit alleging bullying by the coaches was filed by a former player earlier this month. All of the coaches, in addition to the Board of Education, the South Orange Maplewood School District, CHS, Principal Elizabeth Aaron, former Acting Superintendent James Memoli, athletics supervisor Lorenzo Busichio, the CHS Baseball Boosters, and a parent, are listed as defendants in the lawsuit. 

Fischetti also works as a physical education teacher at CHS, and Maietta is a guidance counselor at the school. 

At the meeting, several baseball players, a former player who has since graduated, and parents spoke to support the reappointment of the coaches. Amy Singer, who works as the secretary to Busichio, spoke out in his defense. Two parents of former players spoke to oppose the reappointment of the coaches. 

Six BOE members voted in favor of Fischetti's reappointment, while Elizabeth Baker, Johanna Wright, and Chris Sabin opposed it. Fischetti and Wright used to be colleagues in the physical education department at South Orange Middle School. 

Dozens of baseball players in the audience applauded following all four votes.

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New Restaurant Coming to Short Hills


Short Hills, New Jersey: The owner of several Essex County restaurants is planning to open another in Millburn Township.

Theodore Stampoulos will open Restaurant 518 at 518 Millburn Avenue in Short Hills, opposite Glenwood Drive. A sign posted outside states that the restaurant is expected to open this spring. According to Millburn Township Planning Board minutes, there will be 49 seats, and Greek, Mediterranean and Italian food will be served for lunch and dinner.

Stampoulos also owns Martini Bistro in Millburn, Martini 494 in Newark, and Pizzeta Enoteca in Livingston.

South Orange bakery Cait & Abby's Daily Bread previously owned a location in the space, before closing it in 2015.

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Soccer Field Planned for Newark Lot


Newark, New Jersey: Changes could be coming to a lot in one part of Newark's West Ward.

Ashland School, Inc., which operates as the KIPP Rise Academy at 21 Ashland Street, is planning to build a soccer field, amphitheater, and a storage shed. The facility for the middle school, which opened in the former St. Rocco School in 2006, would be built on a large tract of land along nearby South Orange Avenue, stretching from South 14th Street to Ashland Street. West Side High School is located across from the property

Consumers Auto Service Center and an abandoned apartment building used to stand at the site. Both were demolished in 2015.

The Newark Central Planning Board will hear the proposal tonight at City Hall. Click here to learn more.

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Photo of the Day 2/22/16


Newark, New Jersey: This ghost sign, which advertises Sports, Radio, Kodaks, and Frigidairs, is located above 108 Sneaker on Market Street in Downtown Newark. It was once occupied by Davega Stores, a chain of New York area sporting goods and appliance retailers. The company went out of business 53 years ago.

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Sunday, February 21, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/21/16


This photo shows Downtown Newark at night as seen from One Washington Park.

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Saturday, February 20, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/20/16


This photo shows the Newark Broad Street Station.

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Friday, February 19, 2016

Pop-Up Store Returning to South Orange


South Orange, New Jersey: A Downtown South Orange pop-up store will return in 2016, but in a different season than in previous years.

The Pop 'n Shop, which is operated by the South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA), will be held in the spring on six days in June in a vacant storefront at 65 South Orange Avenue, opposite Spiotta Park. Applications for local merchants who are interested in selling their homemade or unique items are now available. 

Hoboken's Love and Yogurt previously operated a location in the space, which was also occupied by Cheeks Boutique before the store moved to Morristown, Morris County.

Downtown South Orange's first pop-up store opened in the space in December, 2014 as part of the 350th anniversary of New Jersey. The SOVCA re-opened the store during the 2015 holiday season.

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Femmebot Opens Montclair Store


Montclair, New Jersey: Another clothing store is coming to suburban Essex County.

Femmebot is opening a location today, February 19th, at 494 Bloomfield Avenue in the Montclair Center Business District, between Church Street and South Park Street. The company currently operates another location in Ridgewood, Bergen County, where it sells clothing and accessories.

The Montclair International Film Festival and a location of Premier Clothing & Accessories previously operated in the space.

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Photo of the Day 2/19/16


This photo shows the Newark Light Rail's Military Park Station.

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Thursday, February 18, 2016

Program About Criminal Justice Coming to Newark


Newark, New Jersey: A city university will host a program next month regarding criminal justice.

Rutgers University-Newark will hold the annual Senator Ronald Rice Lecture on Criminal Justice and Public Policy on Monday, March 21st, beginning at 6:00pm. Ryan P. Haygood of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice will speak at the event, which will be held in the Rutgers-Newark Center for Law and Justice at 123 Washington Street. Admission is free, though pre-registration is required. 

Click here to learn more and to register.

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Tour Newark's Gateway Project


Newark, New Jersey: An art gallery in Downtown Newark will hold an open house this week.

The Gateway Project, located on the second floor of 2 Gateway Center next to the Agnes Varis NJTV Studio, will hold the Winter Open Studios event this Saturday, February 20th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Guided tours will be offered at 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.

2 Gateway Center is located at the corner of McCarter Highway and Market Street, and can be reached via skybridge from Newark Penn Station.

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Photo of the Day 2/18/16


This photo shows Newark's Ironbound and the Statue of Liberty as seen from Downtown Newark.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/17/16


This photo shows the National Newark Building, once occupied by the National Newark and Essex Banking Company.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Townhouses Proposed for West Orange Lot


West Orange, New Jersey: A new residential development could be coming to suburban Essex County.

According to Township records, 36 townhouses are being proposed for a tract in West Orange. Executive West, LLC is planning to construct the development on property near the WFMU/WNSH broadcast towers off of Mount Pleasant Avenue along Ridge Road, a private street that is currently lined with mansions. 

Project engineer Michael Lanzafama reportedly said at the West Orange Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on December 17, 2015 that the townhouses will be 2.5 stories tall, and 139 parking spaces are planned. Lanzafama stated at the meeting that a new road could be built from Ridge Road to Prospect Avenue. Board Chairman Bruce Buechler added that part of Ridge Road could become a public street.

The 12.7 acre lot, partially surrounded by a stone wall, is currently heavily wooded. It is bordered by a large cliff over the Crest Ridge apartment complex.

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Women's Clothing Store Opening in South Orange


South Orange, New Jersey: A new clothing store is coming to South Orange.

FittingRoom Gala Boutique and Consignment is expected to open on March 5th at 325 Valley Street, at the corner of Lackawanna Place. It will sell and rent a variety of women's clothing items and accessories. Nikia Dalce and Shivangi Gosai will own the business. 

The space was previously used as an office of Lily's Limousine and Taxi Service, which closed in 2015, and Opulent Glassworks, which has since relocated.

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Photo of the Day 2/16/16


This photo shows a view of the Manhattan skyline, Harrison, and the Passaic River from the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.

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Monday, February 15, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/15/16


This photo shows a view of Broad Street in Downtown Newark.

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Sunday, February 14, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/14/16


The One Theater Square project, which will include apartments, stores, and restaurants, will be located at the site of this Downtown Newark building across from NJPAC.

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Saturday, February 13, 2016

Photo of the Day 2/13/16


The new headquarters of the South Orange Rescue Squad on Sloan Street is nearly complete.

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Friday, February 12, 2016

New Audible Facility in Downtown Newark Church Approved


Newark, New Jersey: The proposed conversion of a historic Downtown Newark church into a corporate facility has been approved.

On Monday, the Newark Central Planning Board approved the final plans of Amazon-owned audiobook company Audible.com to open an engineering and development hub, which will include offices, in the former Second Presbyterian Church and neighboring buildings. The former Women in Support of the Million Man March Cultural Center will be part of the complex. Additional floors will be added to the buildings as part of the project.

The church, located opposite Washington Park at the corner of Washington and James Streets, has not been used for services since 1995.

Audible's new facility, located one block from company headquarters at One Washington Park, is expected to create 350 new jobs.



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Newark Company to Rebuild Facility Following Massive 2015 Fire


Newark, New Jersey: A shipping container company in an industrial area of Newark's East Ward will construct a new maintenance facility after the original building was destroyed in a massive fire last year.

A proposal to build a new tank and truck wash facility at Quality Distribution, Inc.'s Boasso America Newark terminal at 80 Doremus Avenue was approved this week.

The new building will replace the facility near the Pulaski Skyway and the Essex County Correctional Facility that was demolished after being engulfed in flames on March 9, 2015 in a fire that injured four employees. 

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Photo of the Day 2/12/16


This photo shows the mural for the former Blue Moon Diner under the South Orange Train Station.

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Thursday, February 11, 2016

Learn About Newark's Jewish History


Newark, New Jersey: The Newark Preservation & Landmarks Committee will host a tour of Newark this spring, focusing on the city's Jewish history.

The program will be held on Sunday, May 15th, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, and will begin at the Newark Museum on Washington Street. Attendees will visit Ahavas Sholom in the North Ward, one of Newark's two temples, the former B'nai Jeshuran, the former Oheb Shalom, and the Weequahic neighborhood.

The City of Newark had a large Jewish community until the middle of the 20th century, when thousands of residents left for suburban communities, particularly South Orange, Short Hills, Springfield, West Orange, and Livingston. Congregations also relocated west. Ahavath Zion moved to Maplewood, B'nai Jeshuran moved to Short Hills, Oheb Shalom moved to South Orange, B'nai Abraham moved to Livingston, and Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob and David moved to West Orange.

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