The Port Authority will always do what's right, when it's court imposed

The long-delayed construction of an elevator at the Grove St. PATH Station is set to finally begin. The elevator will be located at the south side of the entrance at Columbus and Marin Blvd.

It only took a lawsuit to get the Port Authority to do the right thing. This lawsuit was filed back in 2005 and in 2011 a judge agreed that the Grove St. station must abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act and here we are ten years later and the Port Authority will now spend (are you sitting down?) $4 million of our dollars for an elevator. The Port Authority thinks that what these things cost and since nobody in Trenton is ever going to hold their feet to the fire elevators now cost $4 million dollars.

With the new elevator, which we're guessing will be out of order at least as often at PATH escalators, will ensure all PATH stops have an elevator (Harrison is building a new station).

We wonder if any of the City Panning Coco Puffs made their way to the PA this morning...

Private interests plowing under a city park for fun and profit

Yes Jersey City, the sleazery has come to this. Johnny knows this story inside out and backwards but can get a bit wordy so let's review. Lloyd Goldman knocks down old Powerhouse Arts District Arts building and helps defy neighborhood height limits in building his 110 First St. Building, the POS Building so named by a gal walking down Warren St.. Gets tax abatements to include affordable housing and art space units. Check clears and suddenly Goldman says no poors and no artist hippies. City Planning backs down right on schedule. Ugly building goes up with the help of alcohol and pills (Johnny has those pics as you know). City owned dog park and small green space located between HB Light-Rail and POS building. Walkway from Harsimus Cove towards Grove St. PATH runs alongside. Goldman wants to redo the park his way though there is nothing wrong with park. Plan gets pushback from neighborhood.

Today Pavarini-McGovern, who are Goldman's contractors on the job, GUTTED A CITY OWNED PARK! They must have heard there was pushback from the neighborhood and simply went ahead and tore into, again, CITY PROPERTY belonging you and you and you and you and Johnny equally. On what authority? Johnny has been talking with people high up in the Jersey City government who are quite simply outraged. City Planning did not know they were going to do this. Candice Osborne was blindsided by this. This was supposed to go before planning and city council replete with all the public input you'd expect.

Except these contractors, they don't see city property like you and I do because they are rich. They figure a few thousand in fines, whatever. A couple things have to happen here or when other developers get wind of this, dig first apologize later becomes the norm and every green space is a goner.

1) The mayor should say something. He has not. He spoke long and loud about his disdain for Goldman's plans when he was Ward E councilman.

2) The mayor and city council should NOT turn up at the grand opening photo ops. Why enable this kind of shit?

3) They have to be moved off the city property post-haste and ANY plan they bring to redevelop it must be denied. There is a penalty for such stupidity.

4) After of course they set it back to exactly what it was.

5) People looking to rent downtown should avoid at ANY COST renting from 110 First. There are plenty of other places right near there that don't behave like this. Don't even consider them. If they'll do this to a neighborhood and a city imagine how seriously they'll take your needs as a renter.

Johnny's heard that #3 on that list is almost a given at this point which makes him very happy. Sometimes the biggest wars start over the smallest plots of land.

Here's one PATH fare increase Johnny's just gonna let slide

OK, the news, October 1 the cost of a ride on PATH goes up .25¢. A quarter. With that increase which was approved to kick in in 2011, the Port Authority (not known as the brightest bulbs sometimes) actually has plans and they are good plans. Let's head west and look what you are getting worked on with that two bits: A federally mandated elevator at the geodesic dome Grove St. entrance next to where all the construction is. Harrison is getting their house in order and part of that is a new and fancy dan looking PATH station. It'll tie in very well with the new downtown area being built along the lines and Red Bull Arena. Let's now head west, ok southwest to Newark Liberty International Aeropuerto. What's that? The PATH doesn't run out to Newark Liberty? It will soon friends, giving the area it's first NYC to EWK train connection.

That's a lot of bang for this .25¢ increase.

The Grove St. PATH station has no power but trains are running

The Grove St. PATH station off of Marin Boulevard has been closed as the PATH station is without electricity this morning. The trains are still running and the entrances on Christopher Columbus are open. Emergency lights are currently lighting the station.

The new Grove St. wine bar, Bistro, takes shape

The front facade on the building housing the new Bistro wine bar on the Grove St. plaza across from the PATH station was left open today and it is looking closer to completed and you can do a fairly good job of sussing out what it'll look like. Our bullpen here in the JCD offices thought it looked pretty good, like a wine bar should. Your thoughts?

Dear Port Authority

Hey since you are still claiming the PATH entrance at Christopher Columbus and Marin Blvd. is closed because of a 'flooring issue' how about you just jump on in and bring that PATH entrance up to code by adding those elevators or ramps (escalators) you were ordered to by Federal Judge Stanley R. Chesler in September 2011? Why not just go ahead and get this little task done while everyone is kept from this entrance anyway. That'd be great.

Thanks from all of us, your customers.

Mark Twain once said “Golf is a good walk spoiled”

Johnny would agree, besides there just aren't many places for an 18 hole golf course around the Grove St. PATH station let alone windmill golf. But walk Johnny did looking for the goings on this morning around town. A well behaved morning commute.

To the trains, to the trains, and hope the escalator is working and you win the seat lottery played twice daily.

It's a dreadful sound really, the one reminding you the street sweeper is coming and if you don't move civic improvements are on you.

No better place to get the most important meal of the day than The Little Sandwich Shop. Tip Top!

The Jersey City Desk would like to welcome The Powerhouse Lounge to town

Taking over the old Rascals location on Marin Blvd. between First St. and Bay St., the new Powerhouse Lounge is open to the public. The bar hopes to be a neighborhood friendly kind of place. How best to do that? Well besides the grub and libations in this cozy neighborhood setting, the Powerhouse Lounge is going to offer patrons rides both to and from the Lounge. Now THAT is forward thinking kids. A ride to and from the bar from the downtown area? That's crescent fresh.

The dress code at the Powerhouse Lounge is listed at 'neat' which will probably be a good fit for the professional crowd on their way to and from the Grove St. PATH station and some of those Powerhouse Arts District eclectic peeps the Jersey City Desk staffers love to hang out with when socializing downtown.

The menu can be found HERE so take a look and no doubt Johnny will see you in there at some point. Just keep your hands and feet away from his mouth.