Def makes sense. Good point. And sometimes Ferry, even down to Wilson is buzzing

Everything is a dogwhistle, if you distort reality enough.

But yeah lol, there are legit people who would say that.

I absolutely love it.

😂😂

Ferry street doesn't have enough. It does have some really nice ones, but its still dead sometimes.

Yes thats a problem.

I think the issue here is our proximity to NYC, and New Jerseys sprawling urbanity.

Go to places like Pittsburgh, Memphis, Dallas, Columbus, Cincinnati, even Boston, and those cities are the centerpiece of a ring of suburbs and then rural area ...so if you want to go to the best steakhouse, the theatre, a sleek place for drinks, etc...or want to work in TV or Radio, or the Newspaper, work in a major law firm or corperation, etc..you've got to travel to the downtown area of those cities.

But, with Newark, you've got a lot of that not only close by in NYC, but also in places like Montclair, Westfield, various Bergen County towns, the shore, etc.

Now, that isn't to say that Newark can't still be the center of all of this north jersey sprawl, and if you look at the pattern of development, downtown Newark actually is the center of a lot of it, but its going to take a lot more work to get it there. Until then, it's just one of many downtowns, with its own character, love it or hate it.

Cities like Philly are able to manage it, and Miami, Ft Lauderdale etc, despite being close to sprawl...Newark had done it in the past despite being close to NYC, but that was before a bunch of the suburban growth and the rise of Hudson County as a destination rather than a residential and industrial hub. Newark has the infrastructure but it's got take a conscious decision to want to be that, and it takes critical mass. Prudential Center, NJPAC, and Symphony Hall are a start....and just recently you finally see an upscale place like Swahili Village open up...but we need more, and they need help staying open and attracting business. Places like B&P and Dutch's are close too, but they struggle a bit to stay busy, and it's a problem.

Not sure whether it will happen or not, but Newark is trying, with all of these developments and planned businesses. But its gotta step up a great deal in terms of the commercial places if we expect to have it actually come to fruition.

Interesting that the proposal to convert this building into apartments was voted down not long ago. Probably moving parts behind the scenes.

What's with the dog whistles man?

They are playing great this year

That something like what is fine? What the actual hell are you talking about? Stop raging generally, and get real. Some people, who ruin public spaces and do nothing productive can be called out, or maybe left alone but just not permitted to destroy the public areas. All the world's ills are not the fault of me wanting a nicer area around the train station for people to enjoy.

Let me break some bad news to you btw - the world is a tough, harsh, and chaotic place. The universe is. You don't have to try and find people to personify your anger about that in....we all feel that way.

Here is some tougher news for you - Marxism is just as unjust and futile as our current system here...its been tried and failed, miserably. If you'd like to help, take some people into your home. I'd commend it. Hell, I'd even donate to the cause. Let me know when you do so. I'm sure a few folks down by the station right now would benefit from your hospitality tonight. Let us know when you go down and do it

I'm finished with this ridiculous conversation.

All rage. No reality.

I am pointing out facts. Some people do not respect public spaces and desecrate them.

Leaping from me pointing out basic reality to suggesting that means I want to sweep undesirables under the rug is an absolute misnomer. It's laughable.

So according to you revolutionaries, you can either tolerate bad behavior or else be accused of wanting to whipe people away and being racist? Such an absolute false premise.

You're just angry that standards exist in the world at all. Why not place some blame on those doing the wrong things rather than someone who has the audacity to call it out? What is with this new generation and their absolute rejection of common decency and their embrace of crime and the lowest common denominator?

Do you kids aspire to anything other than autonomous zones? (Which failed anyway)

All rage, no substance.

I'd rather the fence than trash and bodily fluids...its a shame Newark can't accomplish that without the fences...but then again, we've got people like you who embrace that type of thing and wear it like some badge of altruistic honor. Honestly, I think you're full of it.

Go set up a commune.

It bothered them that people were tossing trash and pissing on it. What twilight zone do you operate in?

I'm not a conservative, not a republicOn, nor a Trumpie.

I just have normal cognitive function, and the crap that goes on in Newark is not normal, nor is it advantageous or fair to the majority minority and immigrant families who have to live here and deal with it.

Poor is a lady with 3 kids who pulls a shift at work and still has to be on benefits, who needs better city services and not to be cat-called walking to the train.

I don't feel sorry for grown able-bodied men who choose to live a certain life.

Liberal psuedo-intellectualism has got to be one of the most boring frontiers of modern "thought".

I share a story bc murders do and have happened with the homeless population in the specific area we are discussing. Yet you acted like my mentioning that was some sort of outlandish dog whistle. I'm aware of the drug problem in this country. And it can be seen very vividly in the areas you mentioned. I'm also pretty positive there are a ton of white people hanging there and on drugs as well. Nothing to do with dog whistles and people "being outside".

You can ignore reality by insinuating that everyone who points it out, or disagrees with you must be intolerant, but it won't change reality.

In sure it's an angry and isolating space to be in when you've gotta consistently categorize people as hateful just to maintain a worldview. But more power to you. I wish you well.

Absolute nonsense. I am stating a fact - there are drug dealers and there is drug dealing going on in each of the areas we are discussing. To pretend my reference to actual activities going on is some kind of racist dog whistle, rather than acknowledging it, is manipulating the conversation, yes.

Here is the murder story: https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/essex/police-fire/homeless-man-charged-with-murder-in-newark-penn-station-stabbing/791592/

People should not be bullied off of logical discussion and valid points by false accusations of racism.

You are out in space. People hanging on those steps are not all homeless. I usually see people selling k2, drinking, arguing, and have seen attempted robberies. One that stands out was the robbery of an immigrant man carrying groceries.

If you don't realize people are dealing drugs in that area, or on Broad and Market, you're either niave, or willfully manipulating the conversation. It isn't a perfect location for the homeless...its constantly traversed and the gateway to a large swath of the city. A homeless man killed someone over there a couple years ago. We can have a real conversation, or one shrouded in modern progressive tropes that are only part of the story.

Defecating and urinating in public spaces is not a good or responsible use of the land. Public intoxication is not a good use of the space. Loitering around is not a good use of time. Again, unfortunate that the store had to close. Maybe place some blame on the folks mistreating the space than on the landlords and councilman trying to find a better purpose for it.

So it is treating something. How do you propose we treat the illness? That's a generational, 100 year type issue/plan, and it also will need focus outside the boundaries of Newark proper, but I'm open to ideas specific to that area as to how to fix the problems without closing the store.....

I'm just not of the camp that things should be allowed to fester just bc there are bigger societal reasons for it. Newark can do better. The hard working people of this city deserve better than the status quo.

There are open air drug markets all over this city in loitering areas. I do not think the local population, many of them black and brown, are single-mindedly racist for having issues with some of the loitering in this city.

As to the homeless population, it's much more complex an issue than simply increasing housing. Some folks do not want to abide by the regulations etc set forth for shelters, and end up outside.

Newark can be equitable and progressive-minded without allowing complete lawlessness and the desecration of public space at every turn. The people who seem to suffer the most with unkempt public spaces are hard working immigrants and minority communities. Most the white people flee to the suburbs, Montclair, and Jersey City, and then put forth some of the same positions you have here.

Not looking to argue or anything, but just getting outside the box a bit. That said, I'm sorry to hear that you will be losing a resource on late commutes. The way NJT cops treat that station later at night is a disgrace. We need more amenities 24/7 near and in the station, but again, that also comes with alleviating the drug and homeless element that causes issues.