Dear Editor:
I find it troublesome how the City of Jersey City often talks about how much they support the arts but then the zoning department continues to harass the 58 Art Gallery located at 58 Coles St. This art gallery has been in existence for 30 years, operated by a lifelong Jersey City artist. Beforehand, it was a window factory with a showroom. If you think about what windows are, they are created by the practice of an ancient art called glass blowing – that’s a fact. Thirty years ago, it was decided that it was okay for the venue to create art inside frames rather than windows. The 58 is being utilized in the same way as the previous owner did. The current owner is a 60-year-old Jersey City-native, born and raised carrying out an exhibition and showroom in the same manner as his predecessor. The Zoning Department is making accusations about requiring a variance for commercial purposes. I question who got all the other art galleries approved and why the Grassroots Community Center located next store at 54 Coles hasn’t been harassed. Why can they do whatever they want in an assembly every night without any type of variance?
58 was zoned three decades ago for industrial purposes. In fact, industrial is a higher designation than commercial. Apparently, you must choose one or the other. The previous owner was practicing mixed industrial/commercial. Isn’t business always commercial? And let’s be honest, how many people are really buying the art?
The 58 single-handedly resurrected the arts as we know it in Downtown Jersey City. For years and years, it was the only arts venue. 58 is what made Downtown better. To stifle that very thing makes no sense, and makes the city appear to be talking out of both sides of their mouth.
58 is a member in good standing of JC Fridays from the earliest stage. It is a place that supports artists, providing affordable art classes and internships for up-and-coming artists, helping them develop their skills right there in the Harsimus Cove Historical District. The 58 gallery is being targeted and singled out unfairly despite all these good things that have gone on, because of their rights to assembly guaranteed by the constitution of the United States.
James Francis Waddleton