In recent years, as downtown Jersey City has reveled in its newfound status as a fashionable hub for artists, professionals, and cosmopolitan progressives, the community has experienced the growing pains that often go with being trendy.
High rents and parking problems have been challenges in the neighborhood for years.
Now noise seems to be the new community complaint.
‘I live over in Newport Towers and I think it’s a little loud on the street, especially on the weekends.’ – Saresh Choudhury.
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But some residents say this growth, and the accompanying foot traffic that comes with it, has also brought unwelcomed noise into their homes.
“I have mixed feelings about those concerts they have at Grove Plaza,” said Molly Andes, a resident of Grove Pointe, a housing development that towers over the plaza. “On days when I don’t have to work, I really like having that there, right at my doorstep. But I work in a hospital and I have odd work hours. So, sometimes I need to be sleeping when they’re downstairs partying outside my window – and it’s annoying.”
A Newport resident agreed.
“I live over in Newport Towers and I think it’s a little loud on the street, especially on the weekends,” said resident Saresh Choudhury. “Many times I have to turn my TV up louder so I can watch a movie or something. It’s gotten louder since I moved here [seven years ago].”
Another Newport resident recently wrote to the Reporter, “[Some] restaurants operate as nightclubs and are open [late] on weekends. Not only is the loud booming dance music very annoying, [but] the loud chatter/screaming of drunk people exiting the restaurant is also annoying.”
Sound check
Uta Brauser, founder of the regular Friday Creative Grove community soiree outside the Grove Street PATH Station, recently suggested to the City Council that local officials do a “sound check” to determine an acceptable sound level in the area.
Creative Grove and Groove on Grove, a Wednesday night summer concert series sponsored by the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District, both include live music from local musicians.
“We have music at Grove Plaza and we do have some Grove Pointe residents that have complained about noise,” said Brauser. Noting that she has moved the sound system around to accommodate the residents, Brauser added, “When the music gets too loud I tell [the musicians] to turn down the sound.”
This request has made her unpopular with some musicians who have played in the plaza, she said.
To further address residents’ concerns, Brauser said she is now considering having musicians use smaller amplifiers that would be set to lower volumes and spread over a wider area at Grove Plaza; this, she said, might better diffuse the music and reduce its ability to be heard inside the Grove Pointe apartments above.
She suspects that most of the noise complaints from Grove Pointe likely stem from the bands that play as part of the Groove on Grove series. “Bands, in my experience, are always a lot louder [than solo musicians]. We avoid having bands play at our [Creative Grove] events because if it’s too loud, we can’t have conversations, and that’s not we we’re about. Our market is not a concert.”
Noise. Part of the cityscape?
Residents who are concerned about noise levels have complained to city officials and local community groups.
“We have received several complaints of noise in public places and noise in public areas for festivals,” said Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop. “This is a tough situation, as we want to strike a balance between providing and encouraging cultural community opportunities, as a city should do, while also recognizing that very late night activity can be disruptive. There will always be some noise in urban living, as it is just a reality. But the city can do a better job in making sure that the festivals don’t go past permitted hours.”
Such enforcement is key, according to Dan Levin, a member of the Harsimus Cove Association.
“My personal sentiment, I wouldn’t go as far as to say, ‘Well, we’re in a city and we have to accept noise,’” said Levin. “I can accept the noise of fire trucks, traffic, and just general conversation on the street. But I don’t agree that we have to deal with [excess noise] as a normal part of city life. Wrong behavior or things that violate the noise ordinances shouldn’t be tolerated and laws should be enforced. The problem is the city doesn’t really enforce the noise ordinance. The city needs to begin to think about where it wants to draw a certain kind of activity and make an effort, not just with zoning, but also with its economic development, and try to draw that activity in a strategic way,” said Levin. “I think Newark Avenue could still use a boost and still needs to be more lively.”
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.