Anderson Street Station (Future)

[BLeafe]

For ten grand, LL should wear the ribbon (only) AND do the ribbon-cutting.

[Homer Jones]

And $20.00 photo ops with or without the ribbon.

[just watching]

not interested in seeing that skanky LL in a ribbon only.

[BLeafe]

Might be funny in the middle of winter.....................

[BLeafe]

Week 44

When I got there yesterday, one of the supervisors said he wanted to show me something inside.

The exterior plastic sheets are weighted down and there were a couple of large heaters cranked up, so it was comparatively pleasant in there. Workers were putting in the flooring and large yellow-and-black striped vinyl sheets (to walk on) were placed where the workers weren't.

The only exterior change was the addition of a nice row of icicles on the west side.
 
You can forget about an end-of-the-month opening.............and no one would venture a guess on an approximate date. Also, I've yet to hear from the NJT person who I was told would contact me about the "Anderson Street Station" sign for the front of the building that I'm told wasn't in the design plans, but I found out yesterday that it wasn't an NJT employee - it was the architect.

Hmmm......................

[BLeafe]

Week 45

I went to the site on Friday with a couple of pictures of the old station's road-facing "Anderson Street Station" sign to show what existed and to stress that it still needs to be done on the new station, but no one was there.

Maybe they went to Super Bowl Boulevard.

Nothing new to show, but - in an attempt to distract you from that fact - I've included a picture of a train coming in while I was there.

[BLeafe]

Week 46

A couple of workers were inside the building when I got there, but the foreman and NJT supervisor weren't around, so I didn't get to push the sign issue. I haven't heard back from the architect, but I'm not surprised.

I brought a picture (third photo below) that I found online to show to somebody in authority. The message would have been that this shouldn't be the last image we have of an Anderson Street Station sign.

That sign, by the way, was a New Jersey Transit sign, as you can see in the fourth photo. I would think that they have an obligation to replace it, but "it's not in the plans" is the last thing I've heard about it.

[Homer Jones]

I don't believe that the placement of a sign similar to the one in your photo #4 would destroy the integrity of this architectural gem.

[BLeafe]

Week 47

The only exterior visual change this week is the increase in snow.

The foreman says that there will be a series of inspections next week, including the CO. Once they get that, the station can open at any time.

With regard to the Anderson Street Station sign, I found out that the name of the NJ Transit person to contact is a gentleman named Bob Nott, who's either the project manager or the principal architect (or maybe both).

I found his office phone number (not an easy online search) and left a voicemail.

[Homer Jones]

I'm impressed with the progress.

[BLeafe]

Week 48

Big exterior changes: a little less snow, some standing trim and a snow shovel in back, and..........uh.........it was a little foggy yesterday.

[BLeafe]

I drove by the site today and it looked very different - activity, exterior and some interior lights on, and the weather sheeting was down - so I parked and took some pix. Besides the usual 2 views, I've included 2 others. I also noticed that some guy in black on the far left photobombed the third shot. He seems to be holding a small camera and he.............oh wait...............nevermind.

I spoke to John the foreman and he had some news: the Anderson St Station sign is now in the plans (why it was ever a question in the first place is beyond me).

Some inspection was going on when I was there and another inspection didn't go too well - I think it was because the gutters aren't up yet. The hope now is "a couple of weeks" until opening. I'm hoping it's before the end of March, so I don't have to start a second year of this (it was supposed to be 5-6 months).

I didn't realize that the front was going to remain so open. It looks more like a vulnerable shelter than a train station. It'll be interesting to hear what the commuters have to say about its functionality - especially in inclement weather.

So, Mr Editor.............has Hackensack got anything planned for the grand opening? Any celebrities cutting a ribbon that says, "Better late than never" on it?

[itsmetoo]

Is there a lobby?  If so, how many people do you estimate that lobby will hold?

[BLeafe]

I'm guessing by "lobby", you mean an enclosed area that's not open to the elements like the front is. The answer is "not exactly".

If you go back to the Week 39 posting of December 21, 2013, I discussed a large opening on the east side of the enclosed-looking back section. If you look at the last picture (above), you can see that opening and a car on the other side of the tracks.

I'm not sure how many people would comfortably occupy that back area. A better question might be how many people can be jammed against the interior west wall when rain and snow storms blow in from the east.

[Homer Jones]

The lobby will hold enough people comfortably on a warm, sunny day; but, not enough people on a cold, rainy or snowy day.