Hi everybody, moved to Hackensack

[Edwin]

Hi everyone, I guess I should have posted a while ago I moved to Hackensack recently. I was living with my parents (more out of choice than necessity, I mean, they live in Alpine, my brothers are still there, and we have the cutest dog in the world, a big fluff samoyed), and this is my first place. I picked Hackensack because it's closer to the city on the train line (I like to do stuff in the city, especially produce/fruit/food shopping in the city, esp Chinatown), and I could get a 1BR cheap here, and there's a lot of stuff here, and I'm close to everything/the highways, and I like living in an urban where I can walk to places, and where everything is close. Not the greatest building, a bit dilapidated, had to fix some things, but it's cheap. I'm in the New Bridge Landing area.

It's turned out nice, there really is everything here, Battista dance studio, Bergen PAL for boxing (going to try), and the ice house. I've been thinking of joining the adult hockey league for the Spring season, very amateur, Division 8, I don't want to take anything too seriously, I've got a 9-5, just want to enjoy myself, and I've always liked Hockey, my cousins and I used to play roller hockey all the time. Anybody know people on the league?
How about a field, and soccer? Only big open field I know is Johnson Park, or FDU's facilities if that's even an option. I feel like finding a soccer league for the summer would be harder. Anybody know anyone that just plays games regular? I just moved here so I don't know a lot of people.

Some questions about the coming redevelopment - the Main Street thing. Will White Manna be torn down for that? Am I going to have to rebuild that? :-P Seriously though, I'd hate to see one of our quaint pieces of NJ history go, and I work in land development. Where does the "rehabilitation" or whatever zone stretch? I remember reading here someone wrote from Passaic st down to "The mazda dealership", but there is no Mazda Dealership AFAIK. There's a Toyota dealership on river st. Anyone have any links for this forum? Can't seem to find your guys' relevant posts on the topic

And what's going on with The Record property? What's it going to be turned into?

And since we're on an NJ-town forum, let me share a little Bergen County dream/idea I've had, maybe it could be done in one of these towns with all the urban redevelopment going on, like Hackensack, or Edgewater or Weehawken. Growing up here, enjoying the wonderful small town/ small city vibe, trying all the restaurants, the only thing better than sit-outside restaurants, where I can bring my big white teddy bear of a dog, like Angelique's in Tenafly or the restaurants in Piermont, that I would so enjoy when I eventually get married and start a family (see? I am a Jersey Boy), would be some sort of roof-top restaurant, preferably with a water view. How great would that be? Quiet (since it's on a roof), and with a view. I'd build that at cost/non-profit if I knew it could be approved.

Other than that, I guess I could share some info with you guys. I know that somewhere near Kansas street, near the large office building with the dull yellow fiberglass curtain wall (you'll see dull yellow "siding" with the spaghetti-looking fibers in it), there's a house where some guy raises chickens. I always hear chickens just over the wall of the parking lot when I go to that building, which I need to do for work sometimes.
And something else to chew on, my apartment didn't have many lights when I moved in, just the plugs for lamps, and a switch in one room controlling an outlet, with the idea being, like I said, for you to put lamps. Well I don't like lamps. Crappy low light where shadow is always an issue because the point source is low on the side of the room (ever tried to read a book like that?), plus they take up floor space and get knocked over all the time. So what I did was buy ceiling fixtures, like for a house, and sautered plugs to the wiring (don't do this obviously if you don't know this stuff well), and installed them on the ceiling with screws in the drywall, and taped extension cords going up from the plugs to plug into them, and used those plug-in dimmer switches for lamps. So now I have house-quality lighting, with dimming capability, and switches convenient at my front door. Not so aesthetic, but the quality of light and convenince is great.

[Editor]

Welcome back Edwin.

The Area in Need of Rehabilitation topic is here: http://www.hackensacknow.org/index.php/topic,2008.msg6093.html (There's a map of the area here too.) The area does not include the east side of River Street, - so White Manna is safe.

As for the Record property, I've only heard rumors like this one: http://eyeontherecord.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-walmart-coming-to-hackensack.html

[irons35]

you are aware that the wiring modifications you made are illegal and are a serious fire hazard. I would strongly recommend removing them and getting better stand alone lighting. 

[Edwin]

if you were paying attention you'd notice that what I described I did because it WASN'T illegal or against my lease/modifying the property, since I made plug-in objects. I can own and plug in whatever electronics I want - its personal property, not real property. So I made myself plug-in lights that hang from the ceiling. Get it? You can already buy hanging lamps like this, but they're still lamps that aren't that bright and have the stupid lamp shade which further lowers the light. So I made my own out of light fixtures so they're more like light fixtures in a house.

The only thing the things I made are lacking, bureaucratically speaking, are any sort of product testing or checking to see if they match any standards. However I know my lease doesn't say anything about what I can and can't plug in, what the hell kind of lease would say something weird like that? And I know there are no laws written like that - there are laws governing the nature of the outlets and their wiring (building codes), and federal and state laws governing the standards and performance of the outlets that are sold (product safety and standards laws), and there are also product saftety and standard laws for products that plug into outlets, but those are for things that are sold, like most stuff that you own and is marketed on a national level, not personally made and used by the maker.
And since I know full well what I'm doing, since I work in the construction industry and understand electronics pretty well and have always been a bit of a nerd and so understood electricity/electronics for a good long time since high school, I think I'll be OK. I wired it appropriately (hot to hot, neutral to neutral), I know full well the wattage they're taking up and ccan easily see/guess which other outlets are on the same line, so I know what else I can plug in, and I know full well the fire-related risks with the heat and electricity, and mounted the lights to deal with that (they're mounted directly onto the drywall, but the cord going to them necessitates a little gap so they're not completely flush, creating a vent space for heat).

So, in short, I think I'll be OK. These have been used for months, and my big screen TV has been on at the same time with them AND the microwave too. No shorts, no power surges/flickering/temporary dimming, and not even any heat discoloration anywhere.

[irons35]

I was paying attention.  if not so much for your safety for your neighbors safety as well. 

[Edwin]

Try again. Actually read what I wrote.  I modified no wiring
I simply made lamps myself, rather than buying them, but with a specific shape (capable of being hung on the ceiling flush with it)

[Editor]

So... how about this great stretch of weather we've been having? 

[irons35]

Crappy low light where shadow is always an issue because the point source is low on the side of the room (ever tried to read a book like that?), plus they take up floor space and get knocked over all the time. So what I did was buy ceiling fixtures, like for a house, and sautered plugs to the wiring (don't do this obviously if you don't know this stuff well), and installed them on the ceiling with screws in the drywall, and taped extension cords going up from the plugs to plug into them, and used those plug-in dimmer switches for lamps.  

 I did read it.  you did modify the wiring, which is now not UL rated, and could result in an increased fire hazard.  your words.  you soldered plugs onto wires that are not rated for that.     however, since you are comfortable with what you did, I would suggest calling either the building department or the Fire prevention bureau at your earliest convienence, so they could take a look and give you some advice.  I would guarantee 1000% they would not allow it and would make you remove same immediately. please note,  I am not trying to break your chops.  I just do not want to visit your home under serious circumstances. I have been down similar roads many times over the years. be well.

[itsmetoo]

Let us get back to a happy topic.  Welcome to Hackensack, Edwin!

[just watching]

Great to have someone who loves Hackensack return.  Maybe someday I will return as well.  It's "safe" to return for Hackensack, given some changes that have happened that I don't want to repeat on this string. And lots of people probably don't want me to return, but maybe I will.

I was distressed to hear about the Walmart.  To me, that's a waste of that property. Something much bigger should be built there, a mixed use development including office, retail, and housing.  I think the city planners should designate a PUD (Planned Unit Development), and in doing so exert some control over what happens there.  And not just because it will pay so much more in taxes to the city.