The initial applications for Certificates of Appropriateness and Certificates of Economic Hardship to demolish the Embankment were denied by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) last spring. Subsequently, the ZBA denied Hyman a hearing based on the HPC’s ruling and recommendation.

Hyman filed suit, arguing that he deserved a fresh hearing on his applications, and that he should have been allowed to present his evidence and state his case before the ZBA. Earlier this summer, Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli agreed, ruling that the ZBA “was required to determine the case ‘completely anew,’ and, while giving due deference to the findings and conclusions of the HPC, it was not necessarily to be controlled by them.”

At last night’s hearing, Hyman’s attorney Michelle Donato suggested the ZBA go a step further and not use any of the HPC’s findings, instead “starting from scratch” with this hearing.

Donato got the change to interview just one of her six or seven witnesses, Hoboken architect Dean Marchetto. (She will interview the rest as the hearing continues in the coming month.) Marchetto, who has worked with Hyman over the years on possible development designs, testified regarding both the status of the Embankment and its aesthetic appropriateness.

The structure, Marchetto said, is “an abandoned utility construction … an embarrassment and an eyesore.”

Donato, presenting a 1998 City Council resolution opposing the Embankment’s preservation, allowed Marchetto to explain his work on the project over the years.

Marchetto presented a number of presentations, posters and graphics of proposed plans he said he’d prepared in consultation with both the Embankment Preservation Coalition and “various city officials” over the years. There were a number of design comparisons — to the High Line in New York City, the promenade plantée in Paris — as well as talk of connecting the Journal Square Redevelopment Plan to the waterfront via the Embankment.

The hearing will continue later this month, on September 22, at 6:30 pm, in City Hall

Despite a loss of about $12 million in revenues, those managing programs inside Jersey City’s Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) say they are forging ahead, doing the best they can in keeping the areas viable for businesses.

“The state has kept the program, which is better than what was introduced in the original [Fiscal Year 2011] budget,” city spokesperson Jennifer Morrill says. “However, we did not get back as much as expected when the final budget was adopted.”

The city suffered a total loss of about $12 million from various forms of UEZ knife-wielding, according to Morrill, leaving only $4.2 million available for this entire fiscal year.
 
The city’s Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC), which distributes the UEZ money, is now being forced to embrace a “half-a-loaf is better than no loaf” philosophy on state funding, and Mayor Healy is working to see if there is any new federal funding that might help fill the UEZ void.
 
The Urban Enterprise Zone Authority runs the statewide fund under the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. The designated areas, stretching over about a third of Jersey City’s huge landscape, enable businesses to impose a lower state sales tax (3.5 percent) than in non-UEZ locales.
 
“Prior to the current state budget, funds were dedicated to each UEZ municipality from the reduced sales tax collected,” Morrill explains. “They were held in Trenton in a separate account.”
 
But now the formula has changed.

“All tax revenues earned in FY 2011 will be credited to the State of New Jersey General Fund,” she says, instead of being set aside for UEZs. Municipalities are instead receiving more limited “allocations” not tied to sharing tax revenues with the state. 
 
Still, Morrill maintains that Healy remains positive about the  program since he feels it can still greatly benefit Jersey City, even if on a smaller scale.
 
“We continue to work with businesses seeking to relocate into Jersey City’s UEZs,” she assures. ”The mayor believes all our Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) are still moving forward, along with efforts such as installing new security cameras along Westfield Avenue and job training.”
 
With this year’s budget, Gov. Chris Christie moved to take all UEZ tax receipts away from member municipalities as part of his effort to close New Jersey’s estimated $11 billion deficit.

Previously, UEZ used a 20-year funding mechanism that provided much more money to zones, according to state Department of Community Affairs spokesperson Lisa Ryan.

She explains that, via a process called “scale down,” the percentage of proceeds kept were to gradually shift from  UEZ communities to the state at five-year intervals.
 
Originally, the municipalities were to keep 100 percent of the UEZ tax tab for the first five years, with the state sharing those revenues through the middle 10. Over the final five years, all proceeds were to be kept by the state.
 
Yet Christie accelerated New Jersey’s total take with the stroke of his budget pen last June, and now the state keeps 100 percent of the UEZ tax receipts.
 
Because of that, the people who run some of Jersey City’s SIDs, which rely in part on UEZ money to fund their operations, are having to do things a bit differently, given the lack of available cash.

Central Avenue SID manager David Diaz says he’s already started assessing where the Heights organization will need to cut.
 
While not giving any specifics, Diaz says everything from special events to key marketing programs are at risk. He adds that he is consulting with his SID’s management association over priorities, and should have final answers in about two months.
 
“Drastic cuts are certainly possible for the current fiscal year,” he says. “We were at the stage where we were keeping 35 percent of the lower sales tax proceeds, before the new budget took effect. We’ve lost all of that, and are already feeling the impact.” 
 
Further, Diaz claims SID merchants have felt a sting through the district’s loss of “one-to-one matching grants,” totaling $92,000, which the state authority can no longer offer due to cutbacks.
 
The grants combined funding, from the state and the JCEDC, to pay for UEZ-related operating expenses.

The JCEDC says this year it is giving each SID in Jersey City just $50,000 in grants to replace the matching grants that were lost. While it is something, it can’t replace what the organizations previously received.
 
“We really appreciate that the JCEDC has stepped in to provide us grants totaling $50,000,” Diaz points out. “While it’s less than what we had been receiving, it’s still a big help. And every penny goes back into our SID.” 

The Journal Square SID, by far the city’s largest, is facing a grants reduction from $673,000 to $50,000, while the Historic Downtown SID has been cut from $155,000 to $50,000. The McGinley Square and Main Street/Monticello SIDs will be cut from $72,300 and $70,000, respectively, to $50,000.

But the Historic Downtown SID’s Nikol Floros suggests her area will not be that adversely affected by the huge UEZ cut.
 
“I really believe the most important thing is that the lower sales tax is still in place, which is of critical importance to our merchants,”  she says. “When they see that there is no more funding available to improve their facades, they might start asking questions.”
 
“However, I do feel our sponsors will manage to come up with the money needed to continue meeting the essential needs of our particular district,” Floros asserts. “I’m very satisfied with our efforts at this point.”

The Historic Downtown SID did eliminate one popular program earlier this year, a subsidy that helped its member businesses buy advertising in local publications (including this one).
 
Still, Floros harbors no grudges against Christie for the changes.

“With all the corruption problems we’ve had in New Jersey, I just feel perhaps our governor wants to make sure all this money is being used legitimately,” she says. “If he concludes the program is being run effectively, perhaps he’ll restore funding if he can.” 
 
Yet Don Smartt, district administrator of Journal Square Restoration Corporation, a private nonprofit that operates the Journal Square SID, says UEZs across the state should probably expect reduced government funding for the long haul — even after Christie leaves office.
 
“It’s not just this governor, it’s the entire economy,” he says  “I just think you’re looking at a difficult situation here in New Jersey over the next 15 years. The state won’t be in a position to significantly increase support for these programs for quite awhile.”
 
Thus, says Smartt, cuts will have to be made within his SID, under the new budget. He was already forced to cancel the Square’s free summer concert series, and more cuts are clearly ahead, though he says he’s not yet sure what those will be.

Still, citing his long history managing business district organizations, Smartt says he still relishes the challenge in these toughest of times. 
 
“Over my many years, I’ve learned there are two programs which must always receive the highest funding priority: having a sufficient police presence in your neighborhoods and fixing sidewalks,” he says. “If those two things aren’t always taken care of, you’re not going to be successful.”

Hundreds of people wait in line at Lincoln Park, where the giveaway got started half an hour ahead of schedule to accommodate the crowds.

MORE PHOTOS:

Photos: Steve Gold

Organizers of the back-to-school book bag and school supply drive say they served “over 5,000″ Jersey City students last weekend, with crowds flocking to the giveaways at three Jersey City sites. And as a thank you to the many people who volunteered with and sponsored the effort, the United Way of Hudson County is hosting a Thank You BBQ on Sunday, September 12.

“What is most amazing about this is how it all came together so quickly. When a month ago, five community leaders came to the [United Way] with an idea of getting 3,000 backpacks into the hands of Jersey City school children by September 1, quite frankly I wondered if we could pull it off,” United Way of Hudson County president Dan Altilio says. “Not only did we pull it off, we increased the amount of backpacks by more than 50 percent.”

Altilio says the event would not have been a success without the numerous corporate and individual sponsors, the community and political leaders that lent their hands to the effort, and the nearly 150 volunteers who donated what he estimates at more than 1,000 hours of their time to time to stuff and distribute book bags, log in pre-registrations and distribute fliers. Citations will be given out to all of the sponsors and volunteers at the September 12 celebration.

But even with the drive’s success, Altilio points out there is much more work to be done.

“There are approximately 20,000 grammar school children in Jersey City, so we were able to help 25 percent of them,” he says. “Maybe next year we can double that number and expand the number of sites. Who knows, in two or three years we might be able to put a backpack with school supplies in the hands of every K-8 student in Jersey City.”

The Thank-You BBQ is scheduled for Sunday, September 12 from 2 to 5 pm, at the Lincoln Park Little League Field.

The ozone levels across the state are expected to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category, which calls for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory diseases like asthma to avoid most outdoor activities during the daytime; and for healthy individuals to reduce strenuous outdoor activities, like jogging or exercising outdoors.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years. But then you look at the kid, watch what he does and hear what he says, its so obvious that he’s gone through so much already in our time together. He’s still keeping me guessing on a daily basis and it makes each day an adventure. I can’t imagine what he’ll be like in another two years, but I’m sure the same will still be true. For the sake of detail, I’ll share a few adventures of recent vintage.

Being a music journalist means that I spend a lot of time thinking about and listening to music. In the last two years, a handful of kids shows and videos forced their way into the house’s regular rotation and those songs are damn infectious. Extremely complicated jazz improvisations don’t have a chance against cartoon figures singing three-note melodies. As any parent will tell you, the damn songs stick in your head, and you can’t help to sing them, either along to the recording or not.

So there’s some singing that happens at our crib and I was little unprepared last week when Dash threw a hissyfit every time either Kathy or I would open our mouths to sing or even hum a tune. It was kind of funny at first, and then it got weird. I started wondering what the heck made Dash turn a corner like that, and what was it about his parents making musical sound that could possibly be so bothersome that you’d want to shriek like an ambulance siren. Neither of us are trained singers, but come on. Then just mysteriously as they appeared the freakouts have stopped. 


Instead, this week he won’t fall asleep in his bed; instead choosing a well worn love seat in the corner of his room that we use to sit on when reading books. So the big boy bed was the hot new thing for about two months and then its passé? Apparently.

The problem is that he rolled off the couch during his nap a few days ago and never was able to go back down because he was so traumatized. Kathy had been transferring him to his regular bed and I kind of spaced on this, so when it happened on my watch it was a little surprising. Of course you can’t explain to the kid if he just fell asleep in his bed with the guardrail on the side, he’d be fine. But we’d had a houseguest stay in the room with their daughter a few years ago and the kid, though older, also gravitated to the couch.

I keep coming back to the theme that these mysteries keep coming and going, and I expected that. But Dash just keeps me guessing, which has been hilarious and awesome and strange. These two have been a little strange.

Hilarious was Dash doing a spot on imitation of Yankees announcer Michael Kay calling a home run by Nick Swisher, saying: “See ya!” Hilarious was how he nails the whining sound the subway’s trains make when they leave the station. I don’t know how long he’ll keep doing these, but they are classics. It’s really scary how quickly he retains stuff these days. In fact, we’ve now hit the point where the house and car have become absolute curse free zones.

That’s it for now. As always, more to come.

- Brawl Leaves Man on Life Support: A 22-year-old Warren man remains on life support after being brutally beaten outside Downtown bar/restaurant Grand Banks in the early morning hours Saturday during an incident in which two of his friends also were injured.

- Walgreens Rx Mixup Sends Boy to Hospital: A 2-year-old boy was rushed into intensive care in a life-threatening emergency Friday after ingesting a high-powered painkiller that the Kennedy Boulevard Walgreens dispensed along with the boy’s allergy medicine prescription. The 2-year-old appears to be fine now.

- Whose Fault Was the JCIA’s Phone Problem? Verizon says the Jersey City Incinerator Authority’s (JCIA) phones were shut off this week because they failed to pay their bills, but JCIA executive director Oren Dabney says Verizon must have lost the check. Either way, the phones are back on.

- Man Charged with Sex Contact: A 77-year-old Jersey City man was arrested after allegedly dragging a 14-year-old boy into a basement and fondling him while masturbating Tuesday afternoon in the Western Slope area of the Heights.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The closing reception for the Glossolalia exhibition is at 58 Gallery, featuring a live multimedia performance from Sara Wentworth and live music from Trenton’s Honah Lee (7 pm). And The Warehouse hosts a free screening of The Girl in the Cafe (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Schundler Lays it All Out: Bret Schundler, the former education commissioner fired last week after a blunder in a federal grant application that may have cost New Jersey $400 million, has released his chronology of events leading up to his termination and a series of emails, saying Christie “defamed” him.

- Education Board Vows to Press On with Reforms: The state Board of Education began its first meeting after the firing of former commissioner Bret Schundler by acknowledging feelings of “uncertainty” in N.J.’s education world after the “eventful” past few days — but vowing to continue moving forward to reform and improve the state’s schools. Also, after finding “disturbing” evidence that some New Jersey teens who didn’t possess simple math skills received passing grades in Algebra II and Calculus courses, education department officials say they plan new steps to make sure that struggling students get more remedial help fast.

- Outgoing Turnpike Authority Director Continues to Be Paid: Even though the executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority said her goodbyes on Tuesday — her last day in the position — she will continue to work as a consultant for the authority for approximately three months to ensure a smooth transition, earning a $3,134 weekly salary.

- New Medical Helicopter Rules: Controversial rules for dispatching medical helicopters to traumatic accidents were modified Wednesday, resolving for now a long-standing dispute between the state service and the private companies trying to compete with it. The new protocols will dispatch whichever helicopter is closest to the patient, regardless of whether it is state or private.

- NJ Transit Looks to Provide Wifi: NJ Transit officials say they’re seeking a provider of wireless broadband service at rail stations and on trains, and they’ve issued a request for proposals from potential firms.

Like last year, the police and fire departments will not be affected by the furlough days, and neither will autonomous agencies like the Municipal Utilities Authority, the Incinerator Authority and the Parking Authority.

The following city offices will be closed on these days:

Friday, September 3: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Friday, October 8: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts

Tuesday, October 12: Recreation Department

Monday, October 25: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Recreation Department

Friday, October 29: Law Department; Municipal Courts

Friday, November 12: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts

Monday, November 15: Recreation Department

Thursday, December 23: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Friday, January 14: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Monday, February 14: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Recreation Department

Friday, February 18: Law Department; Municipal Courts

Friday, March 18: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Friday, April 1: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Monday, April 25: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Recreation Department

Friday, April 29: Law Department; Municipal Courts

Friday, May 27: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Law Department; Municipal Courts; Recreation Department

Friday, June 17: Law Department; Municipal Courts

Monday, June 20: Administration; City Clerk; Health & Human Services; Housing, Economic Development & Commerce; Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Tax Assessor; Recreation Department

You describe yourself as a fine artist and illustrator. Everyone knows that illustrators dine on butter-poached oysters and drive Volvos while artists slurp 40s of Mickey’s and ride the bus. What are some other differences between the two professions, or misconceptions about those supposed differences?

Luckily I like to wash my oysters down with a 40! Apparently there’s a big division between the two professions and you’re supposed to choose one or the other, but to me the lines are blurry. I’ve exhibited artwork in galleries that was originally created for illustration purposes, and adapted personal work for illustration assignments. A lot of people think that illustrators are sell-outs, but I find that fine artists are just as willing to pimp themselves out, only in different ways. I’d say I actually make more “oysters” off my fine art.

In my experience, illustrators and graphic designers have a better business sense, and tend to be more financially savvy and realistic than most traditional fine artists — painters and sculptors. I studied painting and drawing in college. The program stressed painting and drawing, but not money. When I graduated from school, I was broke, and had no viable skills. I could make a painting, but I could not sell it whereas illustrators and designers could work, determine the value of the work, and earn money. Did you study illustration in school? If so, did the program discuss money—billing, price quotes, how to value your time and work?

Yes and yes. When I started at Parsons I planned to major in either Fashion Design or Fine Art. After the “foundation” year (which we lovingly referred to as boot camp) I knew I didn’t want to do fashion because I couldn’t remotely relate to the other kids going into that department. I was still interested in Fine Art, but my professors encouraged me to do Illustration because my work was very concept-driven and because that department was known for instilling a lot of practical techniques and valuable skills. Senior year we were required to take a class called “Professional Practices” that was so boring, but so useful! We learned how to make invoices and contracts, discussed cost of living, and were informed about the implications of being a freelancer, as far as taxes, insurance, etc. are concerned. Those skills have turned out to be just as important to my career as artistic skills.

What work have you decided to include in Surface Tension, what work have you decided not to include in the exhibition, and why?

LITM is a big space and I wanted to utilize it to the fullest, so I’m showing a sampling from many different series. I did try to gear my choices to a younger audience because LITM has a vibrant, loyal scene of locals. It’s great that people are starting collections early and I want to encourage that. Buying the work of your contemporaries while it’s affordable is a smart investment. I left out my series of author portraits because I thought it might be a bit too serious for the LITM crowd. It worked out well because The Authors is perfect for another solo show that came up unexpectedly at Made With Love that opens next week.

Tell us more about that series.

The Authors is an ongoing series of portraits of writers that I admire. So far the series includes Truman Capote, Marcel Proust, Vladimir Nabokov, Maya Angelou, Amy Tan, John Updike and Jean-Paul Sartre. Now I’m working on a set of portraits of Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin, so those will be fresh for the show. I do a pretty realistic likeness of each author, and then add collage elements that give insight into the subject’s personality and the personalities of the characters they create, as well as the time period they wrote in/about. I feel an intimacy with the authors in my portraits, like I get to know them personally by reading their books and doing artworks about them. I emphasize that by making the portraits really small, so they’re like family photos you’d have around your house.

What has been the biggest highlight of your career as an artist? What has been your biggest disappointment?

It’s hard to choose the biggest highlight. Landing my first solo show (at the Rotunda Gallery in City Hall) was something I’ll never forget. It was also satisfying to have my illustrations recognized by 3×3 magazine, the Creative Quarterly journal and Communication Arts. I was recently commissioned to paint a pole dancer for a wine label, which is basically my dream job. As for my biggest disappointment, I still haven’t gotten over being rejected by Cooper Union.

At least you applied to Cooper Union — I was too afraid. Tell us about the pole dancer, and why is it your dream job?

First of all, I’m really amused by the randomness of this company choosing a pole dancer for their label. When they originally pitched the concept to me it sounded really cute and playful, and became more blatantly sexual as the job moved forward. They wanted a 1940s style pin-up girl dancing on a pole … did pole dancing exist in the ‘40s? … and throughout the sketch phase they kept asking me to make her waist smaller and her T&A bigger. It was priceless! Anyway, it’s fun painting sexy ladies – who isn’t fascinated by a beautiful woman? And I’ve always wanted to do a wine label for the simple reason that I love wine. Beautiful woman plus wine equals dream job.

What three pieces of advice would you give to an artist just starting out their career?

Ask lots of questions and be receptive to advice. Experienced artists are usually more than happy to help out emerging artists — it strokes their ego! Also be open-minded; sometimes an opportunity comes along that seems really lame, but ends up leading to something amazing. And lastly, don’t quit your day job.

New York City is arguably the center of the art world. As an artist, why did you choose to live in Jersey City, not New York? What does Jersey City provide you that NYC cannot provide you?

I have to admit that I moved to Jersey City as a necessity, not a choice. I couldn’t afford to live in Manhattan after graduating from Parsons. But now I like Jersey City — it has everything that NYC has, only it’s less pretentious. I can afford a bigger space here and anytime I need an NYC fix, it’s just a PATH train ride away.

What is your favorite place to eat? Who has the best jukebox, and where can you find a decent cup of coffee?

LITM, of course! And then Made With Love for desert! In all seriousness, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find a lot of top-notch restaurants in Jersey City — Light Horse Tavern, Skinner’s Loft, some of the waterfront restaurants are nice. … I’m still exploring, you’ll have to ask me that again in a year.

Who would you rather paint of portrait of, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry — and what materials would you use, and why?

Well, I guess they’re similar in that they’re all about shock value — playing up their sexuality, making bold fashion statements. I guess I’d rather paint Lady Gaga because she’s more extreme and extreme things tend to be fun to portray. I would use collage, because when you do a collage every piece you incorporate is an opportunity to represent some aspect of that person. Building up the layers of the collage is like building up all the characteristics of a person that make them who they are. You end up with something much more dimensional than a straight-up portrait. That being said, I’d still rather paint classic authors than pop culture icons. Does that mean I’m getting old?

What’s up next for you?

I’m really excited to be curating my first show: Nature Vs. Nurture at Broadway Gallery in Manhattan. It will be up November 1 – 15, with an opening reception on November 4 at 6 pm. I get to work with a lot of amazing artists that I admire; a combination of local artists who I’ve shown with, a couple of my favorite alumni, and even some former professors.

SAMPLES OF GLORIS’ WORK:

The opening reception for Surface Tension is Tuesday, September 7 at 7 pm; at LITM, 140 Newark Ave. The exhibition will be on view through October 3.

The opening reception for The Authors is Saturday, September 11 at 6 pm; at Made with Love, 530 Jersey Ave. The exhibition will be on view through October 11.

“We are delighted that The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi has expanded its presence at this premier waterfront complex,” Mack-Cali president and CEO Mitchell Hersh says in a statement. “This transaction demonstrates our ability to build long-term relationships with leading global businesses.”