Ridgewood NJ, What will downtown Ridgewood be like in 5, 10, or 20 years? What should downtown Ridgewood be like in the future? What is your vision for the future of downtown?
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to participate in a roundtable discussion focusing on the future of Ridgewood’s Central Business District area.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Legislation sponsored by Senator James Beach and Senate Law and Public Safety Chair Linda Greenstein, which would allow restaurants to advertise that they are BYOB, cleared the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee yesterday.
“The whole purpose of BYOB is that diners bring in their own beer or wine, but without advertising people don’t know someplace is a BYOB until they get there,” said Senator Beach (D-Burlington/Camden). “This legislation will allow more people to take advantage of that offering.”
Continue reading Bill to Allow Restaurants to Advertise BYOB Status Clears Committee
“Let us spell out what did this mean for the Village , it means an enormous increase in the population of the CBD and the Village of Ridgewood . Which means; more investment in school construction , more construction of parking facilities , more construction of water infrastructure , more investment in roads and traffic signals , sewage and more investment in Police , Fire and Emergency services .”
* More people = more congestion and strain on services.
* More school construction = more bonding just to keep up with old buildings
* More (unnecessary) parking = more bond debt to bail out CBD owners at the expense of resident taxpayers
* More water infrastructure = in a town where we are on restrictions year-round, not to mention that Ridgewood never met a public utility it didn’t want to own (so we get sued)
* More roads & signals = they are already behind on road maintenance and the parking department has a love for quarters.
* More uniformed services = as a nod to the unions who we love to pay out 6-figure salaries to.
Yeah, the three amigos really did it to us, so the mayor could deliver $$ to his Dem cohorts as he padded his political resume for consideration by his politico masters.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, many readers challenge the Ridgewood blog’s constant assertion that the Paul Aronsohn administration (ie… the three amigos) represented the low point in Village of Ridgewood history and the turning point from the Village being a very special place to a run of the mill New Jersey town.
Voters in New Jersey never like to admit their folly but the reality is this :
The election of Mayor Paul Aronsohn ushered in 4 high density housing developments in the Central Business District .
Let us spell out what did this mean for the Village , it means an enormous increase in the population of the CBD and the Village of Ridgewood . Which means; more investment in school construction , more construction of parking facilities , more construction of water infrastructure , more investment in roads and traffic signals , sewage and more investment in Police , Fire and Emergency services .
All this now very necessary spending will raise the costs (ie…taxes)and lower the quality of life in the Village .
photo by ArtChick
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, while many Ridgewood residents love all the outdoor dining experiences in town ,some residents with mobility issues have voiced concerns of overcrowded sidewalks and the inability to move around town.
The mayor was asked via email :
“The statement that places that have no public parking can extend further towards the street. I know I’m not as swift as I used to be but, does that mean that the safe walking areas of certain places can extend further to the street? For instance, the Greek place has no parking because their wall prohibits anyone from getting out of the car and because of that issue, they were granted a yellow stripe in front of their store. A few other places on Broad Street, especially, have also made it impossible to park and open a door. Not that I walk in town much anymore, but lots of other people do. Will all of those places have to remove the barriers to the street so that there can be parking in front as well as the ability to walk through their open dining places? The ability to walk with a stroller, walker, or wheelchair? That is almost impossible without walking in the street now in many places. My balance problems are so severe that I can’t walk safely in any of the areas in town that I might want to visit. So I am not questioning for myself but for all the young mothers and older people who can still enjoy the many delightful places in town.”
Continue reading Ridgewood Village Council Attempts to Balance outdoor Dining with Walkability in the CBD
photo by Wahid Essafi
Ridgewood NJ, “B” Shift responding to a local business to tape a tarp up after the front window of their store collapsed at 1 AM. many residents are well aware that anytime any place you can rest assured the Ridgewood Police and Fire department will be there to help!
this was posted in a Facebook group by the business owners :
Continue reading Ridgewood Fire and Police Respond To A Business Emergency at 1am
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Purchase $50 and receive a special gift our our Sea-Salt Caramel Assortment!! This is a $16.99 Value!!
Mention this offer to receive your special gift. Offer available at the Kilwins Ridgewood location only through February 14, 2019.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday, February 13th @ 7pm Chef Angie Shaghaghi from Rachel Ray & Chopped will be teaching us once again how to make 2 delicious & hearty winter soups and a very special dessert using our delicious infused/fused EVOO’s & Balsamic Vinegars!
Where: Olive R Twist, 34 Wilsey Square, Ridgewood, NJ
Cost: $45.00
Details: Bring a friend, a spouse, a bottle of wine & enjoy a fun night out! You will try everything Angie prepares, take home the recipes and a duo of 60ml bottles of EVOO & Balsamic used in the demos!
Please sign up soon as space is limited to 25 and classes fill fast!
How to sign up: In store, or by phone 201-882-1515 with payment to assure a spot.
“At around 12:30 PM today (Wed. 2/6), as I was driving east toward Franklin Ave. under the train trestle, the car in front of me stopped with its left blinker flashing to turn into the construction site. Good think I was driving very slowly. This made me and everyone behind me wait until that car was gone in a place where left turns have never been permitted. Cars driving west did not stop because they aren’t accustomed to it and even if they wanted to be accommodating, might have figured that it could be dangerous for them to stop suddenly immediately after going through the light at Broad St. An accident is waiting to happen and meanwhile it’s going to be a big problem if left turns continue there.
The council needs to force the developer to block off that entrance before an accident blocks the entire underpass. Imagine how that would go, with everyone funneled down Broad and under the Ackerman Ave. overpass. Now imagine it at 5 PM.”
photo by ArtChick
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, With billions of consumers shopping online everyday, neglecting your ecommerce brand is never a good idea. To lead a small business well, you must be able to present a consistent brand. By developing a consistent brand and molding it to consumer expectations, your ecommerce site can become very successful. However, making too many changes to your brand may alarm a steady flow of consumers. However, neglecting to create and evolve your brand can stunt ecommerce growth. Consider some ways that you can develop a top-tier ecommerce brand using ReplyDesk for a business that thrives.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood ‘s central business district has been the point of contention . In the age of internet shopping , the debate is hot an heavy over how to make the CBD more appealing and more competitive.
Continue reading The Future of Ridgewood’s Central Business District
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Tuesday, September 18, 2018, the Village of Ridgewood officially launched Our Village, Our Future, a Village-wide visioning process that will inform the creation of its next Master Plan. The website www.visionridgewood.org will serve as the main online portal for Our Village, Our Future.
Continue reading Ridgewood Visions the Future
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Mayor Hache gives us a rundown on the Hudson Street parking garage . According to the Mayor ; Parking in our Central Business District continues to be one of the most important issues for our residents, employees and business owners.
Continue reading Here Comes the Hudson Garage
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Bookends in Ridewood will host Andrew Zimmern on Thursday, February 7th @ 6:00pm. Zimmer is the Host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Food, and the James Beard award-Winner, Andrew Zimmern, will take a quick photo & sign his new book:AZ and the lost City of Ophi .
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Continue reading Andrew Zimmer Host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Food will be Appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood
It’s not a Ridgewood thing that we no longer have a downtown of butcher, bakers, and candlestick makers. Brick and mortar retail, anywhere, has been dying for years and is now dying at a very rapid rate. Next to wind things up are the banks, closely followed by pharmacies. This might not seem like much of a big deal to most, but these banks pump in a lot in the ways of rents, taxes, employment, and just a physical presence. What we are left with are the service businesses (hair/nail, cafes, & restaurants). The profit margins on these places is razor thin and it’s why they turn over frequently.
No amount of increased parking is going to change anything.
