With the closing of the YMCA pool in March 2010, Hoboken families typically head to Stevens or Sky Club for swim lessons. A Yelp review of Stevens says, “The facility is top notch. There are 6 lanes that pan 25 yards each, extremely clean at all times (including locker rooms) and a very civil crowd whenever I am there.” Sky Club recently switched to salt water, and parents spoke favorably of the new heating system.

Indoor lessons are available 12 months of the year at both facilities, and Sky Club members get free access to daily family swim sessions. Use code “Metro Moms” to qualify for a rate of $89 per month and make sure to call ahead since the schedule changes frequently.

Want to practice your backstroke under blue skies? The Union City Firefighter’s pool is free to Hoboken residents, or you can drive to Secaucus to use their municipal pool at a reduced rate. If you want to stay local, hit up a friend in the following buildings – a weekday visit often means you have the pool all to yourself.

Condo buildings with Pools:

• Maxwell Place (1025 & 1125 Maxwell Lane)
• 222 Grand
• Willow Park (13th, Park & Willow)
• Constitution (2 Constitution) – can use Shipyard pool
• Skyline (551 Observer Highway)
• 208 Jackson
• 210 Jackson

Apartment buildings with Pools:

• Upper Grand (800 Madison)
• The Shipyard/Berkshire
• Independence/Sovereign/Vanguard

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Read her MomCondoLiving blog, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Get Splashing This Summer in Hoboken, NJ appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

Located at 222 Washington Street, the Hoboken Baby Gap – also home to a maternity section in the back of the store – held its grand opening ceremony on Sunday, June 2nd, 2013. Host to a multitude of community leaders and bloggers including Mayor Dawn Zimmer and Councilwoman Jen Giattino – full disclosure, I was present at the opening outfitted in Gap apparel that was later given to me as a thank you gift – sales were brisk from the moment doors opened. Staff members recorded 15 transactions in the first 20 minutes.

Local residents have expressed fears that the arrival of national chain retailers in Hoboken, NJ will have a negative impact on the sales volume of in-town merchants. What is the best way to project the outcome of the new merchant mix? By looking at a case study.

In 2001, under vociferous community protest about replacing a beloved movie theater with a chain retailer, Westfield, NJ saw the opening of Banana Republic, the first national chain retailer to arrive in town. Williams Sonoma and Victoria’s Secret stores opened soon after Banana Republic, generating additional unrest. The Westfield Leader reported, “Honoring the wishes of numerous Westfield residents, Victoria’s Secret corporate marketing executives have agreed to curtail the use of overly provocative advertising displays in the storefront windows of their East Broad Street store.”

So what was the short- and long-term impact of these new arrivals?

In 2004, Westfield was one of five US towns to receive a Great American Street Award. The award cited “economic revitalization, enhanced downtown and historic preservation by Downtown Westfield Corporation.”

In 2013, the Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC) sponsored Girls Night Out in Westfield. The Alternative Press stated, “over 1,700 women enjoyed shopping, refreshments, entertainment, gifts, sales and discounts. Over 90 local businesses participated, including Acquaviva, Ahrre’s Coffee Roastery, Alan’s Orchard, Anais Boutique, Ann Taylor, Anthology, AT&T, Banana Republic, Bath Junkie, Bittersweet Designs, bluemercury, Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe.” A review of participating merchants shows a diverse mix of homegrown businesses and national retailers.

Westfield is a destination of choice for Hoboken families who have outgrown their urban apartments. They cite the walkable and charming downtown as a major attraction – 12 years after the arrival of national chains, it is clear that they have not shuttered small businesses and instead have increased foot traffic.

Related: Fashion Helps Hoboken Mom Find Her Footing

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Filling the Gap of Hoboken Culture Fears appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

The post Networking at Newark NJPAC appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

It’s SUNNY in Hoboken, enjoy your weekend!

Kathy
Twitter @KathyZucker  |  Facebook

The post Pier C Park is Open appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

Six days after the start of hurricane season, Hoboken residents are moving cars and preparing for yet another round of flooding as Tropical Storm Andrea bears down on New York City.  A flash flood warning is in effect from Friday morning until Saturday afternoon. Reduced rate municipal parking is available – street parking should be avoided.

It’s going to be a long six months in Hoboken, with more than double the usual number of hurricanes expected. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30th. During any storm, there are typically three things to worry about: wind, rain and storm surge. High tide is arriving in Hoboken at 8:50 p.m. on Friday, so a storm surge hitting at that time could potentially breach the city along the waterfront. I expect Hoboken streets to flood but do not plan on moving my car to higher ground since my building did not flood with up to five feet of water during Hurricane Irene.

Flooding is a fact of life in Hoboken. The antiquated sewer system – there are wooden pipes in some sections of the city – cannot handle large volumes of water. The sewage plant also cannot handle large amounts of water – some sewer authorities routinely shut down plants during storms to prevent damage to overloaded pumps and motors.

Update, 6/6/13, 9:30 pm: I have gotten a bunch of questions about moving cars. I would absolutely NOT park on the street in Hoboken over the next 36 hours. If you live by the ShopRite or in a building where the garage flooded during Irene, you should move your car to the municipal garage. The reason why I am not planning to move my car is because I park in my building garage, which did not flood during Irene.

Update, 6/7/13, 5 am: Steady rain falling, no sign of flooding in downtown Hoboken. Pic at https://twitter.com/kathyzucker/status/342929235113017344 Logging off the blog now, you can find me at https://twitter.com/kathyzucker

Fingers crossed Andrea is a light one – reports from Florida say storm was relatively tame, with high winds and downpours but no major damage aside from felled trees.

Update, 6/7/13, 7:15 pm: Streets are beginning to flood in southwest Hoboken – still plenty of cars driving around pic.twitter.com/yJiYcUcj8s

Update, 6/7/13, 10:50 pm: 2 hours after high tide, significant flooding on Harrison street in southwest #hoboken, nj pic.twitter.com/QRkH71Bql4

Update, 6/8/13, 6:43 am: Flooding has completely subsided, streets are clear in southwest Hoboken, NJ. Signing off Andrea watch. pic.twitter.com/voatC8ekj9. No significant damage reports, although something seems to have melted at Jefferson and Ninth.

Related:

Keeping Watch for Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken

Putting the Can Back in Hurricane

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Keeping Watch for Tropical Storm Andrea in Hoboken, NJ appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

And then I started college and it all came crashing down. I had never lived away from home before, and I quickly became overwhelmed by all the minutiae of life. Laundry, cooking, varsity athletics and a rigorous pre-med class schedule were much more difficult than I ever expected. On top of all that, after years of sleep deprivation, my health was iffy. I was repeatedly felled by inner ear infections, mononucleosis – yes, I kissed a lot of boys – and a variety of ailments as my damaged immune system rebelled.

After a leave of absence, I returned to school in good health, and graduated as an English major. But the damage had been done. I was no longer a contender for the top jobs or graduate schools – even though I made the Dean’s List every semester after my return, my overall grades were simply not high enough to qualify for plum interviews. What set my career back on its feet? Technology. During my first overnight temp assignment at Lehman Brothers, the department head recognized my incredible facility with technology – I have always been able to rapidly figure out any application – and offered me a management training position on the spot in the creative services division. Over the next two years, I received hands-on training in a wide variety of computer applications, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and the full Microsoft suite. I also learned how to program macros using Visual Basic.

My husband and I also moved to Hoboken, New Jersey. Our Brooklyn Heights apartment was too small to accommodate my hoarding habit along with various sports paraphernalia – Hoboken offered similarly speedy access via the PATH train to Manhattan at a fraction of the price. A third-generation New Yorker, I was stunned by the ubiquitous ground floor garage parking, central air conditioning and in-unit washers and dryers. We moved to Hoboken for convenience, and loved the small town community feel steps from Manhattan so much that we bought two apartments and had three kids there.

I have been in the process of slowly regaining my footing after my life got derailed in college. It wasn’t until I won a Shorty Award in April 2013 that I climbed all the way back to the place I last inhabited in high school. In the two months since the Shorty Awards ceremony, I have been inundated with invitations and work offers. I spoke at Columbia Journalism School and am attending a conference this weekend at the Jersey Shore with over 40 top bloggers flown in from around the country. Every single attendee has a very high social media Klout score – this is going to be an amazing networking opportunity.

Who would ever have guessed that moving to New Jersey would give me back everything I lost in New York?

Related:

Fashion Helps Hoboken Mom Find Her Footing

Getting It On at Columbia Journalism Social Media One Night Stand

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Lost in NY, Found in NJ appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

The New Jersey editor of the acclaimed NYC family outing website Mommy Poppins, Shari was also a 2012 Voice of the Year at national blogging conference BlogHer for her blog, Earth Mother Just Means I’m Dusty. BlogHer speakers included President Obama and Martha Stewart.

I am best known for blogging and social media during Hurricane Sandy, which nabbed me an international Shorty Award in April 2013. A lot of people have asked me about what the arrival of Gap and Anthropologie will mean for Hoboken. Based on what happened when Anthropologie arrived 10 years ago in Westfield, the Metro Moms Network team and I think the increased foot traffic will be a boon to local merchants. More people in a shopping mood on Washington Street means they are much more likely to pop into Cheap Maggies to scope out the finds on offer instead of hurrying past.

In addition to adding style to the lives of local moms, having a retailer with national connections can only be a boon to a town that was hit incredibly hard by Hurricane Sandy.

Related: Fashion Helps Hoboken Mom Find Her Footing

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Meet Award-Winning Bloggers TODAY at Hoboken Gap Grand Opening appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

As a condo board president in a building that experienced flooding, we were essentially in a self-reporting situation. City officials asked homeowners to report oil contamination but were unclear as to how to spot contamination. After researching the issue, I was able to determine that my building did not have actionable oil contamination. The rainbow slicks I saw were most likely gasoline that could be sanitized by a powerwasher and cleaning solution. The contamination that city officials were seeking was puddles of heating oil, which would have appeared black and sticky.

Some homeowners were unaware they had oil contamination – several months after Sandy, they received a knock on the door from officials who notified them they would receive free backyard cleanup to remove environmental hazards. My building, which has a courtyard and several private backyards, did not receive such a visit.

In many instances, we do not know the causes of contamination. In Bayonne, homeowners returned after Sandy to find a mysterious oil slick covering their homes and cars – an official stated it was “an unrefined substance that likely rose up from the ground with the surge caused by Hurricane Sandy.”

With cold weather setting in and temporary housing scarce and costly, the majority of homeowners were eager to return home and begin cleanup onsite. During Sandy, contractors throughout the state of New Jersey were flooded out of their business places, experiencing damage to their properties and equipment. My condo association manager had to import vendors from Pennsylvania to get work done quickly and at a reasonable price. Repair estimates in the aftermath of Sandy were double and triple the normal rates.

There are many types of oil contamination, with varying toxicity levels. Testing typically takes 4-6 weeks – with the exception of Hoboken Catholic Academy, I do not know anyone who waited to conduct environmental tests before reoccupying their property. With contractors overscheduled and expensive, many owners did not know the full extent of the damage to their properties for weeks or months after Sandy. After the damage assessment came insurance claims, which took 4-6 months. In many instances, repairs did not begin until insurance checks arrived – a number of owners are appealing the claims.

The long-term environmental impact of Sandy is still unfolding – you can see the damage timeline as it took place in real time.

Related: Getting Set For Safety at Hoboken Catholic Academy

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Environmental Impact of Hurricane Sandy in NJ appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

The last few years have been nonstop change. My weight has fluctuated up and down six clothing sizes, so I have been reluctant to spend money on attire. Half the time I go into malls, I come out laden with bags of stuff for the kids but nothing for myself.

When I was nominated in January for a Shorty Award, I dug through my wardrobe to find something to wear on the red carpet. NOTHING fit. Literally. My body has changed so much from three pregnancies and breastfeeding that even my corporate business attire fit incorrectly. And much as I love my regular mom gear of jeans and spitup-stained shirts, looking frumpy on camera was not exactly high on my priority list.

It was time for a makeover. With the Metro Moms management team in tow, I headed to Jersey Gardens outlet mall for some wardrobe triage. I think I wound up looking pretty fantastic – what do you think?

Congrats to @kathyzucker on your #KeepFoodGoing@shortyaward! Passionate moms need a bit of humor to #KeepGoodGoing twitter.com/LaraineClaire/…

— Laraine Claire (@LaraineClaire) April 9, 2013

Going shopping with other moms was an incredibly fun experience. They had suggestions I never in a million years would have thought to try on, like the pearl and glittery black stone wire necklace that softened the formality of the J. Crew suit and Banana Republic tank I wore to the Shorty Awards. So when Baby Gap came calling asking me to help open their new store at 222 Washington Street in Hoboken, I jumped at the chance to go shopping with the funniest mom I have ever met, Shari Simpson. This lady gets more leverage out of her pugs than I knew possible, but if you want to die laughing, check out this story.

Shari and I met general managers Stacey and Paula at the Edgewater Gap. I have driven past City Place many times on my way to Trader Joes and always thought it looked interesting, but never had time to stop. Folks, this place is worth a trip. You can park right in front of a combo Gap that has baby tutus steps from mom shoes, and then grab lunch across the street at Chipotle. After tearing myself away from the kid sale section, Paula and Stacey started picking out styles for me and Shari. My fashion sense is stuck in high school since that is the last time I was a fashionista, so I had to be steered away from the cabbage rose prints à la Betsey Johnson. Paula wound up outfitting me exactly like one of the mannequins in the women’s section, and after trying on a number of outfits, Shari wound up in a GORGEOUS four-in-one dress.

The touch of color that MADE my outfit? Striped shoes selected by Stacey. Paired with a matching belt, it turned up the volume on a bland outfit.

I think Shari and I look pretty fabulous for our day out – come check out our outfits this Sunday 6/2 at the Baby Gap grand opening from 11am-6pm at 222 Washington Street in Hoboken. I can’t promise you’ll be able to find parking, but I can promise the kids will have an incredible time facepainting and balloon blowing. Shari and I will be reading stories – if you want to pick our brains about working from home, Shari is the NJ editor of Mommy Poppins and I edit Metro Moms Magazine.

See you on Sunday!

Me + @dustyearthmom + #Hoboken @gap = banter, storytime & facepainting. This Sunday 11am at 222 Wash. #grandopening twitter.com/kathyzucker/st…

— Kathy Zucker (@kathyzucker) May 30, 2013

Related: Getting Set For Safety at Hoboken Catholic Academy

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Fashion Helps Hoboken Mom Find Her Footing appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.

I re-registered my kids for next year at HCA. The heating oil spill was worrisome and has taken an incredibly long time to clean up, but because the school has taken every precaution, I am not worried about the building safety. The EPA has been in there continually testing the air quality (heating oil emits dangerous vapors) and the school administration would not be back in there unless the air was clean. There was no oil in the building itself, it leaked into the soil below the school.

There were numerous instances of Hoboken heating oil leaks during Sandy. I have spoken to a number of homeowners who said they could see the oil contamination as the floodwater shifted by passing firetrucks – it looked black and sticky. I am actually much more concerned about those other areas since I know at least one other school that experienced heating oil contamination, and the kids were back in school within two weeks. I am assuming the contamination was slight and easily remedied, but when you consider that Hoboken Catholic Academy took seven months to clean up their oil spill plus it usually takes 4-6 weeks to get environmental test results back, the timeline comparison is troubling.

A major part of the reason why I re-registered my kids for Hoboken Catholic Academy is because of the academics, which are superb. The school is Middle States certified and ranked in the top 200 elementary schools on the east coast. At $6k/year, I consider it to be the best bargain in the Hoboken area.

My life strategy is to establish a baseline level that is sustainable. That meant finding a stable living situation (we bought a 4BR in SW Hoboken and have enough space to never be forced to move) and also a school situation. The HCA certification applies to all the grades, all the way up to eighth grade. I would have no problem sending my kid there until high school, and am looking at St. Peter’s Prep, the Hudson School and High Tech High School once they reach high school age.

Each year, I also register my kids for charter and public school options so we can potentially upgrade. This year, my kids are high on the waitlists at Hoboken Charter School and Calabro. Both schools are academically solid, the main reason why we would move is because my daughter is doing very well in school and spots open up starting around second grade. Once she gets into a program, my other kids will get in through sibling priority and we can put the tuition money toward college savings. I plan on keeping my preschooler at HCA in kindergarten so we maintain a good relationship in case things don’t work out at the new school for my older child.

I would NOT be looking to move my kids if my daughter wasn’t doing so well in school. We transferred to HCA in PK4 after a bad experience in the public preK program, and her teachers have been amazing. Mrs. Peterson in first grade is patient, kind and has my daughter eager to do her homework. She started reading in the first semester and now is reading capably (no more hiding games and movies from her!)

I have not met the new principal, Matthew McGrath, but parents who have were very impressed. Frankly, I heard a lot of complaints in the past about HCA not communicating well, so Mr. McGrath has an opportunity to make the community feel more involved.

There are no guarantees in life, but I feel fine about sending my kids back to HCA next fall.

Update, 5/30/13: Hoboken Catholic Academy released student standardized test scores yesterday – there was a marked rise from 2012 despite a year of evacuation from Hurricane Sandy. You can see the complete Terra Nova scores at http://www.hobokencatholic.org/.

I have received a number of questions about the HCA Middle States Certification. I did some research into Middle States accreditation two years ago, talking to numerous educators in NYC, and my understanding is that receiving the accreditation is highly prestigious. The application process is arduous, taking institutions years to complete. The commission tours the school and reviews the curriculum to determine its quality – not every applicant who applies is accepted. To the best of my knowledge, Hoboken Catholic Academy is the only elementary school in the Hoboken area to have Middle States certification, you can see the accredited list at http://bit.ly/13YXht4. The nearest NJ school on the list is located in Edison.

Related:

Environmental Impact of Hurricane Sandy on NJ

Where Are All the Families? Hint: Not the Suburbs

Going Undercover at Calabro

Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Subscribe to MomCondoLiving.com, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

The post Getting Set for Safety at Hoboken Catholic Academy appeared first on Mom Condo Living | Kathy Zucker.