seetheworld

My son finally decided to accept a spot in a Financial Leadership Development Program located in Murray Hill, NJ. He is a city kid, schooled in Boston and has interned for 4 summers in NYC, so this will be an adjustment.

He has determined that he wants to live in Hoboken, NJ which will give him easy and frequent access into NYC and mass transit(to keep his sanity) but within a reasonable commute to work (I-78). If the timing is right, he might have the option of commuting by train but he most likely will have no choice but to have a car.

He is also eligible to receive relocation services (will get that info next week), although he has not directly received any feedback on Hoboken as a location to live from the service, many of the current program participants live there and describe it as "up and coming", "vibrant", etc.

So...is it possible to get either a studio for around $1200 or a one bedroom for $1400? He also mentioned something about apartments that are converted one bedrooms for a potential roommate - is that possible?

Also, what type of garage cost is typical for the area? He most likely will take over his father's lease payments. Are these garages secured or is it more likely that it is on street parking?

What's it really like to live there? Any green space, parks, trails for runners? Good restaurants for when we visit him?

Is it relatively safe? (this is a *mom* question).

*Ryan* I know that you lived in Hoboken for quite some time, any thoughts?

Thanks so much for any feedback ~ the next step is to obviously go to Hoboken.

swalter518

I can't speak to cost of living but I have a friend who lives there and we visited her there over the summer. It's a very nice community-lots of young people. Very similar to Lincoln Park/Lakeview here in Chicago. There is a main street (whose name escapes me right now) with many restuarants and shops. The description "up and coming" seems to be an understatement to me. It seems very safe, very fun. There is an older Italian community but the majority of the people we saw out and about on a Sunday afternoon were young, fresh out of school types and young families.

wendyj

Hoboken is very safe, very fun. Your son will have a great time there, and so will you when you visit. Check this site for an idea of rent prices: http://www.hobokenhomes.com. Hoboken is not a lot cheaper than Manhattan, by the way, but for your son's commute, it's probably a good idea to be based there.

Also, Hoboken is not up and coming. It's already up, and has been for several years. The changes that Hoboken is undergoing right now revolve around accomodating the late 20s-early 30s set who are not moving to the 'burbs to raise a family. Hoboken is similar to Brooklyn in feel (think Park Slope, if you are familiar with NYC).

I would definitely recommend a car for commuting to Murray Hill. A quick glance at NJTransit.com indicates its a 1 hour trip...and you could probably get there faster by car.

Not sure about garages. In the city, you can expect to pay $300-$500 a month for parking in a garage, and I imagine Hoboken is cheaper, but not a bargain.

Ryan

For a young person, Hoboken is a great place to live. He should certainly be able to find something within his budget if his expectation is a place in a 3 or 4 story walk-up. The newer luxury buildings that are right on the Hudson would start at $1,875 for a 1 bedroom, up to $2,500 for one with a view and balconey.

I'd suggest he check one of the free newspapers first, like the Hudson Reporter. If he's interested in a newer building he might consider a roommate. The Shipyard Complex where we've lived (but will be leaving soon) has spectacular city views, multiple units with balconies, a free gym, and an outdoor swimming pool. Certainly he could get a two-bedroom for $1,300 to $1,500.

In terms of parking, we pay $175 a month for an indoor garage. The going rate will definately be somewhere between $150 and $200. Depending on where he winds up, he might be able to get away with on the street parking. What he needs to keep in mind is that the closer he is to the PATH station and the lower number streets in town and the closer he is to Washington Street (the main drag) the more likely it will be that he'll need an indoor sport. Overnight on the street parking in that part of town can be a bit tough. Further uptown, the parking becomes a bit easier as Frank Sinatra Drive can accomodate a reasonably decent number of cars.

Not sure where he is in Murray Hill, but coincidentally that is section of the town we're moving to, Berkeley Heights. The train station is on Springfield Avenue - depending on how far he is from there, he could easily take the train.

Here's the downside of his reverse commute, distance wise it's only about 25 miles from Hoboken to Murray Hill/Berkeley Heights. But, it can be a very, very busy 25 miles. Traffic on 78 as you get near Route 24 can become a bit tough both in the AM and PM rush. Depending on what time he gets home, he might also hit traffic on the Pulaski Skyway as that can get backed up with traffic heading into the Holland Tunnel. You have the option of taking the NJ Turnpike to avoid the Tunnel traffic, but traffic between the entrance at exit 14 (the one that connects directly to route 78) can become backed up until exit 14A, the Bayonne Exit.

I definately would encourage him to give the commute a try and recognize that the train might not be a bad Plan B in really bad weather or Friday afternoons in the summer when traffic in this area can be downright brutal.

If he decides the commute is too much, there are some nice apartment (least they seem that way from the outside) buildings in Summit and New Providence - both just a stone's throw from Murray Hill.

Please feel free to ask any other questions about either area. Good luck.

Ryan

With the two bedroom in my complex, meant to say his portion would be $1,300 to $1,500.

Ryan

Realize I didn't mention the safety issue. Yes, it is very safe. However, there is a bad part of town. There is a public housing project on Jackson Street between 3rd and 5th. But for that small part of town, the rest is fairly safe. As mentioned, much of the town is still occupied by the old Italians who've lived there forever.

The town is split between the "professional" element and the more blue-collar permanent residents, which tend to be of Italian and Hispanic descent. There are plenty of young people right out of college and an increasing number of professionals who work in NY that have young children (my demographic group.)

seetheworld

The information everyone is providing is extremely helpful!

He really likes commuting by rail and has traveled by train more than he actually has driven a car. He's trying to weigh the cost/need of a car versus train cost and travel time.

Ryan, the corporation is located on Mountain Avenue which is a short distance from the quaint Murray Hill train station (we checked the station out on the way to visit my sister who lives in Somerset). Apparently his company provides a shuttle service (really don't know the details as to how often it runs both AM and PM) and the outbound to Hoboken runs at 5:19 and then again at 6:19 ~ish. He's concerned he'll fall somewhere inbetween but won't know this until he actually starts working there.

If he chooses to try the commute by train, can he get by in Hoboken without a car?

Ryan

See the world,

Yes he can definately get by in Hoboken without a car. (He might even find someone to car pool with, if as you say there are other program participants who live there.) If the company provides a shuttle bus, no harm in trying that. I think it's just about 2 miles from Springfield Avenue, which parallels the train line to Mountain Avenue (assuming he's near the Lucent Technologies campus.)

In Hoboken, Washington Street is the main strip and it has numerous restaurants and shops. It is no more then a 10 minute walk from the furthest reaches of town. There are three supermarkets all relatively easy to get to for a spry young man and more importantly, every restaurant delivers.

If he likes to jog, few places are better to do that than the Hoboken Waterfront.

The one thing he needs to know about the NYC area, and if he has friends that live here he'll certainly be aware of this, is that in the summer all the activity is down at the Shore or out in the Hamptons. The nightlife of Hoboken becomes fairly quiet most Friday and Saturday nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

If he really wants to make the most of his social life (and provide you with those grandchildren someday) he might want to think about what it might cost for a beach house share. If he's got friends here, I'm sure they'll either be in a house or interested in one.

Again, feel free to ask additional questions as they arise.

seetheworld

*Ryan* "If he really wants to make the most of his social life (and provide you with those grandchildren someday) he might want to think about what it might cost for a beach house share."

LOL, Ryan! That's just too funny I can only deal with him working through one major "life decision" at a time.

BTW, your assumption is correct.

Thanks for your help!

seetheworld

Hi All,

After a visit to Hoboken, my son has decided that this is the place for him! He has also decided that he will commute by train in order to save on car/garage expenses. Since he will be out of the state a number of weeks per year to attend graduate school, it would be a *waste* of money.

It is possible that either his best friend or one of his other college roommates may work in NYC and therefore be a potential roommate. He's *working* on his best friend, trying to *sell* him on the idea that living in Hoboken has perks (i.e. no NYC tax).

Ryan: He really liked the Shipyard complex, its location to the train station, and the fact that it has a gym and pool (he wants to begin training for a triathlon). Question: Does this complex have an on-site leasing agent? Just to be sure, is it a condo, co-op or apartment?

He will *work* with the relocation people after his paperwork is processed but on his tour checked out apartment prices and naturally the closer to the station, the higher the rents.

Any other advice, comments, recommendations?

My husband and I look forward to exploring the area as well. Thanks so much!

Ryan

seetheworld,
Hoboken is a great place for someone his age. In terms of the Shipyard Complex, it does have an on-site leasing office. Not sure of the number but the Shipyard Management office has a listed number.

He should just be aware that he is on the opposite end of town from the train station. So, he'll either need to take a bus in the morning or walk 10 to 15 minutes to the train station. Not sure if it's an issue, but it adds one more step to the commute. The Appiled Company, the developer for the Shipyard, also runs a building called 333 River Street. While there is no pool, there is a gym (I believe) and it's a 5-minute walk to the train station.

If he does move into the Shipyard, he should ask about apartments in the Independence buildings. It's the newest building in the complex and as it was originally designed to be condo's, the amenities are just a little better than either the Vanguard buildings or the North Constitution. But, all of the units are nice. If he can get one with a terrace, he'll really enjoy the city views. (BTW, all but one of the buildings are rentals. The South Constitution is condos, but IMHO, they are ridiculously overpriced.)

seetheworld

Ryan, thank you for the reply.

I have forwarded the information to my son - and he says "Thank you!". Distinguishing the various building locations in relationship to the train station will help him to prioritize what is most important to him when choosing his final location.

He is more than capable of doing the walk, but you're right, that time has to be calculated in the total commute time. Somehow I recall him saying that it takes only about 20 minutes to walk from one end of Hoboken to the other.

Thanks again for your assistance.

stw