What New Amenities would you like to see in Newport?

[Sonia]

In planning for Newport's future growth, management has asked us to identify new amenities that residents would like to see. This is your chance to contribute suggestions. Let us know what amenities you think would make Newport a better place to live.

I'll start the thread by suggesting a real good "Jersey style" Diner that serves breakfast 24/7. ;)

[07310]

an upscale supermarket such as a Whole Foods, Wegmans or Food Emporium and/or a market that has a better selection of ethnic food items, there is a large asian population in Newport whose needs are not being met since the loss of Foodmart International.

[cancerdotcom]

been to the new wholefoods in union square?

it is an amazing store

with amazing crowds

[PHXguy]

Trader Joe's would be great :p

[Jean Lafitte]

Zipcar! A great service for us carless folks, but kind-of-a drag going to Hoboken to pick it up.

[wiley]

A mini-theatre for weekly movie night and for residents to watch their DVD, first come first serve- great idea of Marbella

[LostinLaMancha]

I would second a food market.

[wishiwas]

Trader Joe's would be awesome!

I wouldn't mind a Barnes & Noble and a Panera, either.

[zipbow]

A mini-theatre for weekly movie night and for residents to watch their DVD, first come first serve- great idea of Marbella

A community activity center would be a good idea!

[Jay3]

Direct TV access for the whole building...not only the units facing south...lol

[qwerty]

Direct TV access for the whole building...not only the units facing south...lol

the two ways to achieve it,

1) install direct tv on the roof top, and wire the entire building with direct tv with enough subscribers to make the whole process worth the effort.
2) Change the orbit of the satellite.

[Newbie]

In planning for Newport's future growth, management has asked us to identify new amenities that residents would like to see.

The key thing is whether management are looking for ideas to improve the standard of living for current residents, or get bright ideas for how they can improve their bottom dollar for future residents. It's been said for years that a common room area with a wide-screen TV, fridge and a couple of pool tables would be a great way to improve the community spirit and give us all a place to meet and socialise. Ultimately, management gets no financial 'reward' for this in the short term. Hopefully they can see the larger picture and realise that by keeping working hard to keep current resident happy, they will ultimately keep their occupancy rates high and have thousands of free adverts for the Newport community in its residents.

[Humanoid]

24/7 Deli/Grocery store where we could buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Proactive doormen, so they would open the doors for residents, at least for those with bags. Also doormen should announce visitors. If they can't leave their post to open the doors they could at least do announcements...

Upgrade to newer, efficient heater/AC units. The ones we have now are old and consume tons of electricity. I'm sure there had been great advances in the area of in-wall heaters in the last ten years...

[Matt]

the two ways to achieve it,

1) install direct tv on the roof top, and wire the entire building with direct tv with enough subscribers to make the whole process worth the effort.
2) Change the orbit of the satellite.

Geosynchronous satellites can only be at the equator. :)

Although it would be nice, I don't see them retrofitting DirecTV into the existing apartments. Pulling new cable into every apartment is just too much of a hassle. They did it with comcast, but I think comcast did all the work. As far as I've seen, DirecTV isn't into that kind of thing.

[zimzima]

Proactive doormen, so they would open the doors for residents, at least for those with bags. Also doormen should announce visitors. If they can't leave their post to open the doors they could at least do announcements...

Upgrade to newer, efficient heater/AC units. The ones we have now are old and consume tons of electricity. I'm sure there had been great advances in the area of in-wall heaters in the last ten years...

DOORMEN
Maybe there should be a set of rules written on a piece of paper for the doormen and everyone to see, so we can all be on the same page with what and what not to expect. It may sound stupid, but the doormen sure are clueless at times. (although my doormn has suddenly become quite on que)

A/C UNITS
Time to upgrade management. a LUXURY apt. should offer central a/c and heat at the least... I don't know how old these units are, but they just eat up a ton of energy and it takes so LONG for the place to get heated up or cooled.

[Gaga]

a casino......j/k

anyway an indoor club house will be nice. It should have PING PONG!! pool tables, arcades, bowling, badminton etc. Right now when my friends come over to visit, there is like nothing to do except goto the mall and watch some movies. I will gladly pay 50 bucks a month to use the pingpong tables...

I think it's a good business idea, as a very high number of residents in newport are young people and i am sure a lot of us are willing to pay a monthly fee to have some fun!

[LostinLaMancha]

I will gladly pay 50 bucks a month to use the pingpong tables...

Isn't that an exaggeration?

[Gaga]

Isn't that an exaggeration?

why? it cost $15/hr to play in the city.

[tjmax]

Instead, they can open a state-of-the-art club house and charge all residents $250 or something annually.

[LostinLaMancha]

why? it cost $15/hr to play in the city.

50 a month would mean 600 a year. Are you sure you don't want anything more than just ping pong tables for that price? Do you think such an amenity should be privileged? ie. only those who pay for it should have access? Or do you think everyone should be paying 600 a year for pingpong tables that they'd never use? How do you ensure that the maintaining those pingpong tables is not a money losing proposition?

[bonacera]

24/7 Deli/Grocery store where we could buy fresh fruits and vegetables.


Yep, we need a grocery store so that people do not have to bring groceries from Manhattan via PATH.

[Scott]

Yep, we need a grocery store so that people do not have to bring groceries from Manhattan via PATH.

And we need it ASAP, not two years from now, not after Lefrek sold all units in Shore Club! :mad:

[yankees400]

Yep, we need a grocery store so that people do not have to bring groceries from Manhattan via PATH.
Like what? There is already a Shop Rite and an A&P within walking distance.

[NewportLady]

I'd like to see a bakery, featuring hot freshly made bread.

[NSK]

Gourmet Grocery with a great bakery (as well as reasonable prices!)

[Gaga]

50 a month would mean 600 a year. Are you sure you don't want anything more than just ping pong tables for that price? Do you think such an amenity should be privileged? ie. only those who pay for it should have access? Or do you think everyone should be paying 600 a year for pingpong tables that they'd never use? How do you ensure that the maintaining those pingpong tables is not a money losing proposition?

wow....just wow...

[LostinLaMancha]

wow....just wow...

I am asking for your opinion

[Stinky]

Bring back FoodMart International.

[Lisa]

A great steak house, along the line of Christie's or Peter Luger's.

[ejm]

Lisa: Agreed!!! Newport doesn't have a single REAL steakhouse anywhere. In fact, they should get rid of South City Grill and replace it with a Ruth's Chris or something. That would be nice :)

[NewportLady]

Also, we need a butcher's shop where we can buy prime beef.

[Cleo]

An Arab or Turkish restaurant where we can get great falafel or shish kebob.

[LostinLaMancha]

A shoe shine shop

[The BlackHand]

RECONSTRUCT ALL OF THE TENNIS COURTS!

[The BlackHand]

More REGULATION size Basketball courts. Whoever ordered the hoops by the river ordered hoops with small backboards. I've never seen such a thing! :confused:

[Tara]

I would like to see a vegetarian restaurant with great soups, sandwiches and salads. Also, a Thai restaurant might be nice. I think people around here like thai food.

[ejm]

Thai would be good. And howabout a GOOD indian restaurant!!

[stellartois]

Also, we need a butcher's shop where we can buy prime beef.

i totally agree. in addition, the steak house is a great idea also. now that i think about it, we REALLY don't have ANYTHING in newport. how can one enjoy living in this area without these basics (meat, bread, steak, pastry, sushi) ;)

butcher shop
fresh bakery
ruth's chris
pastry shop
nobu

[zipbow]

I would like to see a vegetarian restaurant with great soups, sandwiches and salads. Also, a Thai restaurant might be nice. I think people around here like thai food.

I wonder if an organic/vegetarian cafe/restaurant will make its way into Newport. Do we have enough people interested in those though?

[Sonia]

Thank you for all your responses, which were submitted to management today. We will share any feedback we get in the near future. :)

[morpheus]

GOOD Indian restaurant?
Nobu?
OK, I'm sure this is all in jest.

I'm all for:
1) a common rec room with TV / ping pong tables / billiards, etc.
Lefrak's incentive: socializing among Newporters might make them less likely to leave.

2) better a/c & heating units. I heard rumors that the current units were manufactured by some Lefrak relative? Is that true?

While the owners might balk at these suggestions (especially the 2nd) because it would cost them a big chunk of dough for the upgrades, they should question themselves why the rents they extract from TOA are so much lower than Marbella even though Marbella even though Marbella resides in an area so much worse than the TOA is in.

[yankees400]

Many people have commented on the poor heating/AC units. Electric heat is very inefficient to begin with so I don't think replacing the unit is going to make any difference as long as it is still running on electricity. Gas is much cheaper but obviously they are not going to overhaul the entire complex for gas. My 1BR has gas heat and it's only about $50/month at most.

[morpheus]

yes, but even if at the least they replace the current units with better electric ones, our rooms won't sound like airplanes taking off

[Nic]

A shoe shine shop

There is a shoe shine shop on the second floor in Newport mall.

[LostinLaMancha]

There is a shoe shine shop on the second floor in Newport mall.

I know. I was kidding. it just seems like people want to pretend that they live in Manhattan, while living in Jersey city, New Jersey.

[cricket]

is it too late to add more suggestions? i think it should be a sticky for managements enlightenment...
so was there any response yet?
i heard shore club will have 'international' (as in foodmart?) and ice-rink (flea-market / country market in summer?) . how about smth like chelsea piers - on that 'storage' pier behind marina? high time!

[homer79999]

Sonia,

Hope it's not too late.

1. An indoor children playroom. Can be an extension of the club house?
2. a Korean restaurant.
3. Another Day Care. River school has long waiting list.

Yes, I definitely agree with previous posts: Doormen at least need to open doors for moms with Strollers.

Thanks

[Lenin]

Free Parking, street and garage, with resident stickers...towing for everyone else.

[ejm]

Lenin--

That would be INCREDIBLE...but commuters to NYC from the 'burbs would find some way to abuse it. That's why there's so many controls around here I'm guessing. I agree the parking situation is very dismal, especially for visitors, who have to shell out sometimes 20 bucks just to stay the night.

[stellartois]

Sonia,

Hope it's not too late.

1. An indoor children playroom. Can be an extension of the club house?
2. a Korean restaurant.
3. Another Day Care. River school has long waiting list.

Yes, I definitely agree with previous posts: Doormen at least need to open doors for moms with Strollers.

Thanks

a korean rest. would be nice.

seriously, what is wrong with the doormen???? many times, i've had the stroller, bags in the other hand and the door held with.. my body. the doorman just looks up and then looks away. i jsut don't understand.. it even goes beyond their job.. as human beings, wth?!

[Humanoid]

a korean rest. would be nice.

seriously, what is wrong with the doormen???? many times, i've had the stroller, bags in the other hand and the door held with.. my body. the doorman just looks up and then looks away. i jsut don't understand.. it even goes beyond their job.. as human beings, wth?!

Maybe their pay is extremely low. Although some of them are very nice and open doors (sometimes).

[Rich]

LeFrak should do the honorable thing--own up to the fact that the heating costs in the winter are much too high, and offer up a plan to fix it. Instead, they take the "bread and circuses" approach. How about eliminating all the terrible summer concerts, and, with that money, hire an engineering consultant to improving the heating situation in the buildings? Has everyone forgotten the awful winter meetings when the Team LeFrak acted like all the tenants were crazy? When they claimed we were not using our heaters correctly? Where has that issue gone? Most of the posts here list trivial things.

[ejm]

I think that there are definitely amenities that Newport needs and some of them on this list are valid, but I also completely agree with Rich.

The summer concerts are stupid and annoying, bottom line. I remember walking by one of them during rush hour, it was some horrible singer wailing away to a crowd of about 5 people. It seemed like you could hear it for miles.

That, and I don't know if anyone is with me on this one, but I am sick and tired of getting stupid flyers and menus on my door, especially for all the Newport summer crap. It seems like there is a new one every day.

[Lenin]

For NEWPORT to complete it's Walkway to Hoboken and to turn it's 4 YACHTS away and make the PROPER WALKWAY on the South side of the "Recruit" building. PAVONIA AVE is NOT a riverfront walkway even with lovely brass plaques that proclaim it so. It is a city street, complete with loading docks no less!
Perhaps finishing the last bit of his Southern walkway so as not to include a windy little bit of macadam before it connects with Avalon Cove's Walkway (an honest builder by comparison.)


For Lefrak to adhere to the letter of the agreement it made when it got it;s land free with an additional incentive of $40 MIL would be quite ok.

Oh, and filling his agreed "middle income apartments" with his own employees doesn't qualify as "adherence!"

Lefrak doesn't need to give us "the MOON"...just a bit of honest adherence to what he agreed to! And a little less penny pinching...again, HE GOT NEWPORT FOR FREE! No, not Free...with a $40 million GIFT of cash from Jersey City!

[Sonia]

But some tenants love the events. Beatlemania last night was absolutely fabulous. If you enjoy the Beatles' music, this was the event for you. The performers looked like the Beatles and sounded like them.

The music was amazing. Total nostalgia for the residents of my generation. Do you remember high school? The Ed Sullivan show, and swooning over your favorite Beatle? I consider this the best musical concert of the summer.

[stellartois]

Has everyone forgotten the awful winter meetings when the Team LeFrak acted like all the tenants were crazy? When they claimed we were not using our heaters correctly? Where has that issue gone? Most of the posts here list trivial things.

are you serious? this upcoming winter will be our first winter here and i've heard that it gets REAL cold. already the ac/heater units have been eating up tons of elec. i truly do miss central air.

ejm
i agree. the concerts are "stupid and annoying" ..

[Rich]

Oh, I'm serious--I would suspect that your Dec-Jan-Feb bills will be anywhere from $150 to $200 a month, maybe more. Management skillfully ignores this issue as policy. And guess what? It works. They know how to manage tenants.

[Scott]

I'll say free or low fee shuttle between Newport and Shoprite/A&P!

[Sonia]

I agree with Scott. I think a jitney (like they have in AC) would be a good idea. In any event, this thread was started last Spring, right before Newport News profiled us. At the time, management asked us for a list of new amenities we'd like to see, and we submitted all your responses. They selected several items, which were published in the Newsletter. I don't remember all the amenities, but I do remember Zip car made the list, so we can expect to see that service made available sometime in the future.