All About Hoboken . . . A Place Called Home

Brimming with character and lifestyle, Hoboken would seem to be a larger city than one-mile square. Quality of life flourishes here at the heart of New Jersey's Gold Coast where the sensibilities of a cosmopolitan city blend with the warmth and personality of a small town.

Hoboken, synonymous with neighborhood and community, is also about city life made easy. And, it's about a balanced existence. Hoboken is about local taverns and fine-dining establishments. Independent boutiques and chain operations. Strolling along the river and listening to live music at Maxwell's. Lolling in a river-edge park and viewing outdoor movies. Jogging on the riverfront and browsing at an art fair. Dining al fresco and nestling in a cozy bistro. Families and singles. Young professionals and empty nesters. Festive and mellow. If there wasn't a Hoboken, someone would undoubtedly want to create it. How rare and appealing to have so much diversity in such a small geographic area.

Where Hoboken's eastern rim meets the Hudson River is the location for professional and amateur photographers, who bring their gear to the piers and waterfront parks of Hoboken for the most dramatic views of Manhattan available anywhere. Residents are able to savor this spectacular panorama 52-weeks a year.

Tree lined, lighted promenades border Hoboken's riverfront stretching north from Downtown and the sophisticated W Hoboken hotel and Residences to the newer luxury condos and rental buildings that frame Hoboken's northwest corner. Various sports and political personalities have resided in these buildings.

Historic brownstones, providing grace and charm, line narrow streets. Condos and rentals - some with stunning views of Manhattan - offer modern amenities yet in architecturally compatible stone and brick structures. Living space unavailable across the river is here in Hoboken at prices that are far more reasonable . . . and with incredibly easy accessibility to Manhattan.

Often referred to as the sixth borough, Hoboken is minutes from Manhattan via an attractive array of transportation. Traveling to work in Manhattan can be a non-commute: maybe one or three subway stops, a short bus ride or an 8-minute cruise.

TRANSPORTATION

In January 2012, Forbes Magazine named Hoboken the top Public Transportation City in America. Approximately 56% of Hoboken's working men and women commute each day by public transportation.

PATH is a 24-hour subway service that operates from Hoboken Terminal to Manhattan's Christopher, 9th, 14th, 23rd and 33rd Streets as well as the World Trade Center, Journal Square and Newark Penn Station. Cars are clean and safe and prompt.

NY Waterway, a passenger ferry, is a rapid, scenic and overall pleasurable way to travel to and from Manhattan. There are two Hoboken Ferry terminals: one at 14th Street and the other in a newly constructed facility at the Hoboken Terminal. Manhattan terminals are at Pier 78 (39th Street and 12th Avenue) and the World Finance Center. Shuttle buses for ferry passengers are available (at no additional charge) at the 39th Street location and travel along popular routes within Manhattan.

Public Buses run regularly through Hoboken and to the Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd St. and 8th Ave.

The Lincoln and Holland Tunnels, which border Hoboken's north and south boundaries, are especially attractive to drivers on weekends when Manhattan street parking is more readily available.

Major highways include the New Jersey Turnpike, Routes 280, 3 and 78, which extends out to the Delaware Water Gap.

Hoboken Terminal is a major, regional intermodal hub that facilitates rail, bus and ferry traffic. Rail lines include PATH, New York Transit's Main Line, Bergen County Line, Pascack Valley Line, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morris and Essex Line, Meadowland Rail Line and the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (which also has Hoboken stations at 2nd Street and 9th Street-Congress).

QUOTES FROM HOBOKEN RESIDENTS

• "A microcosm of culture and charm . . . and comfortable, easy urban living."
• "A neighborhood with a city sensibility and a small town's warmth and personality."
• "It's exhilarating when the wind moves across or down the Hudson - which is most of the time."
• "Fresh breezes bring smiles and euphoric moments."
• "The Mile Square City . . . a city unto itself, yet part of the greatest city in the world."
• "A charming blend of historical and contemporary . . ."
• "An urbane existence in a congenial neighborhood."
• "The best neighborhood in the New York metro . . . "
• "Hoboken is the whole package."
• "Small town feel with great bars, restaurants and shopping, but it's only 20 minutes from my office in midtown." Betsy Painter

A FEW OF OUR HOBOKEN FAVORITES

• Napoli's pizza with just the right brick-oven baked crust.
• The sophisticated atmosphere and sublime cuisine of Bin14. Elysian Café, what a neighborhood tavern should be.
• Dino and Harry's for world-class steaks, live piano and Prohibition ambience.
• The inspired, highly rated cuisine of Amanda's.
• Robongi for outstanding sushi.
• Memorable cannoli and lobster claws at Georgio's.
• The authentic Pilsener Haus & Biergarten with over 20 premium imported German drafts, 50 European and American craft beers and wursts.
• Augustino's, the small Italian gem for people who truly know. The cosmopolitan sensibilities of the W Hoboken hotel with its Zylo Restaurant and chic nightlife.
• Clearview Cinema's stadium seating and the most comfortable seats anywhere.

HOBOKEN FACTS & TRIVIA

• County: Hudson
• Incorporated: April 9, 1849
• Government Type: Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
• Mayor: Dawn Zimmer (D)
• Total Area: 2.0 sq. miles
• Land Area: 1.3 sq. miles
• Water Area: 0.7 sq. miles
• Population: 50,005 (2010)
• Website: http://www.hobokennj.org

• Hoboken was originally an island, surrounded by the Hudson River on the east and tidal lands at the foot of the New Jersey Palisades on the west.
• The Lenape Tribe, a branch of the Delawares, called the area "Hobocan Hacklingh," which translates to "Land of the Tobacco Pipe." (The Lenapes made their pipes from the soapstone found at Castle Point.)
• In 1663, Nicholas Varlett opened the first brewery in America on Castle Point in Hoboken
• After the Revolutionary War, in 1784, the land described as "William Bayard's farm at Hoebuck," (Dutch name that means high bluff) was bought at auction by Colonel John Stevens for the equivalent of $90,000.
• The first officially recorded game of baseball in US history took place in Hoboken in 1846 between Knickerbocker Club and New York Nine at Elysian Fields.
• In 1913, Gideon Sundbäch, a Swedish-American electrical engineer, designed the first modern zipper for the American Fastener Company in Hoboken.
• During World War I, Hoboken became the major point of embarkation where more than 3,000,000 soldiers, known as "doughboys", passed through the city. Their hope for an early return led to General Pershing's slogan, "Heaven, Hell or Hoboken... by Christmas."
• In the 1950's, the Hoboken economy was dominated by Todd Shipyards, Maxwell House, Lipton Tea, Hostess (Twinkies, Cupcakes, Ding Dongs, etc.) and Bethlehem Steel.
• On the Waterfront, the American film classic, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint, was filmed in Hoboken In 1954.
• Hoboken is home to Carlo's Bake Shop, which is featured in the TLC reality show, Cake Boss. The popularity of the show has resulted in long lines of fans who travel to Hoboken just to see the Cake Boss himself.

ADJACENT COMMUNITIES

Jersey City, the seat of Hudson County, is the second most populous city in New Jersey with almost 248,000 residents. The city has 11 miles of Hudson River waterfront along its eastern edge and is bordered by the Hackensack River on the west. Jersey City lays between the southern borders of Hoboken, Union City, North Bergen, and Secaucus and the northern edge of Bayonne on the south. Directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, Jersey City is often referred to as Wall Street West. Its imposing skyline includes the impressive Goldman Sachs Building. Other financial giants such as UBS, Chase Bank, Citibank and Merrill Lynch also have major presences along Jersey City's waterfront. Luxury high and low-rise condos and rental buildings are numerous in downtown waterfront locations. Transportation is easily accessible in Jersey City. There's a 24-hour PATH Train service. The NY/NJ Waterway ferry service, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system, and major highways.

Union City is due west of Hoboken, south of Weehawken and North Bergen, east of Secaucus and north of Jersey City. The city has a population of about 80,000. The performing arts have always been an integral part of Union City. The new Union City Performing Arts Center, a modern state-of-the-art 960-seat theatre, inaugurated in 2009, offers top-notch performances

Weehawken is a township on the west bank of the Hudson River, north of Hoboken and Union City, east of North Bergen and south of West New York. Its population is 12,554. The town has a suburban sensibility and has two NY Waterway ferry terminals as well as bus and light rail access. Geographically, Weehawken has distinct neighborhoods: Downtown (or The Shades), The Heights, Uptown (which includes Kingswood Bluff), and The Waterfront.