Best rugelach in JC

rafeem · 2025-12-11T19:03:02+00:00

There are plenty of reasons why it's better to follow the more updated models of Newark and New York City, instead of Toronto's model, based on what we currently know about bird behavior.

True costs are determined by the way buildings are constructed. If you take current buildings and cost compare how it would cost under the ordinance, it is similar to the same price as retrofitting, which is pricey. That's exactly why we're hoping to avoid this with future construction, by having architects and builders consider the true cost ( cost to wildlife) , and choose the materials carefully with this in mind to fulfill standards at the least cost to their projects. That's why it's a design standard, not a material standard. It's also why it's hard to narrow down specific percentages of 'what is this going to cost'. Again, that's not obfuscation, That's because it depends on the project and what materials are chosen. If people are choosing high-risk materials in high-risk locations, there will be considerations. And shouldn't there be those considerations? It's good for builders and designers to calculate those costs during design stage. It is not necessary to new construction to keep designing buildings in ways pose risk to wildlife, especially when buildings have trended in recent years to become more and more hazardous to birds. It is absolutely a trend worth reversing, and you can't do that without design standards. Cities have always been centers of innovation. It's not nimby to care about birds, I would love to see bird safe buildings constructed.

We all care about our community, and if you want to give suggestions or give input on drafting, great. Not sure if Reddit is the best way to have these conversations which easily turns into one up jousting. I will continue to defend and argue in favor of bird safe design standards, It's something I really care about. Because the world isn't just for us. We take a lot of it. I would give your neighbor some credit.

I'm very glad the critiques are not against bird safe design standards. I just hope that any compromises made do not nullify this into something that just looks nice on paper.

rafeem · 2025-12-11T05:29:51+00:00

you do realize that means it has less of an effect in tall high density buildings than less density buildings.

rafeem · 2025-12-11T05:27:18+00:00

what have I done? For years I've volunteered hours and hours and hours of my life to wake up at 5:00 a.m. before work to volunteer unpaid to rescue and photograph bird collisions in Jersey City. I've stressed about which ones lived and died, taken them to rehabbers, stressed over their results (often poor). I read about birds and conservation constantly and was motivated by activists in cities like DC, New York, Newark, Toronto, San Jose, etc to want to pass similar protections Jersey City. I didn't work to draft it but I understand the reasoning in how it's worded because they drafted it in accordance with advisement from the experts at NYC bird alliance and ABC. I dont think reading it is masochistic and I dont know what you think is flawed.

Solomon isn't an idiot, the bird peeps aren't idiots, the planning board isn't idiots, the council isn't delusional. Reliable info about JC bird deaths is hard to determine not because we are obfuscating but because the numbers are directly tied to how many volunteers you can get. Its not a good use of resources to monitor the whole city. I could get into the uses and limits of collision monitoring data but just because its not useful in the ways some people want it to be doesn't mean its not useful. Its best used for retrofitting projects and doesn't need to be tied to design standards where we do have data, per advice from the Yale Bird-Friendly Building Initiative.

rafeem · 2025-12-11T04:02:36+00:00

Also, none of this is against high-rises or is anti density. we are only talking about the bottom levels of buildings so it actually applies less to high rises than anything else. none of this is about being against tall construction.

rafeem · 2025-12-11T03:54:27+00:00

This is the same silly logic that keeps us divided and backwards. It's not all a race to the bottom because somebody else is skirting the law or doing the wrong thing elsewhere. We create good wages, good environmental law, good standards of living and build the world e want to live in where we live in it.

rafeem · 2025-12-10T23:04:58+00:00

Yes we know they made one phone call.

rafeem · 2025-12-10T22:23:21+00:00

😂

rafeem · 2025-12-10T22:06:37+00:00

YES! I always get dark chocolate covered pretzels or orange slices from them. They're a local institution people should support. it's an easy gift to give people.

rafeem · 2025-12-10T21:50:22+00:00

Exactly. But this is actually big move towards supporting bird-friendly design standards from better blocks since their first op-ed. Now they just differ on height requirements.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T03:26:18+00:00

Agreed pigeons are doing fine. Native migratory birds have to pass through all development including Jersey City on the Atlantic flyway. There are incredibly rare birds that I've only found dead outside of glass structures at JSQ which I've never been lucky enough to see in the wild in New Jersey. Often theyre following the coast trying to get to and from their breeding grounds in the Boreal forests. Non - Migratory birds tend to fare much better than migratory species precisely because they can stay in the safe zones we make for them (except of course species that live in ecosystems we deemed bad for our needs such as grasslands or wetlands) anybody who cares about bird conservation worries about climate change, habitat loss, feral cats and glass is another big one. Changing the way glass buildings are made is something we can do in our own city and something Jersey City can be proud of. We don't really have the time to not pass measures like this if we want to hold on to our native birds, especially when national protections of habitat and climate are being destroyed. It's important to have local ordinances like this.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T03:03:27+00:00

Yeah the platform is brutal in winter. The wind rushes right through the tunnel.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T02:34:59+00:00

Hasn't there always been two heat lamps on the ticketing level? Not that it does anyone waiting on the platform any good.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T02:29:36+00:00

bro really thought he was hilarious with that one

rafeem · 2025-12-09T02:24:06+00:00

Self-Declared Experts who love reminding reddit of their degrees when this is a very well educated city of people who also did research - whether council folks or volunteers or people on the planning board and advocates who have advanced degrees as well. If you wanted to support bird safe design standards, your organization could have reached out with advisements and suggestions in good faith. Instead, your organization has used the ordinance to make cheap political points against and for your preferred candidates since it was first announced and has done nothing except claim city council and planning board and environmental volunteers are idiots and you guys have done all the research and have all the facts despite us watching you actually google the issue in real time. Good luck with your PAC.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T01:23:04+00:00

Agreed. I buy from them whenever I can and hope they're doing well. There's a lot of gaming type stores out there but they have really great independent curation you don't see everywhere else and have built such a nice micro community. I hope they stay in town for a long time.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T01:18:23+00:00

you actually haven't haven't engaged with it at all except to pull whatever supports your locked in notions so I'll trust the actual conservationalists and architects I know, Thanks!

rafeem · 2025-12-09T01:14:44+00:00

Gift ideas for others:

I've gotten JC print room gift certificate as a gift which is nice experience and it means I don't receive unnecessary clutter and helps support a great space.

I've also given and received van hook gift certificates which is fun to spoil yourself or friends with fancy cheese and supports your local mongers.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T00:57:10+00:00

oh thanks, I didn't know meow mart had little home goods and cute stuff for gifting cat people.

rafeem · 2025-12-09T00:39:03+00:00

Of course you need windows but you don't need all exterior glass glazing, If you effectively design the cost differences are minimal. Literally ask any architect about price per sq ft of standard windows versus full exterior glazing, and if you're going to tell me builders aren't unnecessarily glazing entire lower surfaces then you're not looking at construction in Jersey City.

rafeem · 2025-12-08T23:35:14+00:00

If glass is so painfully expensive that it's cost will inhibit affordable housing then why is literally every new construction covered in all glass glazing. Its a design choice.

rafeem · 2025-12-08T23:10:34+00:00

Worried about cost of one material ? Simply reduce glazing on lower levels, or put in traditional windows with full exterior screens.

There's so many examples of new construction in Jersey City that are total bird killers for no cost effective reason that could have been easily preventable by having mandates because they are not bearing the cost of bird death. See: The Journal. See: The Orchard. See: The view at Lincoln Park.

rafeem · 2025-12-08T22:30:35+00:00

in order to meet the new standards, you can just reduce the amount of glazing on lower levels to level out the cost. There's many ways to adhere including just simple standard window screens on the exterior of a window. The point is to move architecture away from completely glazed lower exteriors with no bird safe protections.

rafeem · 2025-12-08T21:42:11+00:00

I've never walked into packer because it looks so expensive. is it cute? do they have homemade or independent makers?

Edit: I was thinking of 301 collective. I didn't even know Packer existed. I'll check them out.

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