Thank you for being part of a documentary study on the development of the Downtown
Jersey City Waterfront by Andre Preoteasa, a senior at the New Jersey Institute of
Technology. This documentary study is part of a class at the New Jersey Institute of
Technology in neighboring Newark, NJ under the supervision of Professor Elliot
Norbert, PhD.
1. Name ____Gina Bolotinsky________________________________________
2. Address or Neighborhood ___1st Street & Grove Street______________
3. Years spent in Jersey City __11 months __[age approx: 20]____________
4. What is your opinions on the development of the Jersey City waterfront?
If it wasn’t for the development, this area would still be a big ghetto filled with crime
and abandoned buildings. The development is really cool and I like it a lot. I think
they should develop all the old warehouses and abandoned buildings so people can
move in and make this place really rich. It’s cool how you’re in [New] Jersey, but
you’re a few minutes from Manhattan.
5. Commerce on the waterfront & downtown has improved because of the
waterfront development.
Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree
6. Extending various transportation systems (i.e. PATH) is a bad thing
Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree
7. With new buildings comes the loss of some historical sites, such as 19th century
warehouses, famous landmarks, and historical points. Can you name any that
have been lost?” ___No_____________________________________________
8. For most cases, it is not okay to demolish a historical landmark for a new building
Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree
Note the subject here stated that ‘really cool’ historical landmarks should always be
preserved without question. When asked what she meant by ‘really cool’, she defined it as a
building that was really old and wasn’t going to ‘fall down and kill everyone’.
9. You agree that gentrification of the areas is a good thing
Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree
Note the subject here followed the answer with an “of course!”.
10. If you were Mayor for a day, what would you do?
“hmmmmm,” subjects thinks about this for a few seconds and answers, “I’d really
focus on crime. This area used to be really bad, I remember driving through as a kid
and hearing all the stories, and it should continue to be cleaned up. Get rid of the
homeless people and all those assholes that ask for money when I get out of the
train. I’d also clean up the litter everywhere – it’s really everywhere you look.” The
subject points to the ground and shows me a collection of garbage, no doubt an eye
sore. “I’d also get rid of smoking in bars and stuff like that – just like Manhattan. And
I guess I’d also …” subject thinks for a few more seconds, “… nah, that’s it: crime,
garbage and the homeless people.”