“We really look at the space as art itself,” says Joseph Lopez, referring to the loft space that’s the site of his new store d.e.e.n.  Lopez, along with his wife, Shez Zamrudeen, celebrated the grand opening of their new boutique at 140 Bay Street in the Power House Arts District (PAD) on May 3rd. A closer look at the store not only highlights an artful addition to the neighborhood, but also the challenges the neighborhood faces with the approved construction of the Toll Brothers high-rise development.

“The space itself meant a lot to us,” says Lopez. They left the original beams above and have designed and built the rest of the store themselves with help from family. Lopez and Zamrudeen are reaching out to local artists, including students at Hudson Community College, to feature their work throughout the store. As a store within the Powerhouse Arts District, a neighborhood dedicated to the cultivation of artists and galleries, it’s fitting that the designer clothes and goods have a backdrop of local artists’ work.

The store is the perfect marriage between Zamrudeen’s fashion design background and her husband’s accounting and real estate experience.  In terms of the goods they carry Lopez explains, “We have a little bit of everything for everyone.” They have men and women’s designer label fashions as well as an organic line for pets and one for home goods.

The price point at d.e.e.n. is a little higher than nearby Newport Mall’s, with prices going up to $240 for dresses and down to $30 for men’s shirts. But they hope to appeal to shoppers who enjoy a boutique experience. They want to ease the sore arms of people who carry their shopping bags back from stores in New York by offering a closer alternative.

They’re also looking forward to customer relationships. “That was the whole point in choosing this area,” says Lopez.  He explains that even before opening the store, which is on the lower level of Bay Street Loft Condominiums, people in the building stopped in, excited about the addition.

They also wonder about the addition of the proposed Toll Brothers Building across the street from their store. On April 9, the city council approved by a 6-2 vote the building of a 950-unit complex. Lopez and Zamrudeen recognize the eventual addition of the Toll Brothers building will probably be better business-wise since they’ll have so many new potential clients. But they currently like the relationships with their customers and the friendly area where they know the customers by name.

Lopez and Zamrudeen wonder about being able to maintain these kinds of close relationships with customers. They are also empathetic with residents and artists in the PAD who object to the development for a number of reasons. For one, historic warehouses and a cobblestone street will be demolished and replaced with three skyscrapers that will block light and go against the aesthetic of the PAD. Second, there will be a reduced number of artists’ live/work spaces in the proposed buildings compared to the original Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan. Proponents for the Toll Development note, however, that the design includes a 550-seat performing arts theater and extensive gallery space.

In 2004, Jersey City designated the area of warehouses and cobblestone streets, roughly a 6-block radius northeast of the Grove St. Path station, the Powerhouse Arts District.  The original PAD redevelopment plan called for low-rise buildings that maintained the integrity of the historic industrial neighborhood, in addition to guidelines concerning affordable housing and artists’ live/work space. The demolition of warehouses, and the construction of the new towers, goes against the original guidelines.

Many residents feel that the building of skyscrapers and disregard for the original PAD guidelines is a blow for the neighborhood.  For PADNA(Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association), a group that opposes the new construction, the next move will be a legal challenge. 

Despite the PAD’s growing pains, some things in the PAD will stay the same, such as JC Fridays. The event, started in the spring of 2005, is a day of arts and culture held at the beginning of each new season. The quarterly event allows residents and visitors to enjoy artwork and cocktails as they mingle with artists in different venues around Jersey City, including several locations in the PAD. June 6 will be the next JC Friday, and d.e.e.n. will be one of the hosts. Lopez and Zamrudeen hope people will stop in for a visit on June 6, if not before.

Editor's note: We see that the NYT has a new article on the PAD in the N.Y/ Region section.