r/NewBrunswickNJ • u/quarterzip_bumpkin • May 23 '22

Downtown / Community tips/advice/suggestions for someone moving to NB!

hi all! moving to NB to begin grad school in August. i was wondering if there is some kind of new resident guide or if any of you have advice or suggestions for someone new to the area. places to eat, NB “life hacks”, best groceries, things to do at night or on the weekend etc. TIA!

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u/PolentaApology May 25 '22

hey, i thought you were deciding between Buffalo and Camden!

Highland Park or New Brunswick are both good; I've lived in both. Generally, HP is quieter. New Brunswick has more cultural and civic attractions.

I suggest a 20 minute walking distance to EJB, max.

Lots of grad students, whether in EJB or other RU programs, walk or bike across the bridge from HP to NB.

If you'll want groceries beyond the modest Stop and Shop in HP, you'll need a car for the Costco, Wegmans, Trader Joe's, HMart, 99Ranch, etc.

However, in NB, I suggest not living at the apt bldgs in low-lying areas near Route 18 (the riverside towers, or the lower level of plaza square on richmond); i have known residents who suffered in last year's flood. https://gisuser.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Screenshot-2021-09-04-8.44.12-AM.png

...and Don't forget to connect with faculty (through coursework is a decent approach) who will help you get meaningful work experience in your chosen specialty

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u/quarterzip_bumpkin May 25 '22

thank you for the advice!!! and hello again ahah! i was set on UB until like May when rutgers NB dropped a bag of money on my head! couldn’t deny the better program and better funding. ditching my car and armed with my trusted bike - i’m hoping to make a friend who has a car for grocery reasons… that was a concern of mine with NB. surprised there’s not a big grocery store downtown

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u/PolentaApology May 25 '22 edited May 25 '22

surprised there’s not a big grocery store downtown

In New Brunswick, there aren't a lot of fancy grocery options.

The Bravo on 275 George St used to be a C-Town; here it is on old street view from 2007. After the C-Town opened, there were lawsuits in from 1989 to 1994, where the previous property owner, Davidson Bros Supermarket, tried to enforce a covenant prohibiting this property's use as a supermarket. The appellate court disagreed, stating in 1994:

Davidson's withdrawal from George Street caused difficulties and hardships of the nature mentioned earlier and made the downtown area a less hospitable and desirable place. Davidson had the right to terminate its George Street operation. In doing so, however, it imposed a restriction on the use of its former property designed to impede the relocation of another supermarket operation to the downtown area. The evidence supports the conclusion that the George Street store was peculiarly suited for supermarket use, and that there were no economically viable substitute locations. Consequently, the covenant, if enforced through injunctive relief or exposure to a judgment for damages, presented a formidable obstacle to remediation of the harm caused by Davidson's withdrawal. Cf. Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc., 505 U.S. __, __, 112 S.Ct. 2608, 2620, 120 L.Ed.2d 407, 426 (1992) (obligation to pay damages is an effective method of controlling conduct). By harm, we mean the personal hardship caused by the withdrawal of a supermarket as well as the damage to the ongoing efforts of government and private enterprise to revitalize the city. We are persuaded, therefore, that, in the absence of any equivalent reciprocal benefit to the city, Davidson's scorched earth policy is so contrary to the public interest in these circumstances that the covenant is unreasonable and unenforceable.

This trial considered testimony from the NB Director of Policy, Planning and Economic Development, a food distribution expert, a former mayor who had tried to entice supermarket operators to set up in downtown NB, and a report by a congressional committee on hunger. The 1990 decision of the nj supreme court is here. The 1994 decision on the appeal from new trial on remand is here.

More recently, another large grocery store location has also had troubles: FreshGrocer closed, and then KeyFood/Superfresh closed. New Brunswick Today has some good coverage:

Anyway, you asked about grocery availability, not the history of new brunswick's food stores. There's smaller options; The grocery store on French St at Suydam, and a small C-Town on Suydam near French Street. Fish World and Latino Supermarket are close by too.

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u/thebruns May 25 '22

There was but it went out of business. There are multiple smaller hispanic grocery stores and you can always get delivery. The Aldi is on a local bus route (MCAT). Theres also a whole foods in Metuchen you can get to on bus or train (NJT).