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Hallmark House


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jefferino69

prospectiveVisited 2010

6/26/2010

The place isn't all that bad, if you're just looking for a place to crash, shower, and sleep. It's right across the street from NJ Police headquarters and City Hall, so the area is relatively safe. NJ cops, however, aren't the most vigilant people in the world. Keep that in mind. It's a three block walk to Newark-Penn Station, so you'll be able to escape Newark easily. I wouldn't go wandering around at night; that goes for days as well. Especially if you're not black. If you're Black (aka African American) and aren't dressed to the nines, you can blend in easily. If you're not, then you might as well be wearing a billboard that says, "Hey! I'm obviously not from around this neighborhood." The neighborhood, well most of Newark really, is mostly Black (aka African American) culture. The property itself, is fairly ------. If you don't mind high rise views of a decrepit metropolis wreaking of poverty, ethnic, social, and socio-economic turmoil, then this is the place for you. Seriously though, it's all in your level of tolerance. Some people might think this is paradise compared to their previous lifestyle or geographic area, but for the normative, working class, young professional, professional, or any one unaccustomed to living in a Postmodern urban society on the brink of dystopia, the Hallmark House will take some getting used to. For example, the property managers typically go out of their way to tell potential residents that a majority of their tenants work in the airline industry. For some, that may sound exotic. Wow! I'll be living with Pilots and Stewardesses who jet-set around the globe; however, a critical mind will discern that the bulk of the tenants work in an industry that require them to constantly travel and live away from home. So, bragging about housing people who rent cheap units that they barely use or occupy doesn't strike me as a winning sales pitch. "?" Also, the windows in the units themselves are dilapidated ancient yet massive, single-paned glass circa 1940's. These windows are so old, you can't even find new replacement windows like these anywhere on the planet, which explains the shoddy attempts as repairing them. When I examined one window, I noticed that the only thing holding a 3'x4' pane of glass into place was a thick bead of caulk/adhesive--safety any one? Oh, but if you have kids, the property managers will hook you up with a safety railing system, so you kids won't fall out of 12th story window when they accidentally lean against one. I'm seriously surprised that the City Safety Inspector actually allows this place to still operate. Thanks City Hall, and welcome to Newark!!!

    Review 16 out of 24

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    Hallmark House

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