Summary

HISTORY OF JOURNAL SQUARE, JERSEY CITY
The Journal Square area of Jersey City has a rich history as one of the first settlements in New Jersey. It is home to one of the oldest structures in the United States still standing, the Newkirk House, built in 1690. The area served as the city center for most of Jersey City's history and reached a boom in the late 1920's when the Jersey Journal, the city's official newspaper, constructed new offices at the square's center. From then until the 1960's, the area became a regional center for entertainment, business, journalism, and culture. After that, however, as the Jersey City Waterfront began to take form, Journal Square lost its economic and cultural power. Many businesses began to close and more structures grew dilapidated. For the rest of the century, the Journal Square area fell into more blighted conditions. Now, the area is on the upswing, but the remnants that the previous era of dilapidation still linger.

INTERVIEW WITH MAHEEN QAYYUM, RESIDENT OF JOURNAL SQUARE AREA
Maheen Qayyum is a 25 year old professional who currently works for Amazon, Inc., and a lifelong resident of Jersey City.

How long have you lived in the Journal Square area?
I have lived in the Journal Square area for nine years. I have also lived in New Brunswick, NJ for four years and in the Jersey City Heights area for three.

Growing up, where would you go to enjoy free time?
I would normally just go to the mall or to friends' houses. Journal Square does not have much to do other than to linger around.

Have the city parks served a great use to you?
Maybe Lincoln Park at best, but not really. There aren't any parks in Journal Square and the kids here need a recreational outlet.

Do you think the Journal Square area would benefit from a small park?
Definitely! Like I said, there are no parks in the area, and the kids and the adults here definitely need an outlet.

As a resident of Jersey City, do you think other areas would also benefit from the addition of pocket parks?
Yes. Too much of the city's focus has been on the Downtown area, and the rest of the town is decaying. Things like pocket parks would really change the flow of these places.

What would you like to see in a pocket park?
A lot of seating for working people like me! Also, gardening plots would be great to invigorate the area. It would just be great to actually have some public outdoor space here. It's a great learning opportunity for the city kids as it's not an expensive hobby.

PROCESS
This section required numerous types of analyses to understand the site. Foremost, I analyzed the history of the area to see where it is rooted. I also conducted interviews to get a sense for what other residents wanted to see out of this development. Then, I looked at area demographics and began choosing a site. I picked a site that was close to transportation and homes as well. Furthermore, it has interesting topographical value, including an English Oak Tree at the center. Finally, I conducted negative space studies and a sun path analysis to understand how to go about brainstorming ideas that work well with the site.