Tag Archives: Moca Motion

Downtown, Rahway

East Milton musings

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East Milton Avenue looks like it’s been paved and ready for striping. Has anyone else noticed what appear to be video cameras atop the new traffic signals (left) at Main and Fulton streets, along East Milton?

6/27 UPDATE: Nope, they’re not video cameras but sensors to detect traffic patterns and adjust the timing of lights accordingly. Thanks to all who emailed/commented to clarify.

Seems like that’s business as usual these days, according to this recent MSNBC report:

“Even after a damning report by the head of London’s extensive surveillance network and with little evidence that the systems work — police in many cities are trying to add thousands more cameras to their networks.

“Officials in many cities are eager to take advantage of money from state and federal security agencies to install the cameras on street corners and intersections.”

Speaking of East Milton Avenue, is it just me or has it become a virtual wind tunnel on that side of the hotel? I noticed it back in May during Hot Rods & Harleys, and I can’t recall it ever being that windy before the 16-story Carriage City Plaza was erected. Imagine if the “second tower” envisioned across the street ever materializes…

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The coffee shop formerly known as Moca Motion Cafe looks like it’s open for business, although the Moca Motion Cafe signs are still there, in addition to a new Express Cafe sign in the window. Either way, the interior looks awfully similar to what I remember when the previous tenant was there.

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The next reader to subscribe by email to Rahway Rising will be No. 100. That might sound like I’m about to give something away at least something of monetary value — what, my gratitude isn’t enough for you anymore?!? — but I’m not. It’s just a nice round number. It’s been an exciting week, as we hit a new high for daily visits on Tuesday (186) and then again on Wednesday (201).

Thanks to everyone for reading, subscribing, supplying tips of all kinds, and commenting, etc. Keep it all coming, especially suggestions for a new poll question (though it sounds like I’m the only one clamoring for that to return…).

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Station shop expected to open this month

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Welcome to Coffee Shop Awareness Month at Rahway Rising. After last week’s sharp back-and-forth among readers about the new coffee shop in the SkyView development, and the news about a coffeehouse in the Park Square project, NJ Transit expects the former Moca Motion Cafe to be open by the end of June.

The proprietor is in the process of obtaining inspection approvals, according to a spokesman for NJ Transit, and if all goes well, the shop is expected to open by the end of this month. The sign in the window (photo at right) says Express Cafe, but the spokesman indicated it would be called Metro News and Cafe. Let the debates ensue!

It was referenced in last week’s raging Cuppy’s debate, so in case you missed the marigolds spelling out Rahway, here they are. They’re located below the NJ Transit stairs off the northbound platform on Irving Street, near East Cherry (across the street from David Drake).

That’s three straight posts about coffee downtown. I’ll be sure to mix it up a bit more later this week…as long as everyone agrees to cut back on the caffeine…

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It better do my laundry and wash my car too

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I’m no coffee dork — can I be if I only drink it black? — I just want a decent coffeehouse downtown. An $11,000 coffee machine might be a bit much though, don’t you think? Come to think of it, that’s more than I paid for my sweet ride.

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Did you know Rahway ranks 16th among the stations in the NJ Transit system with 3,014 average weekday boardings (not including transfers)? Just a bit of trivia I was interested in the last time I spoke with NJ Transit. A spokesman also mentioned that the Department of Community Affairs approved the lease for a new tenant at the Moca Motion space; now the DCA must OK building permits before the tenant can hire contractors, etc.

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We’re in our fifth month of existence but it’s only been about two months since we started tracking readership with Google Analytics, among others. Last week we surpassed 4,000 visits to the blog (we get almost 100 each weekday) and now have more than 50 readers who subscribe by email. It’s all through word of mouth and mostly stumbling upon us through Internet searches (trust me, I don’t have that many friends and family). Thanks to everyone who’s been interested in this little hobby of mine and to everyone who’s offered their input, suggestions or questions over the last few months.

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New Moca Motion tenant under review

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The vacant Moca Motion Cafe in the train station won’t be filled until sometime this spring. A new five-year lease is signed and being reviewed by the state Department of Community Affairs, according to a spokesman for NJ Transit. The review isn’t expected to be completed for another two to three months, which would mean April or May.

The 1,950-square-foot property is one of the larger retail spaces at NJ Transit stations. The lease starts at $2,450 per month. The previous tenant, which vacated the property after the five-year lease expired last year, paid $2,205 a month.

The spokesman described the incoming tenant as a similar service, a convenience store/coffee shop-type place, and was the only proposal received after NJ Transit put out a Request for Proposals (RFP).

There are an average of more than 3,000 weekday boardings at the Rahway Train Station, according to NJ Transit.

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