North Avenue, Netherwood Issues Coming Up
Those who are following redevelopment in the city must pay close attention this week to the City Council and Planning Board.
On Monday (Dec. 3, 2007), the council will consider three resolutions related to the North Avenue proposal. That is the one involving three blocks around the main train station. The city has a redevelopment agreement with Landmark Development Corp., a group that plans to restore the historic 1880s buildings in the North Avenue Historic District, the city’s original commercial site by the main train station, and to erect multi-story condos behind them.
Meanwhile, an “in need of redevelopment study” of parts of two other blocks was made. The target area to the west includes the PNC Bank and its parking lots, Appliance-Arama and the old Thomas Furniture store (once the Courier News building). To the north, a city-owned parking lot, Investors Savings Bank and the Elks building are included. On Monday, the council will be asked to accept findings that there properties are in need of redevelopment. A separate resolution calls for the council to authorize preparation of a a redevelopment plan for the combined original and expanded area.
Another resolution has to do with stating the city’s commitment to redevelopment of the two city-owned parcels that make up Municipal Lot 6, now used for parking behind Bill’s Luncheonette, Suburban Jewelers and other businesses on East Front Street between Park and Watchung avenues. The statement is necessary for an application to the state for funding a brownfields investigation of the two parcels.
Merchants and a handful of residents have been tracking the progress of the North Avenue proposal since it was first unveiled in August 2006. Even then, developer Frank Cretella suggested there might be an expansion of the redevelopment area to form a “critical mass” downtown. The original proposal was for 415 residential units and 130,000square feet of retail and commercial space, with buildings as high as eight to 10 stories.
Monday’s meeting is 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. The documents may be viewed on Councilman Rashid Burney’s web site. Burney has begun scanning in the council agenda and documents at http://www.rashidburney.com/ as a convenience to the public.
If moved to the agenda, the resolutions will be up for a vote on Wednesday (Dec. 5, 2007) at the regular City Council meeting, 8 p.m. at Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
On Thursday (Dec. 6, 2007), the Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the revised Netherwood redevelopment study. Originally including 93 parcels around the Netherwood train station, the study area was reduced to 16 properties on North and South avenues between Berckman and Richmond streets. The new area is outside the quarter-mile radius that is the most recent standard for increased density around the two train stations and two “transit hubs” where former stations stood at Clinton and Grant avenues.
The Netherwood study sparked a Sunshine Law discussion at the Planning Board’s special meeting last week. The Nov. 30 meeting was advertised to be held for discussion of the land use element of the master plan, but some members wanted to discuss the Netherwood study. Board attorney Michele Donato pointed out that at a special meeting, only matters advertised in the legal notice for the meeting could be discussed.
In August 2006, the City Council agreed to turn all redevelopment activities over to the Union County Improvement Authority, headed by Charlotte DeFilippo, who is also the chairwoman of the Union County Regular Democratic Organization. Since then, redevelopment studies and plans have been done by George Stevenson of Remington & Vernick instead of being done in-house. Recently, Public Works & Urban Development Director Jennifer Wenson-Maier has asked the council to eliminate a city principal planner’s salary from the 2008 fiscal year budget, saying the firm could perform the functions instead.
The council and land use boards are still supposed to sign off on all findings and proposals, but after Stevenson inadvertently included a reference to a completed redevelopment plan in a PowerPoint presentation on a mere study, citizens have been on the alert for premature actions.
--Bernice Paglia
On Monday (Dec. 3, 2007), the council will consider three resolutions related to the North Avenue proposal. That is the one involving three blocks around the main train station. The city has a redevelopment agreement with Landmark Development Corp., a group that plans to restore the historic 1880s buildings in the North Avenue Historic District, the city’s original commercial site by the main train station, and to erect multi-story condos behind them.
Meanwhile, an “in need of redevelopment study” of parts of two other blocks was made. The target area to the west includes the PNC Bank and its parking lots, Appliance-Arama and the old Thomas Furniture store (once the Courier News building). To the north, a city-owned parking lot, Investors Savings Bank and the Elks building are included. On Monday, the council will be asked to accept findings that there properties are in need of redevelopment. A separate resolution calls for the council to authorize preparation of a a redevelopment plan for the combined original and expanded area.
Another resolution has to do with stating the city’s commitment to redevelopment of the two city-owned parcels that make up Municipal Lot 6, now used for parking behind Bill’s Luncheonette, Suburban Jewelers and other businesses on East Front Street between Park and Watchung avenues. The statement is necessary for an application to the state for funding a brownfields investigation of the two parcels.
Merchants and a handful of residents have been tracking the progress of the North Avenue proposal since it was first unveiled in August 2006. Even then, developer Frank Cretella suggested there might be an expansion of the redevelopment area to form a “critical mass” downtown. The original proposal was for 415 residential units and 130,000square feet of retail and commercial space, with buildings as high as eight to 10 stories.
Monday’s meeting is 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. The documents may be viewed on Councilman Rashid Burney’s web site. Burney has begun scanning in the council agenda and documents at http://www.rashidburney.com/ as a convenience to the public.
If moved to the agenda, the resolutions will be up for a vote on Wednesday (Dec. 5, 2007) at the regular City Council meeting, 8 p.m. at Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
On Thursday (Dec. 6, 2007), the Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the revised Netherwood redevelopment study. Originally including 93 parcels around the Netherwood train station, the study area was reduced to 16 properties on North and South avenues between Berckman and Richmond streets. The new area is outside the quarter-mile radius that is the most recent standard for increased density around the two train stations and two “transit hubs” where former stations stood at Clinton and Grant avenues.
The Netherwood study sparked a Sunshine Law discussion at the Planning Board’s special meeting last week. The Nov. 30 meeting was advertised to be held for discussion of the land use element of the master plan, but some members wanted to discuss the Netherwood study. Board attorney Michele Donato pointed out that at a special meeting, only matters advertised in the legal notice for the meeting could be discussed.
In August 2006, the City Council agreed to turn all redevelopment activities over to the Union County Improvement Authority, headed by Charlotte DeFilippo, who is also the chairwoman of the Union County Regular Democratic Organization. Since then, redevelopment studies and plans have been done by George Stevenson of Remington & Vernick instead of being done in-house. Recently, Public Works & Urban Development Director Jennifer Wenson-Maier has asked the council to eliminate a city principal planner’s salary from the 2008 fiscal year budget, saying the firm could perform the functions instead.
The council and land use boards are still supposed to sign off on all findings and proposals, but after Stevenson inadvertently included a reference to a completed redevelopment plan in a PowerPoint presentation on a mere study, citizens have been on the alert for premature actions.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 8:54 AM
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