Art Lofts Groundbreaking Next Week

Landmark Development is holding a groundbreaking ceremony next week on Gavett Place for a project combining apartments, commercial space and an entertainment venue across from the main train station.

The building will rise on the former site of Romond's Garage. Developer Frank Cretella received approvals in 2011 for the project, which he expected to pair with redevelopment of 12 apartments in the former Miron's warehouse across the street on Gavett Place. By last year, Cretella's roster of projects totaled eleven, in various stages of progress.

Art Lofts I will have 20 apartments. Originally Cretella proposed adding three stories to the garage, but since then the structure has been leveled for all-new construction.

May 6, 2014

May 21, 2014

Walking to the bank last week, I happened upon a rendering in the front window of the Courier News building. Of all Cretella's proposals, this one was perhaps the most exotic - a French bistro right on Park Avenue.

Maybe we'll get an update on that one soon.

--Bernice

اقرء المزيد

"Break" Was Over on June 23

Someone took my June 18 "Time for a Break" post seriously enough to stop reading the blog!

Let it be known that I resumed posting on June 23 and have put up 31 posts since then. Please, take a look at the June and July listings and see what you may have missed, if you also thought my break was indefinite.

--Bernice

اقرء المزيد

Council Passes Ordinance Despite HAP Withdrawal Request

"The only thing that's transit-oriented about this proposal is that it is being railroaded."

--Councilman Cory Storch

In an unprecedented action last week, a council majority decided to move to the July 14 agenda an ordinance submitted by the Housing Authority of Plainfield that had been listed as only a discussion item. The ordinance had to do with conveyance of city-owned land to HAP "either by sale or long-term lease," the site having been the topic of a conceptual Planning Board hearing last year regarding development of 86 apartments. At last night's regular meeting, the ordinance was passed on first reading, despite a request from HAP Director  Randall Wood that it be withdrawn. The rationale given by Council President Bridget Rivers was that Wood had no authority to tell the council what to do with its agenda, just as the council has no say over HAP agendas.. 

Councilman William Reid said the ordinance could be amended before final passage to resolve whatever issues were outstanding. But Wood himself, in his letter asking for withdrawal, said he had only expected the "draft ordinance" to be reviewed by Corporation Counsel David Minchello. That would be the more normal process than just accepting out of the blue a prepared document from an outside entity.

In the discussion as recorded by Plainfield View's David Rutherford, one can see Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez backing up Wood's request to withdraw the ordinance until such time as his concept for a project on city-owned property can be discussed with the administration, as per a Friday meeting.

Once it was clear that action was about to take place despite Wood's request, Councilman Cory Storch made a motion for it to be tabled. Rivers seconded the motion, but when the roll was called and Councilwoman Vera Greaves was clearly unsure of what was going on, Rivers told her erroneously that the vote was to "take it off the table." Greaves abstained, Storch and Rebecca Williams voted "yes," Reid, Gloria Taylor and Rivers voted "no." Short of the necessary four votes, the motion to table failed.

The motion to pass the ordinance passed 4-2, with Williams and Storch saying "no" and Reid, Greaves, Taylor and Rivers voting "yes."  The next regular meeting is Aug. 18, at which time it could be passed on second reading and final passage.

Storch pointed out that the proposal for residential housing only was not in keeping with the mixed-use format for downtown development that can be seen all along the Raritan Valley Line. While construction may yield jobs for a time, commercial use is the key to adding permanent jobs, he noted.

Other points were made during this discussion. I urge the public to take 20 minutes and view the entire excerpt at the link above.  

اقرء المزيد

Muhlenberg Closing Marked Aug. 16

From Dottie Gutenkauf:

As you know, Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center was closed by JFK/Solaris in August, 2008.  Since then we have held annual commemorations of its closure.  Muhlenberg served Plainfield and the surrounding communities for more than 130 years—so we longer have a full-service acute-care hospital in our community, something that is sorely needed.

This year’s commemoration will be held on Saturday, August 16, at 3 pm at Park Avenue and Randolph Road, across from the Muhlenberg campus, and I hope you will be able to attend and that you will invite your pastors, friends, relatives, and neighbors to join us.

This is not a demonstration or a rally—it is a commemoration of what we have lost and an expression of hope for the future.  I hope to see you there!

اقرء المزيد

Is Open Space Tax Needed?

Among new items on Monday's agenda is an ordinance proposing that an Open Space Trust Fund should be established through a ballot question in the November general election.

The meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.

The suggested rate is two cents per $100 of assessed value, which would be $20 per year on a home valued at $100,000.

There is no special reason given for proposing the open space fund at this time. One hopes there will be an explanation at the meeting. I most likely cannot attend the meeting, but among questions that arose in my mind were how this relates to the Union County Open Space Trust Fund, what amount of open space now exists, how this fund might benefit the Green Brook Trail or the proposed parkland linked to the Lampkin House and whether activating the Environmental Commission might be a better first step.

The Environmental Commission was established by ordinance in 2001 but no members were ever named. Its duties were described in this section of the ordinance:

Sec. 3:36-7.  Powers and duties of Commission.

    Subject to the availability of duly appropriated funds by the Governing Body, the Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

    (a)     To conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the municipality and may coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes.

    (b)     To study and make recommendations concerning open space preservation, water resources management, air pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance, marine resources and protection of flora and fauna.

    (c)     To advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it deems necessary for its purposes.

    (d)     To keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including open marsh lands, swamps and other wetlands, in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas and, may from time to time, recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in the City Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.

    (e)     Subject to the approval and appropriation of funds of the Governing Body, to acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the City of Plainfield, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise or lease, for any of its purposes and to administer the same for such purposes subject to the terms of the conveyance or gift. Such acquisition may be to acquire the fee or any lesser interest, development right, easement (including conservation easement), covenant or other contractual right (including a conveyance on conditions or with limitations or reversions) as may be necessary to acquire, maintain, improve, protect, limit the future use of, or otherwise conserve and properly utilize open spaces and other land and water areas in the City.

    (f)      To appoint such clerks and other employees or consultants as it may from time to time require, provided that the cost of such appointments are within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the Governing Body.

(MC 2001-42, December 3, 2001.)

In recent years, a small budget has been allotted to pave the way for the commission's activation (as I understand it - Bill Nierstedt can explain the particulars).

Open space has to be designated and accounted for according to certain rules. In 2008, a so-called "pocket park" on West Front Street didn't quite meet all the criteria, reminding people of a similar snafu that held up development of the Park-Madison lot for a while.

I came across an excellent report for West Orange on open space. It is long and very comprehensive but well worth a look if this is an issue that interests you.

--Bernice

اقرء المزيد

Garden Pix

These flowers are just so cheery! Click image to enlarge for a slide show.

Lilies are so reliable. When I look at catalogs, I just want to order them in dozens.

Pale peach with green throats - pretty lilies.

Neglect has allowed the berry canes to run rampant, producing a treat for the birds.

Triple-flowered lilies, a legacy from our dear former neighbor Edna.

We have yellow Cosmos and orange Cosmos and a few that look hand-painted.

Along with the first cicada song and sighting of goldfinches this week, we had the first purple spires on the Butterfly Bush.

Hope your garden is providing you with enough enjoyment to make up for all the work of tending it!

--Bernice

اقرء المزيد

Jerry's Piety Party

I was surprised this week when Assemblyman Jerry Green deviated from posting canned press releases to reacting to my post on the Union County Improvement Authority. I read it over and even printed it out, but found his post to be such a stew of platitudes and non sequiturs that I just didn't know what to say in response.

Meanwhile, blogger Dan Damon took a try at deciphering it and concluded it was just "Jerryspeak," the assemblyman/head of housing/ party chairman's own argot. Councilwoman Rebecca Williams found it to be "stunningly hypocritical" when she read it, offering seven of her own past posts documenting examples of Green's smarmy tactics.

Perhaps the most puzzling part of Green's post was this:  "If you cannot say anything positive about any elected officials, such as the Mayor, Council members and myself personally, please place that negativity somewhere else, but not in Plainfield. We do not need that here." Could this be the same Jerry Green who condemned Mayor Adrian O. Mapp as "every bit as bad for Plainfield as I feared" even though he supported him in the 2013 primary and general election?

My point about time passing without a complete resolution of the August 2013 UCIA settlement kind of got lost in the rhetoric. "It has taken ten years to get to the point that we are at now with this issue," Green admits. Why so long? According to this 2006 Plaintalker post, the issues date back to 2001. The city finally has a document and a check, but not full compliance with terms of the settlement. Green heads the local Democratic Party and the Regular Democratic Organization of Union County. Surely he could use his power to speed the process. I think it is a fair question to ask why it is not happening.

Recent events have left Green with a public image of his own doing. Browbeating bloggers as negative will not get him the new political clothes he needs for re-election in 2015. I must agree when he says, "We need to hold our community in high regard and not lower it to gutter-style politics." Let's see whether he can live up to his own advice.

--Bernice

اقرء المزيد