The fight over eminent domain continues as Bloomfield township makes another play for its $160 million redevelopment plan. The plan has been rejected twice in the courtroom - once in August 2005, and again in August 2006. Now another appeal has been filed, which if accepted could take the case to New Jersey Supreme Court. From The Independent Press:
Attorney Catherine Tamasik said that the township had filed the petition for certification of the appeal to the last decision on Sept. 27. The attorneys for defendant 110 Washington Street Associates, the firm Carlin and Ward, have filed the response brief to the petition. The paperwork that remains is the township’s reply, to be submitted later this month.But that’s as much as anyone can foresee. Tamasik said that the likelihood of the Supreme Court hearing the case — let alone the outcome — is undetermined. The Court could even take a year to decide whether or not to hear the appeal, and even then could decide against taking it on at all.
At the same time, the township planning board and council have adopted changes to the redevelopment area study, in an attempt to justify characterizing the area as blighted. Tamasik also mentioned that the negotiations with the holdout shop and property owners are ongoing, and that Forest City remains committed to the project — despite being stripped of the rights to develop the planned Parcel 4 condominium units on which the 110 Washington Street address lies.
Comments (14)
So is the town (aka taxpayers) paying the legal bills or is the developer?
What doesn't the council and mayor understand?!? And all the while mucking around the courts. I don't think most Bloomfielder's wants the town to have or use eminent domain in this way. Geewiz, how thick can you be?!?
This was actually last week's news. In any case, The re-developer, Forest City, picks up the tab for the legal challenges.
This was actually last week's news. In any case, The re-developer, Forest City, picks up the tab for the legal challenges.
really? So Forest City not only gets to use the power of government to sieze the property for their private benefit, they get to sue under cover of a political entity to smash citizens into conforming to their whim?
Pretty sweet deal for them. Do they also get to field an army of Pinkertons men to quash any protest?
The specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the State from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory.
—Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
This week's front page article is about the Board of Education running out of money and having to cut back on the scope of the high school renovation/construction project.
Unfortunately, this ongoing situation of 'pending redevelopment' has blighted the area. Few, if any, businesses would consider this area since the pending litigation and possible loss of space defies good business sense when opening or relocating a business. The vacancy rate, desolate store fronts and subsequent lack of foot traffic would make it very difficult for any one to succeeed if they did decide to open here. Hopefully, some resolution can be found rather than waitng for the litigation to unfold.
Unfortunately, this ongoing situation of 'pending redevelopment' has blighted the area. Few, if any, businesses would consider this area since the pending litigation and possible loss of space defies good business sense when opening or relocating a business. The vacancy rate, desolate store fronts and subsequent lack of foot traffic would make it very difficult for any one to succeeed if they did decide to open here. Hopefully, some resolution can be found rather than waitng for the litigation to unfold.
The hooker house was doing very well, in light of the blight, 'til the law shut it down with all their might! :)
Let's see:
1. High school makeover (don't even know where to start with this one),who has the oversight on this gem? You think Enron was mismanaged?
2. Foley Field debacle (well connected contractor does lousy job of fixing the stands, ends up ruining them, requiring replacement), again, nobody answers for this.
3. "Rebirth of Bloomfield center", uh-huh.
Follow the paper trail. Check the NJ state websites to see who donates to whom and who benefits.
People who donate to the powers that be do well; taxpayers foot the bill.
What's not to like?
Bloomfield is up for sale.
Bloomfield Center has always been just short of blight, but it could be a lot better. Couldn't the town find SOMEWHERE for these angry shop owners to go to make it right for them? For those who are waiving flags of defiance, what town wouldn't want to improve its circumstances in the downtown area? To blindly reject the notion of rehabilitation of a downtown is just stupid. Granted, Bloomfield Township's legal ineptitude probably exascerbated problems with shop owners, but the potential for rebirth of a town is a powerful thing. Right now, parts of the downtown are a wasteland. What now, if the project fails in the courts?
Bloomfield Center has always been just short of blight, but it could be a lot better. Couldn't the town find SOMEWHERE for these angry shop owners to go to make it right for them? For those who are waiving flags of defiance, what town wouldn't want to improve its circumstances in the downtown area? To blindly reject the notion of rehabilitation of a downtown is just stupid. Granted, Bloomfield Township's legal ineptitude probably exascerbated problems with shop owners, but the potential for rebirth of a town is a powerful thing. Right now, parts of the downtown are a wasteland. What now, if the project fails in the courts?
The sad thing is, if none of this had been planned and the market had gone its merry way as it has, and Midtown Direct made the whole area pick up, I'm sure these empty shops would have something in them by now. But Hiding's point above is true - the pending redevelopment is preventing the natural redevelopment that might have taken place otherwise. Look at Senorita's, it's doing great. There might have been more things like that if this wasn't hanging over the heads of everyone in the area. I was in favor of the redevelopment at the time it was originally proposed. Now that 5 years have passed and times have changed, I feel it is a mistake and yet it seems as if Bloomfield is locked into it and can't get out of it.