Fourth Ward Councilor Dr. Renee Baskerville will host a meeting to discuss the potential development of the Montclairion property (Block 4202, lot 42.01) — a 38,000 square foot lot that is included in the Lackawanna Plaza Urban Renewal Plan. The lot is currently parking for The Montclarion, at 10 Pine Street. Seen from Bloomfield Avenue, it looks like a row of bushes behind a chain link fence, directly west of the gas station on the NW corner of Bloomfield and Pine, and across from the empty lot between Mission and New Streets.
The meeting will take place Tuesday, July 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m., in the Fire Department Headquarters building second floor conference room, 1 Pine Street, Montclair.
The meeting will focus on mixed-use development of the parking lot that fronts Bloomfield Avenue; its purpose is to begin a dialogue with the property’s neighbors. After a brief presentation of how this gateway might be enhanced, property owner Richard Polton and local architect Paul Sionas will be on hand to answer questions. The project has the potential to create an entirely new look for the eastern gateway along Bloomfield Avenue. Residents are invited to express their opinions early in the process and provide their input.
What do you envision in this space?
For more information please contact Dr. Renee Baskerville at 973-509-2658.
Note, marker “A” indicates 10 Pine Street on the map below. The development property is along Bloomfield Avenue, to the left of “A.”
How many “incentives” will this project have and what will they cost?
” What do you envision in this space? ”
Many stolen BMWs and better times for robbers, with guns.
Drug “Supermarkets’ IN RESIDENTAL HOUSES, NEAR BY, and
one stop shopping. Rob a bummer Oops, a Beemer, hold soebody up,
and go get the drugs!!
Or, ‘ya could build this on 18th Avenue in Irvington, and supply a nice air conditioned shopping Jitney free of charge , to transport Montclairons
to 18th Ave., Irvington. I just checked to see it it’s April fools day…
or a baaad dream.
It would be better placed at the DCH location, at Valley & Blmfd. Aves !!!
The project would be eligible for a five year tax exemption/abatement. By Town Ordinance, this means that the taxes paid for five years would be 20%-40%-60%-80% and 100%. Thus in year one the project only pays 20% of normal tax payment, year two 40%, etc. until year 5 which is 100%.
Under redevelopment, the town would work close with the redeveloper and might give him leeway on the code, i.e. he would be able to build a higher, more dense, etc project than allowed normally under code. He could also be given leeway on required number of parking spaces, etc.
The goal is to bring “back” the property. Make it productive, provide housing, improve the neighborhood, etc.
The DCH plan is a thirty year plan, but is structured so the town gets “all” the “tax” payment (PILOT) with the schools getting nothing.
Cary Africk
Oh, yes, I qgree, it looks very good on paper. How will the actual stores & building look in 5 years? Will it be safe, or haunted with much negitive activity? Or, that does not matter ??
I thought the DCH property was the gateway? How many gateways does downtown Montclair have?
Funny, I thought the gateway was South Park?
Instead of developing a lot across from Mission and New Streets how about redeveloping the entire Elm, Hartley, New, Mission, and Pine Streets area? Just buy up all the property, redistribute the residents to Essex County Jail, and continue the Montclair Mile with businesses other than massage parlors. You know you want to. Then you can build a town gateway area that tells motorists something other than “raise the windows and lock the doors.”
The area that is classified for Redevelopment is quite large. It includes properties down Bloomfield Avenue all the wary to Elm. I believe I counted something like FIFTY properties that were eligible for redevelopment.
The goal is for these properties to become part of a “walkable” Montclair, starting at the Museum. Many stores, interesting places.
The Plan is available. Who knows, maybe I can convince the Township to put it up on the website?
As to “gateway,” when South Park was being talked about the suggestion was that we really needed to work on our “gateway” which is down Orange Road, by the border of Montclair. Then the DCH site became the Gateway. Maybe we need multiple gateways? We could have one at each end of Bloomfield Ave.
In any event, retail is very limited in the project under discussion. I think 1200 square feet, which is virtually nothing. The developer opined that Montclair already was oversupplied with retail.
Our planners are always talking retail, with a “if you build it they will come” attitude. I don’t think this is necessarily true.
Mr Africk,
I didn’t read any reference to PILOT or property taxes in the Valley & Orange Rd Gateway Phase 1 Plan from the Township web site. Did I miss it?
I don’t believe you can have check off that there is public comment if the Township doesn’t disclose the planning & discussions among TC are making PILOT a given. This is also not transparency.
So, a minimum of 38,000 of space is commercial who will not pay school or county taxes. This means the rest of the CBD property owners and residents will have to pay more to make up for taking 400,000 square feet of space out of the school taxes. This also means the South Park payback is totally lost.
South Park work will now cost close to $4MM when all is done based on the new schedule, the reassessment and Gateway Phase 1 going PILOT. This will be phenomenally different from the original plan.
In addition, adding insult to injury, the taxpayers are already losing 12 parking spaces in this new parking deck plan.
Frank,
Whoa, let’s go slow on this …
First of all, Gateway has nothing to do with South Park.
Second, and I am venturing into areas that I’m not expert (you’d have to talk with Janice Talley), I believe any detailed discussion of a PILOT for Gateway would be in the development agreement, which is WAY down the road.
Third, I believe people are being very careful about holding public hearings on Gateway.
Fourth, people are still discussing the required amount of office space.
Fifth, this is not a thread on Gateway, but on another project in the Elm/New Street Redevelopment area.
Sixth, ALWAYS glad to hear from you! It is obvious you have in-depth experience in these matters. Are you/weren’t you on the Historical Commission?
Thanks!
south park 4 million? adding 3.5 million to the town’s debt? we’ve been hoodwinked again.
“Third, I believe people are being very careful about holding public hearings on Gateway.”
I can’t imagine why. There’s a limit to how much “retail” a town can sustain, especially in an economy that’s sluggish and a world in which Amazon.com and Zappos exist. A hotel? Has anyone done research? Higher density residential properties can be successful near train stations but not in a area in a suburb that’s got way to much crime. It ain’t Brooklyn. Before you can have successful retail you’ll need more people who can walk to shops and restaurants. Snarkiness aside, higher density there is probably a good idea BUT it’s got to safe. In this market it won’t be easy to attract “pioneers” when there are so many other options. Has anyone on our planning board ever been to Red Bank? Or Westfield?
Can we get back to the 4 million Cary or Frank (or Baristanet)? Is it true? Cary promised us it would be $750K for the South Park beautification.
Is it really going to cost 5.33 TIMES AS MUCH?
These community meetings to discuss development are a total waste of time. There is no transparency and projects are just pushed through by the political structure that apparently doesn’t have a clue about town planning or business plans regarding re development or taxes. The new buildings projects in town in the past few years like the Siena and the Washington Street School have only achieved undesirable results. They all seem like political backfires. Other projects in town like Christopher Court for example, have only harmed Montclair’s valuable built landscape. The destruction of the Washintgon Street Y was only a display of blind non consideration of the community as well as reality of tax situations and local history. There is no excuse to ever allow nightmares like these to re occur.
My strong feeling is that we can’t afford to move forward with the same political decision makers, planning boards, commissions, developers and construction firms that resulted in projects like the Siena, Christopher Court the Washington Street School. This nightmare cannot continue.
I am very grateful for commissioner Rubaky’s insights and I would absolutely heed his valuable words in moving forward regarding ANY re development in town, but otherwise, with the current political structure and decision makers in place, all we’re in for is having the Siena copied and pasted all over Montclair so why waste the time going to any of these excruciating meetings?
Also, at this point, if the South Park project moves any further than it has that would be completely ridiculous.
–
Well, Frank. How do we go about kickin’ da bums out?
frank, there are plenty of people in the community that do not see the Washington Street (Bullock) school as a nightmare, many of whom live in the neighborhood where the school exists.
Tudlow, the nightmare is the $35mm price tag. And the BOE is talking about selling another existing school or two.
All this stuff about Gateways has my head spinning. And what is this about South Park costing $4 million? The last I heard the town wouldn’t be able to get it done in time to collect on the higher ratables, thus screwing the pooch. So now the cost has quintupled, any hope of recouping even the original estimated investment is gone, and we’re still going ahead with it?
Would someone please wake me up? I’m having a nacht mare.
And someone, anyone, please PLEASE change the featured comment.
(Though it is indeed still effing hot.)
JG, I know your position on the school’s price tag and have no interest in rehashing the topic. I think it’s a good school that has improved the educational landscape of the town and a wise investment. You don’t–that’s fine. There is only one opinion that is ever offered on this website about the school and I don’t think it’s an accurate reflection of reality or a true representation of the consensus of Mtc to call this school a “nightmare.” For some reason, I thought of perhaps expressing a counterview here that is a bit more, shall we say, positive? I must not be thinking clearly…I’ll blame the heat.
If I put together a meeting of like minds, would you come, Jerseygurl, Frankgg, Frank R., and even you ROC?
Read through what we are all saying (including me). I think we’re all in agreement.
But before I start, ROC, the price tag on South Park is still $750K. Look at what I wrote, above. Being truthful, I wasn’t comfortable with such a low number, but the Manager insisted. He got at the lower number by cutting out things, like making the walks cement instead of brick.
Jersey, the $35MM school was going to cost a lot more. They brought it DOWN to $35MM. Being absolutely honest, I was against building the new school and was opposed to it until the day they broke ground. I even asked our Town Attorney to contact the School Attorney to see if the building contract could be broken. And remember: the school was supposed to be a Community Resource with a swimming pool and other neighborhood amenities. This didn’t happen.
Of course, the $35MM school was originaly the $20MM school which was going to get humongous State Aid. But that’s another story.
Frank, the building mind set is troubling to me, and indeed its even troubling to people involved in the planning.
People are trying to implement their own “personal dream” that represents their own “personal values.” The dream calls for a “boutique” hotel and the dreamers won’t wake up. The dream calls for a “walkable” Montclair that starts at the Bay Street station and goes up Bloomfield Avenue to the Museum. They may build it, but the people won’t come. This isn’t NYC.
The nightmare frankgg is referring to is that Bullock landed smack on top of the Washington Street Y, which was beloved in the neighborhood and a rich source of history. He’s commenting on the way development is done in this town, not on whether the price was worth it for all the little kiddies who attend.
The school came in at closer to $25 million, I seem to recall, because of some aid we received or somesuch.
“But before I start, ROC, the price tag on South Park is still $750K.”
So you are saying Mr. Frank Rubacky is incorrect then?
He is putting PILOT payments from Gateway (DCH) together with South Park construction costs. Its putting together two different categories that don’t go together.
The macro issue out in the greater USA is lack of demand. Montclair doesn’t need more housing, more retail, more cafes, etc. Put in a park, some grass, cherry blossom trees, maybe a goldfish pond. Then the surrounding properties will have more value.
Less is more in this case.
The new family Y is also beloved by the same people who were using the old Y. It’s a wonderful facility for the entire community and is able to offer more services than the old Y. People know the history, which is reflected in the name chosen for the school. It’s a very sad history, too, and there is this thing called progress.
“Its putting together two different categories that don’t go together.”
why not? it all “comes” from the same place – our pockets.
This is the true corruption of our public space. Fast talking developers and local politicians bury us and bamboozle us with complex funding formulas and acronyms making it impossible for the citizen to know if we’re being financially raped or not.
Eyes glaze over, and everyone just hopes for the best.
c’mon ROC. The heat must be getting you …..
I’m waiting for an article on Baristanet re. the Town’s new Capital Spending Plan. Almost half a million for refurbishing tennis courts at two locations.
Letting the subject drop? Ok Cary…duly noted.
I don’t know if half a million for repair of the courts is too much or not. But I will say we should not spend one thin dime on “improvements” unless we are adequately maintaing (or liquidating) existing township resources. To me this is just simple good management.
Call me crazy, but I would not build a swimming pool in my back yard if I couldn’t afford to keep my roof repaired.
ROQ’s description sounded spot on, Cary. But you admit, though, that there’s no way of recouping the investment in the next reval? Or does it just seem that way because of the heat?
Recouping in the next reval? ‘roo, what are you smoking?
there is this thing called progress.
No need to get snide, Tud. It wasn’t my argument, it was frankgg’s.
I just don’t like the bait and switch, ‘gurl, and then when everyone goes about their day as though it didn’t happen.
It’s all bait and switch. All of it. Spending decisions are justified on some complex set of assumptions no one can supply the numbers for and by the time we see actual numbers and “discover” the whole scheme is a financial disaster it’s too late – its built already.
Why do think Cary would rather distract us with the tennis court repairs than get into a discussion of the specifics of the Park Street Project?
The disrespect demonstrated during the entire process of demolishing the Washington Street YMCA is completely unacceptable and unforgivable. Graves and remains from the former cemetery were just being plowed over until the DEP was called in. The 1926 Timecapsule just wound up in the rubbish and the historic photographs were plucked out of a dumpster. There is a wealth of significant American history attached to the Washington Street YMCA that is an extremely valuable learning tool. Among the national and internationally known leaders who have appeared as guest speakers in behalf of the YMCA were Booker t. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute, Dr. Mordecai W. Johnson, president of Howard University, Dr. Benjamin Mays, president of Moorehouse College, Jackie Robinson, first African-American to play baseball in the major leagues.
During the Harlem Renaissance figures like W.E.B. Dubois, Mary McLeod Bethune and Langston Hughes came to Montclair to speak. – All of this history has been just scrapped without ceremony or proper respect for its significance or it historical contribution.
Okay, I’m just going to assume that the Park Street project will cost $4 billion. Or $4 trillion.
Don’t worry walleroo, they’ll just create some new “revenue enhancements” to take care of the cost.
Frankgg,
Right on with respect to the Washington Street Y. I remember the workers “finding,” frequently, bone fragments and other archeological items. No one paid attention. It just wasn’t right and I made my feelings well known at the time.
ROC,
I LOVE when you say:
I don’t know if half a million for repair of the courts is too much or not. But I will say we should not spend one thin dime on “improvements” unless we are adequately maintaing (or liquidating) existing township resources. To me this is just simple good management.
Call me crazy, but I would not build a swimming pool in my back yard if I couldn’t afford to keep my roof repaired.
A Burger King or White Castle would do well on the Bloomfield Ave site near Lackawanna Plaza. Not enough fast food in Mtc.
Cary, did you love it when he said this, too?
It’s all bait and switch. All of it. Spending decisions are justified on some complex set of assumptions no one can supply the numbers for and by the time we see actual numbers and “discover” the whole scheme is a financial disaster it’s too late – its built already.
Why do think Cary would rather distract us with the tennis court repairs than get into a discussion of the specifics of the Park Street Project?
To answer your question, jerseygirl, its quite a predicament. As far as well intentioned community minded politicians go, and yes we do have several, four years of office is not really enough time to “figure it out” have a full understanding of what goes on in local re development, especially if they don’t have experience with urban planning, architecture or real estate. If they are qualified in these professional fields, paradoxically, they shouldn’t be involved in the decision making process because of conflict of interests. My impression is that good, community minded, compassionate, people loving elected officials come into power and have to rely on being brought up to date and put in the know by pre existing commissions and organizations that perhaps only have their own interests at heart, whether it be for power or for financial gain. The elected officials seem only to stick to the plan that is going on internally and don’t listen to the community, unless it is absolutely necessary in the given situation to save face. Projects get pushed through mainly for interests, the results backfire, no one is pleased, people get upset with the elected officials and at the next election they are replaced by a new batch of elected officials that are all in the same boat as the previous ones. Deja vu all over again. But we’re left holding the bag with the backfired projects.
“As far as well intentioned community minded politicians go, and yes we do have several, four years of office is not really enough time to “figure it out” have a full understanding of what goes on in local re development, especially if they don’t have experience with urban planning, architecture or real estate.”
Which is why they shouldn’t try to manage development. Make codes and enforce them with little or no leeway. Stop trying to “engineer” the local economy by “encouraging” development. Stop with the schemes already.
Mr. Africk, I will never forget you for coming forward and speaking out at the time of that nightmare. You and Teddy Maddox were the only elected officials concerned or present. It was heartbreaking that no one cared. Can anyone tell me where the time capsule is now? Here are the photos that were plucked from a dumpster.. http://www.baristanet.com/2009/02/naacp-motions-to-preserve-history-of-washington-street-y/#more-10567
Frank,
If those photos were plucked out of the garbage isn’t that most likely the fault of the YMCA for not getting them out of the building before the demolition? How would that be the township’s fault?
Well, frank, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge of the history of the Washington Street Y. Most people that used it were only there to take their babies/children in the pool so I would guess that the history was overlooked by the majority even before the building was demolished. I think that the Bullock school (you seemed to have forgotten to mention the admirable Charles H. Bullock in your historical recount) does incorporate the history of the man and the Washington Street Y into its curriculum.
I still take issue with this comment:
“The new buildings projects in town in the past few years like the Siena and the Washington Street School have only achieved undesirable results.”
I’m not sure if you have noticed, but the posters here for the most part do nothing but make disparaging comments about this neighborhood and its residents, many of whom are poor. My daughter has friends that live in that neighborhood as do I and they do not feel that the school is an “undesirable result.” And when I was planting some perennials there this past spring, a few women that walked by commented on how much they appreciate the school grounds. Yes, this is anecdotal but at least its something as opposed to some blanket statement that the school is a nightmare. Perhaps you meant the building process was and from the sounds of it, I agree, but that’s not the message I picked up.
I find urban renewal projects very interesting and find it hard to believe that there are not some people in this town who have expertise in the subject.
But I am equally troubled by Cary not inviting me to this meeting of like minds. Sigh.
Well ROC, sometimes its hard to find the right words for this situation…my mind still reels from it. We could blame it on a number of people and organizations…the township, 4th Ward politicians, the YMCA and the NAACP….its not going to change what has happened or even wake anyone up. Horrifying.
“…disparaging comments about this neighborhood and its residents.”
Who does that?
Are you kidding, ROC? Have you ever read the jokes about the drug dealers offering deals to the school children, as if the whole neighborhood is full of miscreants? And comments about how the town should just raze the whole area? And all the jokes about the upscale restaurant in Lackawanna plaza?
What, you want me to name anonymous user names? No thanks.
Well Frank, that sounds like an evasion to me. If the building was to be demolished, whomever’s responsibility it was to pack up and move desired materials out prior to demolishment seems to be at fault to me.
Step one in “waking people up” (and being taken seriously) would be to not cast aspersions in all directions.
I don’t recall any of those jokes from regular posters, no. Perhaps you could point one out?
I know you are all about links and references, ROC, but I’m not playing your game. If you would like to do some research, just go through the police blotters. Or look at the second comment on this thread. Or read the thread about the proposed upscale restaurant a while back in Lackawanna Plaza.
I’ll bet most, if not all of those comments are from Sandy. Not most of the posters here as you say. A lot of projection there Tud. (no surprises)
The remark above about a Burger King or a White Castle, no matter in fact if it was merely intended as sarcasm, did indeed reek carry a racialist (if not quite outright racist) tinge to it.
Not necessarily the biggest surprise on a website where only the good prof has in the last few years identified himself as something other than Caucasian (and if others are out there, please speak up, lest I imagine this site is retricted to “a coupla white chicks” and a lot of white guys talking fruitlessl7 amongst thesemlves about a town with a substantial minority population). It was certainly a very unfortunate, harsh thing to post.
(Take out the word “reek” from my post above.)
Let me correct myself, ROC. I cannot say the majority of the posters make disparaging remarks about people that live in poverty–no, you’re right. But it’s not uncommon here and you can easily find it like I did on this thread. There is also the 7th post, that’s a doozy, don’t you think?
I appreciate your view, Mr. Tudlow, and I admit that somehow its difficult for me to see past the trauma of that demolition. I was born across the street at Saint Vincents. Saint Vincents was extremely valuable local architecture designed by Montclair’s brilliant leading architect, Dudley Van Antwerp. That building was trashed as well by what I consider planning mistakes and unawareness. With all due respect to Charles H. Bullock and his work (although the school should also carry the name of Hortence Tate who I believe REVOLUTIONIZED education in Montclair)I cannot appreciate that New School and remain disgusted.
Well, I’m going to agree with cathar, ROC and here is another post I quickly found to demonstrate my point.
“Nice follow up to the article about the guy with the crack rocks a few blocks over. I would be willing to bet that the average IQ of the several problem blocks in lower Montclair is at least 2 standard deviations below the national average. Whether it is pure criminal involvement, enabling behavior, the blind eye, overwhelming complacency, yada, yada, yada…all the same. Again, lets raze these few blocks and be done with it.”
Okay, frankgg. I really do see your point and I appreciate you seeing mine. Different perspectives from different experiences. And I am woman, btw. Tudlow was the name I gave to my pet goldfish when I was a youngin’. It’s kind of like my Rosebud.
I mean I am A woman. Or maybe I did mean I am woman, hear me roar. I’ve wasted too much time on here again today. I really need to start those lesson plans. Good day to you, frankgg, I did appreciate our exchange.
Tudlow, understood. This town has a really promising downtown area and the neighborhood around the train station could be a showcase for mixed use development and mixed income housing. As Frank has pointed out, somehow our council and all the boards and commissions and authorities we have here manage to muck up things. The area around Bay Street and Lackawanna Plaza has a walkable downtown, a great music venue, movie theaters, restaurants, new and old apartments, beautiful (and not so) architecture, gracious old homes, a train station, convenient bus routes…the town even got transit village status. Then look at what we do. After years of vacancy the Hahnes building is replaced by building set atop covered waterways and a pond with resulting awful defects and now we read that the same builders will be handed the next major development in town.
Thanx Ms. Tudlow, likewise! Hope that you have a great day!
Believe it or not people of all races enjoy White Castle. Mentioned BK & White Castle because there are no fast food burger joints in MTC. Not everyone wants to go to Elevation Smash Burger. Sometimes a straight up fastfood burger hits the spot.
But hey, why put in an eatery where people may actually go. Let’s have another $15-20 entre slop shop that’ll go out of business in a year.
Hadn’t made the Lackawanna/black/fast food connection, but you sure did Cathar. If the racist shoe fits, wear it.
Actually, bebopgun, there used to be a fast burger place in the mall (BK?) that is now a Popeyes. I guess the burger place wasn’t that popular.
I love the chicken strips with coleslaw & bisquit special…plus I LOVE the the fabulous bright orange mural/wallpaper depicting New Orleans Jazz.
The “last” for this particular racially tinged shoe doesn’t fit me at all here, bebopgun. And you brought this issue” up in the first place. Or did today’s heat cause you to forget that?
Your original comment was bad enough. Your weaselly attempt to shift blame onto me is simply desperation.
Espressing truth does not fall under the catagory of casting aspersions in all directions.
As poster Number 7 (Is that anything like Client Number 9?) I am deeply offended that I was not referenced by name but that my comments were deemed racist or povertyist. Much of the South end of town is lower rent and black but does not have the bent of the Mission Street area does. My comment about relocating the residents to Essex County Jail was a joke about all the crime that takes place in that area (well documented by the police blotter on these pages). I joke because the situation depresses me. Any reasonable person should have realized I did not mean send innocent people to jail because they live in an area with a lot of crime. I grew up in East Orange and know what I’m talking about. It’s not abstract to me the way it is to a lot of guilty white people. We also cannot excuse criminals because they are poor or of a certain race, because most poor people of any race work multiple jobs so as to not be criminals.
I also got the other poster’s fast food remark the way it was intended and didn’t assume it was racist because it’s cheap food. I too like the occasional Burger King or McDonalds and have to travel to West Orange or Little Falls to get some because Montclair is too upscale for such stuff. Pinky up.
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean everyone is a racist or classicist. This may or may not be in reference to poster 16/21/27/46/49/52/56/59/60.
You know what this part of town needs to be a gateway and walkable? A funicular, or cable car, or trolley to help people get up the hill to Fullerton/Church Streets, where the real shopping starts taking place.
Dear unmit,
Don’t agree with you about the “real shopping” comment, but I believe the Mayor has already made similar suggestions with respect to Bloomfield Ave transportation. Unlike your suggestions, his are for real.
I also attended a presentation, given to Council, that proposed to build a median down Bloomfield Ave, from one end to another, that would be filled with flowers, trees, etc.
The presenter suggested it would look like the Miracle Mile in Chicago. We spent about 30 minutes during the Council meeting discussing this.
And I walked out of one Council meeting during a presentation about building a light rail system between Montclair State and Upper Montclair.
The Matrix is beginning to look like non-fiction compared to some of this stuff that “some” have been talking about.
Unmitigated gall, I said that people made disparaging comments about the neighborhood and on a story about how to redevelop the area, you say that all the residents should go to jail. I think your comments provide a very nice example of my claim. Well done! I said nothing about you being racist or hating poor people. That being said and after further consideration, you do sound like a racist, classist ignoranus. Really though, funny joke about sending everyone to jail! Even though the majority of people that live in a high crime area are not criminals, they should go to jail. Hee hee ha ha, you’re a regular laugh riot.
Re development wise, Bloomfield Avenue is such a tough nut to crack! It has just about every obstacle in the book to make it not user friendly and hard to re develop. (the slope + fast vehicular traffic + the narrowness + parking maneuvers + underground waterways + underground tunnels = no enjoyable public gathering points) There are great buildings, great people and a great view of NYC. My considerations would be a reconciliation between the public need for an enjoyable gathering place, relaxing pedestrian shopping and the fast busy ski slope of Bloomfield Avenue traffic. the solution would serve to tie the center back together with an ample public space.
My phantasmagorical urbanistic solution would be to cover Bloomfield Avenue with a Public Plaza Deck on the second story of the buildings, from South Park, practically down to the Wellmont, crossing over “5 Corners” The fast Bloomfield Avenue traffic would just quickly flow under a big sunny Mall space at the second level. The historic Hinck Building’s public atrium space (I consider this to be like the “Galleria” in Milano) could have two levels, connecting the public to the upper mall level as well as the quaint Church Street. This idea would also create shop spaces on the second floor of the existing buildings. We cant consider excavating Bloomfield Avenue, to sink the traffic level because of the waterways found right under the surface. This is my current Montclair Center Dreamworld solution. It could be like the HIGHLINE in Chelsea but flanked my shops. (I’m proud to say that the Highline is designed my my Cooper Union schoolmates Diller & Scoffidio!)
The Gateway proposal is an extremely valid and comprehensive framework. Implementing the concepts of the proposal would probably result in smart growth development similar to the successful rebuilding of East Orange Center. If you don’t know today’s East Orange Center, take a drive…it works well and looks great. East Orange had a world class shopping district 100 years ago…B Altmans…Peck & Peck…Arnold Constable Doops..etc… they they tore the Parkway through and then 280. East Orange was destroyed and now is coming back great. Where the Gateway Re Development Plan could achieve similar positive results for Montclair, somehow, I feel that we could put our heads together and come up with something more special and valuable. The remnants of Montclair Center that we see today were built a century ago to be the town center for the second wealthiest community in the U.S….thats something special.
frankgg, you are truly a visionario. I hope the right people listen to you and consider your expertise and vision. In bocca al lupo! (A phrase from my college Italian class that I’ve always loved.)
Creppi il Lupo, Tudlow!!!! Altretanto! Che bella! Grazie!
Frank, ho potuto ascoltare tutto il giorno. Se si decide di correre per il sindaco, hai il mio voto. (Anche se penso che potrebbe avere problemi a portare ROC insieme del piano.)
all the utopian ideas are just day dreaming. if you want to have a successful town center it needs to be business friendly. Forget the pedestrian utopia, people coming to shop will drive and they will need parking. Focus on reality.
Frank ha anche il mio voto.
The Anthem of Right-of-Quixote
By John Lennon
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No liberal utopia below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Saving for tomorrow
Imagine no downtown renovations
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to tax and spend for
And no Democrats too
Imagine all the people
Working with no contracts
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be on budget
Marsupiale, coraggioso!
Grazie tantissime, Walleroo! Sei un gran gentiluomo….apprezzo molto la sua stimatissima considerazione! Amo Montclair moltissimo! Credo pero’ che potrei correre il rischio d’essere la il primo sindaco nella storia di Montclair d’essere assasinato!…perche dico sempre quello che credo d’essere la verita… (Quindi non sono un bravo politico!)
Oh, Tudlow, I explain the gray area to you and you still insist in seeing in black and white. Your pride will not allow you to admit you prejudged with a very narrow spectrum. I’d pity you but I pity those uf us who have to deal with people like you. Maybe we can relocate the Mission Street drug dealers to the Van Vleck House & Gardens.
As for the arrogant Africk, my suggestion about transportation up the slope on Bloomfield Avenue WAS real. As real as the Major’s. The only difference being he has some power to do something about it and I don’t. You can’t make things happen either, apparently, so I guess that means your suggestions are also not “real.” Have a nice walking day shopping on the incline of Bloomfield Ave. I’m sure you do it regularly and are in great shape.
Wow jerserygirl…grazie!!! And Walleroo, I’m TOTALLY cracking up…you’ve made my giornata!
Grazie. Lo so. Anche a me, frankgg.
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3171616537/
just for fun…I tried to see if the scene from Montclair Center and the Lackawana Trainstain are in the trailer (in the link above)
The Gilbreths are a historic Montclair family from the fourth ward. Their big old Victorian house on Eagle Rock Way was demolished long ago. One of the last surviving children (way into his 90s) recently passed away at Crane’s Mill. The “real” remarkable history is the mother’s, Lillian Gilbreth. She was a leading time/motion efficiency engineer for industries and invented the pedal pop up waste container. I love her husband’s idea in the book of rigging all of the bathrooms in the house with language learning records that would activate with the lights so that all of the children would have language lessons while using the bathrooms. Another remarkable family history and house from the fourth ward is the Darden’s. Duke Ellington, Mary McCloed Bethune, Sammy Davis jr. Jackie Robbinson and others were guests there.
Thanks, Frank. I always wondered where their house was located.
http://www.saynotopinnaclebuildinginmontclair.com