Dickens Village versus Transit Village - a Creeping Malaise archived

Maplewood, New Jersey is very special place. It is small town America barely 20 miles from Manhattan. The proximity of the two makes it that much more unique. It is a small town with big city values- an incredibly inclusive community encompassing a wide spectrum of socio-economic levels and diverse constellations of household inhabitants. This town is chock full of people who are not merely tolerant, but rather who celebrate the differences among themselves. Many of us chose to set roots and raise our children here. Our now grown children express their gratitude at having been raised in this milieu.

The center of Maplewood is aptly called The Village because of its small scale intimacy. Less than half a dozen blocks long, The Village itself has remained remarkably similar to the village it once was at the turn of the last century, while still flanked by and inseparably linked to the 1902 train station. The Village sits on a small two lane winding road- no large, typical suburban thoroughfare running through it. In fact, to access The Village one must navigate narrow residential streets dotted with century old homes. It is a hidden jewel.

The community celebrates together year round, from Halloween, to an old fashioned Fourth of July, to a Dickens Village held on the village green, Ricalton Square, each winter. A tradition in Maplewood for more than fifty years, Dickens Village is a grouping of diminutive period buildings representing and re- telling the story of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Viewing Dickens Village is as opening a nested matryoshka doll. It is a miniature village set within our little Village of Maplewood. In effect, Dickens Village exemplifies, accentuates, and reflects the small scale intimacy of Maplewood that has continually attracted so many to settle here. Dickens Village is a strong symbol of our community.

The Transit Village Initiative is a program sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit. Its goal is to create large scale, mixed use, multi-story, high density development near transit stations to include retail, multi-family housing, services, and more. The Transit Village Initiative is appropriate to and has been quite successful for depressed urban areas such as Elizabeth and Jersey City, as well as for ex-urban, sprawling, car dependent areas such as West Windsor. For older, more compact communities such as Maplewood, which has been a walkable, commuter community spanning three centuries, such development is inappropriate and overwhelming to the existing scale and context. For Maplewood to move forward successfully, new development need NOT model the Transit Village Initiative.

Maplewood’s town officials intend to sell a large parcel of public land in The Village- the Post Office site and adjacent lots. This large, central site in the Village has long been owned by Maplewood Township. In fact, it was the location of Maplewood’s first school, built in 1869. This 33,000 square foot parcel includes the land currently occupied by the US Post Office as well as land quite a distance to either side, from Ricalton Square to the Village Coffee Shop.

Three developers (of eight initial developer and architectural firm respondents) are being considered by the overlapping three member Economic Development Committee and five member Township Committee. A final developer selection is expected to be made before this year’s end.

The Redevelopment Plan with new zoning specifically created for this site allows for an over-scaled Transit Village type building to be erected in the center of The Village. It is projected to include retail, grocery, and 25 apartments. The allowed building could potentially max out the site and dwarf the surrounding area. Although the Township Committee has stated that at this time there is no intention of applying for official Transit Village designation, the Redevelopment Plan clearly reflects Transit Village goals in size and use.

Maplewood is developing a serious problem, an epidemic of sorts. It is a problem of a creeping malaise. With some exceptions, residents and merchants have not taken a pro-active stance on the Post Office site or other recent projects (Station House, Maplewood Crossing, Women’s Club, PSEG site, etc.). This is due to a lack of disseminated information and a dearth of communication by town officials. The malaise thus engendered gives the Township Committee and the Economic Development Committee license to make decisions in a vacuum, without proper transparency, communication, or provision of information and process to the populace whose voices they were elected to represent.

This vicious cycle must come to an end.

Still, there are a few who are attempting to make a difference and to open up communication and dialogue in our town. Some are acting individually while others are working with an organization called Engage Maplewood. Our township officials have long dedicated themselves to Maplewood. This is admirable and laudable. However, we must demand that our local government reflect who we are as citizens of this very special, unique town. We must be provided with real time factual data used as a basis for the decision making process so that we may in turn provide informed input to our elected representatives.

Our township officials intend to make decisions regarding the Post Office and adjacent sites before the end of this month. After developer selection, options to modify the design will be severely limited.

However you choose to participate and on whatever side of this discussion you find yourself, it is essential that you contact your local governmental representatives NOW and make your voice heard loud and clear. Let’s let them know that Maplewood deserves a higher standard.

Dickens Village is a wonderful metaphor for Maplewood

Transit Village is a path to a very different future

So fellow Maplewoodians, which will it be – Dickens Village or Transit Village?

A brilliant piece of writing. Dickens, for sure.

Should be required reading for the TC.

Sorry for the naive question but what specifically can people do to help block the 'urbanization' of Maplewood?

case said:

Sorry for the naive question but what specifically can people do to help block the 'urbanization' of Maplewood?

Contact the Township Committee . They have the final say as to what direction the town will proceed in this matter. Use the Maplewood Township Website for the name and e mails or phone numbers of all committee members.

Thanks for the question, case! Not naive at all. One of our concerns is that information and ways to get involved in Maplewood are difficult to find. Here are some options….

RESOURCES & ACTION OPTIONS

1) CONTACT TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS:
Attend and Comment at Township Committee Meetings: NEXT MEETING IS THIS TUESDAY 12/17
First & Third Tuesdays: December 17th, January 7th and 21st, February 4th, etc.

Call and Email: See email addresses below. Full contact information for elected officials is available at: http://www.twp.maplewood.nj.us/index.aspx?nid=216

Economic Development Committee = Vic DeLuca, Kathy Leventhal, and Jerry Ryan

2) ENGAGE MAPLEWOOD:
More than 430 people have signed a petition requesting greater transparency, communication, and participation in this process. Please sign the petition at www.engage-maplewood.org.
You can also “Like” EngageMaplewood on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/EngageMaplewood Email: engage@engage-maplewood.org

3) EMAIL CAMPAIGN:
Please Forward to your own contacts to expand the email circulation.

Be sure to copy to engage@engage-maplewood.org so we can track the response.

Please copy to elected officials:
v.deluca@twp.maplewood.nj.us
k.leventhal@twp.maplewood.nj.us
mbrownlee@twp.maplewood.nj.us
ILarrier@twp.maplewood.nj.us
g.ryan@twp.maplewood.nj.us

RESOURCES:
Information Regarding Transit Village Initiative: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/village/ Information Regarding Dickens Village: http://maplewoodvillagenj.com/dickens-village-2011/

Don't fall for NJT's "Transit Village" bull*****. Look at how "special" they've treated South Orange since it's received this honorable designation.

ouch

-s.

Well, if anything, my visit to southorangevillageonline/maplewoodonline is consistent in its digs at my town

That transit village stuff is scary. Not to mention, we already have housing up to and around our station (except for the park, obv). Is the TC really thinking of designating Maplewood as a transit village ready for development? We seem to be at a good point right now where there are no vacancies and the town is busy and thriving. I don't mind Kings moving across the street, but if its a 3 story apartment bldg above it (designed like those new apts at the police station).....blechh.

Bee said:

Well, if anything, my visit to southorangevillageonline/maplewoodonline is consistent in its digs at my town

I think you will find that most residents of Maplewood are quite fond of South Orange.
We are sister towns on many levels.
What affects Maplewood also affects South Orange, and vice versa.
Please keep that in mind.
This is more than a Maplewood alone issue.

Bee said:

Well, if anything, my visit to southorangevillageonline/maplewoodonline is consistent in its digs at my town

Amen! And I do not think that we respond in kind, although we could... :-(

I gave not seen or heard anything that would imply that the possibility of Maplewood becoming a transit village is even remotely being considered. I suspect the Engage Maplewood people are raising that spectre to bolster their argument. I wish they would stick to the facts and stay away from the innuendo because their position is strong enough without it.

The transit village concept was discussed extensively on MOL just a few months ago.

but...was it discussed in town hall or off online by anyone who would be able to engage in this endeavor????
My experience is that many things that never come to pass are discussed on my beloved MOL.

No, of course they don't discuss this at Town Hall. They discuss openly whether or not you can grill on your front lawn.

If you dont feel your voice is being heard by the TC, you can also copy the members of the Economic Development Committee:
Vic Deluca
Kathy Leventhal
Gerry Ryan

Good luck!

It it looks like a tiger, smells like a tiger and sounds like a tiger it generally is one.

Tiger?

sarahzm said:

I gave not seen or heard anything that would imply that the possibility of Maplewood becoming a transit village is even remotely being considered. I suspect the Engage Maplewood people are raising that spectre to bolster their argument. I wish they would stick to the facts and stay away from the innuendo because their position is strong enough without it.

Bingo.

This is a serious issue and is being shoved forward. Public land is at stake here...open you eyes...it is a tiger - and we will not be able to catch up with it

Giant station-house like apartment building in Dickens village = Transit village, officially designated or not. Add to the list Potemkin village when we get promised nothing more than a Disney-veneered box. The overdevelopment of that plot will ruin the movie set. They claim it will be green because it will have grass on the roof... How about grass on the ground? Maplewood doesn't look like it does by accident. Nearly new houses were torn down to make Memorial Park, there's a reason the Reservation is mostly in Maplewood and nearly not at all in South Orange. The people who ran this town back then were not so short sighted as to chase every buck, and develop every inch.

Go to Memorial Library, to the magazines on the back wall and walk towards the reference section... You'll see a painting on the wall of what used to be where the post office is now. If I was in the position to be voting for anything, it would be to reduce density even further and revert to something like what was torn down in 50's. With the sorting gone, you could put the post office right back where it was but in a much smaller footprint... With a few more parking spots, a few trees, and the grass where it belongs... On the ground.

sarahzm and mjh, the term "transit village" has been avoided and is rarely, if ever mentioned. However, if you go to the next level of detail in both the Master Plan and the info that has been shared defining the Transit Village, the similarities become apparent. Thanks for commenting - EM

Hi. My concern is two fold. First of all I've been whining about it for months, but as a resident who owns property in the Village and one that has owned a business in the Village and is currently working in the Village I continue to wonder why hasn't anyone proactively discussed this with me or given me any rationale or any solid information about this huge development? (Well, I guess I know why.) I know nobody HAS to or is obligated but I believe it would just be good policy, or good politics.

Secondly, the Wall St Journal on December 5th said "Downtown Maplewood Ave., the main drag that features faux tudor architecture, the Post Office is relocating from town land to help Kings supermarket accross the street expand said Mayor DeLuca" So, when did the US Post Office get in the business of helping Kings expand??! And when did our township get in the business of helping King expand?!!

We have a beautiful, quaint Village with a great outdoor resting and small recreational area (Ricalton Square) and we can think of nothing better than helping a supermarket expand and then plopping a bunch of apartments on top? And if they are anything like the Station House, in rental price or facade, my opinion is we should be ashamed of ourselves. We have so much amazing talent here and new residents with vision here.

Thanks for listening,

Great statement...Bravo

extuscan said:

Go to Memorial Library, to the magazines on the back wall and walk towards the reference section... You'll see a painting on the wall of what used to be where the post office is now. If I was in the position to be voting for anything, it would be to reduce density even further and revert to something like what was torn down in 50's. With the sorting gone, you could put the post office right back where it was but in a much smaller footprint... With a few more parking spots, a few trees, and the grass where it belongs... On the ground.

I strongly believe that there should be a town wide referendum before selling public land. It's a big deal!
They sold off a piece of park front land to create Station House. Was the populous consulted on that?

Does anyone think it's okay for our Township Committee to sell off a huge piece of public property without a referendum? Really I'm interested in thoughts here.

I cannot document it, but I will state that the term "transit village" was coveted and spoken of back when the $24M new police station was built and the town had difficulty selling off the old Dunnell site. I believe there was some sort of quid pro quo deal with NJ Transit. Certain number of apartments had to be built within walking distance to qualify for funding.

I also recall he transit village term being discussed on MOL previously.

It may be too late.

sac said:

Tiger?

You rang?

Well I suppose if have to give credit for this new and different (read: schmaltzy) approach to firing up folks over the PO site. Nothing like throwing the argument away from the present back to the Maplewood of 50-100 years ago to get people wistful of days past and up in arms about the present. Nice Rockwellian touch.

That said, I do wonder just how the "malaise" on the part of nearly everyone in Maplewood is so factually explained by only a lack of information and communication by the TC. Interesting, that.

And if anyone can point me to anything relevant and recently said anywhere by anyone on the TC about the transit village designation, please do share.

Not sure about any of this but a simple google search of "transit village" and "Maplewood" does yield a lot of results indicating this is a perception people have...

http://likeafishinwater.com/2012/08/10/meet-me-in-maplewood/