Marylawn Deal with Orange Board of Ed Falls Through, SOMSD Considering

http://villagegreennj.com/scho...  

btw - The BOE approved a 3.56% tax increase in the  2017 budget last night. Ouch!

The town-house development that had been originally proposed on the Marylawn site is looking better and better as time goes on. 

I agree Cramer.  And it would be n1ce to get some additional tax revenue.

librarylady said:

I agree Cramer.  And it would be n1ce to get some additional tax revenue.

A well-planned development has a lot of positives going for it, with additional tax revenues being a big plus, particularly since we're being hit with a 3.46% school tax increase this year. 

eta - My guess is that the residents in the area who were opposed to a town-house development may feel  differently now, after their opposition to the SHU medical school expansion and now this. 

Praise the lord; let's get the property developed and added to the tax roll.

... except it needs to be the kind of development that does not add to the tax burden (i.e., does not add more kids to our bursting schools). That's the tricky part.

The last thing we need is another large apartment building with a few stores on the first floor, gift-wrapped with a PILOT from the town.

Given that they have stated that the budget picture looks extremely difficult for years down the road, and all the needs of the existing aging infrastructure I would guess that the district was just being polite to Collum.

My fear is that the SOMSD will buy the building BEFORE having a renovation and financial plan (much like the TC in Maplewood did with the Women's Club).  Just because it's available doesn't mean the district should buy it.  It certainly should be considered, but with the proper amount of due diligence and planning.

.

At Monday's BOE meeting, the District's demographer consultant gave a report indicating that the district will need to identify 23 new classrooms in the coming years to avoid severe over-crowding and limiting the disruptive impact of any redistricting (this includes replacement of all the old temporary classrooms before any new rooms can be constructed).  Hence the renewed interest in Marylawn, for good or bad.

Yes, I know the site.  Any development in S.O. that could possibly involve town houses, apartments, or any type of living quarters will affect both towns since it the population will increase and potentially add kids to the school system.  Same goes for any development in Maplewood.

I'm worried about what will be proposed in the future.  Based on all the recent development in both towns, chances are good that it will be a high density apartment building.

cramer said:

yahooyahoo said:

The last thing we need is another large apartment building with a few stores on the first floor, gift-wrapped with a PILOT from the town.

Yahooyahoo, 

I think that you live in Maplewood. What had been proposed was not a large apartment building but a townhouse development. Do you even know where the site is? 

yahooyahoo said:

Yes, I know the site.  Any development in S.O. that could possibly involve town houses, apartments, or any type of living quarters will affect both towns since it the population will increase and potentially add kids to the school system.  Same goes for any development in Maplewood.

What had been proposed is in the past.  I'm worried about what will be proposed in the future.  Based on all the recent development in both towns, chances are good that it will be a high density apartment building.

cramer said:

yahooyahoo said:

The last thing we need is another large apartment building with a few stores on the first floor, gift-wrapped with a PILOT from the town.

Yahooyahoo, 

I think that you live in Maplewood. What had been proposed was not a large apartment building but a townhouse development. Do you even know where the site is? 

I was wrong that the original plan had been to build townhouses - Marylawn had been talking to a developer who wanted to build an apartment building.  (It's been a while.)

https://patch.com/new-jersey/s...

Jeffrey Bennett · University of Chicago
If the SOMSD can't buy the property, it should be opened up to townhouse development.

The site is right next to a train station and high-density housing in SOMA has very few public school children.

Unless a redevelopment were PILOTed, the new structures would surely be net contributors to our school system.

Like · Reply · 1 · 23 hrs

Daria Knarvik · Realtor Sales Associate at Keller Williams Mid-Town Direct Realty
I agree whole heartedly. There is a huge demand for townhouses.....particularly from empty nest residents downsizing who would love to stay in town. .....and virtually no inventory

Like · Reply · 22 hrs

The above are comments on the VillageGreen story. 

Jeffrey Bennett - I agree. Since the site is not in a redevelopment area, the redevelopment can't receive a 30 year PILOT, with 95% of the revenues going to the town. It could receive a 5-year rehabilitation PILOT in which case the development would not pay any taxes on the buildings in year one and then pays 20% of the normal tax in year two increasing in 20% tranches each year until year six when it would pay full taxes. But in this case,  revenues are allocated in normal proportions to the town, schools and county. Given the fact that the townhouse development at Orange Lawn did not receive a 5-year PILOT, it doesn't seem that one would be necessary to attract a developer.

 Since SO pays $1000 more per student than Maplewood and Maplewood pays a higher percentage of school taxes than South Orange, SO taxpayers would benefit even if there were some kids in the development.  

The very last thing needed with regard to this property is for the Board of Trustees to become involved early in the game.  There is a strong need for adult townhouses and this should be the immediate objective, not an apartment building or some other cockamamie structure.   No matter what is proposed, there will surely be objection but that is the nature of things in South Orange.

Given the track record of the BOT with regard to the Orange Lawn property and the fast-sinking Village Hall projects a health dose of cynicism is justified.  This process could be expedited if the current owner of the Orange Lawn property were sent a bill for property taxes, which of course would tick off the current registered owner who is provided with public services at no cost.

What is the zoning for the Marylawn property, other than a school?

IIRC, residential

Thanks.

max_weisenfeld said:

IIRC, residential

Commercial, Miscellaneous

https://main.govpilot.com//web...  

COMM-MISCELLANEOUS

Assessment Building: $4,261,900
Assessment Land: $332,100
Assessment Total: $4,594,000
Block 1: 416
Building Area(sq.Ft): 0
Building Description: 2SB
City Value: $5,256,293
Class 4 Code: 
EPL Type Use: 10
Land Description: 2.091 AC
Last Sale Date: 1/1/1900
Last Sale Price: $0
Lot 1: 8
Lot Depth: 200
Lot Size: 200
Lot Width: 136
Owner Complete Name: 
MARYLAWN OF THE ORANGES
Property & Mailing Address Same: Y
Property Address: 445 SCOTLAND RD
Property Area(Acre): 445 SCOTLAND RD
Property City: SOUTH ORANGE VILLAGE TWP
Property County: ESSEX
Property Identifier: 0719_416_8
Property Is Business: Y
Property Mailing Address: 
445 SCOTLAND ROAD, SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. 07079
Property State: NJ
Property Zip Code: 07079
State Property Class: 4A
Tax Map page: M11
Total Units: 0
Year Built: 1956