NEWSFLASH - Greg Lembrich and Nancy Adams win Primary! Jerry Concedes
I have a number of friends who supported Village Keepers. When we discussed it , their main objections were to the PILOT. For them, it was a tax issue, that it wasn't fair that they, as homeowners should have to shoulder the burden of high property taxes and see a developer making big profit and getting a tax break at the same time.
Some objected to an oversized building. Only one said we should save the post office.
I wonder how they will feel if Village Keepers starts costing them money by filing a nuisance lawsuit.
How will they feel if the post office space stays empty for years.
How will they feel if the town is pressured by a vocal minority to forego what would eventually be millions in tax revenue and spend millions to repurpose the PO and maintain the public space.
Even the opponents who seem to be threatening a lawsuit admit that the proposed demolition and development do not violate the letter of the law, only what they term the spirit of the law.
If Village Keepers tries to derail the process and bully the TC, the MVA and the design committee by filing a lawsuit, I think the tide will turn immediately against them and those behind that move will very very quickly become among the most unpopular, perhaps even the most reviled people in Maplewood.
BE SMART ABOUT THIS.
If you really really hate the proposed building work WITH the TC and involved parties for a compromise.
If saving the PO building is financially viable show people how that will work.
I doubt that the people who supported VK because of objections to the pilot would be willing to see more tax dollars spent to save the building and convert it to public space.
If the real objection is because the proposed building is too big and too ugly, then work to make it smaller and more attractive.
Try to forget ego and personalities. Do what is best for the town.
There is a real need for apartments in the village. I believe that more retail space, if well done, would also add to the vibe in the village and would be a positive thing.
What if there could be an attractive two story building that would provide apartments, parking, better traffic flow, retail, better access to the train station, public space, tax revenue and enough profit to entice a developer. Wouldn't that be great for the town. Wouldn't that be worth a pilot.
That may be something everyone could compromise on. Maybe that way everyone would win.
Has anyone actually determined the cost of the PILOT to the town/district?
Many, and everyone gets different values so there's no agreement on the actual cost
ParticleMan said:
Has anyone actually determined the cost of the PILOT to the town/district?
Sarah.............one comment about your recent post. " Make the building smaller"
The contractor has shown himself to be extremely adverse to any lose of revenue.
He is the same contractor who put up the Avenue in South Orange
According to a list of his activities posted by Trans Parent , even after all
contracts were signed he constantly tried to squeeze more money out of South Orange.
He lied to the TC and people attending a TC meeting when he said he could not make this building
any smaller. Four days later and under pressure he could.
I guarantee that if anyone succeeds in taking monies from this guy he will walk.
One of the prominent architects in town asked him if he could reduce the height of the building.
His quote was no because it was not fiscally sound. I read that as there would be less money for him.
As a matter of fact when he did reduce the height of the building what were two one bedroom apartments
became two studios.
Yes he would find himself meeting with less opposition if he agreed to a significant shrinkage to the building.
ArchBroad said:
He made it smaller because of the PILOT. It wasn't for free
Do you have facts to support this?
Kurt
davidfrazer said:
The operative question: how long before VK sues?
Bingo. And shame on VK if they do so.
Wendy Lauter
If it truly is not fiscally sound to build a building smaller than 3 stories with tenants paying high rents and retail paying higher rents, then how can it be fiscally sound ( other than in an alternate universe) to retrofit the current PO to allow parking, attractive facades on all sides and have public space and a fencing academy and artist space.
This is the REAL world. Repurposing the PO into public space would cost money in lost tax revenues. It would cost even more money to build, and to maintain.
For those who would repurpose into public space, or even into commercial space. Where would the money come from.
They did.
wendy said:
davidfrazer said:Bingo. And shame on VK if they do so.
The operative question: how long before VK sues?
Wendy Lauter
Well should it come to pass that the building will not rise then there is no reason not to ask the TC and general public to ask for viable ideas.
Why bother? What architect, builder, developer or contractor will want to work with us after this lawsuit?
ml1 said:
Why bother? What architect, builder, developer or contractor will want to work with us after this lawsuit?
The White Star Line continued to thrive after the sinking of the Titanic
However the Chairman was forced out of office
that doesn't even make any sense as a response.
seriously -- business people look for stability and predictability when they enter a deal. how can our township now promise that any deal we enter won't be obstructed by a primary election and an advocacy group with a lawyer?
author' response is an apt and fertile comparison: Post House = Titanic. TC = Chairman. Future obstruction can be avoided by being more careful to Get.It.Right
wendy said:
davidfrazer said:Bingo. And shame on VK if they do so.
The operative question: how long before VK sues?
Wendy Lauter
The suit was filed two weeks ago. I note that Fred Profeta did not mention this in his posts on this thread. Maybe he didn't know but he does seem close to the plaintiff, Village Keepers, Inc.
Apparently they did not wait. The suit was filed two weeks ago and if the information I received after midnight is correct the Township was found to be in violation by the courts.
pastrez said:
author' response is an apt and fertile comparison: Post House = Titanic. TC = Chairman. Future obstruction can be avoided by being more careful to Get.It.Right
"Get it Right" is entirely subjective and thus an entirely meaningless cliche.
ParticleMan said:
pastrez said:"Get it Right" is entirely subjective and thus an entirely meaningless cliche.
author' response is an apt and fertile comparison: Post House = Titanic. TC = Chairman. Future obstruction can be avoided by being more careful to Get.It.Right
Well of course it is a subjective statement. The issue has been made a partisan one so most statements issued are subjective.
author said:
ParticleMan said:Well of course it is a subjective statement. The issue has been made a partisan one so most statements issued are subjective.
pastrez said:"Get it Right" is entirely subjective and thus an entirely meaningless cliche.
author' response is an apt and fertile comparison: Post House = Titanic. TC = Chairman. Future obstruction can be avoided by being more careful to Get.It.Right
My point is that it is meaningless. You might as well say "Future obstruction can be avoided by being more careful to do it our way. "
Wrong court suit..............in the early morning hours I received a communication from a good friend who is far more detail oriented then I . Probably due to the lateness of the hour it read "court suit settled".
Since many of us have been obsessing on the recently filed suit by the Village Keepers I assumed that was the subject of the message. Wrong court suit and my message was pre mature
Sorry if I spoiled anyone's early morning.
I hope that VK has made it clear to their financial supporters that their donations are not tax-deductible.