Post Office Building Petition

There's a new petition going around re: post office building:

https://www.change.org/p/maplewood-nj-township-committee-stop-the-demolition-of-the-post-office-building

There's a new petition going around with a deceptive website.

Not going to sign.

Signed it.

I do agree with the demand for a financial model. There should have been one for the Woman's Club as well.

However, the building is not "historically significant."

There's a new petition going around with a deceptive website.

??

son_of_soma said:

There's a new petition going around with a deceptive website. ??

"Perfectly functional"
Doesn't that mean it's ready to move into?
Without any remodeling and the like.

So, yes. It is deceptive.

I believe "functional" means that it works (which it does...).

It's striking how few of the 100 people who've signed this thing actually live in Maplewood. Lot of people who grew up here and left. Not saying they can't have an opinion, but they don't exactly have a pressing interest in the future of the town, either. It's easy to oppose progress when all you care about is your childhood memories.

I live in Maplewood and I signed it

son_of_soma said:

I believe "functional" means that it works (which it does...).

It is no longer a post office and will not work for the purpose for which it is intended. Not without significant investment.

Actually a local group, guess who, was given permission by the local Post Master to tour the building.
Among the group was an Engineer and an Architect.

They found, increadeadably that not one brick is out of place or needed re pointing.
The Structural Steel is in excellent condition and the building is probably the strongest in Maplewood Village.

The windows need just a small bit of work to seal them I believe.

All in all the building is in wonderful shape.

Now of course that is for a building designed and used as a Post Office..............to re purpose the building will require work.

Signed

All of the above information was conveyed to the Township Committee at last evening's meeting.........during the public discussion .

Thank you Author for all of your work.

So, we think developers will be interested in rehabbing the existing structure because...? I am pretty sure that if a developer proposes replacing the existing structure, it has more to do with cost than it does with some building demolition fetish.

Also thanks to everyone who is working so hard working on this effort. Well done.

Look around Maplewood. All new homeowners have rehabbed their homes instead of tearing them down to build new. That seems to be the culture of our residents . Rehabbing.

Hrumph said:

Look around Maplewood. All new homeowners have rehabbed their homes instead of tearing them down to build new. That seems to be the culture of our residents . Rehabbing.

Most homeowners aren't running their homes like you would run a business where things like return on investment matter.

donnieo said:

http://joestrupp.blogspot.com/2015/03/township-committee-arrogance-shows-in.html

If 30 voters complain out of 4,000 and the T.C. ignores those 30 voters, it isn't arrogance.

@tJohn The Township will be giving the developer $200,000 to tear the building down, so put that money towards repurposing and you have a good start.

There is no question that a builder is in business to make money. No one begrudges him that. The problem becomes when his profit infringe on the welfare of the Township and the Betterment of the Quality of life of the citizens of the Township.

It would stand to reason that rehabbing an already existing, strong facility would be more cost efficient than knocking it down, hauling it away and starting from scratch. It terms of Basic Green the energy saving would be inc-readable. I will not go in to the litany of indoor/outdoor restaurant etc possibilities.......but they are there and we are the town to put our thinking caps on and decide what is best for this...........our Town.

We can because we think we can.

son_of_soma said:

@tJohn The Township will be giving the developer $200,000 to tear the building down, so put that money towards repurposing and you have a good start.

Aha. Must be a kickback scheme. There couldn't be a sound business explanation such as no developer can make money given the constraints.

author said:

There is no question that a builder is in business to make money. No one begrudges him that. The problem becomes when his profit infringe on the welfare of the Township and the Betterment of the Quality of life of the citizens of the Township.

It would stand to reason that rehabbing an already existing, strong facility would be more cost efficient than knocking it down, hauling it away and starting from scratch. It terms of Basic Green the energy saving would be inc-readable. I will not go in to the litany of indoor/outdoor restaurant etc possibilities.......but they are there and we are the town to put our thinking caps on and decide what is best for this...........our Town.

We can because we think we can.

Oh yes, our fair green town that previously voted down a turf field we desperately need because Whole Foods doesn't carry organic, free-range artifical turf.

New construction can easily be more green that existing.

The Station House Apartments scored so low in terms of the Real Green no one mentions that anymore.

tjohn said:

donnieo said:

http://joestrupp.blogspot.com/2015/03/township-committee-arrogance-shows-in.html

If 30 voters complain out of 4,000 and the T.C. ignores those 30 voters, it isn't arrogance.

The TC is ignoring the facts quoted because they are not convenient.

Please ...........if you did not read this information above.......read it now


http://joestrupp.blogspot.com/2015/03/township-committee-arrogance-shows-in.html

No, thanks.

Oh please. The revaluation affected a large number of people as compared with a small number of vocal opponents of the post office project. I don't think it will cost Vic or Jerry their seats. The overwhelming majority of people in the town just don't care that much about the post office. They might have an opinion, but it is pretty far down on their list of concerns.

author said:

Actually a local group, guess who, was given permission by the local Post Master to tour the building.
Among the group was an Engineer and an Architect.

They found, increadeadably that not one brick is out of place or needed re pointing.
The Structural Steel is in excellent condition and the building is probably the strongest in Maplewood Village.

The windows need just a small bit of work to seal them I believe.

All in all the building is in wonderful shape.

Now of course that is for a building designed and used as a Post Office..............to re purpose the building will require work.

Feel free to line up a better offer for the building. The TC will be forced to consider it.

Signed.