Proposed development 479 Valley Street
Gilgul said:
http://www.placenj.com/2017/05...
Thanks for being so concerned for us poor Maplewood folk.
Won't be served by the 31 bus for long. From what I understand, they intend to reduce the route to twice a day to the Loop...
31 currently runs rush hours only. Not much 31 service now to Maplewood. Property is next door to an existing multifamily building, so not entirely a commercial area.
I can't wait to see what the TC gives away to the developer on this project.
Just when I had grown used to the chain link fence and weeds, someone comes along and builds something useful on it.
I am not lazy, but would you really call that within walking distance of both stations?
FilmCarp said:
I am not lazy, but would you really call that within walking distance of both stations?
Absolutely. The route in either direction has the added advantage of being mostly flat.
According to Google Maps, the walking distance from this site to Maplewood Station is 0.6 mile, and to South Orange Station it’s 0.9 mile.
According to Google Maps it's 12 minutes (0.6mi) from the Maplewood Station and 17 minutes (0.9mi) from South Orange station. That's walking distance.
I'll be interested to see how much complaining this generates. Although the CVS, Avalon and Wawa generated minimal complaints, but hopefully you Maplewood folk can get it together for this one. Maybe someone can start MT4evs and lobby for it to stay an empty lot.
I live right near there - on Valley - and don't think that is a bad thing. That plot of land is a blight. I'd personally much rather see it put to use.
Yes it is walking distance to both. I'm a few more blocks into Maplewood and can get to the train in 8 mins.
Agree with orzabelle. As you drive from Parker to South Orange Ave. It is a mix of commercial/retail/food/auto, multiple family residences and apartments.....and, notably, several vacant lots and business that contribute to a rundown impression for the whole street. The newer construction gives an impression of vitality that has been missing for a long time. Next, it would be a great improvement if new tenants could be found for the old News Record building and the tiny, empty fast food joint by the high school.
Seems like a long-overdue development. 20 units doesn't sounds like a huge building. The two white buildings next to it each have eight apartments, if memory serves. A friend lived in one of them but it was 20 years ago.
Something's going on there (News Record building); there has been activity in the last few weeks.
I suppose 20 more apartments won't be too much, but when does the new construction stop and the INFRASTRUCTURE get addressed?
krnl said:
Agree with orzabelle. As you drive from Parker to South Orange Ave. It is a mix of commercial/retail/food/auto, multiple family residences and apartments.....and, notably, several vacant lots and business that contribute to a rundown impression for the whole street. The newer construction gives an impression of vitality that has been missing for a long time. Next, it would be a great improvement if new tenants could be found for the old News Record building and the tiny, empty fast food joint by the high school.
1. Infrastructure requires public money.
2. There is no unallocated public money.
3. Infrastructure will never be significantly improved.
bets said:
Something's going on there (News Record building); there has been activity in the last few weeks.
I suppose 20 more apartments won't be too much, but when does the new construction stop and the INFRASTRUCTURE get addressed?
krnl said:
Agree with orzabelle. As you drive from Parker to South Orange Ave. It is a mix of commercial/retail/food/auto, multiple family residences and apartments.....and, notably, several vacant lots and business that contribute to a rundown impression for the whole street. The newer construction gives an impression of vitality that has been missing for a long time. Next, it would be a great improvement if new tenants could be found for the old News Record building and the tiny, empty fast food joint by the high school.
Very fair question Bets.
While lots of us, myself included, support much of this development, it is very reasonable to expect that there be an accompanying plan to accommodate the strain on the roads, rails, sewers, and everything else that the development begets.
Traffic is significantly up in the 18 yrs we've been here. NJT ridership too, of course.
Red_Barchetta said:
1. Infrastructure requires public money.
2. There is no unallocated public money.
3. Infrastructure will never be significantly improved.
Maybe there needs to be some kind of infrastructure contribution by major new developments. They will add stress to the infrastructure, so shouldn't they contribute toward improving it?
sac said:
Red_Barchetta said:
1. Infrastructure requires public money.
2. There is no unallocated public money.
3. Infrastructure will never be significantly improved.
Maybe there needs to be some kind of infrastructure contribution by major new developments. They will add stress to the infrastructure, so shouldn't they contribute toward improving it?
I'm with you, but if they twist arms to get out of paying appropriate taxes, why would they contribute for infrastructure? I'm not going to rail against the decisions made by our volunteer local trustees, but they need to hold the line on handing out these waivers. If a development cannot succeed financially within the dictates of the market, it should not get built.
There are no minutes posted yet from last night's neeting. I'll check later. I don't know if there would be publicly available concept drawings.
I think that the development that's happened in that stretch of Valley has overall been positive. I know some people are unhappy about the appearance of the CVS but I think it's an improvement over the A&P building. And a 20-unit apartment building will be nicer than the weed covered concrete pad that's been there. As others have suggested I hope it's a net financial contributor. I honestly don't see how it wouldn't be.
I really wish that everyone here who is talking about pilots would friend Sheena on facebook and watch her video. It explains a lot. One function of a PILOT is to give the town much more say in what a developer does. I agree that they are not always appropriate, and I have no idea if this developer will apply for one, but there is more involved than people here understand, and I would butcher the explanation. Watch the video.
FilmCarp said:
I really wish that everyone here who is talking about pilots would friend Sheena on facebook and watch her video. It explains a lot. One function of a PILOT is to give the town much more say in what a developer does. I agree that they are not always appropriate, and I have no idea if this developer will apply for one, but there is more involved than people here understand, and I would butcher the explanation. Watch the video.
+1. It's an excellent video.
Ugh. Yet another thing us Facebook holdouts are locked out from.
mrincredible said:
Ugh. Yet another thing us Facebook holdouts are locked out from.
Trying to copy the link to the video.
https://www.facebook.com/sheen...
The gist of it seems to be that the PILOTs are what gives a town real leverage to negotiate significant changes with the developer. Without the PILOT developers could do whatever they want within code. So REALLY if one is the sort of person that wants a say in the project then you should be in favor of PILOTs - because without it there isn't any leverage. Pretty much every thing everyone likes to gripe about can only be controlled with the leverage that a PILOT gives. So the uptight people that complain about PILOTs should actually be in favor of them. Up is down. Inside is out. Cats and dogs living together... mass hysteria!
http://www.placenj.com/2017/05...