Stop 24Hr Quick Check & Huge Gas Station Proposed on Northfield Opposite Zoo & Near School archived

There will be a Zoning Board meeting tonight at 8pm at Town Hall in West Orange about this project. The site is currently an empty restaurant adjacent to the Best Western Turtle Brook Inn. The developer is seeking 22 variances to make this possible. There are already 2 gas stations on Northfield near this location and 2 convenience stores (albeit they are not open terribly late), not to mention McDonald's, Duncan Doughnuts and a Pizzeria nearby. There are also Stagg Field and St. Cloud Elementary directly behind the site. And the Patch has just reported another 500 car parking deck is being built for the Zoo. How much traffic, congestion, pollution and bad driving will all this add to what is already too much for our area. Please come out tonight and let your opinion be heard.

It was changed to Dunkin Donuts when he came through Ellis Island.

Oy! How could I have forgotten! Thanks.

I'm totally against it … unless it is a Wawa then I'm totally for it ...

Not a WAWA, we should be so lucky, just a Quick Check.

But those Quick Check shops with gas have the best (free) tire pumps around. Something this area sorely needs.

I don't think it will add very much in terms of traffic - that area is already flooded with traffic. They're placing it there to take advantage of the existing traffic. Personally I'd like a big convenience store in that spot. It would come in very handy. And I'm tired of looking at that dead restaurant.

I wouldn't object to a Quick-Chek (or a Wawa) without gas -- a spiffy new convenience store wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But I'm strongly against putting a gas station that close to a school and a park, especially a school. Fumes waft, and kids are stuck there for about 7 hours a day for half the year. They'll talk a good game about all the advanced environmental controls they have these days, and I don't believe it for a second -- you can very frequently smell a gas station from quite some distance a way. Chronic low-level gasoline fume exposure for elementary school kids seems like a terrible, terrible idea.

Whenever we go to the zoo, I look at that dead restaurant and think "I should open a gas station/convenience store in that spot."

A few points.

This sounds like it is going to be built where the Essex House is, not up by Mickey D's.

As far as the parking deck is concerned, with all the development that has taken place around the intersection on most weekends they are parking cars in the field across Cherry Lane and people are walking along the road to get to the Zoo and McLoones. A parking deck, since the cat is already out of the bag is probably a better solution since traffic is often backed up around the makeshift lot.

Tutor Time, now on SO Avenue in Livingston is moving to Northfield Avenue. I always thought this would be where the Essex House is located.

With the new equipment required by the EPA I don't think fumes would be a problem from a gas station.

It will be nice

bobk said:

A few points.

This sounds like it is going to be built where the Essex House is, not up by Mickey D's.

As far as the parking deck is concerned, with all the development that has taken place around the intersection on most weekends they are parking cars in the field across Cherry Lane and people are walking along the road to get to the Zoo and McLoones. A parking deck, since the cat is already out of the bag is probably a better solution since traffic is often backed up around the makeshift lot.

Tutor Time, now on SO Avenue in Livingston is moving to Northfield Avenue. I always thought this would be where the Essex House is located.

With the new equipment required by the EPA I don't think fumes would be a problem from a gas station.

It will be nice

bobk, to correct a couple of things. the quik check is proposed to be on the site next to the best western where the empty chinese restaurant is.

and tutor time is relocating from south orange ave in livingston into the building where ekko, the hibachi place was.

leighan said:

bobk said:

A few points.

This sounds like it is going to be built where the Essex House is, not up by Mickey D's.

As far as the parking deck is concerned, with all the development that has taken place around the intersection on most weekends they are parking cars in the field across Cherry Lane and people are walking along the road to get to the Zoo and McLoones. A parking deck, since the cat is already out of the bag is probably a better solution since traffic is often backed up around the makeshift lot.

Tutor Time, now on SO Avenue in Livingston is moving to Northfield Avenue. I always thought this would be where the Essex House is located.

With the new equipment required by the EPA I don't think fumes would be a problem from a gas station.

It will be nice

bobk, to correct a couple of things. the quik check is proposed to be on the site next to the best western where the empty chinese restaurant is.

and tutor time is relocating from south orange ave in livingston into the building where ekko, the hibachi place was.

smartypants

I don't see this as a problem. It is appropriate use for a commercial strip like this.

Freeway said:

It was changed to Dunkin Donuts when he came through Ellis Island.

Love it!

mzterry said:

How much traffic, congestion, pollution and bad driving will all this add to what is already too much for our area.

I'm in West Orange and I don't have a problem with it. The two convenience stores by me are dirty and poorly run. A Quick Chek would be a nice and welcome change.

drummerboy said:

Personally I'd like a big convenience store in that spot. It would come in very handy. And I'm tired of looking at that dead restaurant.

Same!

RobB said:

Whenever we go to the zoo, I look at that dead restaurant and think "I should open a gas station/convenience store in that spot."

Funny, i think " thats the perfect spot for
my pawn/check chasing/ bail bonds/ we buy gold/ adult books and dvds store" 1 stop shopping.

Leighan, thanks. One way or another the Store and gas station will be a long way from the school and sports field.

Having lived in the general area for several years, one of things the area lacks is a decent convenience store. It is no fun to have to drive to Livingston early on Sunday mornings to pick up the papers.

max_weisenfeld said:

I don't see this as a problem. It is appropriate use for a commercial strip like this.

I'd agree. I don't understand why this is such a bad thing...

I agree as well. It's a commercial strip. It's not lije they're tearing down pristine woods to do this. I often wondered why there aren't more cheap food options right there.

Well, gee, this protest is turning out to be a big dud.

fabulouswalls said:

mzterry said:

How much traffic, congestion, pollution and bad driving will all this add to what is already too much for our area.

I'm in West Orange and I don't have a problem with it. The two convenience stores by me are dirty and poorly run. A Quick Chek would be a nice and welcome change.

I have no problem with a Quick Check, I have a problem with it being open 24/7

In that area? What's the problem?

the major objections i'm reading about on the st cloud (neighborhood) group is that it is a gas station very close to an elementary school and the school field. the fumes/chemical aspect still hasn't been fully addressed. and it is also unclear as to whether the diesel pumps are meant to attract truck traffic off rt 280.

Diesel pump nozzles for large trucks are different than those for cars and light trucks and the two are not compatible with each other. This should be easily figured out. Also, a truck stop needs a lot more area than is available. Ever stopped at one on the Interstates?

bobk said:

Diesel pump nozzles for large trucks are different than those for cars and light trucks and the two are not compatible with each other. This should be easily figured out. Also, a truck stop needs a lot more area than is available. Ever stopped at one on the Interstates?

supposedly that detail wasn't addressed adequately at the meeting last night. (not that i was there)
i can't imagine that it would be very convenient for trucks to leave 280 to gas up on that stretch of northfield.

Is that really close enough to 280 to attract truck traffic?

Seriously. Thats more than a hop skip and jump when you're driving a 53 footer.

leighan said:

the major objections i'm reading about on the st cloud (neighborhood) group is that it is a gas station very close to an elementary school and the school field. the fumes/chemical aspect still hasn't been fully addressed. and it is also unclear as to whether the diesel pumps are meant to attract truck traffic off rt 280.

I've seen the fume issue mentioned, but I just can't imagine that it's that big of a deal. Despite what was said earlier, I almost never smell gas fumes at a gas station. I just find it hard to believe that the volume of fumes would be so great that they'd waft over to Stagg field or St. Cloud. But I can be convinced otherwise if there's some data behind it.

bobk said:

Leighan, thanks. One way or another the Store and gas station will be a long way from the school and sports field.

299 feet from the school, actually. Can't find the distance between it and Stagg Field, but 299 feet from the school, when the zoning requires 500 feet.

mammabear said:

max_weisenfeld said:

I don't see this as a problem. It is appropriate use for a commercial strip like this.

I'd agree. I don't understand why this is such a bad thing...

Because a gas station shouldn't be located 300 feet from a school, basically. Take out the gas station element and have it just be a convenience store and I wouldn't mind it one bit.