Demolition looming for Campbell Street building

The industrial supply company that eventually will make way for a 116-unit rental complex could be out of its Campell Street facility within the next few weeks.

Clay Bonny of Heartstone Development expects A&M Industrial to move out of the Campbell Street building by the middle of next month, anticipating another six to eight weeks to after that for demolition to begin. That would put a timeline for demolition sometime in June. Some activity is noticeable around the neighboring home at 1442 Campbell St. (corner of Elm) that also will be razed to make way for the five-story project, which changed its name from Station Place to Metro Rahway.

A call to A&M Industrial yielded a recorded greeting indicating that they have moved around the corner to 37 W. Cherry St. for the time being, with a distribution facility on Hopkinson Street.

Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier told Redevelopment Agency commissioners earlier this month that Heartstone has filed an application with the city for a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) but he will ask that it not be acted upon until other issues are resolved with the project. A&M Industrial is apparently seeking some relocation assistance via litigation.

The A&M property was acquired by Metro Rahway Urban Renewal, LLC in East Hanover for $2.87 million on Nov. 20, according to property records.

Closing near on property for artist housing

A deal is nearly done and closing should be completed soon for the Elizabethtown Gas building property that is planned as 60 units of affordable artist housing in the Arts District.

Continue reading Closing near on property for artist housing

Two developers in talks about Wheatena property

The vision for the old Wheatena property on Elizabeth Avenue has gone through a number of iterations for more than a decade, from some 300 townhouses to 130 condominiums.
Continue reading Two developers in talks about Wheatena property

KC Jazz site could become parking

The building that was to become a jazz club is no longer structurally safe and developers are ready to cut their losses on the project.

File photo

Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier reported to the Redevelopment Agency earlier this month that Ronald Esposito, an attorney representing E.T. Building, LLC, said the property is plagued by multiple problems: the building is structurally unsafe, plumbing has been ripped out due to theft, and a leaking roof has created water damage. The building has no value but RSI bank still is owed some $400,000 on the mortgage, he said.

Should the bank take the property in foreclosure, Pelissier said the Parking Authority could negotiate with the bank to see what  the best use of the property might be, most likely as parking since it’s needed in the area of Seminary Avenue and Irving Street area.

The Redevelopment Agency last year granted Esposito’s request to lift a restriction that the property be developed specifically as a jazz club. For years, the former Kelly’s Pub site was slated to become KC Jazz restaurant, receiving Planning Board approval in July 2007.

Possible changes, delays for Lafayette Village

State environmental regulations are forcing some minor design changes for Meridia Lafayette Village while the developer also has requested more space to redesign the 115-unit project more favorably.

Continue reading Possible changes, delays for Lafayette Village

City budget estimates average $116 tax increase

A municipal budget presented Monday night forecasts an average $116 increase in the city’s portion of the tax bill.

Continue reading City budget estimates average $116 tax increase

Council OKs water rate, taxi fare hikes

The City Council tonight approved three separate ordinances to raise water rates and taxi fares, as well as a revised downtown redevelopment plan.

The governing body last month introduced the ordinance (O-11-13) to increase water rates as well as the ordinance (O-12-13) to increase taxi fares. Here’s a Google Map that details the taxi zone boundaries (and has more than 1,800 views).

Virtually all three ordinances were approved unanimously, 9-0, with the exception of the redevelopment plan, which had one abstention (Council President Samson Steinman). There was no comment from council members on the three measures:
O-6-13, revised redevelopment plan
O-11-13, water rates
O-12-13, taxi fares

City Redevelopment Plan to be revised

The City Council is set to approve a revised redevelopment plan that will consolidate more than three dozen amendments to the existing, 15-year-old redevelopment plan.

Continue reading City Redevelopment Plan to be revised