The Town Center project planned for the City Hall area might change developers and ultimately could be considered for an office complex.
Diversified Communities and DeBartolo Development are not together anymore, City Administrator/Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier said during last month’s Redevelopment Agency meeting, adding that the DeBartolo firm believes the original concept plan should be reviewed given the retail market. Two phone calls to Debartolo were not returned.
Rahway Redevelopment Commissioner Timothy Nash suggested putting out a Request For Prosposals (RFP) to see who else might be interested.
“If worse comes to worse,” an office complex could be considered, Pelissier said, but has declined to elaborate.
Richard Weissman of Diversified Communities — developers of nearby Riverwalk — declined to comment because he was “in the middle of resolution of issues.” Asked for a timeline of when resolution might occur, Weissman said in an email: “It has many moving parts, including in big part the market conditions.”
Diversified Communities made a presentation to City Council in February 2007, proposing a mixed-use project of 175,000 square feet of retail, a 125-room hotel, 375 units of housing (1/3 for sale, 2/3 rentals), along with parking decks totaling 1,300 spaces. Diversified, developers of Riverwalk, was named redeveloper last March and purchased the property from the Redevelopment Agency last summer for $725,000. In October, it signed a deal to with DeBartolo.
That town center was a key part for Rahway downtown. It also was a factor in my decision to move into Rahway because I liked the positive changes. I hope the mayor can salvage this one.
Office complex? That’s the location for our future Trader Joe’s! ;-)I suppose there are worse things to have downtown than a new office complex, but I’m still hoping for a major retail store that would fit some need in the area: bookstore, grocery store, etc.
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A Trader Joe’s would be incredible. Or any nice supermarket. Amen.
Speaking of projects in Rahway, does anyone know what’s going on with KC Jazz Restaurant? They’re website advertising a fall 2008 opening but it’s hard to imagine that since I haven’t noticed construction at their location. Just curious….
I was truly hoping that the proposed Trader’s Joe Store would come to fuition. There are tons of people residing within Rahway, who don’t have a car, and there soon will be a greater influx of people, with the development of the condo’s near the train station. All of which will require the access of a grocery store/food market. With a store like Trader Joe’s, could you imagine attention that Rahway would acquire. As well as, the potential revenue the store would bring to the town. Come on guys… think this out carefully…
Don't count on Rahway politics for anything if they think Diversified is ever going to come through.