| Author |
Message |
    
Nohero
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 10:11 am: |     |
Presumably, if the value of commercial property on Springfield Avenue increases, the assessments will reflect that fact, even without a full revaluation. According to the Reval "FAQ", the town will be able to make adjustments if there is an increase in the value of certain types of property:
Quote:Won't assessment discrepancies develop again in a couple of years?
No doubt different market factors will affect different properties in different ways. The value of one style of house, or one price range, or one neighborhood will change at a different rate than other classes of property. For this reason, all assessment details will be entered into a computer database. This will permit analysis of sales by class of property, style of house, neighborhood, price range, and other factors. The Township Assessor will be able to isolate groups or classes of properties that have changed in relative value and apply revised assessments solely to those properties. Those revised assessments can move either up or down, so if a particular segment of the market suffers a downward change, the Assessor can change assessments to reflect that fact. This can be done as needed, without waiting for another revaluation.
At least, that is what is implied by this information. |
Melidere
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 10:40 am: | |
Nil,
everything that has been done for the last 20 years is a 'long-term' approach, although i do agree that it won't be 10 years before we make adjustments again.
It was at least the second (if not the third) attempt to redistrict these elementary school that finally resulted in some sort of arrangement we could all live with. Revitalizing the village has been a work in progress for as long as i can remember. The upgraging of the sidewalks and the roads have been a long-term project.
The people who built the libraries, the municipal building, set aside land for our parks and our baseball fields...all that is long term planning.
Are you suggesting that if it doesn't make a difference in the next year it isn't worth the trouble? |
Lseltzer
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 10:42 am: | |
Nil,
What Nohero says is true, or at least has always been the township's claim. Part of this reval process has been to install software in the assessor's office that will allow them to take in new market conditions as they occur and adjust valuations. So if an area, Springfield Ave commercial properties for example, were to go up in real value, the assessor would not have to wait for another full reval to adjust values up.
Anyway, that's been the claim. Obviously it's more complicated than this; I don't know what the threshold is for when an area would be revalued given changing market conditions.
LJS |
Joancrystal
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 7:16 pm: | |
The question isn't whether one property is worth more than another property but whether the percentage of change in value between 1981 and 2001 was greater and by how much. If you look at the data base, you will find that some of the biggest tax breaks are going to owners of "million dollar" properties whose value only doubled during this period while properties worth a tenth of that whose value increased by a factor of four or more are seeing hefty increases. Both extremes are seeing lower taxes at the expense of those in the middle. |
Bobk
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 8:14 pm: | |
This Springfield Avenue thing has me confused. I am reasonably familar with the area since I ride my bike there fairly regularly during three seasons of the year.
I will grant you that this isn't an area that anyone would call upscale, with the exception of one fine restaurant. However, I don't see a lot of vacant stores, poorly kept properties, etc. I am not real happy about the porn store, but I guess that is legal.
Its use for autodealers (three), tire stores, paint stores (two), auto repair facilities, plumbing supply stores etc. seems pretty normal for a main artery road that is a state highway.
Since vacancy rates seem low and businesses stay for a long time this would seem to indicate they are making money. I don't really understand cutting the property taxes. And yes I did listen to Ed Gallante's explanation on commercial taxation at the last TC meeting.
Does the TC expect that lower taxes will attract more upscale tenants. Are we going to see Borders, The Gap, Starbucks etc. moving in? Maybe Home Depot will open one of their Villager Hardware stores to replace Maplecrest Hardware?
Are the tax reductions on Springfield an attempt at social engineering on the part of the TC? Or am I missing something here? |
Melidere
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 9:16 pm: | |
i didn't hear mr. galante's explanation of commercial taxation. It looked to me from the database like their properties were valued the same as any other and taxed at the same rates.
Is that not the case? |
Nilmiester
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 8:33 am: | |
Can you imagine the uproar if a porn store moved into the Maplewood Village? Yet supposidly we have one on Springfield Avenue, same town, not that far away. Its like the city that way, a couple of blocks makes a major difference in rent. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 8:40 am: | |
Do we really have one? I live near Springfield and Boyden and shop a lot on Springfield. I've never noticed it.
So, if there is one and I haven't noticed, it's probably not well-marked and not so offensive.
I don't know if there's any space left on Springfield to do development, although renovation could be done. The major space that's probably available is where Ziti's was, but it certainly isn't big enough to hold something like a Borders or a Gap where the land can't hold the store and enough parking to accommodate it. |
Mlj
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 8:44 am: | |
This is the first I have heard of a "porn store." This is depressing news. |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 8:55 am: | |
You have not noticed the adult book store because it's been closed for at least 6 months. It was across the street from Maplewood Public House. It existed for many years and was the subject of some unsuccessful efforts by the town to close it back in the mid to late 80's. Their landlord (an AFL/CIO local headquarters building right next door) did some work on the building -- appeared before the planning board last year. Part of their improvement was to kick out the tenant (a delightful improvement right there) and reuse the building for, I think, storage.
There's relatively new state laws that do not allow such establishments near schools and the like. I would think that in general it would be less likely for such a use to appear again, and the revitalization makes it even less likely.
HTH
Jerry Ryan |
Nohero
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 9:37 am: | |
It's closed? That's terrific! Like a lot of other people, I just assumed that it was still in business, since the building is still there. Maybe a big tarp over the building, with the words "Outta Here" painted on it, would be appropriate. It would certainly make people feel better about that part of Springfield.
Keep up the good work on improving Springfield Avenue. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 9:44 am: | |
It's interesting how many were upset about it, but didn't know it was gone. (I'm not passing judgment, so please don't take it that way.) Do you all travel Springfield Ave. or buy the services and products elsewhere?
If not, why not -- is it the stores, the atmosphere, comparable stores are closer in Millburn or So. Orange?
I think it would helpful to know, because it could help the TC in the revitalization. |
Bobk
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 9:44 am: | |
Well it has been a long cold winter and I haven't been out on my bike much. Glad the adult store is gone.
However, no one really has addressed where they think Springfield Avenue is going. Can it, given the traffic, etc. go upscale? Is that the reason for the low taxes on what seem to be reasonably successful businesses? |
Nohero
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 10:13 am: | |
NJ - I do travel on Springfield, and shop, bank, and use services there (although more up at the Prospect end, usually). Like others, I probably just didn't examine the building closely as I went by (it is set back from the road, with a parking area in front of it), in order to see that it was no longer in operation.
As a result of your question, and Bobk's, I did a quick mental inventory of businesses I use, at least some of the time. There are two convenience stores, a photo developer, dry cleaners, Dunkin' Donuts, the banks, the CVS, the tire store (not often, fortunately), the French restaurant (not often enough, unfortunately) and the farmers' market in the warm weather. Oh, and Pizza Primo (good stuff).
I don't know if the avenue needs to go "upscale" so much as develop more customer traffic, and maybe some additional businesses. I still miss the hardware store, for example. I miss the Karl's appliance store, which we had purchased from in the past. I think the traffic modifications have helped, and hopefully the improvements to the "look" of the avenue will help draw in more people.
Finally, I think maybe a little more publicity might be in order. The fact remains that there are a lot of people (even on the "east side") who do not travel over to Springfield Avenue. There is a very nice flyer for Maplewood Village; maybe a similar one, with an emphasis on the shopping and consumer services, would help draw more customers to Springfield. (If there is one, and I just haven't seen it, well, I am probably not the only one.) |
Melidere
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 11:06 am: | |
i'll never understand how Di Pietro's italian deli keeps being left off these lists. They've simply got the best italian goods this side of mott street. They make their own ravioli and sauce. |
Eliz
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 11:35 am: | |
Being relatively new to Maplewood the few times I've gone to Springfield Ave it was becasue some directed me to get something at Ricciardi Bros - with the traffic and the way the stores are it was hard for me to see what other businesses are there that I would use. Why not a 1 page flyer with a map listing all the businesses? If I don't know they're there I'm not going to use them. I don't know much about the plan to revitalize the area but why not a BID like NYC that is financed by the existing businesses. |
Nohero
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 11:40 am: | |
You're right, I forgot both Di Pietro's and Ricciardi! My "mental inventories" aren't what they used to be, I guess. I'm sure I've left something else off. There are also probably businesses which I either haven't noticed, or which I do not know enough about. All the more reason why a little more publicity might go a long way. |
Jem
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 11:48 am: | |
I also think DiPietro's is terrific. I used to try to go there right after the Farmers' Market, but they're closed on Mondays, which is really unfortunate. Perhaps they could be persuaded to reconsider that Monday closing, particularly during the months when the Farmers' Market is in operation?
I hope there are plans to spruce up the storefronts at the corner of Prospect and Springfield, and soon! The building housing Topf's is particularly depressing looking. |
Sac
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 11:58 am: | |
I have seen a flyer about Springfield Avenue businesses with a map showing the locations ... I think it was put together by the Springfield Avenue Partnership and was enclosed in Maplewood Matters at least once. Not sure where to get one now, however. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 12:00 pm: | |
Jem, just go into DiPietro's one day and ask. I spoke to the owner last week, and she seemed quite eager to talk to anyone who wanted to.
You're right about Topf's!
Do we have any volunteers to help out in making a flier for Springfield Ave.? |
|