| Author | Message | ||
     Mayhewdrive |
Chico, There was a consent decree issued about 10 years ago that dictates how the property should be developed, IF it ever were to be developed. It does not say it EVER HAS to be developed. The developer has submitted "final" plans to the town 3 times, each time they were rejected due to inconsistencies between the plans & the consent decree. The town has now allowed the developer to present before the Planning Board (scheduled for TONIGHT), however there are still numerous inconsistencies in the plans. Tracks is right, the price has been rumored to be between $5 & $7 million dollars. However, while four of the current Trustees SAID during their last campaign "Proposed Development - We are against it", they have DONE NOTHING for two years. There is an election for the other 3 Trustees this May & you can be assured people will be working very hard to have them replaced due to their inaction. The group, Coalition to Preserve South Orange, does have a website with much of the details & history of the issue at http://members.aol.com/preserveso | ||
| Argon_Smythe |
Does anybody know if the meeting is still on, given that everyone is losing their heads over this supposed snowstorm that's coming? I tried calling the municipal bldg, no answer. | ||
| Ashear |
I just recived the following email: Please be advised that the South Orange Planning Board meeting for this evening is canceled. Trammell Crow Residential's presentation regarding the Kernan Quarry development is tentatively rescheduled for April 2nd. Marcia | ||
| Tracks |
Mayhew drive... I am confused by your statement that the town has allowed the developer to present his latest plan to the planning board. I thought that the planning board (volunteer?) was supposed to meet with anyone who wanted to make a presentation to them. I would hate to think that they would be so closed minded not to listen to all that come before them and then make a decision based on what they believe to be best for the village. I do see a lot of positives that have happened in S. Orange. Sure not eveything is great, but still a lot better than it was. Are you saying that the trustees have done nothing or just nothing with regards to the quarry? | ||
| Mayhewdrive |
Tracks, In the 2+ years I have lived here, the Trustees have done alot: I have seen the Beifus site shut down, Sickely's disappear, the Shop-Rite condemned, the Midas property taken over by the Village and no NEW businesses come to town, except for the Creamery by the train station. On top of all that, they have turned their backs on repeated requests to save the quarry. So, they've done plenty, just not a whole lot that is POSITIVE. Please! They've done enough. It's time for them to go. | ||
| Uqbar |
Why does the town want to shut down taxpaying businesses (unless they're not paying taxes)? That would be absurd. | ||
| Soda |
Mayhew-Where did you move from? | ||
| Tracks |
Mayhew drive... unless you just moved to town, you are ignoring a lot. Beifus shut down because they lost their mercedes dealership for refusal to fix up their store. I do not think the town has anything to do with that. Shop-rite was a dump and I am glad they closed up. I knew the owner of Sickley's and he sold out because he was ready to retire and did not want to compete with the home depot that was going to open in springfield. And it looks to me that we are better off with the new parking lot and theater instead of a lumber yard and oil tanks. How did the town cause Midas to go out of business. And what about the new bagel place, the clothing store in the stuffed shirt lot, the store opening near Jardinere (just saw the sign go up), another new store is opening in place of Suki's... and the new store that opened on Irvington ave. And the quarry seems to do just fine without government interference. The first plans were submitted in the 1950's to develop it. 50 years later and it is still undeveloped. There has been hundreds of plans submitted over the years and hundreds have not been built. You seem to be the type that only sees the glass as half full. I see that lots of roads have been repaved in the last few years (as compared to our neighboring towns) and I see a theater built in the village (which I think is a major positive). | ||
| Tracks |
There was also a new store that opened under NJ pets, and it looks like renovations started at the old stuft shirt. I also noticed a new store opened near "We got Movies" ... By the way, Mayhew, I meant that you are the type that always sees the glass as half empty. | ||
| Mayhewdrive |
Tracks, Again, you are right....Shop Rite was dump. So, why did the Village Trustees use TAXPAYER money to condemn the property, instead of allowing simple forces of economics to drive a lousy business away? Also, where do you see a "theater built in the village"? All I see is another empty lot. 4 Trustees ran their campaign last time with the slogan "Proposed development of the Quarry - We are Against it". Well, in 2 years what have they DONE about it? We will not be fooled again when the next 3 Trustees run for re-election in May this year. | ||
| Tracks |
Well, I see signs for the theater... and I know one of the volunteers on the board who said the village is going ahead with the theater. I would guess that they condemned the property because it was not going out of business that fast. They are the same shop-rite owners who have the beautiful store in Livingston and other places. They somehow never felt the need to fix up the store in S. Orange. My guess is they could have kept the store open for years without spending a penny. The question should be why didn't they condemn it years ago and why don't they condemn the Beifus site too since he has done nohting with his property. I guess government at any level just moves too slow. To "save the quarry" the village should find a wealthy benefactor to buy the property and donate it to the village with the condition it remain open space. Mayhew... how come you don't run for trustee or volunteer to be on the planning board? or maybe you have? | ||
| Soda |
I reiterate, Mayhew- Where'd you move here from? | ||
| Mayhewdrive |
Soda, I moved from Hoboken. Why do you ask? | ||
| Soda |
I asked because your evident lack of historical perspective (2 years in S.O. isn't much) made me curious: You may be opposed to developing the Quarry, just as most of your Village neighbors (and trustees) are. You may be shocked to see local businesses close (you might not have been so surprised if you knew the background on Gruning's, The Bun 'N Burger, Stuft Shirt, Sickley, Beifus, Shopight, etc.) But your posts are so strident that I was curious about whether you were either a long-time area person recently moved to S.O. and simply fed up with a perceived lack of caring from your local officials, or perhaps a transplant from somewhere else -- someplace where homeowners are forced to become aggressively vocal to combat outrageous graft and malfeasance (sp?) by city fathers. ...And so you moved here from Hoboken, did you? Where you maybe bought and renovated a brownstone? Got active in a block association? Felt like a righteous pioneer up against a morass of sin, blight and decay? Well, South Orange may be more urban than, say, Chester, but it's hardly (the old) Hoboken. Seems to me that positive voices of enthusiasm and confidence are still to be heard in Village Hall 0n Monday nights here, and while you may think you're still this righteous pioneer, a bit more perspective and a bit less Chicken Little might be in order. BTW, if you only rented in Hoboken, please forgive my stereotyping... | ||
| Dytunck |
Soda, How bloody self-righteous. Your opinion means more because you have lived here longer? You get one vote just like everyone else, regardless of how long people live in SO. And you asked where Mayhew lived so you could attack his/her lifestyle and political perspective. Grunings is gone, just like Beifus. And more will leave. Mayhew should be concerned, and so should you. That's my humble opinion. (I moved to SO in 1966) | ||
| Villagenative |
Ahhh, the Bun'n Burger. Greatest toasted corn muffins in the world. Sodas pulled with actual syrup. Mitch, the grumpy owner with the soft heart. Brings back memories. I know I'm in the minority here, but the Blue Moon Diner just doesn't do it for me. | ||
| Bix |
When Town Hall Deli leaves, South Orange will cease to exist. | ||
| Villagenative |
Is Town Hall planning to leave? That would certainly be bad news! | ||
| Bix |
No! It's not. SORRY. Uh oh I just started a rumor. I should have said if Town Hall Deli EVER left... oops | ||
| Tracks |
I agree with some of SODA's points, even if he did sound self-righteous. Mayhew moved here two years ago and does not know or chooses to ignore the history of the Quarry. There has been numerous attempts over the years to develop it (going back almost 50 years) and more recently there was a lawsuit around 10 years ago. The residents of the area, the village and the property owner came to an agreement that was ok'd by the courts. Over the years... in every town, city and state, businesses come and go. Things change. Grunings had become a dump... that is why they closed. There is a nice restuarant there now. Bunn n burger left and a diner came. Maybe not as good, but it is still a nice place to go. Everyone should always be concerned, but some people only focus on negatives and ignore the positives. And South Orange has had a lot of positives in the last ten years. If nothing happening in the quarry is such a big concern to Mayhew, then why doesn't he do somethig positive to make it happen besides complaining that other people do nothing. Our village is run by volunteers and relys on volunteers to do most of the work. For him to constantly slam volunteers without knowing the history is the problem. I do sense that if Mayhew lived in a different part of S. ORange (like Montrose) he would not be up in arms about a proposed development. A classic case of NIMBY. |
