| Author | Message | ||
     Parkingsux Citizen Username: Parkingsux Post Number: 212 Registered: 6-2005 |
We'll see. Good Luck to all......   | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 142 Registered: 8-2004 |
As JayJay points out in his post on "A river runs through it," the Village has achieved new and unrivaled heights of incompetency. I simply cannot believe the situation. | ||
| dgm Citizen Username: Dgm Post Number: 275 Registered: 5-2001 |
I see a great opportunity for using the Green Acres funds to make a park. The Village owns the Shoprite site out-right, now it should buy the Beifus site and make some pleasant town greenspace. It would make a great park--central location, isolated from traffic. Ratables schmatables! With a bandstand, a playscape, a rock garden for quiet meditation, and irrigation -- no problem! The Park can be called Calabrese Park! | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1582 Registered: 8-2002 |
blame the village when blame is due -- but it is the *developer's* responsibility to hire engineering and architectural companies that take ground issues into consideration. /p | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1886 Registered: 5-2004  |
I walked by Biefus today, and saw a large tanker truck with words "Hazard Waste Disposal" on it. There was a hose going into either a tank or pool in the ground. Any idea what it is? I can't imagine it could be for removing ground water... could it be? | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 200 Registered: 3-2005 |
Was the truck making a deposit or a withdrawl? By the state of the property, you can't tell. | ||
| Mrs T Citizen Username: Netjack Post Number: 326 Registered: 12-2004 |
Update: Drove by just now, no action. Is it me or do the fences seem to be migrating out into the street more? | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 147 Registered: 8-2004 |
Gross announced at the November 28th meeting that construction would "resume" immediately. It has been 10 days, and I have not seen any evidence of work at the site. Anybody know what is going on here. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 22559 Registered: 6-2001  |
Yes. It's Coming Soon. | ||
| Eightball Citizen Username: Eightball Post Number: 44 Registered: 11-2005  |
EPA | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 148 Registered: 8-2004 |
"EPA" - Please elaborate. | ||
| Eightball Citizen Username: Eightball Post Number: 48 Registered: 11-2005 |
I enjoy a game of billiards once in awhile... that I know. As for the EPA, there was a visit by the EPA to the village. They reviewed some applications proposed by the village and/or developer and one can now surmise that they didn't like what was presented to them. Why else would the buildings not be taken down? | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 149 Registered: 8-2004 |
I am talking about Beiufs - not the Shop-Rite site. The Beifus building was taken down years ago. | ||
| Eightball Citizen Username: Eightball Post Number: 50 Registered: 11-2005 |
That was only for his benefit -reduction in tax- and I suppose for the incumbents a benefit the day before election to memorialize our heralded village motto of "coming soon". Dan: I don't know, maybe the EPA still had something to do with it? The latest rumor is that he wants to get into the afghan magic carpet business trade with Bill and Sayid. Perhaps we'll never know until we have an open, honest and truthful public dialogue. I'd say it's primetime for the Bill vs Developers Show on channel 19. Check the listing for BvD, where his tagline is "my interest is undisclothed."  | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 201 Registered: 3-2005 |
Drugs - Afgan's hmmmm do they go together? | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1957 Registered: 5-2004 |
Do you really want to go there red_alert? | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 62 Registered: 1-2004 |
A little history on the Beifus saga - from BOT Minutes: www.howard-levison.com/Beifus_Project_Tracking.html | ||
| Josh Holtz Citizen Username: Jholtz Post Number: 181 Registered: 4-2004 |
Fascinating stuff Howard. I appreciate the good reading material. It's been 2.5 years - hopefully Mr. Matthews can retrieve his emails now ... | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 153 Registered: 8-2004 |
Thought I saw a truck and front loader there today. Anybody notice if there was any work being done? | ||
| Old and Gray Citizen Username: Pastmyprime Post Number: 287 Registered: 2-2005 |
I walked by it on my way to lunch at the Blue Moon...It was SOPAC's Sewer line according to the police officer who was directing people around the hole in the ground. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 2040 Registered: 5-2004 |
Lovely that there was no save way to walk from the parking lot near Ridge Tire to Blue Moon. Beifus taking up the sidewalk on one side, and whoever as digging on the other... | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 68 Registered: 1-2004 |
But they promised to look into putting up a "Pedestrian Bridge" at the 12/12/2005 BOT meeting - www.howard-levison.com/Beifus_Sidewalks_bot12122005.wmv | ||
| Daniel I. Goldberg Citizen Username: Dig Post Number: 154 Registered: 8-2004 |
So no work . . . is that correct? | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 22602 Registered: 6-2001 |
I'll never forget living on Church Street during the construction of Church Street Commons West, which was concurrent with the Transit Parking Lot installation. Literally nowhere to walk (it was winter) from mid-block to South Orange Ave. I had to call the building department repeatedly until they made a pedestrian "sidewalk" that resembled floating dock material. If they're blocking the sidewalk they're legally obliged to provide safe passage. It's a shame that it takes persistence instead of precognitive planning to figure out that people will walk down the street. It's really not that difficult. | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2968 Registered: 11-2001  |
The gate is open... trucks are parked.... I see a mound of dirt, but is there construction? Not yet...  | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3138 Registered: 5-2001  |
C'mon, Pizzaz...it's cold today. You can't expect them to work in the cold. And of course tomorrow is Thursday so no need to start work when the week is almost over. And of course Friday is ALMOST Xmas Eve so it'll be a short day. And of course, next week, the kids are on vacation, so the workers will need to take some vacation..... | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1650 Registered: 8-2002 |
Does anyone believe that Beifus will do this "phase" of his property any differently than anything else he does? ;-) I'm inclined to think with the cold, possible snow this weekend, that they'll hold off until its nice, warm construciton weather -- like about when the pool opens... /p | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 22606 Registered: 6-2001 |
Is it true that Village Hall is closed on Friday and Monday? Yes. Yes, it is. http://southorange.org/calendar/ | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 71 Registered: 1-2004 |
I hope with all the "new" construction (SOPAC, Beifus, ShopRite, and Saiyd Plaza) in the same area our sewer lines can handle this increase in volume. | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2971 Registered: 11-2001 |
As it relates to SOPAC, who will be responsible if the connection is unsuitable? I hear the current planned attachment to an overflow sanitary sewer pipe is insufficient to handle the load. I'd appreciate if the BoT would investigate this a little further. | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 202 Registered: 3-2005 |
Work is still going on in Livingston village. Cold or no cold. Is there a temperature difference between Livingston and South Orange to hold the construction off? | ||
| Politicalmon Citizen Username: Politicalmon Post Number: 66 Registered: 9-2005  |
Let's face it we live in a town with an inept local government - until that changes we will see more of the same. I'm waiting for the collective consciousness to scream out "We are not going to take this anymore"! Off with their heads! | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 2849 Registered: 9-2003 |
Politicalmon - I beg to differ - we live in a town where the majority of residents are apathetic to the town, any improvements or the local government. I point to the last election and then number of voters. The township gets what it deserves. | ||
| Two Senses Citizen Username: Twosense Post Number: 401 Registered: 7-2004 |
8 months elapsed since May 9, 2005 -- Beifus-Shovel-in-the-Dirt Day (and our last Board of Trustee election). Seems like just yesterday. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 328 Registered: 6-2005 |
Okay, so at last night's BOT meeting, Calabrese's idea of an update on this fiasco is to say the BOT will discuss it closed session. What's with this guy? And nobody takes him on. We have a right to know what's going on given that the town has bestowed a PILOT on this project. So there is water on the site. Why didn't Beifus get a study of the property first. They're all amateurs and incompetents and we are paying the price. I can't wait for the next election. Its time to clean house. | ||
| Two Senses Citizen Username: Twosense Post Number: 402 Registered: 7-2004 |
After last night's assertions by Beifus' spokesperson, it looks like this important downtown redevelopment project is now on track for an early 2008 completion. The Village's continuing confidence in the developer is such a welcome relief from all of the baseless accusations of gross incompetence on all sides. And, now that this thorny matter has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction, it's clearly time to carry the Village's best practices forward to a massive redevelopment of Valley Street. How soon can we get started? | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1735 Registered: 8-2002 |
Reasonable steps now: 1) condemn the property 2) find an *experienced* developer - just someone who's done more than finished their basement!) 2a) get multiple proposals (a novel concept) 3) DO NOT in any way negotiate PILOT, timing, or anything else with "Beifus Inc" anymore Perhaps Millenium or other *experienced* developer would want to take on the Beifus site -- and demonstrate to us what a GREAT job they can do?? There is more where that came from! Pete | ||
| composerjohn Citizen Username: Composerjohn Post Number: 667 Registered: 8-2004  |
2008? Are you joking? Ugh. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3261 Registered: 5-2001 |
Mark, Can you share with us what committments Beifus made last night with Sal(?) to improve the deplorable condition of that property? | ||
| Josh Holtz Citizen Username: Jholtz Post Number: 228 Registered: 4-2004 |
I thought a few parts of Beifus' lawyer's update were amazing: 1. He kept repeating the fact that there was a construction trailer on site. By having a trailer there does that mean actual construction is going on? 2. I think all he wanted to do was fast talk his way out of the room as efficiently as possible - ignoring many important questions asked of him along the way, such as timelines and safety issues. 3. During his incessant showing of gratitude, for the BOT allowing the Beifus team to be present at the meeting, he proved to me that the whole project is not going to happen. At no time did he accurately state the project's start dates and completion. At one point he said that the project would be delayed only 2 weeks. Then soon afterwards he said 8 weeks. Now for argument's sake let's say it is an 8 week delay - from what point? There hasn't been construction for weeks now and he they have to wait until 3/6 for approval? He also said that completion would take 14 months. Then he said 16 months. And to cap it off he said "like I said a year and a half." 1 1/2 years on my calendar is equal to 18 months. In my opinion the Beifus update was in no way "Drew" Beifus' idea, nor his lawyers'. It seemed to me that "Drew" received a call from someone and was asked to get together his impressive team and stand in front of the board and public and to appease them. The lawyer seemed pretty surprised by the backlash he received (not the cakewalk he probably imagined). Why was Beifus' lawyer making the presentation when he, himelf, said that he really hadn't been hands on with the project (when the race/gender issue was brought up)? Shouldn't the presentation be made by a project manager or Beifus himself? I was really surprised at how cordial BC was to "Drew" and his team - due to the fact that they are ruining his vision of South Orange's Downtown. |
