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arizona
Citizen
Username: Arizona
Post Number: 30
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 10:11 am: | 
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I agree with e roberts. Although I am not a train commuter I regularly visit Starbucks in the am. The illegal turning, stopping and parking is epidemic. Most dangerous is the backup this causes to SO Ave. Also, I think the concern about Fire Dept. vehicles trying to get through to SO Ave is serious. SOPD needs to be vigilant to get the traffic moving fluidly on Sloan St. I know they have tried in the past. Unfortunatley there are so many drivers who disregard the law.
On a positive note, I recently noticed some PD activity pulling over vehicles on SO Ave near South Mtn. School. That is an area of frequent excessive speeds and red light running. Thanks. |
Sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 392
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 10:34 am: |
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It think it would be great is Sloan was closed to vehicle traffic. Too bad the Firestation is there. |
arizona
Citizen
Username: Arizona
Post Number: 31
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 10:39 am: |
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Sylad,
Interesting idea. It could be closed to all vehicles except emergency vehicles. One problem, however, would be access to the parking areas. It would likely result in major traffic problems at other points. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1040
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:04 am: |
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sylad, arizona: Actually I suggested that at a planning and zoning meeting about two years ago. There were all kinds of objections thrown at me but most of them could be solved. However, it would really only work after SOPAC is done (assuming it is going to be built) and after NJ Transit finishes their work because it would mean more cares going into that lot.
We would also have to create more parking for shoppers and move the commuters and employees out of the Cryan's lot.
Glad to hear other people like the idea because I pretty much gave up on it.
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Mayhewdrive
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 890
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:25 am: |
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I also agree it would be a good idea to have Sloan Street closed to Pedestrians.
Personally, I'd love to see Sloan Street as "Restaurant Row", with cafes/restaurants with outdoor seating on both sides of the street. |
Marc
Citizen
Username: Bautisma
Post Number: 139
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:34 am: |
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Restaurant Row is a great idea, however some of the current businesses probably aren't going to want to move |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1041
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:35 am: |
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Now would we want them to move. Some of those businesses made a major investment in their stores and have built up a good business.
Most restaurants want larger spaces anyway. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 516
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:51 am: |
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The building where the comic book store was is up for sale. The rear yard of that building would make a great spot for outdoor dining. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1042
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 11:56 am: |
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The brushstroke building has been for sale for as long as I can remember. There are currently at least two people negotiating but no idea if they will be able to agree upon a price. |
Mayhewdrive
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 891
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 12:04 pm: |
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I think South Orange needs to "think out of the box" and have some Vision for the future....
Imagine IF/WHEN SOPAC ever gets built, people theoretically will come from surrounding towns, park in the NJT lot (or take the train), and want to go to dinner before the show. They won't want to walk far, and they'll have no use for a frame shop or comic book shop at night.
Why not relocate those stores to the new retail space in BEIFUS/VOSE AVE (if/when that is built) and make Sloan Street a pedestrian area with restaurants?
I bet those old building would have some very cool character as restaurants & the NEW retail space would be nicer as retail stores. |
Marc
Citizen
Username: Bautisma
Post Number: 140
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 12:14 pm: |
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The Beifus site could also be the restaurant row that you are talking about. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1043
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 12:19 pm: |
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Mhd: Are you suggesting that the village condemn and relocate businesses? I would guess that Brushstroke is asking a high price with those sentiments exactly.
Marc: I would hope and think that some of the new retail space will attract at least one new restauarant.
Personally, I don't mind having a mix of restaurants and retail stores. To walk from one end of the downtown to the other only takes a few minutes anyway.
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Sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 395
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 12:48 pm: |
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MHD--did you really mean closed to pedestrians?
I think that the traffic flow issues could be solved. Especiall if you closed off vehicle traffic from South Orange the circle only. The Fire department goes left out of their driveway half of the time anyway I would guess. There would never be a traffic backup on SO ave because someone is waiting for a parking spot in from the the Blue Moon. YOu would need to make the the street in front of Cryans wider so that it is two way, you reduce a few parking spots but you gain much more (IMO). The farmers market could be held there, Taste of Southorange, etc. |
Mayhewdrive
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 892
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 1:26 pm: |
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Mark - I am not suggesting that the Village comdemn businesses (although I understand the Village COULD do that since they are in the redevelopment zone)
I think it would be great if the Village helped to facilitate the existing stores on Sloan Street moving to BEIFUS, so we could create a Pedestrian Plaza on Sloan Street where people would have a variety of restaurants to choose from. (sorry Sylad - I meant Closed to vehicles)
I think of how vibrant Sloan Street is in front of the Blue Moon Diner/Creamery on a nice Summer night and it would be nice to have that on a larger scale a real focal point for people to meet in the Village that you can go to more than just once or twice per month.
Like we have said, private retail stores cannot easily compete with the big chains, but private restuarants are much more desirable than Bennigans/Houlihans/Applebees etc and would attract people to the downtown. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1044
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 1:59 pm: |
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Mhd: Who would guarantee that their businesses will do as well if they are forced to move? For example, will the dry cleaners see a drop in business if they are on the other side of S. Orange ave. However, a restaurant at Beifus would probably do just as well either way. I actually think we need the mix to encourage people to walk around the village.
I also think that if we ever did close Sloan street to traffic that the stores would eventually all become filled by eating places all on it's own without interference from the village.
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Mayhewdrive
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 895
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 2:33 pm: |
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Mark,
To be clear, I don't think anyone said they should be "forced to move". Perhaps the dry cleaner is the only current store who's business depends on the commuter traffic. The other stores would do just as well, if not better, in NEW & updated retail space.
I don't think there are many people that say "Honey...can you pick up a picture frame on your way home from the train?"
As long as the Village consists of so many nail salons, beauty supply stores and dry cleaners, there is no motivation to "walk around the Village". |
Marc
Citizen
Username: Bautisma
Post Number: 141
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 2:36 pm: |
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I wish the retail stores were open later.
"Honey...can you pick up a picture frame on your way home from the train" would not work because the picture frame store is closed by the time most people get home from work |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1045
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 2:50 pm: |
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Marc: I agree. Many years ago there was an initiative by Main street to get the stores to stay open later on Thursdays. Quite simply not enough people took advantage and one by one they went back to closing at their usual times.
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arizona
Citizen
Username: Arizona
Post Number: 32
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 9:34 pm: |
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I've got to say something about the Village Frame Shop. I have been a customer there for over 20 years. Chris and Jeff (brothers) own the shop. It used to be on SO Ave somewhere between the current sites of the Dancing Goat and The Gaslight when their dad owned the business. These guys are great. They are good at what they do and fun to chat with (not withstanding the fact that they are avid Mets fans). I will always use them. Yes the shop is disheveled but that has never negatively impacted on any work they have done for me. FYI I think they own the building. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4881
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 7:51 am: |
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Don't the owners of the the frame shop or Brushstrokes own the building? There is often a manifesto on the high taxes paid on the building in the window.
There is a short one block street off Bloomfield Avenue near the old Hahnes store which is almost exclusively small, interesting restaurants. Mrs. K and I have eaten in a couple of them when we have been in Montclair. There are a lot of outdoor tables, variety and overall a very enjoyable place to visit. Something similar on Sloan Street might be possible, especially if the new PAC ever gets built.
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kevin
Citizen
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 217
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 10:10 am: |
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Bobk - you must be referring to Church St in Montclair. It is longer than Sloan St with many more buildings and (now) a one-way road with very wide sidewalks. It's Montclair's Rodeo Drive.
I lived there for a short while. There are many stores on the block:
FOOD: Taro, Midtown Diner, Stockpot, Suzette, Over the Rainbow
OTHER: Accent with Flowers, Doin Dishes, American Sampler, Consignit, Pisano Opticians, New Dimensions Holistic Center, Elly's knit and rest, 2 jewelers, a couple antique stores, an earthy type place, Bangz hairstylists, a furniture restorer, side entrance to the cinema, and a few others.
There is also a large apartment building right on the road, diagonal to the old Hanes building.
I like the idea of making a tunnel from Scotland to Church St or so and closing the entire area in for pedestrians to make it a destination. They could dig it right through the existing avenue, throw in some prefab sections and cover right over it. Maybe Sbenois engineering can help keep the costs down? |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1053
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 10:33 am: |
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Kevin: What kind of turnover has there been on Church street? Have most of them been there a long time or has there been a continuing stream of stores or restaurants coming and going?
Just curious...
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arizona
Citizen
Username: Arizona
Post Number: 35
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 10:52 am: |
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kevin: i think the tunnel could be paid for with a toll, perhaps even using e-z pass |
kevin
Citizen
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 218
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 11:05 am: |
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Mark: I can only speak for the last 5 years or so and haven't been there recently, but very few stores have changed. The ones that vacated had new ones come in very quickly.
Accent with Flowers (flower shop) moved to a larger space. They might have moved into the space where the furniture restoration shop was.
Doin Dishes was a new store about 4 years ago and are still there.
Midtown Diner was there for a long time, recently sold and they are renovating.
Suzette - new 4 years ago or so.
One of the two jewelry stores closed up recently.
Stockpot (I think) moved to a larger location and didn't vacate the smaller storefront yet. Not sure what the new storefront was previously.
The abandoned Hanes building in Montclair has always puzzled me since it is an extension of Church St. It's kind of like our Beifus or Shoprite building.
Sloan Street doesn't have enough storefronts to draw a crowd like Church St.
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Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 807
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 11:21 am: |
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The city will not let the Hanes building open unless they proved more parking. The problem is that the parking lot behind South Park Grille belongs to Hanes and the city has effectly taken it over. |
kevin
Citizen
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 219
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 11:31 am: |
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Thanks Brett. I knew that there had to be a reasonable explanation.
The town has an attendant at the Hanes lot for daily parking - it used to be $2.00. There are metered and permit spots in the lot behind Church St.
Parking is terrible there, especially on Friday/Sat nights.
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