| Author | Message | ||
     Sarah Hayden Citizen Username: Sarah_hayden Post Number: 11 Registered: 2-2003 |
Does anyone know if there are development plans for Valley Street? If there are, or if there's some group involved in doing this, I'd be interested in joining (so let me know who you are, ok?) I've lived on Valley for a number of years and find some parts of it quite atrocious. Namely the stretch between 4th and 3rd Street (on the right side if driving from maplewood toward so. orange ave). The area around All Star Motors (or whatever it's called) is a complete embarrassment for the town....and I believe the dilapidated building next to All Star Motors (where All Star Motors now parks all of it's junk cars and tow trucks) is a town-owned property! Are there plans to do anything with this building? Is it possible to at least cover the windows so the collapsing ceilings aren't visible from the street? Also, I was recently in Papillon 25 (which was great, by the way) and was saddened to be sitting in such a wonderful restaurant where the owners has obviously shelled out a lot of money to create a beautiful environment, only to have a view of that abandoned Meineke building across the street (which I think is another town-owned building). Are there any plans for that building? It seems like the Meineke property could be put to a much better use. | ||
| M. Scott Citizen Username: Villageidiot Post Number: 44 Registered: 12-2003 |
I hear another beauty supply, take out place, nail/hair salon is probably in the works. | ||
| Marc Citizen Username: Bautisma Post Number: 131 Registered: 9-2003 |
M.Scott, what do you suggest they put there? | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6493 Registered: 4-1998  |
Wouldn't it be great to have a hardware store or an office supply store there? | ||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 15 Registered: 12-2003 |
just moved to the area a few weeks ago, and already I've been to home depot more times that I'd like to in a lifetime. yes, a hardware store, please. | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 413 Registered: 9-2003 |
And it'll all be "Coming Soon". Unfortunately, whenever there's a space like Midas or the vacant gas station there's probably some costly environmental remediation involved before the space can be used.. so they just sit.. and sit... and sit..... But... yes.. Dave .... either store would be an asset to Valley St... (especially the hardware) | ||
| Sarah Hayden Citizen Username: Sarah_hayden Post Number: 12 Registered: 2-2003 |
but just because there may be environmental problems doesn't mean it's acceptable to leave something to rot and not maintain it.... ESPECIALLY if it's town owned | ||
| just me fromsouthorange Citizen Username: Jmfromsorange Post Number: 125 Registered: 7-2003 |
i wouldn't complain too loud about the property; especially if the town owns it. they might end up building even more overpriced apartments there! | ||
| lamppost Citizen Username: Lamppost Post Number: 40 Registered: 8-2001 |
The Midas property would be ideal for an animal shelter, especially since it is next door to a veterinarian. | ||
| M. Scott Citizen Username: Villageidiot Post Number: 45 Registered: 12-2003 |
Why would you put the animal shelter there...now that they decicrated Farrell Field???? Marc: you have stumped me...I would suggest anything other then the following: Laundry-mat Over priced Drycleaner liquor store beauty salon convenience store(yes it would be nice...but think of what that would attract) take out I like the idea of a hardware store...but small hardware stores just can't compete with the giants. The lot is small so a chain store would be tough. Why not move the produce market up there with a semi enclosed building??? I dont' know you really did stump me. Or bulldoze it and make a small park? Its already set up for a garage, how about SOUTH ORANGE LUBE??? | ||
| Mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 876 Registered: 5-2001  |
I agree that Valley street is blighted & needs help. All of the above suggestions sound good, HOWEVER, the Village has been unable to gentrify the MAIN BUSINESS DISTRICT (Supermarket, Beifus, SOPAC), yet. I'd hate to see that delayed even further. I think we should let the Village focus and try to get the existing projects underway before trying to tackle ANOTHER "Coming Soon" project. | ||
| just me fromsouthorange Citizen Username: Jmfromsorange Post Number: 129 Registered: 7-2003 |
mscott- add one more thing NOT to put there- more overpriced apartments or condos! | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 787 Registered: 7-2003 |
What's wrong with apartments or condos? Don't more people attract more business to the town? More taxs collected? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1029 Registered: 4-2002 |
The question is who is going to take the risk? Mayhewdrive: Would you take a chance on competing against Home Depot? M. Scott: People open businesses that they think will be succesful. Dry Cleaners seem to do very well no matter how many there are. If the apartments rent out or sell, then obviously they were priced correctly. Despite all the predictions from the naysayers regarding Gaslight Commons - it is completely rented out and only 2 children in the schools. Brett: The Atlantic report stated exactly what you point out. More apartments and condos in the downtown will attract more businesses and stores. | ||
| mtierney Citizen Username: Mtierney Post Number: 502 Registered: 3-2001 |
There appears to be little to no competition for an office supply store. Agreed that shopping Staples online has worked for us - anything to avoid Route 22 - but I would rather browse the aisles in one then thumb through or view a catalog. Another void is the lack of a crafts store - Rag Shop, Michaels, etc. How about a real old-fashioned 5 & 10? | ||
| doublea Citizen Username: Doublea Post Number: 508 Registered: 3-2003 |
And the new apartments or condos will be piloted, and the Village will say they couldn't have been built otherwise. And the Village will say that it doesn't increase our total school tax because it isn't included in the basis for determining school taxes as between SO and Maplewood. And in the meantime, as school budgets climb ever higher, the amount of that increase is borne by the residents who do pay school taxes. And the Village can profess to be vigilant in keeping down municipal increases, since it had the benefit of pilot revenues. And so it goes. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1031 Registered: 4-2002 |
doublea: Congratulations on making every thread about your desire to do a reval and on the school taxes. I only hope you are pressuring the Governor and the legislature about why we have property taxes fund schools. We all know what is the real problem - it is not the village or a PILOT. And by the way, the total tax bill was proven to be lower with a PILOT than without one. I think you don't understand how a PILOT works. Mtierney: It would be great to have a stationery store. The question is would someone pay a few dollars more to have a local store or would they continue to shop at Staples, or when there is snow on the ground, will people shop online at Staples rather than plan ahead or wait a day? It seems that probably not. The village would even purchase their supplies from a local store if they can match the state contract price to help them gain the volume they need to compete. We all want those kinds of stores as do many other towns. The reasons they disappear is because our shopping habits have changed and we all want to pay the minimum price and we are willing to deal with the nightmare of roads like route 22. | ||
| doublea Citizen Username: Doublea Post Number: 510 Registered: 3-2003 |
MRosner: Yes,my primary concern is taxes and a reval. If I had been assessed in line with comparable houses, and the BOSE didn't continually give the BOE a blank check, my posts would have been cut down immensely. The PILOT presentation given to the residents by John Gross last summer showed that the net benefit to the average homeowner with the Gaslight Commons was $100. And this is the effect in comparison to nothing being done. If you listened to the Village officials, you would think it was a gigantic financial bonanza. I understand PILOTs - do you? And are you sure that Seton Hall is included in SO's base for determining school taxes as you have said? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1032 Registered: 4-2002 |
doublea: I am glad you consider $100.00 minimal. Well actually your home actually saved more than $100.00 since your assesment is higher than average. So, are you saying we need more PILOT's to make the total savings higher. My point to you is that it is hard for people to have a discussion if you are going to turn every thread on here into the same discussion. You have started threads on the Reval and on the Schools. No, I am not sure tht SHU is included in SO's base. I have been given two different answers. I have asked for something in writing to confirm one way or another. | ||
| doublea Citizen Username: Doublea Post Number: 512 Registered: 3-2003 |
The answer to whether SHU is included in SO's base should be pretty easy. Each year a calculation has to be done for determining how much in total district education costs SO is responsible for. John Gross and the Village Tax Assessor have to do this calculation each year - I'm sure a phone call or email would give you an answer. |
