Lackawanna developer holds town hostage for supermarket

​LACKAWANNA PLAZA DEVELPER CREATED FOOD VACUUM TO GET WHAT HE WANTS…and so far it’s working.
 
This week, our Historic Preservation Commission passed a resolution as another attempt to keep intact the historic Lackawanna Train Station.  The HPC is working hard under legal constraints to pressure the Planning Board  to insist that this developer sit down and work with town consultants to create  a much better plan for the Plaza. 
 
This developer has ignored a request by the Planning Board chair for months….”saying there is only one plan option for the site”.   Public pressure for a supermarket and Council pressure on the PB to approve the developer’s plans quickly has put the goal of enhancing our historic downtown in jeopardy and this needs to stop. 
 
Anyone pressuring the PB for a fast approval of this developer’s plan is undermining the review process and what is ultimately good for the town.
 
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The Planning Board’s consulting supermarket designer and several architects say “ there are multiple options”.  The Planning Board hired a supermarket designer who said building a supermarket within the train sheds “would be gorgeous”.   

The HPC members are residents who volunteer their time to help the town and they need our help.  This week HPC architects presented a planning option which seeks to enhance the Plaza ‘s old train station area and to resolve concerns that the developer’s plan ignores. 

This project is the only opportunity left to create an attractive and active Plaza area…safe and inviting for pedestrians but these goals have been put in jeopardy in recent months.

Planning Board members are the stewards for the town and responsible for protecting assets and what is highly valued…small town historic character. 
 
1.The decision for a Lackawanna Plaza plan may set a strong precedence that a  developer can ignore Planning Board requests and not respect the purview of our Historic Preservation Commission.
 
2. The decision may demonstrate if Montclair Planning Board members understand that developers who wish to benefit from Montclair tax payers and visitors by building in Montclair, need to fully respect the charm and character why Montclair is a valuable community.
 
3.This decision will determine if the Planning Board members condone and will enable a developer to buy historically designated property in a Montclair’s historic district and then justify their unnecessary destruction.
 
4. The decision may show if Planning Board members support Montclair’s policy goals and guidelines found in the Montclair Master Plan to protect our historic heritage for current and future generations. 
 
Everyone needs to get back on track and not let this developer hold the town hostage for a much wanted supermarket.  A food desert was created by not allowing any temporary grocer at the site and not agreeing to options that would preserve the historic landmark from the beginning.
 
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Members of this Planning Board as well as the Council have heard for years loud and clear what resident’s value.  Our Council representatives are responsible to help get this done…not be manipulated by a developer and bend to his wishes again and again, at the town’s expense.  

This is not the first time this developer has held the town hostage or tried to manipulate the decision-makers to get what he wanted.  During late stage approvals for the hotel, he announced that he needed another story otherwise “there would be no hotel”.   A ninth story was approved quickly.
 
Other plans for Lackawanna Plaza have been discussed for several years.  In 2014 and 2015, town officials supported a plan for a new Municipal Center complex but the developer eventually decided against it.  In 2017 the developer proposed a massive project which included 354 apartments that faced overwhelming resistance from residents all over town.  After months of reviews the developer decided against that proposal for business reasons.

This current scheme was just presented in January and is the first reasonably sized plan for the site.  Keep in mind that much of the review time for this current proposal has been consumed by the developer’s witnesses testimony attempting to justify demolition.  Again, the developer has refused to work with town architects and experts for months to design a final plan that can be approved.

The developer’s current plan was initially applauded since it downsized to 154 apts.  However,   it was not initially clear that the majority of the historic train station sheds would be demolished.  Without the sheds, there is no train station.  The waiting room housing Pig and Prince will stand alone.  Without the train station this plan leaves us with a large building and  a “ sea of parking” in our downtown.

The developer’s current plan also camouflages that this parking lot would extend from Bloomfield Ave 370 feet or 10 feet longer than a football field.  Our HPC architects point out that this parking lot will extend further than those in front of major stores on Route 46 and Route 10 such as Costco and Toy R Us.  It’s  completely inappropriate and unsightly for a downtown location.  The photo with a football field overlay shows how far the parking lot would extend down Grove St from the Bloomfield Ave side.

The other photo with green strips representing green space in the overlay and illustrates the plan option offered by HPC architects which divides parking, traffic, and congestion by using two lots and two entrances. At the same time it creates a safer, more attractive pedestrian center with opportunities for green space between the local neighborhoods to invite walkability.  This HPC plan also suggests an open air market look and feel both outside and inside by enclosing both sides of the store present large windows so pedestrians see into an active marketplace from the street.
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To see an actual example of divided parking, visit Kings Supermarket at 650 Valley Rd in Upper Montclair which cuts congestion in half and makes a more attractive downtown store.

For more details about this HPC plan option see the Baristanet article here.

Our Mayor, Council and Planning Board need to work together to insist this developer work with town experts and architects  to enhance this neighborhood. Celebrate our train station town center as a hub of activity as it was meant to be.

**Please pass to other residents.  Join us to get direct emails. Like Us on Facebook.

What can you do?   We have all heard that anyone who does nothing deserves what he gets.  This is how democracy works.

1. Come to Monday night’s Planning Board meeting, Sept 24 and show a sign or speak out for planning board members to join the HPC’s fight to build a “gorgeous supermarket” under the train sheds. 
2. Email the Mayor and Council to tell the developer to the work with our HPC and the PB architect to use the train sheds for the supermarket and make Lackawanna Plaza a hub of activity it was meant to be.  His current plan should never be considered.
 
Robert Jackson: [email protected]
1st Ward Cllr. Hurlock: [email protected]
2nd Ward Cllr. Schlager: [email protected]
3rd Ward Cllr. Spiller: [email protected] 
4th Ward Cllr. Baskerville: [email protected]
At-Large Robert J. Russo: [email protected]
At-Large Rich McMahon: [email protected]
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