The city is once again pursuing "transit village" designation, with the main train station and the Netherwood station as focal points, planning officials said Thursday.Transit village talk goes back to 2006 and has surfaced at intervals since with no progress. Last month, Planning Board Chairman Ken Robertson and Planning Director William Nierstedt met with NJ Transit officials to discuss designation, they said. They are now encouraging Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs to show a commitment to the process, which has many requirements, including having a transit-related project ready to launch.
The City Council recently approved a payment in lieu of taxes plan that developer Frank Cretella said was necessary to gain financing for his plan to build 148 apartments and commercial space on the PNC Bank block. Nierstedt confirmed Thursday that the West Second Street Commons project, as it is called, would be the needed linchpin for transit village designation.
Here is a link to an overview of the Transit Village program. Linden recently became the 23rd designated transit village in the state. Click here to read about it.
In the early days of the mayor's first term, there was a notion of having four "transit villages." However, the designation goes to the city, not to train stations. The mayor wanted to restore two defunct train stations and use two active ones to make up the four locations. To read Plaintalker's post from April 2006, click here.
--Bernice
Is it me, or does it seem that our mayor often doesn't finish what she starts. I'll be so glad when we get rid of this mess of a mayor.
ReplyDeleteTo Bob - it's not you. And how scary is it that the mayor doesn't get the fact that the transit village designation goes to the city and not the train station?
ReplyDeleteCan't we get rid of her early?
Fanwood, Westfield, Garwood. I suggest someone go and visit their unofficial TOD villages. They are not selling. The demand is simply not there and if renting becomes necessary as it has already become in our senior center, can you imagine what that would mean on a large scale with units at Netherwood and throughout downtown. Focusing on quality of life and code enforcement and reducing crime is our only way of making Plainfield more attractive not only to potential potential buyers but for the people who already live here.
ReplyDeleteTransit-Smangit - the whole concept brings up that scene from Blues Brothers with Jake & Ellwood in the fleabag hotel with the "El" outside their window -- earplugs or impaired hearing required if you wanna make it through the night! Don't mind hearing a train in the distance at night, but there are limits.
ReplyDelete