Developer Frank Cretella has dropped plans to add a fifth story "lounge" to the PNC Bank building and appears to have slowed down on other projects in Plainfield while moving ahead on renovations of a country estate near New Hope.
In May, Cretella withdrew two applications that had been pending before the Historic Preservation Commission since February. One was to put awnings on the Courier News building that has been converted to eight apartments, with a restaurant planned for the first floor. The other was to make exterior improvements to the PNC Bank building and add the fifth story, as reported here. The bank project was first unveiled in 2009, with the promise of a Trader Joe's, but in February architect Jose Carballo said that was no longer viable. Commissioners had questions regarding the fifth story lounge and a proposed shallow pool on the roof and the matter was carried to April, then to May.
As reported by Plaintalker, all four applications discussed in February were carried. The two North Avenue projects not withdrawn in May were discussed again at the June 25 meeting, with only assistant planner Gabe Bailer representing Cretella. Bailer as unable to give definitive answers to commissioners' questions on some aspects of the plans and the two applications were carried to July.
Meanwhile, Frank and Jeanne Cretella are bringing their more than 25 years of success in hospitality ventures to renovating Hotel du Village in Bucks County. See details here. The new venture follows their renovation of the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station.
Hospitality and real estate development are the two streams of Landmark Developers, Cretella's Jersey City-based firm, but the former seems to be favored. Cretella began his real estate involvement in Plainfield in 2006 with ambitious plans for North Avenue and eventually had nearly a dozen projects on the books. So far, only the eight apartments in the Courier News building and four apartments and a medical office in another Park Avenue building have been completed. In the same time frame, Landmark converted the former Chanticler Chateau in Warren to Stone House Restaurant.
Cretella's Plainfield plans include some hospitality venues, but he needs one or more liquor licenses and so far none have been acquired. The city has more liquor licenses than permitted under a state formula, but older ones were "grandfathered" when the formula was adopted. Official sentiment has been that there should be no expansion of licenses and any defunct ones should not be revived.
Cretella's most ambitious project for Plainfield, 148 residential apartments and commercial space on West Second Street, received approvals in 2010, but ground has not been broken. Conversion of the former Mirons Furniture warehouse and the Romonds Jeep building have also stalled. Still, of numerous development proposals floated since 2006, Cretella's have emerged as the most viable.
--Bernice
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simply stunned... not really.. feigned shock in all honesty... Plaifield, Choking the life out of anything that doesn't have the false promise of 'free' nestled in it somewhere..
ReplyDeleteAwnings: Simply fix.. hey.. .it's cool.. here's a list of examples of period friendly awnings which we will accept without question.
5th Floor Addition: Sounds stunning...
impress us.. If they can put steel and glass in front of the Louvre and make it work, we want to see what you can "wow" us with.
Alcohol Licenses: Hey.. You're a respected proven success story with restaurants etc we'd love to facilitate that for you.
But then again, I know.. I'm a rocket scientist. SMH
And the City says they foster and promote economic development -- NOT.
ReplyDeleteBut if Solaris wants to tear down Muhlenberg and put up lots of section 8 house -- hey, that's economic development!
I agree with Rob. Plainfield City Hall file drawers are littered with development and Board proposals over the years that go no where when politics and lengthy Board hearings delay them. Time is money for people who invest to make money - is profit-making a foreign concept to this city???? Do they really think that Frank Cretella will while away the time forever while they micro-manage the proposal -- sometimes beyond their scope of responsibility??
ReplyDeleteI once sat at a Board meeting where they argued with the applicant for 45 minutes on where to place a detached garage -- a foot this way - a foot that way.
Come on.
The politicians make decisions on what they will get out of it and the Boards make decisions on what is the perfect project - both loosing strategies in Plainfield. People are not banging at our doors to make investments. We blew it with Cretella...
The real problem with development in Plainfield are not the simply the often self-interested and usually misguided FUBU politics but the ethnic and economic realities of the local market. For developers, the primary question is: if you build it, who will come? Look at the communities that have Trader Joe's. Does Painfield fit that model? Don't you think that the TJ location people know what they're doing? They're not a government entity who by law has to provide equal access to frozen nan. If TJ's doesn't think they can make money here then why should we think that Plainfield can attract patrons with money to Cretella's restaurants and clubs?
ReplyDeleteThat is why it is such a joke with the save Munlenberg, Save Macy's etc. If they were making $$ [which mean people not scared to come into town] they would still be here.
ReplyDeleteHMMMMM
ReplyDeleteNew Mayor coming in and developer leaving
Developer leaving was due to SHARON her administration has done nothing to help or spur economic development. Maybe when a new mayor shows Plainfield is serious about economic development those projects will progress
Delete