A letter to the editor in Thursday's Courier News urged support for the proposed mixed-use, residential and commercial redevelopment of the Muhlenberg campus, citing the backing of clergy and community members after about a year of discussions. In the letter, The Rev. Gary Kirkwood also deplored some of the reactions to public comment by The Rev. Gerald Lamont Thomas at a Sept. 9 City Council meeting regarding the proposal by JFK Health Systems. Thomas had warned that if the governing body did not accede to the plan, JFK would leave. Since the hospital closed, the site has had a satellite emergency system with transportation links to JFK's hospital in Edison.
Shortly after the council's lack of action on the proposal, the web site "Moving Muhlenberg Forward" went dark and the council endorsed a city-sponsored planning study of possible uses for the campus. The letter is the first signal since September that those who support the 600-unit apartment proposal are reopening the debate.
The project was announced in a February 2012 news article and then at a town meeting in March 2012. Residents in neighborhoods surrounding the campus objected strongly to having such a large development in their midst and those who rallied against the closing of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in 2008 insisted they will settle for nothing less than a full-service, acute care facility on the site. Activists rallied again in August to mark five years since the closing.
In October, residents cheered the council's decision to launch an independent study of the site and numerous candidates weighed in on the move. See post here.The study has a six-month timetable including four community meetings, but there has been no public update on its status. Some opponents of the JFK proposal have also urged the city to look into assessing taxes on the site, since its primary use has changed.
The city will have a new administration once Mayor-elect Adrian Mapp takes office on Jan. 1 and it looks likely that the Muhlenberg issues will come to a head in 2014.
--Bernice
Hi, Bernice,
ReplyDeleteI am unaware of the year's worth of community meetings hosted by the group Rev. Kirkwood represents--I have spoken to many of my constituents in the 2nd and 3rd Wards (many of whom constitute the parishioners referred to in the letter), and none seem to have been invited, or to even have known about these meetings. I was surprised to see Rev. Thomas at the council meeting mentioned, and more surprised that he was speaking on behalf of the JFK proposal--the letter he referenced in his comments had only been received that very day by the council--it was the first I knew of any clergy involvement in moving the JFK proposal forward. It seems to me that an independent study with full community participation (whether or not one is a member of the churches represented by this particular group of clergy) and the open community meetings will ensure that we hear from all stakeholders.
Thus far, over the past five years, the community has spoken, again and again, about their concerns with the JFK 600+ apartments proposal. I look forward to those open community meetings in 2014, where we can hear once again from the community as to whether it thinks that the proposal JFK has been pushing for almost three years is the best way to go.
Best,
Rebecca
Bernice: Plainfield is clearly not getting a full-care medical center. Get real, friends. But taxing Solaris makes sense - they rent that space to a private company for dialysis. none of the nursing students help us in Plainfield, and file storage r whatever, provides benefit to Edison, not Plainfield. Remember Muhlenberg was the largest employer in Plainfield. Think about the nurses, aides, food staff and janitors, had worked there for 30 years or more. Now in their 50s, where will they find jobs? I was laid off just short of my 64th birthday; the expects hired to advise us told me I could be a "greeter" at Wal-Mart. I won't even shop there because of their labor practices/ Six hundred luxury condos on Randolph Road? After the Monarch on Front Street failed - and it's within walking distance of the main train station. Blogger Jacqiie walks further and takes photos along the way.You think someone in a power suit will walk from these "luxury" places to the main train station? Get real,pastors or not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rebecca. Why should the City listen to this group alone? They are an obvious stalking horse for JFK. Go through the planning process and evaluate all community input before any decisions are made.
ReplyDeleteI don’t want to start off my comment on a negative note; however, we know what Dr. Gary Kirkwood's motivation is. But if you don’t know, isn’t his church in foreclosure and isn’t his primary resident in Piscataway? This all makes me very concern as to why he is speaking in favor of JFK’s proposal for the Muhlenberg site. What would it take to save his church? Where was Rev Kirkwood and Rev Thomas’ concern when they were closing Muhlenberg? Since Rev Kirkwood and Rev Thomas decided to align with Adam Beader of JFK, they are now trying to influence everyone that they are leaders of Plainfield and they speak for us all. Let’s be clear, they don’t speak for us all.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe anyone is opposed to the Muhlenberg site being developed, but I think it's safe to say, especially after speaking with a vast majority of homeowners in that community, we are unwaveringly in our opposition to JFK’s plan to develop a 600 unit apartment complex on that site. So Rev Kirkwood and Rev Thomas when you say you work tirelessly to address the needs of our citizens, are you referring to the citizens of your church? You couldn’t possibly be referring to ALL citizens of Plainfield. I don’t recall hearing from either one of you when JFK was holding community meetings throughout Plainfield. Had you been at those meetings you would, without doubt, know that JFK’s plan is not something that was welcomed by the stakeholders in that community.
Rev Kirkwood, how many of your parishioners are homeowner and taxpayers in the immediately area? When you say what’s best for Plainfield, don’t just take into consideration your parishioner’s wants and needs. Keep in mind that only a small percentage of residents attend your church and are patients of JFK. You do not represent the entire community of Plainfield. With respect that’s due, you may be a leader in your church, however, I don’t believe you are a leader that speaks for the entire city of Plainfield or a leader in my community, a community that surrounds Muhlenberg.
While we may need access to health care, at what cost do we need it?
Since I’m an experience realtor and property manager I know that 600 rental units would not create enough jobs to even make a difference in Plainfield’s 9.7% unemployment rate. The payout is not worth the risk of what we all know will become of a 600 unit project.
What educational opportunities for our youth would JFK’s project present?
Has anyone considered building a state of the art full service medical facility? A facility that offers ambulatory care, including diagnostic radiology, health education programs, hospital pre-admission, a blood draw station, nuclear medicine, a nutrition center, possible, a one-day surgery center, cancer services including radiation oncology, and an emergency room that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The site could also include a cluster of condominiums for assisted living. The demographics in the surrounding area will support the successful sale/rental of such condominiums. In my opinion this would be a perfect use for this property. Now I understand this may not be as profitable to JFK as cutting a deal to build a 600 unit apartment building, however, it does appear to be the best use for this property and the Plainfield community as a whole.
If Dr. Kirkwood and Dr. Thomas had meeting for more than year, who were they meeting with? Surely not the community, which I am part of. I am a member of one of the oldest churches in Plainfield I and didn’t hear my Pastor mention anything about these meetings. Dr. Kirkwood and Dr. Thomas you represent yourself and your parishioners, not Plainfield.
Robin Bright
so who's writing a letter to the editor? Nice that you posted here but there is an attack plan JFK is behind. They are counting on the silence of residents of this city. There public relaions department is working overtime to send out as much misinformation as possible. Take a moment to really do something rather than just complain here. Call the president of the JFK, write letters to everyone from the gov. to the council be a pest that's what I do every day. Be a nice pest of course, but a pest that ain't going away and is everywhere, just like they are.
ReplyDeleteContact Sergio Bichao who covers Plainfield I have written him many times on this issue he is very open minded: SBichao@njpressmedia.com
I am working on my letter to the editor right now.
I had at least two letters printed in the courier news letters to the editor section. I also had an artical printed on the front page of this newspaper. We need to keep the pressure on our city council to not allow JFK a variance to be able. to see their plan come to fruration.
DeleteRobin Bright