The Elmwood Gardens saga took another turn Thursday when Lewis Hurd, representing the Housing Authority of Plainfield, told the Planning Board that the proposal for age-restricted housing to replace the complex had been dropped in favor of townhouse development.
The notorious housing complex on West Second Street has been vacated and is awaiting environmental remediation and demolition. The site was declared in need of redevelopment in 2011.
Hurd said the townhouse decision was based on board comments at a previous meeting and other indications that there was a "greater need for family housing." He said HAP Executive Director Randall Wood, who could not attend Thursday's meeting, will appear at the Oct. 16 Planning Board session to discuss the plans.
In September, Wood had presented the age-restricted plan when the board was expecting an update on the previously-approved townhouse design (see link above).
Hurd said he thought they had an "either-or" option, but heard the board's concerns. The 55 townhouse units will each have separate entries, he said. HAP is still in negotiations with the developer, who was not named, but Hurd said the authority will make sure the design "meets what's best for the city of Plainfield."
The turnaround left board member Ken Robertson pondering.
"I'm still not sure what you're doing," he told Hurd.
Hurd again assured the board on the family townhouse use.
Marty Bernstein, introduced by Hurd as the authority's consultant on funding options, named sources including federal housing loans, mortgages based on rental assistance and "Sandy money."
In answer to Councilman Cory Storch's question on whether Section 8 vouchers will be accepted, Hurd said 50 of 54 units will be eligible. There will be one unit for a superintendent.
The board asked for a planner and an architect to be part of the HAP presentation on Oct. 16 and Storch added, "It would be nice to have at least one commissioner here."
--Bernice
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Ken should ask Jerry Green what is going on. He's Jerry's friend, and Jerry runs this city, so it's pretty simple to find out.
ReplyDeletePut away the smoke and mirrors. 50 out of 54 will be section 8 townhouses in the real world that means more projects. Stop the games and just build whatever you plan on building and lets move on.
ReplyDeleteIn presenting (loosely used) three different plans in the space of about four months it sounds as though the HAP has neither brain nor spine. SN:AFU.
ReplyDeleteHey Bernice, any word on what is being built across from the Netherwood train station? Is it related to transit-oriented development? If not, does the community get a say in what this building will look like? It would be a shame to ruin an opportunity to create a building in the vane of the train station, similar to what Fanwood is currently doing.
ReplyDeleteIt's a project approved several years ago by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, with what was understood to be the urging of Mayor Sharon. The owner is adding two floors on top of the frame of the old two-story office and retail building, which is supposedly strong enough to support it. The parking will be across South Av. and a few hundred feet to the left - it's unprecedented that parking won't be part of the property itself. I tried to speak against this project at the time, expressing concern over the effect of section 8 housing at the very gateway of Netherwood Heights and Sleepy Hollow, but it didn't help. The story given at the time was that this is "transit-oriented development". I fail to see what is desirable about that. And lucky me, I live just a block away.
DeleteDoes anyone trust the Plainfield Housing Authority? Can we, especially after the Liberty Village fiasco and trying to steal land from the city for who knows what? How do we get new leadership there?
ReplyDeleteWe do not need more section 8. The city needs more senior housing.Seniors will be the largest growing population over the next 10 years. Why would the city housing authority build new housing for gang members to take over again?
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to see the City of Plfd act as a real community instead of a big ghetto full of poor people on assistance. If you are going to build townhouses, why not build them as affordable and for sale, not just more Section 8 units for rent. Oh, thats right. Its Plfd. Real builders wont touch the town with Jerry et al running things. The Mickey Mouse builders they attract cant get bank financing so they have to go for govt financing which means more low income housing. The pride of home ownership, even if it is in Plfd. is elusive yet again.
ReplyDeleteTo 9:28, your chance at providing input was during the planning meetings which came and went.