This image shows the same restaurant next to the building after the suspicious December 2011 fire that caused the block to be closed for weeks.
A special City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in City Hall Library. Three resolutions are on the agenda, one authorizing an "emergency demolition," another establishing an appropriation of $250,000 to pay for it and a third awarding an emergency contract to Yates Real Estate Inc. to do the demolition at 117-125 North Avenue.
The other building, 127-135 North Ave., is the subject of a Planning Board application set to be heard on April 2. The application extends to the East Second Street side of the block, where the owner proposes to create five apartments and first-floor commercial space. The rear lot of the North Avenue building would be used for parking and a trash bin. It is unclear how the incident that caused closure of the North Avenue businesses will affect the owner's plans.
--Bernice
Much gratitude for pursuing this Bernice. The corruption in this city, as one very close to the former mayor put it, is "Deep, deep, deep". That view was in reference to the $268,000 CSBG-job training scam of 2009-2010. But this one reminds me of when I lived in Hoboken in the early 80s during the period of 18% mortgage rates. Beautiful brownstones were available for the taking up and down every block. Larger apartment buildings within a block of the fire department burned, and within a week or two there were banner signs out on them announcing "Condos for Sale". This whole deal reeks.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT pass the Resolution then the City will NOT be responsible for the damage. Case Closed.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the city doing this and not the property owner?? Now the owner gets a bigger slate to build on, all courtesy of the taxpayers of Plainfield. And they destroy other business to do it. I smell a rat! At least when they did this in the Bronx back in the day, they were smart and set fire to them. Here you have to pay to tear it down instead of letting insurance pay for it. Not a good financial decision. They also said it was in imminent danger of collapsing when they tore down the theater building. They had to beat the crap out of that one to get it to come down. It wasnt going anywhere. Same excuse worked then, why not use it again...
ReplyDeleteAside from the compelling questions regarding the award of the contract to a small Realty Company, now, as consequence of damage to adjacent property, there has arisen the potential for claims for the repair of the damaged structures and very probably claims for business interruption. When buildings are proximate, and particularly when they have have a party wall as is the case here, the demolition must be surgically conduced in order to escape damage. Crudely dropping a weight, willy nilly, through the structure which is being demolished, brutally pounding the structure into rubble, as occurred here, fails to meet the standard which "surgical" suggests. We can only hope that the appropriate insurances were in place to protect both the victims of the damage and the City of Plainfield. There is a realistic possibility that the cost of the reparations will exceed the price of the demolition contract. Yale Realty you are doing a magnificent job! I trust you are well aware that if there is litigation you will be in the forefront as the prime contractor. If you have failed in your contract with B & B Demolition ( if it exists ) to be indemnified by them you will be on the hook big time. If whomever in the Administration awarded the contract to Yale failed to have Yale provide sufficient limits and coverage, and indemnify the City, there will one God awful mess. It will be interesting to see where this goes? Bill Kruse
ReplyDeleteYes.... This is one for the books....
ReplyDeleteHow can an emergency contract be awarded if not approved by the Council. Who signs the paperwork? How can a small Realty firm be awarded a contract for demolition when they certainly do not have the credentials, manpower or equipment to do so. Are permits needed to perform demolition work, even if on an emergency basis. When my water heater breaks, that's an emergency....so why do I need to get a permit to replace it?
If I was on the Council, your certainly would not get my vote to award this contract. The City is going to get sued big time for this one anyway so let them sue for non-payment of a non-existant contract. Anyone that does business with government should know that a contract is required and the contracts can only be signed by the Mayor and must be approved by the City Council first, or at least have a purchase order.
I guess if Sharon can deem something an "emergency" so can Mapp.
Interesting . . . . Yates Real Estate Owns Yates Military House for Veterans on Central Avenue. What's the connection folks?
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