YMCA Hearing Carried to Nov. 5

For lack of one notice, Thursday's Planning Board hearing on the conversion of the YMCA's upper floors had to be moved to the Nov. 5 meeting.

Applicants must notify all property owners within 200 feet of plans for development. Planning Board Attorney Michele Donato said in this case just the one missed property owner needs to receive notice of the Nov. 5 hearing. The applicant, listed as Plainfield Genesis Affordable Housing/Plainfield YMCA, is seeking preliminary and final site plan approval to convert the second and third floors of the building to 30 studio apartments for young people aging out of foster care.

For many years, the two floors held 60 rooms for single men. Occupants were relocated to make way for the conversion.

The hearing is of special interest because of a City Council item approved Monday, an escrow agreement with Plainfield Genesis Affordable Housing LLC as the project developer. The city is requiring a $25,000 escrow account to be established to cover negotiations with the developer for a "financial agreement," which on Monday was described as a "payment in lieu of taxes" plan, or PILOT.

Someone asked why the non-profit YMCA would need a PILOT, but Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez explained that Plainfield Genesis Affordable Housing LLC is a private company that will have to pay taxes.

The company filed with the state on July 1, 2015. Earlier announcements of the project only mentioned the YMCA as developer.Here is an excerpt from an April press release on the project from the YMCA:

"The Plainfield YMCA is the sponsor, developer and property manager for the project. Construction and
permanent funding for the project have been secured through state funds and will be supplemented by a
Declaration of Intent for 4% housing tax credits. The Plainfield YMCA has secured site control and is in the
process of finalizing all necessary municipal and funding approvals. Construction is estimated to begin Fall
2015 with a targeted opening of April 2016."

In June, the YMCA received a $500,000 federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds loan for the project.

The Nov. 5 meeting is 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.

--Bernice