YMCA Apartments Gets Site Plan Approval

The Planning Board has approved creation of 30 studio apartments in the YMCA for young people aging out of foster care.

The building at 518 Watchung Avenue will be remodeled with an addition on the third floor and a separate elevator for access to the apartments. The new units will have full kitchens and baths and will replace 60 single rooms on the two upper floors. Programs and facilities in the basement and on the first floor will not be affected, President and CEO Ravenell Williams IV told the board.

Williams said the YMCA has had a foster care program for 29 years, but once children reach 18, they "age out" of foster care. He expects the new apartments to provide homes for the young adults as they go to college, start working or take part in training programs.

"I see it filling up the first day we open," Williams said.

Aged-out youths comprise one of the largest homeless groups in the state, he said. Occupants of the new apartments may take four years or more to achieve independence. There will also be a two-bedroom apartment for live-in staff to assist the residents, who will have full access to YMCA facilities in addition to whatever counseling they may need.

Williams said the YMCA has raised $12,000 toward a $30,000 goal to provide each resident with a computer that they can keep when they leave

The YMCA is a non-profit organization, but will join with a private company, Plainfield Genesis Affordable Housing LLC, for the project. The City Council  last month approved establishment of a $25,000 escrow account which will be used in part to cover negotiations on a "payment in lieu of taxes" plan for the apartments.

Board members remarked on the size of the apartments, which fall below the square footage required by the city. But architects Rick Regan and Dan Nichols said they meet requirements of other accepted standards.

Planning Director Bill Nierstedt said the YMCA officials will have to check with the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority regarding sewer connection fees.

As for the former occupants of the single rooms, only three out of 45 are left. The YMCA covered the cost of relocation for them, Williams said.

--Bernice

Crowd-sourcing, Anyone?

I didn't feel well tonight and decided I would rather be half a block away from home at the Planning Board meeting than more than a mile away by taxi at the Community Meeting. So maybe it's time for some crowd-sourcing - I am inviting anyone who went to the meeting on South Second Street Redevelopment to give impressions, thoughts, opinions on what you heard.

--Bernice

Council Meetings Rescheduled

Monday's joint agenda-fixing and regular meeting

 has been rescheduled

CORPORATION NOTICE

CITY OF PLAINFIELD

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE JOINT AGENDA FIXING SESSION/REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015 HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE AS A SPECIAL MEETING ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT-COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 325 WATCHUNG AVENUE. 

BE FURTHER ADVISED THAT GOVERNING BODY WILL CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M.PRIOR TO THE SPECIAL MEETING.

CONSISTENT WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW  A PUBLIC NOTICE CONTAINING ALL MATTERS BEING CONSIDERED AT THE SPECIAL MEETING SHALL BE FORTHCOMING. 

BY ORDER OF THE PLAINFIELD

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

BRIDGET B. RIVERS, PRESIDENT

/S/S/   ABUBAKAR T. JALLOH, R.M.C.  

    MUNICIPAL CLERK 

S. Second Street Redevelopment Discussion tonight

Checking the city website late Wednesday, I came across a notice for a "community meeting" at 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday, Nov. 5) at Ruth Fellowship Ministries, 733 S. Second St. The topic is "The South Second Street Redevelopment."

Planning Director William Nierstedt recently mentioned the possibility of a major development on a South Second Street block between Grant and Plainfield avenues, formerly owned by entrepreneur Oliver Brown. As noted in a Plaintalker II post, it was once the proposed site of a new middle school, but plans changed and it remained vacant. The city currently owns the tract. As far as I know, no development applications have been announced for the site.

The church, whose pastor is Rev. Tracey Brown, is across the street from the property. Rev. Brown also holds the Citywide at-large seat on the City Council.

The meeting overlaps a Planning Board meeting that begins at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.

--Bernice

Firehouse to Become Home, Studio

It will be a rare case of "living over the store" when Michael Sylvester moves into an 1898 firehouse next year. Sylvester won Zoning Board approval Wednesday to live upstairs over a work space where he designs gardens for his Park Slope clientele.

Sylvester told the board he is a "student of architecture" who intends to refurbish the firehouse with red doors and a wrought iron decorative balcony on the second floor. He also plans a rooftop garden over the 3-bedroom apartment. The sturdy building at 730 West Fourth Street has 16-inch walls, he said.

Board Vice-Chairman Alejandro Ruiz suggested a sign with 19th Century lettering to mark the building as the "West End Firehouse." Other suggestions were to restore the brick facade to authentic colors and to paint the door to the apartment red to match the large fire engine doors.Sylvester was advised to consult the Historic Preservation Commission on authentic colors.

Google image

The board was very encouraging to Sylvester and gave him until September 2016 to complete his plans.

Sylvester's company is Garden Construction, with the motto, "Building Beautiful City Gardens, One At A Time." He pledged to plant three trees in containers at the firehouse in addition to the rooftop garden.

Despite its age, the firehouse is ineligible for registration as a historic site, but would be considered a contributing structure to a neighborhood historic designation. 

According to the Plainfield Tercentennial  Yearbook published in 1984, until 1827 the city had only bucket brigades to fight fires. "That year, Fire Engine Company No. 1 was formed and housed in a building on Front Street for the next five years," the authors wrote.  Several other companies followed and a hydrant system was installed in 1892. The city currently has three active firehouses, on South Avenue, Central Avenue and Bergen Street.

--Bernice

Democrats Trounce Independents for Council Seats

Democratic City Council candidates Barry Goode and Cory Storch won decisively over independent challengers in the general election, according to unofficial results Tuesday.

In the First & Fourth Ward at-large race, Goode received 993 votes to Norman E. Ortega's 310. Incumbent Second Ward Councilman Cory Storch fended off a challenge by John Campbell, 909 to 558.

Making his first try for elective office, Goode said Tuesday, "I went in with my good character and I came out with my good character."

He pledged to bring unity, "not buffoonery" to the council, where decorum has been an increasing concern of residents.

Barry Goode, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, Cory Storch

Storch put a Superman logo on Mapp's chest for a victory photo. With Storch retaining his seat and Goode coming aboard on Jan. 1, Mapp will be closer in 2016 to having a majority on the governing body, where some of his key initiatives have met with adamant opposition since he took office in 2014. He will have two more chances next year, when the Third Ward and Citywide at-large seats are up for election.

Ortega campaigned on a new blog that frequently trashed Mapp, while claiming support of the Latino community. Campbell's slogan was "Young Bold Leadership," but Second Ward voters saw fit to give Storch a fourth term instead.

 Of four candidates vying for three school board seats, newcomer Emily Morgan received 1,696 votes, second only to John Campbell Sr. with 1,711. Richard Wyatt received 1,538 votes and incumbent Jackie Coley trailed with 1,197. Although school board races are supposed to be nonpartisan, both Campbell and Assemblyman Jerry Green have fielded slates in recent years. Campbell's wife, Wilma, is president of the school board and both he and Wyatt became appointees this year on the run-up to the November election.

Morgan was backed by Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's team. She thanked supporters Tuesday, pledging to work for all 7,500 students but especially for improvement of the elementary schools. 

 

Emily Morgan addresses the Mapp team

"It is no secret that there is need for change at the Board of Education," Mapp  said, vowing to "be part of that change."

Official election results will be announced next week by Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi.

--Bernice

Vote Today

VOTE

Today!

Check your sample ballot

and go to your polling place

between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

City Council

First Ward and Fourth Ward voters can choose Democrat Barry Goode or Independent Norman E. Ortega

Second Ward voters can choose Democrat Cory Storch or Independent John Campbell

Board of Education

Four candidates for three seats

Richard Wyatt Jr., John C. Campbell, Emily Morgan, Jackie Coley 

Assembly

Vote for any two

Republicans William "Bo" Vastine, William H. Michelson

Democrats Gerald "Jerry" Green, James J. Kennedy

County Clerk

Democrat Joanne Rajoppi or Republican Joseph G. Aubourg

Freeholders

Vote for three

Democrats Alexander Mirabella, Mohamed S. Jalloh, Bruce H. Bergen

Republicans Rene Dierkes, Richard S. Fortunato, Joseph A. Bonilla

Unofficial results will be announced tonight 

Official results to follow next week