The oldest one listed on a master chart in the Planning Division is a 2008 proposal known as "Front Street Offices Urban Renewal LLC" at 216-232
Cretella's fondness for fanciful names comes out in the next two 2009 proposals, both on Park Avenue near the PNC Bank. "Next Step to Collins Avenue" at 226-232 Park Avenue has eight finished apartments over ground floor space still awaiting development of a French bistro. It is now called the "Courier News Building." Next door at 212-216 Park Avenue, "Certified Green Property One" has four apartments over commercial space occupied by real estate and medical care offices.
Also proposed in 2009, "Art Lofts I LLC" at 148-158 East Second Street and "Gavett Place Properties" at 130-140 East Second Street received approvals in 2011. The former two-story Romonds building (Art Lofts) is slated for construction of three more stories, with retail space on the first floor and 20 apartments above. The old Mirons warehouse (Gavett Place) is expected to yield 12 apartments. Some work has been done at the Mirons building, but no work is visible at the Romonds building.
"The Bank on Park LLC" is the PNC Bank building. Retail and hospitality uses are proposed. An application for a fifth story lounge addition was recently withdrawn. The bank still occupies the building.
By far the largest proposal, "West Second Street Commons Urban Renewal LLC" at 101-209 West Second Street calls for a new five-story building with 148 apartments and 12,300 square feet of retail space. The developer will be required to relocate the historic pre-Civil War Titsworth-Sutphen building. No action has been taken to date on the relocation or construction.
A building eponymously designated "109 East Fourth Street LLC" is next to the main train station but not in any designated redevelopment area. It is under renovation for eight apartments.
Three buildings on North Avenue, each also named for its address, are up for renovation with retail space at ground level and apartments above. They are 134-136 North Avenue LLC, 138-144 North Avenue LLC and 177-185 North Avenue LLC. In 2006, Cretella was designated as developer for a plan to acquire and renovate historic buildings in the North Avenue Commercial Historic District. The designation ran out before any buildings were acquired. The plan also called for taller new buildings behind the historic ones, yielding 915 residential units, 130,000 square feet of retail space and an entertainment center. See Plaintalker's post here. The Landmark Developers web site still describes a five-block project with renovation of 35 historic buildings as well as construction of up to 500 residential units and 136,000 square feet of retail space.
Cretella is often spoken of as the city's best hope for redevelopment, as other projects - Marino's, East Third/Richmond, Heartstone, Arlington Heights - have faded away. But recently his attention appears more focused on hospitality venues such as the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station and Hotel du Village in New Hope. Is it time for an accounting of where things stand with the Plainfield projects?
--Bernice
Soooooo many apartments!!? Who on earth would want to move to Plainfield? In case they haven't noticed, everyone is trying to move out of Plainfield, including me!
ReplyDeletePlainfield has its issues, but it can be a wonderful city. Let's hope that people put aside politics, cynicism, and just plain too lazy to be involved and get this city on its feet.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the present mayor was self serving (remember, WE paid for her PERSONAL lawyer) and had no clue how to surround herself with people who knew what they were doing.
The next mayor (whoever that may be - but at least its not Sharon), needs to be smart about getting the right people in the right jobs - no patronage - no force from politics - but true concern about what is best for Plainfield.
Is "915 (or, alternatively, 500) residential units" and "130,000 (or 136,000) square feet of retail space" accurate? Seems like a huge influx of residents downtown, maybe enough to require a new elementary school. And the retail space is about the size of an average Costco - that size would have to include at the least a major supermarket. Is there really such a tenant on the horizon or is this another Trader Joe's moment? Or has Cretella read the Monarch's innards and decided on a radically less ambitious and less risky plan? Either way, I, too, would like to see some kind of comprehensive and comprehensible status update but I don't think it will be forthcoming. All of these projects are at their heart a series of profit-making real estate deals, not one big public works project. If I were an investor I would fight to keep my cards as close to my vest as possible to preserve all of my future options.
ReplyDeleteCretella is a private investor so I am not sure why he should spend time giving us a comprehensive plan.
DeleteI want a comprehensive plan from the mayor about what she is doing about issues in Plainfield.
Ryland Inn was a mess - flood damage and more. The Inn in New Hope needed a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteThese are obviously examples of what can happen when the city cooperates with the builder - which is not just granting variances.
Should we be celebrating most likely expensive residential units in Plainfield? Let's do things for the people that already live here. A lot of these projects sound like they are to Attract new people. Maybe I am making assumptions, but that is almost always How it is. It's just a copout for not improving the lives of current Residents. I'd like to know more Though.
ReplyDeleteThis is a classic example of putting all your eggs in one basket. The City should have never let Cretella loose with all those redevelopment properties, they should of gave him one or two then if successful give him more as a reward. He's done alot of business in that fine Democratic machine town of Jersey City which is one of the reasons he's here in Plainfield. The Trader Joe's was a tease. In fairness to him the cancellation of THE tunnel and the one seat ride into NYC hurt his plans but again one should never put all ones eggs in one basket. The french bistro thing well he should open something there make it a BYOB if the food is good people will come. Watching redevelopment in Plainfield is like watching paint dry.
ReplyDeleteIts funny how many people in Plainfield are such cynics that they cant appreciate when something good actually comes to town.
ReplyDeletePlainfield did not give Frank anything. He bought the properties from the previous owners with the intent to redevelop them into renovated, upscale housing and retail units. Plainfield already has more than enough affordable housing units. It does not need any more right now. I fully know and understand you can always use more, but you have to have a balance of both.
What is keeping many of these projects from growing to completion is the lack of a liquor license. Until Plainfield stops renewing them to repeat violators and sells them to people who will actually use them, not just hold them until the price goes up, he will not be able to open the restaurant. Lets face it, the bigger money is in the liquor, not just the food.
The tunnel and 1 seat ride are non-issues here. The City has 2 train stations already. Opening a tunnel is not the Godsend to real estate heaven. Good government and fair property taxes are.
As to the Monarch, it is a great project in the wrong place at the wrong time. Frank is offering a much better product in better locations. He is essentially "cleaning" up the area around the train station, making it a much prettier and inviting area for all. I wish him well and hope the City can come to realize that what he is doing is a good thing and does what it can to make it happen. Most cities would jump through hoops to have this happen in their town. Anyone ever hear of a place called New Brunswick?? Jersey City?? Asbury Park?? Hoboken??