Landmark application for Village Hall approved by Planning Board - Wainco, the owner of 75 South Orange Ave., appeals
The owner of Wainco is clearly an a**hole. He wants to turn public parking to his own use. Township should do what ever it can to harass him.
For the good of South Orange and its residents, hopefully Wainco will not appeal. The project has been delayed long enough already.
If it's gonna be a choice between beer garden and Wainco, I can tell you which one's getting voted off of my island...
How many appeals can Wainco file? Does he really have the ability to delay this even longer?
Runner_Guy said:
How many appeals can Wainco file? Does he really have the ability to delay this even longer?
He hasn't appealed yet - the final approval was only voted on last night. Wainco has 45 says from the date that notice of the Board's decision is published in the News-Record to file an appeal.
eta - But his lawyer has certainly prolonged the proceedings. I assume that he was setting the stage for an appeal.
*South Orange Village Hall Restaurant & Beer Garden Approved*
Last night, after several months of public hearings, the South Orange Planning Board voted to approve the Site Plan application of Landmark Hospitality for the proposed restaurant and beer garden to be opened in the former Village Hall. The Board heard testimony from the operator and received input and heard concerns from residents and surrounding properties. The Board’s decision included a number of specific conditions and requirements to address the concerns that were raised.
The decision of the Planning Board will be formally memorialized in a written Resolution next month, after which Landmark can move forward with the significant restoration and renovation work that is necessary. Under the sale agreement with the Village, Landmark is obligated to fully restore the exterior of the building to meet the standards of the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office which will hold a historic preservation easement on the property. The project will also include the build out of the interior into a restaurant and the addition of an outdoor beer garden.
The Village expects work to start on the building in the coming months with an anticipated completion and opening date in approximately 15 months.
For anyone who missed my article that was featured on the front page of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, you can read more about this deal here: http://villagegreennj.com/…/April-NJM-Historic-Preservation…
https://www.facebook.com/sheen...
eta - 15 months, hopefully, for oots' sake.
From the January 2016 Gaslight: "Construction Time Frame. With the sale finalized, Landmark will manage exterior construction in August and September. Interior construction will start in October and conclude in June 2017."
An estimate of 15 months is POSSIBLE, but based on past history and the inevitable challenges, weather etc, I'd be surprised to see an opening before 2019.
If Wainco is the owner of the property, why is Landmark the entity applying for a Site Plan? Unless-
Landmark is a lessee of of Wainco's property. And if so, why would Wainco appeal?
Coming late to the matter, so please forgive my ignorance.
Just wondering out loud here in Maplewood.
TomR
Wainco has nothing to do with village hall, except that he owns the building across the street. He is trying to stop the project to keep more public parking spaces available for his building.
By the time this process is done, the building will have fallen down from neglect. Then they will need to start the process over.
"this will not be as quiet as an empty building" outrageous! the nerve! I demand a quiet beer garden 
FilmCarp said:
Wainco has nothing to do with village hall, except that he owns the building across the street. He is trying to stop the project to keep more public parking spaces available for his building.
Thanks for the information.
TomR
At the BOT meeting Monday evening, Village President Collum said that the Village was waiting to see if an unnamed "objector" would appeal the Planning Board's approval of the site plan for the redevelopment of Village Hall. The deadline to file an appeal is Oct. 31. If an appeal is filed, it would delay the project for up to a year.
The Village is prepared to move forward and contest it in court, and feels that it will prevail. I agree. In addition to the delay, it will also cost the taxpayers. It will be extremely unfortunate, both to the Village and taxpayers.
cramer said:
For the good of South Orange and its residents, hopefully Wainco will not appeal. The project has been delayed long enough already.
The delay means that South Orange will not receive the $1.2 million from Landmark until the matter is resolved in the courts. The $1.2 million is not payable until closing, and closing is now dependent upon the matter being resolved in the courts in favor of South Orange.
FilmCarp said:
Wainco has nothing to do with village hall, except that he owns the building across the street. He is trying to stop the project to keep more public parking spaces available for his building.
Owner of th building across the street (company name)...likes having underutilized public lot for his tenants. Has visions of applying to add a floor to his building and is counting on this parking as part of his variance application, I think.
I’m just about ready to start picketing his building...or at least showing up at every meeting to protest if he ever dares bring a plan forward.
vermontgolfer said:
Remind me again, who is Wainco?
Wainco is the owner of 75 South Orange Ave., the building which houses Investors Savings and other stores, at the corner of South Orange Ave. and Scotland Road. Wainco is owned by Stuart Wainberg.
Wainco wants to add a story to 75 South Orange Ave., adding 35 additional residential units. This would require additional parking and Wainco wants to use the Village Hall parking lot in order to meet its parking requirement.
There is a very animated discussion taking place on on Sheena's Facebook page. A LOT of comments. People are not happy, to put it mildly. They're angry. One person posted that they were sorry that he had been their landlord. People are ready to run him our of town - seriously!
If you wanted to really torture someone, make them watch the hours and hours of Wainco's lawyer, Daniel Bernstein, presenting materials and cross-examining witnesses at the Planning Board meetings.
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At tonight's Planning Board meeting.
Most likely Wainco will appeal. Wainco owns 75 South Orange Ave.