Redevelopment Plan for the Toomey's Automotive Site - January 10th

From the town:

The Township of Maplewood will hold a second community meeting to discuss the draft Redevelopment Plan for the Toomey's Automotive Site at 104 Baker Street. The meeting will be on Thursday, January 10th at 7:00pm in the Parlor at The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood.

In July 2018 the Maplewood Township Committee determined the former Toomey's automobile site at 104 Baker Street qualified as an "area in need of rehabilitation" and engaged a licensed planner to prepare a draft redevelopment plan. The plan sets forth standards for the construction of buildings and other improvements at 104 Baker Street.

At the first community meeting on November 19th, there were a number of suggestions and questions about the draft redevelopment plan. Based on the community feedback, changes have been made to the draft plan. At the meeting on January 10th, those changes will be discussed.

It is expected that a majority of Township Committee members will be present at the community meeting. No formal action will be taken.



I don't see this generating the same amount of argument as the Post Office redevelopment, but I could be proven wrong.


I guess the underground oil tanks were removed and ground tested?


tjohn said:
I don't see this generating the same amount of argument as the Post Office redevelopment, but I could be proven wrong.

the balloon people are posting about it on their FB page.

For the record, the plan that was published calls for 35' limit on Baker St.  The building can go to 47' in the back if there are step backs.  That should probably be appropriately communicated before anyone starts claiming it's going to be five stories and blot out the sun.



I hope they at least considering repurposing the building. In Millburn, a gas station, I think, was converted into a burger joint.


I noticed the Marine Agency was for sale although I also was told they have a buyer? This agency building property is on Maplewood Ave but I believe it adjoins the Toomey property. Just thinking.


tjohn said:
I hope they at least considering repurposing the building. In Millburn, a gas station, I think, was converted into a burger joint.

 there's a very cool Starbucks location in LA built in a repurposed garage.  


tjohn said:
I don't see this generating the same amount of argument as the Post Office redevelopment, but I could be proven wrong.

 The Executive Committee of  Engage,  in exile,  has voted to support a four story apt. building

which will house apartments renting in the $3, 000.00 to $4,000,00 dollar range.

We also recommend the building include a Starbucks and certainly another bank in order to keep Wells 

Fargo on its toes.  It is our sincere belief that this is the sort of building is very much needed by the Township.

We further apologize for our past actions which deemed us as "trouble makers and obstructionists"

Maybe someone can figure out a way to sneak an absolutely necessary ,  or so we were told Kings

Supermarket in there while we are at it.




 


dude, give it a rest.


I was hoping for something like this: 

Image result for gas station turned into brewery


jfinnegan said:
I was hoping for something like this: 

If people learned anything from last time, it's that they need to have a business plan and financing if they really are serious about ideas for what they want at the site.  It's not enough to just set up a card table and toss out grandiose ideas for someone else to finance.

 


green space would be nice


safetyfirst said:
who owns the property?

all the relevant info is in the report posted at the Village Green site.  Link is in my post above.

The site is privately owned and currently the township is leasing it as parking spaces.


safetyfirst said:
who owns the property?

Looks like it’s owned by “104 Realty Management” who bought it for $750,000 in late May 17.


The address of the owner is associated with “Realty Management Systems” in West Orange.


It's a relatively small lot. Green space for what? Of course, others have proposed a parking garage for the space, but it's too small for that.

I think we have to be realistic. It's an expensive lot to purchase. Sure, rehabbing the garage into a restaurant or bar would be nice, but that along with a liquor license, will also be expensive. It's also an odd configuration - a big room with an office to the side and front. It's reasonable to expect some type of retail or food on the bottom floor and two floors of residences. 

As mentioned, there's already a height cap, and the whole thing is capped at three stories maximum.


apple44 said:
It's a relatively small lot. Green space for what? Of course, others have proposed a parking garage for the space, but it's too small for that.
I think we have to be realistic. It's an expensive lot to purchase. Sure, rehabbing the garage into a restaurant or bar would be nice, but that along with a liquor license, will also be expensive. It's also an odd configuration - a big room with an office to the side and front. It's reasonable to expect some type of retail or food on the bottom floor and two floors of residences. 
As mentioned, there's already a height cap, and the whole thing is capped at three stories maximum.

if we're going to be realistic, the most economically feasible use is for it to be a building similar to the surrounding structures on Baker.  Maybe one story taller.  And that's exactly what you've described.  


ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.

 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"

Village Green.


author said:


ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.
 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"
Village Green.

 oh oh 


Speaking of downtown real estate, does anyone know what's happening with the house where the dance school was?  It's at the end of the NJ Transit lot on Maplewood Ave near Able Baker.



I thought the Town had already received a preliminary proposal from a develop for the Toomey site.  I could be wrong though.


jamie said:
From the town:
The Township of Maplewood will hold a second community meeting to discuss the draft Redevelopment Plan for the Toomey's Automotive Site at 104 Baker Street. The meeting will be on Thursday, January 10th at 7:00pm in the Parlor at The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood.
In July 2018 the Maplewood Township Committee determined the former Toomey's automobile site at 104 Baker Street qualified as an "area in need of rehabilitation" and engaged a licensed planner to prepare a draft redevelopment plan. The plan sets forth standards for the construction of buildings and other improvements at 104 Baker Street.
At the first community meeting on November 19th, there were a number of suggestions and questions about the draft redevelopment plan. Based on the community feedback, changes have been made to the draft plan. At the meeting on January 10th, those changes will be discussed.
It is expected that a majority of Township Committee members will be present at the community meeting. No formal action will be taken.


You can be rest assured that the Town will approve a building that does not 100% follow their redevelopment plan.


author said:


ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.
 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"
Village Green.

 you should get over yourself. No one is trying to censor you. 


I do think if there is a bar there at least one cocktail should be named the Toomey.


apple44 said:
I do think if there is a bar there at least one cocktail should be named the Toomey.

maybe the Socket Toomey


ml1 said:


author said:

ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.
 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"
Village Green.
 you should get over yourself. No one is trying to censor you. 

 And how would you define the phrase "give it a rest"?


author said:


ml1 said:

author said:

ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.
 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"
Village Green.
 you should get over yourself. No one is trying to censor you. 
 And how would you define the phrase "give it a rest"?

"your comments on this subject are brutally tiresome"


author said:


ml1 said:

author said:

ml1 said:
dude, give it a rest.
 Don't ever, ever attempt to censor  me.  You should confine your reading to the "hearts and flowers"
Village Green.
 you should get over yourself. No one is trying to censor you. 
 And how would you define the phrase "give it a rest"?

 I would also suggest you read some of Joe Strups archived material. I especially like each issue preceding a TC meeting when he urges the public to attend the meeting.  He closes with, "they work

for you,  remind them of that".   Of course you will frequently see that phrase in other local publications such as...........well maybe someday.,  Man is obviously s trouble maker and obstructionist.  He should give it a rest.


I also urge concerned people to attend the meeting. 


In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.