New Retail Trends Causing Changes in Downtown Westfield Residents
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, July 27, 2017 OUR 127th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 30-2017 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Residents Oppose Development For Circa-1755 Pierson House By MICHAEL BONACCORSO residential units. age 55 and older. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader The board previously acknowl- Testimony and public commentary WESTFIELD – The board of ad- edged a request made by John focused on the development’s poten- justment did not make a final deci- Schmidt, Jr., the attorney for appli- tial impact on traffic volume, the sion on a proposal to build a multiple- cant Country Classics at Montgom- development’s proposed height, de- residential development on the cur- ery, LLC, to have a seven-member struction of the historic Pierson resi- rent site of the home known as the board present. The applicant would dence, and the development being Daniel Pierson house, located at 1481 need five out of seven board mem- consistent with the neighborhood’s East Broad Street. bers to vote for approval. However, single-family zoning. Country Classics is seeking pre- testimony from the applicant and those More than a dozen Westfield resi- liminary and final major site plan opposed to the development was dents from Davis Court, Carol Road approval with use and bulk variances heard. and surrounding streets near the pro- to demolish the single-family resi- Neighbors of the development, posed development spoke during the dence there and construct a total of Michael Pressman and Floren public commentary portion of the six, age-restricted residential units, Robinson, are opposing the develop- meeting against approving the appli- located in two separate buildings on ment. The new structure, if erected, cation. Others remained in attendance the property, each containing three will provide housing for residents as the meeting hit the evening’s time limit. Mr. Pressman and Ms. Robinson’s attorney, Richard Schkolnick, called upon expert witness J. Michael Petry of Petry Engineering. “I visited the neighborhood. Seek- ing relief there should be a beneficial reason for the development. When looking at the variance amount re- quested and the possible impact on an already traffic-ridden neighborhood, Evan Rossi for The Westfield Leader the project raises questions,” Mr. Petry JAZZING IT UP...Tuesday night’s Sweet Sounds Downtown Jazz draws a smaller crowd than usual due to cloudy weather. said. “I do not believe this project ad- heres to the necessities or goals de- scribed in the (Westfield) master plan. New Retail Trends Causing The pure density, height of the pro- posed buildings and the buildings’ lengths, separate these structures from the single-family residences surround- Changes In Downtown Westfield ing the current structure,” Mr. Petry said. By PAUL J. PEYTON merce. He said the goal is to continue Westfield’s City Sports was among Mr. Schmidt countered Mr. Petry’s Specially Written for The Westfield Leader to make the town attractive so people eight of the regional chain’s 26 stores Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader statement. “The development fulfills WESTFIELD — As Amazon and continue to come to Westfield. He the company closed when it filed for LOOKING FOR DEALS...This family shops for deals during Downtown Westfield a need for housing in Westfield for other online/electronic shopping ven- said the town can accomplish that “by Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Sidewalk Sale Days held over the weekend. The event was sponsored by the residents 55 and older. Thirty-five Downtown Westfield Corp. ues take over the way Americans shop, keeping up with the latest opportuni- The old Pinera Bread on East Broad percent of Westfield residents are 55 downtowns like Westfield have to ties.” has been rented to Boxwood Coffee, and older. The development adheres reinvent the type of businesses they To see the changes coming to town, a small coffee house out of Summit. Garwood Expands Parking to the master plan. The height in- want to attract. The Westfield Leader was given a Westfield will be its second location. crease discussed is only three feet “There’s new trends in retail and two-hour tour on Friday with Sherry The space is around 3,700 square higher than surrounding homes,” Mr. we have to adapt to what’s going on Cronin, executive director of the feet, Ms. Cronin said. Pinera closed Restrictions in Res. Areas Schmidt said. nationally,” explains Gene Jannotti, Downtown Westfield Corp. Mayor in December after 17 years in “Fifty-five-year-old individuals executive director of the Greater Andrew Skibitsky and Town Admin- Westfield. By MICHAEL BONACCORSO friendly phasing process.” He said that CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Westfield Area Chamber of Com- istrator Jim Gildea also took part. Midtown Authentic has opened at Specially Written for The Westfield Leader signs will be posted and that a parking One of the largest vacant spaces 129 East Broad. The business “buys GARWOOD — The borough coun- permit enforcement officer will enforce currently is 125 Elm Street, the former your ex-boyfriend’s gifts.” Located cil on Tuesday night approved an ordi- the parking restrictions. Twn. Makes $18.5-Mil. Deal home of Smith & Hawken, a garden- out of Hoboken, the store’s Facebook nance expanding residential permit “Warnings will be given out to first- ing store, and later a mattress store, page describes it as New Jersey’s parking and two-hour parking. Streets time offenders. After a period of time, The Westfield Sleep Center. It will “only luxury couture resale store that included in the new parking zone are tickets with financial penalties will be To Sell Birchwood Ave. now be the location of Nails, Spa and pays you on the spot for your un- Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and directed towards cars not abiding the Beyond. wanted bags, shoes, accessories and Spruce Avenue. rules,” Police Chief Wright said. By CHRISTINA M. HINKE unanimously. “Traditional retail is going away,” designer jewelry.” Councilwoman Ileen Cuccaro said The council’s parking committee Specially Written for The Westfield Leader There will be an overlay zone, Zoning Mr. Gildea said. “Service businesses The former longtime space of The commuters accessing the Garwood developed a questionnaire to be dis- CRANFORD — The township has Officer Ron Johnson said of the site. The is what has to take its space.” Leader Store, 109 East Broad Street, Train Station on Center Street are park- cussed further at September’s parking made an agreement to sell 215-235 planning board “could rescind the IMR Another big space is 151 East can easily be subdivided as it is a ing in residential neighborhoods as they committee meeting. The questionnaire Birchwood Avenue for $18.5 million to (inclusionary multi-family residential) Broad, most recently the home of large, 4,500-square-foot vacant space. take trains to New York from the is geared towards borough business a developer to build 225 units, Wanda zoning once the redevelopment plan is City Sports, an 8,000-square-foot An artist and former teacher, Ricardo Garwood station. owners. All 41 business owners who Chin Monahan, a partner with the law adopted,” Ms. Chin said. The redevel- store. Roig, currently is displaying his art- “The problem was explained by our are Greater Westfield Area Chamber of firm of Sedita, Campisano & Campisano, opment plan “trumps” the IMR zone, “There’s no large retailers looking work in the windows. police and noted by residents who have Commerce members will be notified. LLC, which specializes in the practice of Mr. Johnson explained to The Westfield for that kind of space now. Not even Hand Picked, an urban wear store, complained. Something had to be done,” All other businesses will be notified environmental law and brownfields re- Leader. subdividing is being considered,” Ms. has opened at 107 Prospect Street Councilwoman Cuccaro said. through e-mail and phone. development, told the planning board at A conceptual rendering of the project Cronin said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 “We realized something needed to Preliminary questions on the ques- its workshop meeting Wednesday. that will include a parking garage under- be done to keep the process organized, tionnaire were mentioned at Tuesday’s “We are pretty excited about that,” neath the development was exhibited by as Garwood is becoming and going to council meeting. Councilman Sarno said Ms. Chin said. Mayor Thomas Hannen, Jr. on his per- become a larger commuter borough,” they include: “What are your thoughts The township purchased the property sonal computer. Details of the proposed Councilman Joseph Sarno added. on a paid parking station? Along the at the end of 2016 for some $18 million plan were not provided. Police Chief James Wright said the same lines, do we make the lot across from the developer S. Hekemian, who The township also is to take the con- borough would “incorporate a user- CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 had won a builder’s remedy lawsuit to tamination cleanup efforts of the build a 360-unit apartment building there. Birchwood Avenue site to the response Since then, the area has been desig- action outcome, Ms. Chin told The nated by the governing body of the Leader, as required by the New Jersey Township of Cranford as a Non-Con- Department of Environmental demnation Area in Need of Redevelop- Protection’s (NJDEP) site remediation ment pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12A -5 program. Last month, the township hired and -6. The Department of Community Excel Environmental Resources Inc. to Affairs approved the redevelopment provide soil remediation to the soil con- resolution. tamination on the Birchwood Avenue The township then solicited propos- site that is above the applicable stan- als for purchase and redevelopment of dards of the NJDEP.