The city has reached tentative agreement on a dispute over sewer connection fees for a proposed Irving Street restaurant.
City Administrator and Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier said a third meeting with principals of Station Bar & Grill yielded an agreement that will be finalized by the city attorney.
The developers will pay about $27,000 and be given credit on previous usage while also being allowed to pay the total over a number of years, though Pelissier declined to say exactly how many. Originally, the city had calculated about $35,000 in sewer fees but Pelissier emphasized the agreed-upon total is still within the scope of the city ordinance, adding that the city worked with the developer as best it could but did not make any “special deals.”
Developers had told city officials that they could not do the project if they had to pay the original total. The 6,900-square-foot project received Planning Board approval last June.
Do you have any idea how they calculate a number like that? $35,000 to "connect" a sewer seems QUITE excessive – although I'm sure I'm oversimplifying. What on EARTH are they doing to that sewer that's worth $35,000??
Guess no one knows what the $35,000 is for. If it was an easy answer, probably someone would have posted before the next blog entry did. Oh well.
It is a case of the golden sewer I guess.. -shoulder shrug-
It's based on previous usage, comparable properties, size of restaurant (as in seating capacity), etc. There's a range set in the city ordinance, I'll see if I can get my hands on it, that might help explain better.
Wasn't it a fire station before? Changing a restaurant to a restaurant, prior usage, I guess, makes sense – although to "connect" the sewer should cost the same regardless of usage, so it's obviously for more than that. But how do they use prior information if something is changing from say, a fire station to a restaurant??
I am moving to Rahway next week. Is this an active project, meaning will the restaurant be built within 6 months?
Well, it seems like something is going on at the site, I'm just not sure how quickly it's moving along. Just from poking my head in the window, it looks like there's still plenty to be done to the interior.I recall when the plan was approved by the Planning Board a year ago the developer had hopes of opening by the new year.I haven't heard any timelines for this project, but my guess is six months might be ambitious. But that's just a guess.
Do you know what is happening with this? Are they still intending to open?