Just a few months after steel began to rise at The Savoy, the developer that’s heading up several projects in the city has apparently run into unspecified “economic difficulties.”
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Nine units OK’d for former Koza’s site
Ten months after denying a plan for 12 units, the Zoning Board of Adjustment on Monday night paved the way for nine condominium apartments at the site of Koza’s Bar (197 W. Scott Ave./Block 231, Lot 16).
How about Newman films at the arts center?
On my way home last week, I drove past the Union County Performing Arts Center where a big crowd of middle-aged women congregated, waiting to see “Menopause: The Musical Out Loud.” It reminded me of the huge crowds that were at the arts center one weekend this summer for an Indian movie.
I drove by Friday night and the arts center was dark. The combination of a dormant arts center on a Friday night and the passing of Paul Newman in recent weeks got me thinking: why not screen a few of his classic films, the kind that almost have to be seen regardless of age or movie interests, like Cool Hand Luke and The Hustler. It’d be timely marketing and it would seem there might be some interest since his passing, not only from those who typically visit the arts center for the likes of Connie Francis, but also some “youngsters” who might be intrigued to see his early work and check out UCPAC.
Of course, with programming planned so far in advance (usually a year for live events), I figured it can’t be done too quickly, but I sent an email to arts center director Sandy Erwin anyway. She seemed enthused and talked about restarting a film series in January when their equipment is ready. Not as timely as in the weeks after Newman’s death, but you figure all the year-end magazines will remind people of his along with other celebrities’ passing in 2008.
I’ve seen classics like Citizen Kane and Easy Rider — so-called “important” films — at the arts center and it’s an enormously better opportunity than watching a DVD at home or catching an edited version on a Sunday afternoon on Channel 11. It hasn’t seemed to be a big draw at least judging by the attendance when I’ve been there for old movies. The arts center has offered double features and timely film weekends around Halloween and Christmas in the past. For an idea of what RR readers would like to see at the arts center, we did a completely unscientific poll back in January.
What do you think? Would you pay $5, $10, even $20 to catch a few Newman films at UCPAC? Hmm, I think the RR poll might make a return to the blog.
By the way, the arts center celebrates its 80th anniversary this month with its first annual gala. Meanwhile, another old-time theater reopens this month in Montclair with Counting Crows, so there’s more competition coming.
Sleep Inn out, Candlewood Suites in
A long-planned hotel near the corner of Route 1 and East Milton Avenue looks like it will go through another round of changes.
The 4.4-acre site (667 E. Milton Ave./Block 338, Lot 3) already was approved for a Sleep Inn several years ago but the property changed hands earlier this year and now the plan is to bring in Candlewood Suites, an extended stay brand of Holiday Inn. The Redevelopment Agency was presented with the new concept earlier this month and owners are expected to file an application with the Planning Board as soon as possible.
The site was acquired several months ago for $2.35 million. Owners hope to break ground as soon as next spring, with construction anticipated for 10 to 12 months, taking it into the spring of 2010.
Plans still show an L-shaped building at the corner of Lennington Street with the same footprint, but the structure is four stories instead of three, with a maximum of 93 rooms. The mix of studios and one-bedrooms can be modified, such as combining two studios to create a one-bedroom.
An indoor pool and convenience store also were added to the original design, which had 72 rooms in three stories. Extended stay units also have kitchens and most clients stay an average of two to three weeks. A 8,000-square-foot restaurant is still planned but is not dependent on the hotel construction, and vice versa. The restaurant would abut the neighboring Best Western on Paterson Street with its parking lot at the corner of East Milton and Paterson Street.
The hotel site would have 90 parking spaces while the restaurant site would accommodate 42, for a total of 132. By city ordinance, an 8,000-square-foot restaurant requires one parking space for every three seats, which would meet the requirement for a 120-seat facility (40 seats).
The owners also operate the Horizon Inn on Route 1 in Avenel and told the Redevelopment Agency they already have approval for $7 million financing from Unity Bank. They would have a 10-year agreement with Candlewood which would be renewed based on performance.
Corner lot adds parking spaces downtown
As many as 20 parking spaces may be added downtown in the coming weeks. The property that housed a construction trailer for the Park Square project will become a surface lot for the Parking Authority. The trailer is expected to be removed today with resurfacing scheduled next week. About 16 to 20 parking spaces could be accommodated on the site, according to Parking Authority Executive Director Donald Andersen. Six of the spaces will be by permit and the rest metered.
The Parking Authority last week agreed to purchase the lot on the corner of Elizabeth Avenue and Main Street (1606 Elizabeth Ave./Block 158, Lot 3) from the Redevelopment Agency for $250,000. The agency had an appraisal for $215,000 but there were some costs associated with demolition and acquisition, according to Redevelopment Director and City Administrator Peter Pelissier.
The Redevelopment Agency acquired the 0.1331-acre parcel for $125,000 in July 2001, according to PropertyShark.com.
Crime data nudges upward, barely
Reported crimes in Rahway were up, barely, and in only a few categories gauged in the latest state Uniform Crime Report (UCR), which reports 2007 data. The biggest increase was within larceny — up 7 percent from 433 to 463 reported incidents — and the crime rate crept up from 25.8 to 26.7. Still, the rate is far lower than it was five and 10 years ago: check out some historical data.
According to Police Chief John Rodger, a serial robber who also hit a few
neighboring towns was responsible for several robberies. He said the city’s clearance rate (which isn’t reflected in the UCR but takes into account various factors involved in a crime’s solvability) is very good and Rahway compares favorably to other cities in the county, such as Linden, Union and Hillside. “Economy has lots to do with these numbers, and has had an impact and will continue to do so until it turns around,” Rodger said.
neighboring towns was responsible for several robberies. He said the city’s clearance rate (which isn’t reflected in the UCR but takes into account various factors involved in a crime’s solvability) is very good and Rahway compares favorably to other cities in the county, such as Linden, Union and Hillside. “Economy has lots to do with these numbers, and has had an impact and will continue to do so until it turns around,” Rodger said.
Rahway’s overall crime rate (26.7) is the sixth highest in among the 21 Union County towns, but the biggest dropoff occurs after the top four (Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden and Hillside), all of which are 37.1 and higher. The overall crime rate in Union County was essentially the same as 2006 (29.4) while 13 of the the county’s 21 towns saw some kind of increase in their numbers. The median rate within the county belonged to Clark (15.5).
For the entire state UCR, click here. For what blog readers think about crime in Rahway, see our poll from February (scroll past Marisa Tomei) that asked, “Do you feel safe walking downtown?”
Agency makes offer for adjacent site
The Redevelopment Agency is looking to acquire another property adjacent to the former Hamilton Laundry site (in the background of photo at left; a closer look here).
Redevelopment Counsel Frank Regan said at last week’s meeting that the agency made a “good-faith offer” to the owner of the multi-family property immediately to the west of the site. Though the property owner rejected the $310,000, which was based on an appraisal, there is a willingness to sell and a counter offer was made, Regan said. Funds for the acquisition were allocated as part of financing approved in a bond ordinance last month, he added.
Redevelopment Director and City Administrator Peter Pelissier said the mayor and Arts District Advisory Board are still deliberating over the design of the amphitheater itself. The agency acquired the Hamilton Laundry site in 2004 for about $2 million, according to propertyshark.com, and has plans to create a park and amphitheater after an effort to build a comedy club was scratched as a result of flooding on the site. A black box theater and performing arts space instead are planned up the street at the former Bell building.
Two dozen units close at SkyView
The Redevelopment Agency is expecting a payment of $202,000 in fees for the sale of units at Sky View at Carriage City Plaza, Redevelopment Director/City Administrator Peter Pelissier said at last night’s agency meeting. Based on the redevelopment agreement and a new deferred payment schedule, that would mean about 40 units have closed so far.
I’ve heard that as many as 60 units have closed but only about two dozen have appeared in property transactions so far. The average for the 23 units closed so far is about $288,272, with a low of $233,050 and a high of $444,000. There were three purchasers with the same last name who bought two units in the building, according to real estate transactions.
The redevelopment agreement with Elizabeth-based Silcon Inc. calls for the agency to receive $10,000 per unit upon closing of each unit. This past summer the agency agreed to defer half the payment until it reached the level of water connection fees paid in June ($331,194). At $5,000 per unit, that would mean about 40 units have closed, given the $202,000 payment.