Category Archives: Arts District
KC Jazz redesigns, eyes 2010 for opening
KC Jazz restaurant has its sights set on 2010 for an opening.
Developer Casey Granieri said in an email last month that the project is going out to bid after a redesign to lower the cost. Any changes will be in materials and roof modification, he said, and if everything gets done in a timely manner it will open next year.
During last month’s Redevelopment Agency meeting, Redevelopment Director and City Administrator Peter Pelissier mentioned that a developer with experience in Newark’s Ironbound section was brought in to help with the changes while there also were some financing details to iron out. The former Kelly’s Pub building, at the corner of Seminary Avenue and Irving Street, gained Planning Board approval in July 2007.
***
It looks like there’s a comfortable lead for Friday to be the day for a Rahway Rising happy hour. If no one has any objections, why don’t we call it 6 p.m. at The Waiting Room this Friday (Nov. 13). See you there!
Hamilton amphitheater sketches
Designs for the Hamilton Street amphitheater have been drawn up and are awaiting approval by the Arts District Advisory Board.
Work moves to exterior at Station Bar & Grill
Some interior work looks like it was going on for a few weeks. The project was approved by the Planning Board in June, details of which can be found in the earlier post.
***
For a look at what some nearby towns have in mind as far as redevelopment, here’s a piece from nj.com about Fanwood’s efforts to make its downtown more like Cranford or Westfield.
Summer work: Irving-Central signalization
Work is expected to begin next month to reconfigure the intersection of Central Avenue and Hamilton, Irving and West Main streets.
The project will add a traffic signal to the intersection to coordinate traffic coming from five different directions and address the no-left turn from West Main to Irving streets, according to City Administrator and Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier.
Work also will include creating a triangular traffic island between Hamilton and Central and widening Irving opposite the Union County Arts Center.
City Council on Wednesday night approved a $224,000 contract with Piscataway-based Fai-Gon Electric for signalization.
Dessert cafe coming to corner space
Kim’s In The Mix, a dessert cafe, soon will occupy the corner of West Main and Irving streets.
Rafael Ortiz, who owns the property at 209-219 W. Main St. along with several other downtown sites, said some interior work still remains to be done. He estimated the shop could be in operation within a month.
The cafe signed a two-year lease with an option for three years on the 1,200-square-foot space at $1,500 a month, according to Ortiz. It will replace a camera and phone store that left in December.
Park Square aiming for June occupancy
In case you haven’t been to the Park Square Web site of late, it’s been updated to reflect a planned June 2009 occupancy. Previous timelines had pegged October 2008 and March 2009 for residential occupancy at the four-story, 159-unit rental development.
It’s been about a year since brick work was started on the Irving Street facade and construction of the Main Street side began. The photo above was taken Sunday, and you can see the streetscape work continuing up to the corner of Elizabeth Avenue. You’ll recall the first tenant was signed for the first-floor Irving Street retail space earlier this year.
Agency buys Hamilton Street home for $340K
The Redevelopment Agency last week authorized the purchase of a Hamilton Street home for $340,000 as part of an overall plan for an amphitheater at the former Hamilton Laundry site.
The agency previously made an offer of $310,000, which was rejected by the current owner, Colonia-based Grove Investments, LLC. The property is assessed at $146,700, according to PropertyShark.com, and paid about $6,400 in property taxes last year. PropertyShark lists the most recent sale date as February 1998, but no sales data was available on the 0.0859-acre site.
The multi-family home at 312-314 Hamilton St. (Block 167, Lot 44), adjacent to the former Hamilton Laundry, eventually will make way for a concession stand and restrooms, as part of the plans for an amphitheater along the river.