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.

Burger wars go to Flynn’s

Wow, it wasn’t even very close. Flynn’s and The Waiting Room had been neck and neck for awhile in the latest poll, but the last few weeks, it’s been aaallll Flynn’s. No need for a run-off even.

“Who makes the best cheeseburger in Rahway?”

Flynn’s, 37 percent (59/156)
Big Belly Deli, 26 percent (42/156)***

The Waiting Room, 14 percent (22/156)
Firehouse Pub, 6 percent (10/156)
Just A Little Healthier, 5 percent (9/156)
Stewart’s, 3 percent (3/156)
Bachmann’s Tavern, 3 percent (5/156)
Rahway Grill, 1 percent (2/156)
Other, >0 percent (1/156)
Cubanu, 0 percent, (0/156)

Technically, the burger at Just A Little Healthier is a bison burger. Cubanu had been nominated but never got a vote. Anyone want to share who their “other” vote was? Rocky’s Bar and Grill? Some other place we missed?

***There actually was a bit of, dare I say, “controversy” in the final night of the poll. Late Wednesday night, Big Belly Deli had but five votes with only hours before the poll closed. I wake up Thursday morning to find BBD got about seven times as many votes in the final hours of the poll than it did in the entire two weeks! I’m guessing someone had a lot of time on their hands Wednesday night…
(P.S. The image above was one I just found in a quick Internet search. Don’t go to Flynn’s, or anywhere else local, looking for it…)

Property owner plans suit against Renaissance

The only property owner who didn’t sell to the developers of Renaissance at Rahway plans to file a federal lawsuit against them, the city and Redevelopment Agency.

Continue reading Property owner plans suit against Renaissance

Candlewood Suites gets final OK


The Planning Board last night unanimously gave preliminary major and final site plan approval for a Candlewood Suites at East Milton Avenue and Routes 1/9, next to the Best Western.

Continue reading Candlewood Suites gets final OK

Filling space


As loyal reader Larry first pointed out in his comments to last week’s post, it appears a shoe repair shop will be coming to fill the vacant space at the corner of East Cherry and Main streets.

Continue reading Filling space

Park Square signs first commercial lease

The first commercial space at Park Square is spoken for. Eyes on You, an optometrist, has signed a five-year lease and will occupy about 1,800 square feet along Irving Street near Elizabeth Avenue.

The buildout is under way and occupancy could come by May, according to Matt Dobrolowski, the listing agent for Park Square.

As for the remaining 4,000-plus square feet for the ground floor at Park Square, Dobrolowski said there have been “on-again, off-again” discussions with a “small, franchise cafe” that could still happen.
For some perspective on progress at the site, at left is a photo taken late last March. The inspiration for that photo (and a continuing series of the same) came from Harvey Keitel’s character in the movie “Smoke,” who snaps a photo from the same spot outside his Brooklyn smoke shop every month for many years. Not quite the same, I’ll admit, but taking a photo every few weeks from the same corner does offer some perspective.

***

A new poll is up and available. Thanks to all who offered their nominees for this month’s question. If you don’t see your favorite on the list, just select “Other” and feel free to use the comments section to specify who that might be.

New retail agent at Carriage City

It looks like Carriage City Plaza has a new leasing agent. Paramus-based The Goldstein Group moved into the ground-floor of the East Milton Avenue corner of the building several weeks ago.

No word from Silcon/Carriage City about what happened to the steakhouse — an unnamed “New Jersey institution” — that was in the works a year ago for that area. I’m sure you all have your guesses.

The dry cleaners at Carriage City has opened but it appears unlikely that Cuppy’s Coffee will move in next door (though Goldstein does label the space that way in their site plan). There remains a building permit on the front door of Cuppy’s — dated earlier this month — indicating alterations to the space for a “Mr. G’s.”

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