What’s up with those dilapidated buildings on West Main Street across from Park Square?

If you’ve asked yourself that question, you’re not alone. Commissioner Tim Nash inquired about the properties during the Redevelopment Agency’s regular, monthly public meeting on May 2.

There was a plan in the works at some point for the properties but it didn’t pan out, according to Redevelopment Director Leonard Bier. Because of where the properties are located, there are some issues with flooding, with basements located at river level. “That’s a problem,” he said.

State Blue Acres funding — which is available to residential properties that qualify — was available but owners didn’t respond to inquiries, Bier said, describing them as “zombie” properties. “The owners chose not to sell to Blue Acres and we don’t have the money to buy them out,” he said. The state Blue Acres program has bought out some two dozen flood-prone properties in Rahway over the past two years for almost $6 million while at the same time erasing almost $200,000 in property tax revenue.

A portion of the West Main Street properties were very recently purchased by another entity, City Administrator and Deputy Redevelopment Director Cherron Rountree said. Some were owned by an estate that defaulted, according to Bier.

The are two properties located between the former T&L Catering building at the corner of West Main Street and Elizabeth Avenue to the left (as you face the properties) and the American Legion James Mackie Post 499 to the right:

• 69-79 W. Main St., (Block 160, Lot 8). The property is assessed for $233,330, for a property tax bill of $15,878. Indeed, it appears that the estate of Kevin Scanlon is listed in property records as having acquired the lot in June 2005 for $450,000, under management of Newark-based Cooper Real Estate Management. Most recently, Trinity Restorations, LLC in Elizabeth acquired the property from the estate for $145,000 in November, according to property records. The Scanlon estate also is listed as the owner of 185 W. Main St. (Block 161/Lot 12).
• 49-53 W. Main St., Block 160, Lot 6. Trinity Financial Group in Westfield acquired the property via bank transfer in lieu of foreclosure from Nehemiah Management, according to property records. The parcel has an assessment of $161,000, generating a property tax bill of $10,895.

Both buildings are listed as having been built in 1870, according to property records. Combined, the two properties are assessed for $394,330, with property taxes of $26,773.

We can add the $145,000 sale of 69-79 W. Main St. to our list of about now-27 downtown properties that have sold during 2016 and 2017. The sale went through in late November, just a couple of weeks after that December blog post.