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Sealfon’s Project ;”minimal impact on downtown traffic” ?

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September 21,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, at this point you can only laugh . Once again another ” independent traffic consultant” told the planning board on Tuesday night that a two-building mixed-use redevelopment project in the old Sealfon’s space would have minimal impact on downtown traffic , this time wait for it , “due to a massive reduction in the properties’ existing commercial space”. Where do they find these people? The “retail” is a teller less bank and  one retail store ?

The planning board showed great restraint not busting into laughter.  By the way where is the water going to come from?

The Enclave as it is called would encompass several properties, including that of the Hallmark Floor Company and Sealfon’s  on Maple Avenue, and would contain 39 luxury-rate apartments on four floors above one story of underground parking lot that will serve the building’s commercial units with 84 spaces. A second story of parking at street level would be reserved for tenants of The Enclave but would only contain 47 spaces 10 spaces short of what zoning codes require.

The Enclave would be the  fourth “Aronsohn” or  “3 amigo”  inspired project that followed a master plan amendment to rezone downtown Ridgewood for multifamily high density housing.

As a kicker 257 Ridgewood Avenue LLC would even be willing to add a $50,000 contribution to a fair share trust fund, which would partially fund a replacement traffic light for Maple and Franklin avenues. The would mean Village tax payers would be stuck with anywhere from $200-400,000 of the cost . Maybe the previous council majority should be asked to fund the upgrades or the developer should share ownership with the Ridgewood taxpayer ?

 

 

 

13 thoughts on “Sealfon’s Project ;”minimal impact on downtown traffic” ?

  1. Some people will believe anything that comes out of a consultant’s mouth.

  2. Omg make it stop already !!

  3. I hate the direction of this town more and more every day….

  4. the explanation is simple.. when you hire a traffic expert they will say whatever you need to sell your project.

  5. There is no right answer for any work to be done at either of those intersections.
    .
    I find it hard to believe that a new apartment and retail complex will only generate an additional 24 trips during rush hour.
    The tire store is generating 0 trips per day since it is closed.
    I know the rug store has been there for years, but I doubt its generating hundreds of trips per day.
    The bank is a joke.
    The only business doing consistent traffic is the dance studio.
    .
    I agree that something needs to be in place there, but I’m not sure luxury apartments are the answer.
    .

  6. Consultants can say anything they want to, as their ‘opinion’ is considered to be advisory only. It is protected by free speech clause.

    This consultant dog and pony show is trotted out to delude the masses into believing that there is some structure and rigor to this process. In reality, the whole thing is utterly capricious and driven by political considerations.

    This can only be changed if the role of a consultant is changed from being purely an advisor, to having fiduciary responsibility with respect to the municipality.

  7. Or they will never get another job again

  8. HELLO VIETNAMM. ..Really meant Montclair ,..Englewood..,Morristown et al..with all their crap…
    Throw in a transit garage to attract best of the worse in criminals and drug dealers…HELLOOO

  9. Beware of strangers bearing Gifts
    ..they shalt destroy the villages last
    quiet moments ..as they haul out their larder..,

  10. I guess we will no longer be ” the village of Ridgewood”. This is a total disgrace and I blame the 3 amigos and that Roberta!!! The property owner is doing what any other business man would do $$$. Sadly he doesn’t honor or love his town, but the members of the past council and their token player Roberta should just be ashamed!!!! Planning board do what is right and stay strong!!! It’s hard but that is why you were appointed…you can do it!!

  11. I say build build build, there are so many pieces of property in the CBD and I need to be reconstructed. So many have gone into disrepair. And look at the roads and parking lots in the CBD they went to shit.

  12. Sorry remind me who the property owner is and the lawyer

  13. I hope they start paving some roads in the central business section because some those roads are really going to hell, Franklin Avenue needs to be paid Oakstreet cottage Road broad st is shot shit

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