NOVEMBER 5, 2015, 5:43 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015, 6:16 PM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Local officials expect plans to construct a parking garage in the downtown commercial district to progress quickly after the overwhelming support showed by village voters in Tuesday’s referendum.
The referendum was non-binding — meaning it was only meant to take the public’s pulse, said Mayor Paul Aronsohn. But now that the public has okayed it, shovels could hit the ground as early as next spring — even though the project’s size and design haven’t been finalized, he said.
A rendering of the proposed parking garage in the downtown commercial district in Ridgewood.
“We’ve zeroed in a lot of this — we have a sense of what it could look like,” he said, noting the council has been considering a four-story, open-roofed rendering. “We’ve been very aggressive … in the way we approached this.”
The mayor anticipates nine to 10 months of construction for the garage, which is expected to benefit local commuters who use the village’s train station, as well as customers of the downtown’s shops and restaurants.
Although the ballot question asked voters to approve a bonding of up to $15 million to fund construction, Aronsohn said it would likely be more in the $12.5-million range. The referendum gave the question 3,236-1,777 voter approval. Village officials said voter turnout was around 30 percent.
Eye sore waiting to happen that will not get that much use.
I spoke with a woman shopper from out of town this week.
She is somewhat disabled.
She thought the parking lot was a great idea for Ridgewood.
But then she learned how far she would have to walk to get to her stores. She then realized that this doesn’t change anything for her.
So shovels are going to hit the ground in the Spring – when exactly will the design be completed? Are they going to decide how many stories to add after the foundation is laid? Remember we were told not to look at the picture when we voted.
The Record as usual has drank the towns Hunta CoolAid.seems some Can’t wait to see that Massive Parking Lot scarring the Horizon..On one of the
Highest hills of Ridgewood.A disgrace..Higher Taxes coming..
Notice how Aronsohns rhetoric is changing already? Now he is backtracking on his previous firm conviction that no taxpayer money would be used. Same old, same old nontransparent Aronsohn. Funny thing is, we can see right through his non-transparency.
I love the idea of putting turf on the roof. Then poor people can sleep on the 3rd deck and maybe it could have a handicap ramp too. It will check the boxes for all the issues that people like to complain about.
Well said, 8:25 AM. “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
Overwhelming support…do you get it now?
Do you understand?
Stop your bitching and moaning and get with the program you dinosaurs otherwise you’ll be left behind and just become another gallon of gasoline.
dig and build first, ask questions later.
Once again…No final plan means no final approved budget. This mayor and Council majority simply don’t give a damn. It’s not just the cart before the horse, everything they do is ass-backwards. How in the world is the Mayor a Communications executive? Did he get his degree/experience under Fidel Castro? At Wednesday’s meeting Hauck told a residents 25×4 does NOT add up to 100. Watch the 3:00 mark https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/77054719
Bend over. It’s coming. And it’s going to hurt.
Hawk was elected to with that statement “25×4 does NOT add up to 100.” This is the same kind of math they are going to use when building the garage.
Hawk was elected with that statement “25×4 does NOT add up to 100.” This is the same kind of math they are going to use when building the garage.
I hope she is good at other thing.We now know math is not her strong point but het the seniors love her.
We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.
To those trusting so.es who posted on Facebook that you would vote yes and then go to the parking garage meetings – you were taken for a ride.
Hauk and Roberts were all over Facebook quelling fears. This is your worst nightmare. In the Record article the mayor says that we already have a good idea of what we will build. There was always a plan to build the garage from the (prestigious?)Walker report. Gotcha!
You were lied to. More than half of the 30% of registered voters said yea. For the mayor that is overwhelming support.
Folks, as soon as we can vote Pauly Walnuts out of office won’t be soon enough. Please, PLEASE remember to vote for a quality candidate for Ridgewood next time – not because he/she is backed by an outside political party. Let Paul go onto bigger and better things like his friend Jim McGreevey.
11:56 is right. And there will be no money left in your budget to purchase lubrication, because the garages costs will have sucked your wallet dry by then.
12:22. I meant Hauck and Roberta.
The queens of social media. They tried it and it worked. I wonder who gave them the training since both of them showed up in earnest last weekend?
Now they need to train Al. He just doesn’t get it. For him it is anti-social media
To 12:22 PM. I don’t want the garage, but you are wrong about the results of the vote. It is is overwhelming support. 2/3 of the registered voters who bothered to vote, voted yes. Not registered, or not bother to vote, that is a statement in and of itself. Elections (and referendums) have consequences.
Turf on the roof is a great idea.
That’s the 4th 60×90 baseball field. This solves the Schedler problem.
Two birds with one stone….
3:18. It was still 30% turnout. 2/3 of them voted yes.
If the council ever has the meetings that Gwen And Roberta promised the other 70% will turn out.
Remember, they promised resident input.
Hard for me to fathom why folks would vote for a garage.
It means more traffic, etc.
It’s the equivalent of Paramus citizens voting to repeal the Sunday Blue Laws….
“If the council ever has the meetings that Gwen And Roberta promised the other 70% will turn out.
Remember, they promised resident input.”
I was shaking my head in disbelief – then I realized you’re kidding. Good one!
5:34. Wait – they lied?