Assisted living may soon be allowable use in Ridgewood redevelopment area
MARCH 20, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2014, 4:39 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The North Walnut Street Redevelopment Area, including the long-vacant Town Garage on Franklin Avenue and an adjoining parking lot, is a “dead zone” and the “back alley” of Ridgewood’s downtown, according to some Planning Board members. But Ridgewood may be one step closer to improving it.
The board on Tuesday approved Village Planner Blais Brancheau’s recommendations to update the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan.
The current plan was prepared in 2007, after the village formally adopted a resolution designating the area as “in need of redevelopment.” It includes several objectives for the area, including the establishment of a parking garage and retail space (which may be incorporated into the garage structure).
The Planning Board has now made new recommendations for the plan, partly in response to a developer’s proposal this past summer, which suggested that the area would be a good site for an assisted-living facility. That proposal piqued interest in the village, but the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan does not currently allow for an assisted-living use.
Sounds good to this reader.
Cool we can be just like Riverdale in the Bronx!
I like to assist you Dom.
Why can’t the Village Planner offer the PB some alternatives to the 60 foot buildings. A little creativity is needed from the Planning dept.
I like the idea. No kids in the schools
It’s not the PB in general but Pucciarelli in particular who has pushed hard for this to be built. HE called Franklin Avenue names. HE says he would like to live in the middle of downtown, on the corner of Franklin and Walnut, listening to the toot toot of the train whistle. This will NEVER happen. There is $urely $$$ at $take here and not only for the developer$.
Sure, another big monstrosity built in our charming village. Our village planner doesn’t suggest anything creative because they just wait for big money developers to dictate what our village should look like. The pb members ram it down our throats with vague statements like “it’s time for Ridgewood to grow” and “it’s for the seniors”. The residents with NO hidden agenda come together and unite to save our village. Residents are accused of only wanting dirty, empty, eyesore lots. The mayor (who leads through intimidation and bullying -unless you agree with him) and his cronies ignore residents. Monstrosities will be built, mayor moves out of town, and the village has grown. Ridgewood goes to pot and will now be remembered for the quaint town in use to be.
Who is the developer and who currently ownes the garage. Could be lots of environmental issues given its prior use.
I guess you haven’t been downtown recently #7 – the CBD is already going to pot with empty lots, empty storefronts, and pawn shops. It’s the ruins of the quaint town it used to be. This is worth preserving ? Do you suggest another frozen yogurt shop ? A great solution would be a Performing Arts Center on Village property where the decrepit Central Garage is now, but we are locked in to massive contractual obligations on pensions & healthcare with our unions that are crowding out the ability to spend on anything that would improve the quality of life for residents. Older residents have to leave because they cannot afford to live in large houses alone and pay the taxes. If you have good ideas, then please volunteer to serve on the Planning Board instead of just saying “No” to every proposal. That makes you part of the problem if you’re not willing to do anything but complain.
#9, Yes, I have been downtown recently, actually every day I walk my dog downtown. In case you missed it, the reason these areas are empty is because the developers are waiting for their buddy Paul to provide them the higher profit option of high density developments. Bolger would have built his storage units on Chestnut already if the opportunity for higher profits hadn’t presented itself. Once the developers saw that the highly regarded Master Plan (that has kept high density building out of Ridgewood for decades) was malleable under Paul’s “leadership” all bets were off for anything at those properties excepts High-density buildings. That’s business, I can’t blame them. But, I don’t agree that we have to give it to them. We should say no, and so should our public officials who are in their positions to protect and serve the residents of Ridgewood. Not serve those who may be beneficial to their personal needs in the future. So don’t present an argument that claims these poor developers have no choice but to have empty eyesore lots until they get their way. Residents are smarter than that, we see the big picture and its not about making Ridgewood better.
I know MANY seniors and that line is well-overplayed. “Its for the seniors” is a bunch of BS. It is cheaper for these residents to live in their mortgage-free homes, pay $12,000 in taxes a year and actually be invested in something. To sell their homes, pay outrageous taxes (for not reinvesting) and then pay rent on a train track at $3,000+ a month would be plain stupid. If so many seniors are demanding this kind of option, where are they? I bet I could gather 10x more seniors who disagree with this methodology than you could for it.
As for volunteering – I wouldn’t be accepted on the Planning Board. First, I have no experience and second our mayor would decline my application because he knows I am not one of his followers. He only accepts applications and people who think and agree with him. If we had a real leader, I would consider it. But, then again, we wouldn’t be in the trouble we are in now would we?