Ridgewood Nj, Councilmen Ramon Hache updates us on progress for the Hudson Street Garage .On Wednesday, April 25, there was a discussion and presentation regarding the design and plan for the Hudson Street Garage. Residents had a chance to see a detailed presentation by Epic Management Inc. The design by Epic provides the best balance in terms of fit, value and functionality, while incorporating a design that fits within the existing lot.
Design highlights:
255 parking spaces
3 stories with open fourth level
All parking is head in, 90 degree, with no parallel parking
Stall dimensions: 8′-6″ x 18′-0″
All parking within the structure is on flat areas
The project cost is $10 million with a guaranteed maximum price of $11 million. It is worth noting that, before the negotiations, Epic had come in with quotes as high as $12.6 million for the project. I am very proud of the work Mayor Knudsen and I have done in negotiating. Vote on funding is expected to take place in six weeks.
Hosted by Ridgewood Central Business District Advisory Committee
May 12,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, All Ridgewood Businesses ,The Central Business District Advisory Committee invites you to attend our Second Central Business District Community Forum .
Ridgewood Village Hall
131 N Maple Ave
Anne Zusy Youth Center
Monday, May 14th, 2018
6:00-8:00pm
(The first one went so well we decided to do it again!) Bring your ideas for how to make the CBD even better.We’ll bring the snacks!
This is our second forum designed to engage in a dialogue with business owners. We want to communicate the various initiatives we have undertaken and hear directly from you: challenges you are facing; opportunities that stand before us; success stories; suggestions for improving our Central Business District.
The Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC), created in 2016, is comprised of volunteers representing a cross-section of our community: residents, business owners, commercial property owners, and members of the Village management team. CBDAC works with the Village Council, business owners, and residents to identify short and long-term challenges faced by the Central Business District and then evaluate relevant factors to make recommendations to the Village Council to enhance and improve the viability of the CBD, including beautification, parking, pedestrian safety, and the balance of commercial uses, to create a more desirable, vibrant, and memorable destination for all visitors.
Ridgewood Nj, don’t think this Village Council Election is all about high density house and forced over development ,think again ,Harwin is bragging all over the internet on her endorsement of “high density” Senator Loretta Weinberg.
Weinberg has continually promoted over development in Bergen County .
Harwin: So grateful to be endorsed by Loretta Weinberg, NJ State Senate Majority Leader and women’s leadership pioneer.
“Now, more than ever, we need to elect strong, progressive women, and it is in that spirit that I hope Alexandra Harwin gets elected to the Ridgewood Council. She’s smart. She’s thoughtful. And she would bring to Village Hall a welcome mix of energy, passion and integrity. Ridgewood is lucky to have Ali Harwin. I hope you vote for her on Tuesday, May 8.”
— Senator Loretta Weinberg — with Alexandra Harwin and Loretta Weinberg.
Senate Democrats Block Cardinale’s Efforts to Provide Affordable Housing Relief
June 20, 2017
Citing pleas from both local officials and residents who are concerned with the cost and impact of building thousands of new units of affordable housing on their little remaining open space, Senator Gerry Cardinale (R-39) attempted to force Senate votes yesterday on a pair of bills he sponsors that would provide temporary relief to municipalities. Both efforts were immediately blocked by the majority Senate Democrats.
Senate Democrats blocked votes on a pair of bills sponsored by Sen. Gerry Cardinale that would provide affordable housing relief to municipalities. (Pixabay)
“We’ve heard repeatedly from mayors, councilmembers, and residents that their towns cannot absorb the thousands of units that the Fair Share Housing Center has demanded they build,” said Cardinale. “It’s clear that the Legislature must regain control of a housing policy that the New Jersey Supreme Court has recklessly advanced beyond its mandate and at the expense of property taxpayers and local communities. I’m saddened that New Jersey Democrats continue to support an activist Court that wants to pave over New Jersey.”
The bills Cardinale attempted to advance, S-3080 and S-3081, would impose a moratorium on affordable housing litigation and establish an “Affordable Housing Obligation Study Commission,” respectively.
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg stood on both occasions for Senate Democrats to table Cardinale’s motions to relieve his bills from the stalled committee process and bring them to the Senate floor for consideration.
“There aren’t too many people in Bergen County who are happy with the expensive affordable housing policies that Majority Leader Weinberg continues to defend,” said Cardinale. “I’m surprised she’s fighting so vigorously for overdevelopment, crowded schools, and higher property taxes throughout Bergen County.”
Cardinale’s efforts on the Senate floor followed a well-attended public meeting held by the 39th District legislators last week to hear the substantial concerns of public officials.
Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi and Assemblyman Bob Auth (both R-39) sponsor the identical versions of Cardinale’s bills in the General Assembly, A-4666 and A-4667, and have been strong advocates for affordable housing reform.
“The Fair Share Housing Center has issued local municipal obligations that would require just about every open field and every wooded lot in Bergen County to be replaced with high-density housing,” added Cardinale. “Democrats may be happy with that, but we’re not. We’ll keep fighting to preserve our towns and protect our property taxpayers.”
The Central Business District Advisory Committee
invite you to attend the second
Central Business District Community Forum
Ridgewood Village Hall
131 North Maple Ave
Anne Zusy Youth Center
Monday, May 14, 2018, 6-8pm
RSVP [email protected]
Bring your ideas how to make the CBD better.
see you there!
May 14th, 2018
I am gutted that all my heroic efforts to buy a house in Ridgewood are heading to waste. Affordable housing is never affordable and in the end when landlords are incapable of filling their units they will ask the courts to change laws in favor of section 8 and that’s the end of the town and start of the eternal sh!thole living. Speechless as to how powerless current residents are and nobody raises a voice about us. The whole NJ but especially Bergen County is the Fair Share Housing (FSH) playground. They can play with our lives as they wish.
I too was vocal against Valley but now I totally regret it. Valley would have been much better than what’s coming. I live near N Maple Valley property and I get chills down my spine when I picture what that area can become. Valley facilities would have been a miracle but now only God (FSH + Murphy) knows what it can turn into. Depressing.
Ridgewood NJ, very sad news ,Radicchio Pasta and Risotto Co., announces its closing, “Like every good thing, the end of Radicchio Pasta and Risotto Co. is also here. We tried our best (for more then a year) but, unfortunately couldn’t make it ! We will be closing our doors after dinner service on Sunday the 22nd. Chef Danny would like to thank everyone for their continued love and support over the years. Chef would continue running Radicchio as a pop up, catering to private events and pop up’s. Please feel free to contact him or Alondra if you wish to have them cater to your future events. They can be reached via the Facebook Page or email, [email protected] or [email protected]. Until next time, thanks again and see you soon. @radicchiopastaandrisotto ”
Ridgewood NJ, Village of Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen announced Friday afternoon , “As Promised – Ridgewood Village Council approved the hiring of NV5 to begin the Village Master Plan vsioning process. Details will be announced soon!”
The Mayor goes on , “Ridgewood is embarking on the development of a new Village Master Plan to replace the current, outdated document which is about 35 years old. A Master Plan encompasses all zoning laws and regulations that shaped the Village into the community it is today. From downtown development to the allowable property setbacks in everyone’s neighborhoods, the document is critical in maintaining the character of the Village. Our goal is to allow for smart development that doesn’t overwhelm streets and neighborhoods while supporting a vibrant and healthy Central Business District.”
“A new Village Master Plan document will guide Ridgewood’s development 40 plus years into the future making it critically important for trusted, experienced Council members to be active participants. Council members with a proven track record of protecting resident property values, Ridgewood neighborhoods, and the character of the Village we call home. Mayor Knudsen is the most experienced Council member in the area of Municpal Land Use making her participation important to the future of the Village. Experienced Council members with a comprehensive understanding of Municipal Land Use patterns, development and zoning, will serve the community best as we begin the exciting Master Plan process.”
The Master Plan project will commence in May with public engagement, charrettes, surveys, and more.
Ridgewood NJ, once again we turn to Councilmen Ramon Hache for an update on the Hudson Street Garage . In his recent new letter Hache stated that , “Following presentations from the four developers that responded to the Village’s RFP, the Village Council selected two of the four developers to continue negotiations. The negotiations began in March, with the goal of selecting a final proposal that balances the best fit, value, functionality, and design.”
The current council once again made a very smart decision designating the existing Hudson Street lot as an area in need of redevelopment in 2017. This has allowed them the opportunity to negotiate directly with the construction companies, instead of simply accepting or rejecting the bids. An additional benefit of the redevelopment zone designation is that the Village does not have to post the usual deposit for the bond which, for this project, could have been up to $600,000. The results of the negotiations will be discussed in Closed Session on April 11.
Damiano, you still seem to think your only salvation is a garage. If it is so important for downtown businesses, when are you going to get the members together to force the landlords to contribute towards it? When are you going to contribute at least a wee bit? Quit firing at the people of the Village because most of us don’t want to build a garage. The businesses in Ridgewood basically all have the same problem. Landlords who think nothing better than milking you all dry. Take some responsibility for your own problems–make your employees walk a distance to work so your customers can park close enough to your business to make it worth their while to shop with you. The Village council and the residents of Ridgewood are not your Mommies-who would happily give you anything you wanted. You are grown up now. quit whining and at least make an effort to help yourselves!
Mr. Damiano’s article is more than a little self serving. Stores sometimes fail because people just don’t want to buy what the store is selling – not because they had to drive around the block to find a parking spot. Local businesses cannot expect taxpayers and local government to support their entrepreneurial ventures. It actually works the other way around – businesses should be contributing to the local tax base by selling things that people want to buy. Nobody said this was going to be easy Tony.
I’m sure if you ask any commercial real estate broker, they will tell you that if a particular store is not a ‘destination’ (anchor), the others rely upon ‘foot traffic’ generated by those ‘anchors’ for their success. For those of you newbies here, we lost many ‘anchors’ years ago, despite their size. McHughs, Sealfons, Winchells, Drapkins, Bobby Knapps, Purdues, and lets not forget Al and Harrys’. Whether due to pressure from malls, rising rents, or changing shopping habits, these were all stores that attracted my family members to come into town. None of them remain, so our shopping takes us to a mall, and I can’t recall the last time I went into town to purchase anything other than an occasional meal. Its a sad commentary on how a CBD has evolved into its present state. Years ago there were gas stations on every corner of Franklin Ave. The only one remaining is getty. We had mobil, Sinclair, arco, Phillips 66, Texaco, amaco, exxon, , and a few more that I forgot. (11 total). On Ridgewood ave there was a liquor store on almost every corner. Now we have banks, that I’m guessing will vacate upon lease renewals leaving more space. (its a lot easier to use a drive-in bank) It’s anyones guess what the future holds, but these small shops ‘treading water’ to remain in business are looking for taxpayers to subsidize their failing business models. Its no different than re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Fix/change/adapt or fail. A garage won’t bring shoppers to town if you don’t have a product they desire. Take a walk in town on recycling days. At least half the homes have cardboard amazon boxes waiting for pickup. Another HUGE factor.
credit to Tony Damiano for saying this. He wrote this original quote in his Facebook post
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day
Ridgewood NJ, well what do you know ,Anthony Damiano from the Ridgewood Guild on the Facebook page ,It Takes a Ridgewood Village
“Just for the record, I am in favor of a garage that fits comfortably on the lot. As for the current parking situation, currently you can find parking on the street because the town is not performing. If the merchants were all doing the business that they should be doing, you would not be able to find street parking. With the closing of Pink Bungalow, we now have over 20 vacancies in town. We have 5 locations that are 3000 feet and larger, most of which have remained vacant for guite a long time. No retail anchors in town because of lack of parking. The majority of cars on the street are employees. I watch them feed the meters all day.”
It appears that Mr. Damiano is reacting to public pressure due to the total lack of participation of local retailers in any attempt to alleviate the parking issue.
The brick and mortar retail environment is hurting due to online shopping. That’s not going to change if we build a garage. While Englewood and Montclair downtowns also have many empty storefronts and so do many local malls with plenty of parking.
Some are suggesting the De blasio approach of a ‘vacancy tax “.
A smaller garage may alleviate some issues when the Village hosts major events like the 4th of July parade ,the car show or even Saturday’s Easter event. The fact is its time for drastic action in the face of new realities .
Its time for Ridgewood to become a leader once again and get connected, plug in . Every store or restaurant in to must have a vital Ecommerce platform and the Village should blanket the Central business district in Wifi making it as easy as possible for retailers , restaurants and business to do business off of mobile devices .
Ridgewood NJ, Village Council candidate Janice Willett (https://www.willettforcouncil2018.com/issues )is advocating for the old oversized, too big for the foot print “Garagezilla “.
“Bottom line, we need to build a parking garage. But the question is where and how large. The current Council is looking at several proposals for a three-story garage on the Hudson Street lot—but the Council also imposed the restriction that the garage should fit strictly within the footprint of the lot and that it should hold about 240 cars. The existing surface lot has 75 spaces, so that’s only 165 incremental spaces. At a cost of roughly $10 million, or $60K per incremental space, they will be the most expensive new parking spaces on the Eastern seaboard (see p. 5.4-6 of this study). And we won’t really be adding any parking at all, because the Brogan and Ken Smith lots, which were formerly used by commuters and others, held about 160 cars.
We can do better. Let’s allow the garage to extend six feet beyond the footprint, as previous designs did, for a gain of at least 225 incremental spaces instead of just 165. And then let’s get the garage built.” https://www.willettforcouncil2018.com/issues
