Tag: Town Garage site

Posted on

UPDATE on environmental cleanup for the “Town Garage” Site in Ridgewood

Town Garage Ridgewood

UPDATE on environmental cleanup:

Janaury 20,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen provided an update on the “Town Garage ” site cleanup. The Ridgewood Village Council approved submission of a Brownfields Grant Application for the cleanup of contamination on and around the North Walnut Street municipal parking lot in the CBD. Brownfields are properties that may have hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants present. EPA’s Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes and others to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse these contaminated properties. Cleaning up and reinvesting in brownfields protects human health and the environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off greenspaces and working lands.

Countless hours went into preparing the grant application followed by meetings for review. We hope for a positive response! Thanks to all who helped with this effort…especially resident volunteers!

Posted on

Ridgewood Town Garage Site vs. Hudson Street Garage

town_garage_theridgewoodblog

Dear Village Officials,  I understand ” the train has left the station ” on the Garage at the Hudson Street site but I would like to state a brief case as to why this is not the best scenario for Ridgewood at the present time.

We have a contaminated site at the Town Garage site and the village owned properties abutting it. Hydrolic and diesel fuel from old underground tanks is seeping into the ground and could be affecting our ground water in the area.  I know that it is being monitored and that the DEP targeted this area for remediation at least 10 years ago. In 2002, a village conducted study saw the Town Garage site as a better fit for a municipal garage than Hudson Street for various reasons.
I believe the village tried to gain the property via eminent domain in 2009 but that failed.  I understand that you have asked our village attorney to look into the Abandoned Property ordinance.  The owners of that site are up to date on taxes but the property continues to be a threat to the environment.  I believe that this property should be acquired by the village, the site cleaned up and  responsible development of the property including a garage should take place.

You are voting on an ordinance this evening to bond 12.3 million dollars through the BCIA.  Our first priority should be the acquisition of the Town Garage site and the remediation of that property as soon as possible.  If a garage is built there, it would be used by employees, diners sand shoppers as well as commuters as it is more centrally located.  The Hudson Street area could be repaved and reconfigured to maximize parking spaces and also for minimal costs made more aesthetically pleasing.  I want what is best for the village and right now it is to clean up the toxic site in our downtown area.

Sincerely,
Linda Mc Namara
Posted on

Town Garage site in Ridgewood and the village owned property in that area still a DEP declared it a remediation site

town_garage_theridgewoodblog

February 4,2016
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj , Reader offers a little recap . Seems that most of the neighbors are accepting the fact that the Health Barn is coming and as long as they get some concessions as to signage, sidewalks, lights and that tithe village is maintaining close control it is the best they can do.

Another issue has popped up regarding the Town Garage site and the village owned property in that area.  The DEP declared it a remediation site 10 years ago.  Nothing has been done and their is an underground water stream running through the property that is compromised by seepage from the hydraulic and diesel fuel tanks still buried there,  The village spent 35,000 dollars to identify what needed to be done several years ago and I have not heard a thing until last weeks meeting at the very end where the council discussed briefly the abandoned property ordinance, eminent domain and the fact that there is a toxic flume at the site which is adding to the contamination and needs monitoring so as to minimize the effect on the water and I believe wells were mentioned.  I have more information which I will forward to you.  Saw in old minutes where Keith Killion and Pat Mancuso saw the need to clean the site and put a garage there.  It is so much more centrally located and would be used by employees, shoppers ,diners as well as commuters more readily than HUdson Street.

So wish we would clean the site and have two smaller decks at both sites. Currently the Town Garage site owners are current on taxes but have done nothing else and Matt Rogers was asked to look into the abandoned property ordinance.  If we gained ownership of that property, it would give the town so many more options as to the best use of the property.  I think Kennsington is almost out of the picture.  Assisted living facilities are so expensive for the client and those people who would reside there are not the shoppers and diners.   55 and older might be a good fit and those people would bring business to the town.