Maplewood Theater Redevelopment Area–“Need of Redevelopment” Assessment
[March 11, 2024 Update: The next community meeting will be in Town Hall on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 7pm. See our Facebook page for details and other information from Township.]
[February 28, 2024 Update: The planning firm Phillips Preiss (www.phillipspreiss.com) has been contracted to run community meetings, draft a plan, and present it to the Planning Board and Township Committee. They estimate the work will require approximately four months. Their proposal for this work can be found here.]
[September 13, 2023 Update: Planning Board recommended designation of all properties except Coldwell Banker and John James Architecture as a “non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment”. This will be discussed and voted on at a Township Committee meeting in early October. A schedule for the next steps has not yet been announced, but will include creation of a “Redevelopment Plan” that will stipulate what types of development can be done. This may take place during negotiation with current or prospective property owner(s), or may take place in advance of negotiations, in a more “aspirational” fashion. In the meantime, this page provides an overview of the process (simplified for case of a single property) and discusses improvements recommended in the 2023 Masterplan. ]
In March 2023 the Township contracted with Phillips Preis Grygiel Leheny Hughes, LCC (a planning firm located in Hoboken,NJ ) to conduct an “Area in Need of Revelopment Investigation” for the entirety of Block 12.02 in Maplewood Village. The subject area is bordered by the orange line in this photo:
The following gallery shows Block 12.02 from various perspectives.
A “Redevelopment Investigation” evaluates, on a property-by-property basis, whether each meets NJ State law as a property that matches one or more of the criteria for designation (by the local governing body) as an area “In Need of Redevelopment”. A Designation of this type allowss the Township to negiotate zoning and other terms directly with a property owner and also provides the option to grant PILOTs (Payments in Lieu of Taxes).
The criteria appear in the “Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL)” at N.J.S.A. 40A:12A, and are enumerated in the Redevelopment Investigation report (This link goes to the complete report, and this one lists the criteria directly).
The criteria found relavent to one or more of the subject properties are as follows:
CRITERIA B:
The discontinuance of the use of a building or buildings previously used for commercial, retail, shopping malls or plazas, office parks, manufacturing, or industrial purposes; the abandonment of such building or buildings; significant vacancies of such building or buildings for at least two consecutive years; or the same being allowed to fall into so great a state of disrepair as to be untenantable.
CRITERIA D:
Areas with buildings or improvements which, by reason of dilapidation, obsolescence,
overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light and sanitary facilities,
excessive land coverage, deleterious land use or obsolete layout, or any combination of
these or other factors, are detrimental to the safety, health, morals, or welfare of the
community.
CRITERIA H:
h. The designation of the delineated area is consistent with smart growth planning principles
adopted pursuant to law or regulation.
SECTION 3:
A redevelopment area may include lands, buildings, or improvements which of themselves
are not detrimental to public health, safety or welfare, but the inclusion of which is found
necessary, with or without change in this condition, for the effective redevelopment of the
area of which they are a part.
The following image shows which criteria each property has been mapped to:
By way of detail, images below show each property together with cited criteria. Further details and rationale can be found in the Investigation Report.
Lot 100
Does not meet any criteria
Lot 100.01
SECTION 3, due to proximity and relation to Lots 176 (Bills and Harry’s et al) and 175 (Movie Theater)
Lot 175.01
SECTION 3 due to status on Town-owned parking lot and it’s proximity to Lots 173 and 175.
Lot 169
Does not meet criteria for designation
Lot 173
Meets Criteria D and H
(this is rear of Bank building–same lot)
Lot 173
Meets Criteria D and H
Lot 174
Criteria B and H
Lot 175
Criteria B and H
Lot 176
SECTION 3 due to proximity to Movie Theater and relationship to Lot 100.
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This site was created to chronicle the five year public process leading to the construction of Clarus Maplewood, and beyond! We recently re-arranged it to provide easier access chronologically or by topic area. Check out the changes by using the search box, or using the project overview. Check out the What’s Next? page for a listing of recent planning efforts and developments
Oh No 60 