01/04/2021
Redevelopment Agency’s Plan Would Replace Farmers Market with 5 Story Building
The borough held three 1 ½ hour zoom presentations on October 26, 27 and 28 which were recorded. They are available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/hptv15/videos. This is our understanding of the information presented in these sessions along with additional research. (Mary Forsberg & Carl Pray)
Overview:
In the first meeting it was noted that the borough has established an “aggressive time table”. A “formal public hearing and adoption” is scheduled for December 15, 2020. The plan’s stated purpose is to drastically increase population density on Raritan Avenue by building the largest multi-use units possible – creating approximately 300 new rental units in a 3 block area and requiring no onsite parking.
Tract A is in the 2019 Master Plan. The borough is buying property between 101 and 137 Raritan Avenue to resell to a developer for a 4 to 5 story mixed-use building with 80 apartments.
Tract B is in the 2019 Master Plan. It is across the street from Tract A on Raritan Avenue and backs up on Park Place. It does not include the former Sunoco site which abuts these properties. These two houses would be replaced by a 4 to 5 story building with 80 to 95 apartments.
Tract C is in the 2019 Master Plan as Boro Square (known to all as the Farmers Market). The Farmers Market will be replaced by 4 to 5 story building with 80 to 95 apartments.
Tract D is noticeably not included in the 2019 Master Plan Under this plan, parking would become the responsibility of Tract D, the residential area on North Third and Denison. On this site, a new multi-story parking garage would be built along with several new multi story buildings with up to 90 apartments. All new tenants from Tracts A through D would be required to park their cars in this garage. A garage that would hold 300 vehicles would likely cost $7 million.
Finally, the plan would create a “Festival Street” on North Third between Raritan and Denison Streets which could host the displaced farmers market, music events, pre-game rallies etc.
Questions:
Tract D (Denison Street to Raritan Avenue) is noticeably missing from the 2019 Master Plan. Why all of a sudden is this area a focus of the most intrusive, destructive, environmentally unsound plan?
The buildings proposed for each location are too tall and too big for the space they would occupy. The new buildings and parking garage in the center of town would change the character of the town – and not in a good way.
This plan is a surprise, goes against rational planning and is being fast tracked. The October 15, 2020 letter to stakeholders says “On September 1st, Borough Council authorized the preparation of a redevelopment plan for several parcels in the downtown area, referred to as Tracts A, B, C, D ….”
How and why have we as residents allowed the borough to purchase property to rezone and sell – especially when much of the property in question – like garages, dry cleaners and long time parking lots – are likely to need environmental clean up? The borough hasn’t reached a financial settlement to clean up at Buck Woods and that is likely to be expensive. Why take on more expensive uncertainty?
Parking garages add traffic, create pollution and safety hazards. They do not add value to properties and do not belong in residential neighborhoods. And they definitely do not belong in a 1.9 square mile town of 14,000 people with no train station, museums, sports arenas, universities or shopping malls that require parking.
Why create a plan for Tract B when Sunoco and the adjacent strip mall are likely to become available? Why not push harder to get the Sunoco and strip mall sites into this project rather do redevelop piecemeal? Why force the successful and much appreciated farmers market to relocate to a “festival street”?
Why not agree to approve only Tract A and have the borough prove itself capable of managing a large project ? Few people we know in Highland Park are impressed with this plan. The most common comments are: What are the financial implications of this? Why are the buildings so large? What about the Sunoco station? Why mess with the farmers market? Why build a parking garage when no one will rent an apartment without parking on site?
This is being pushed through during a pandemic where nearly 300 people in Highland Park have become sick with the corona virus and people have died. When will this end? Will people continue to want to live in Highland Park? Will being within a mile of a train station have value? Of more concern, will people walk 3 or 4 blocks to their cars in a parking garage in Highland Park or will they create parking problems in their new neighborhoods?
We have everything to lose from this scheme! The Park Place, Magnolia Street and Denison Street neighborhoods will suffer most. But the entire town will suffer from these oversize projects that will impact the character, the environment and the quality of life in our town!
Please listen to the 3 stakeholders meetings and check out the next meetings on zoom:
November 17 Public Meeting, council and redevelopment entity 7PM
December 10 Planning Board Meeting Review 7:30
December 15 formal public hearing and adoption 7PM
I have prepared a longer report. If anyone is interested, please email me (with redevelopment as subject) if you have thoughts, suggestions or want to talk at [email protected].
Please participate in the November and December meetings and please familiarize yourselves with the issues by watching the three October stakeholders meetings on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/hptv15/videos.
