Ribbon-cutting ceremony marks completion of renovations on former Hights Theater.
By: Michael Ross
HIGHTSTOWN Hightstown residents could have an easier time shopping and finding downtown parking now that the expanded public lot off Stockton Street has opened outside the revamped Hights Theater, the home of six specialty stores and businesses.
Officials from The Peddie School and the borough were on hand Monday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Hightstown Municipal Parking Lot between Stockton Street and Rogers Avenue. The festivities took place before 35 to 40 spectators and extolled the opening of the 120 Main St. building and the parking lot.
"This is a celebration of community spirit," Mayor Bob Patten said, noting the "magnificent effort by so many" including Peddie, local businesses, borough officials and residents in making the renovation a success.
The ceremony marked the fulfillment of a promise made by the school to increase its annual gift (in lieu of property taxes) to the borough and assist in the revitalization of the downtown area.
"We were able to get our hands on a fair amount of cash," Head of School John Green said in an interview. The renovated building is not tax-exempt.
The school fronted more than $450,000 to bankroll the renovation and expansion of the parking lot onto Railroad Avenue. The lot offers a mix of permit and two-hour time limit spaces. The project prompted the permanent closure of Railroad Avenue from Rogers Street to Stockton Street.
Borough Engineer Carmela Santaniello said there are 107 total spaces 32 on Railroad Avenue and 75 in the original lot. Officials on Monday were not sure how many spaces will require a permit.
"We want to find ways to make a contribution and a lot of time we need to be creative to do that," Mr. Green said. "In many ways, Peddie wants the same thing for Hightstown as Hightstown wants for itself."
Peddie, which currently contributes $58,000 annually to the borough, agreed to raise the gift to $100,000. However, the school offered to refurbish the parking lot in lieu of gifting the additional $42,000 per year for the next 10 years.
Of the $58,000, $23,000 goes to the borough the rest is for Hightstown Engine Co. No. 1 and the first aid squad.
"We were able to make a significant contribution without compromising our responsibilities to steward our donations," Mr. Green said. He noted that the project was a collision of two visions that of the borough to revitalize downtown and that of Peddie’s to contribute.
"It was truly a cooperative and collaborative venture," Peddie School Business Manager Charles Galbraith said. He thanked Mayor Patten, Borough Council President Larry Quattrone and Borough Council, various municipal department heads, local businesses, building tenants, contractors and key Peddie staff for making the project a success.
Renovation of the 120 Main St. location, a former movie theater, began in the fall of 2003 after the 2002 purchase of the building by TPS Management LLC, a property management company set up by Peddie for the revitalization project.
"This can’t be the movie theater I used to sneak into," Mr. Quattrone said at the ceremony, reflecting upon the moment he became involved with the project.
The revamped old Hights Theater is now home to six businesses including Advanced Realty Network, an Internet-based real estate company that relocated this week from West Windsor.
"I think they’ve done a lot of nice improvements in the area," Broker Tom Mulligan of Advanced said. "It’s a great building."
Other tenants include R.D. Roberts Opticians, Orquideas Panaderia Bakery, SciCore Academy, Customized Benefits and Molly Maid with room to add one more business.
"I’m one of the few people who could say I used to see movies in this particular building," Peddie Trustee Robert M. Kaye, Class of ’54, said of the 78-year-old building constructed in 1926.
"This was an old tired building and an old tired back yard," Charlie Theokas, proprietor of Theo’s Lakeside Tavern said. "We believe in Hightstown. Obviously Peddie believes in Hightstown."