Abandoned property gets razed

By: Cara Latham
   PLUMSTED — With the demolition of an abandoned building on North Main Street set to occur within days, the township is moving closer in its goal to improve the downtown area.
   The owner of the building at 11 N. Main St. has been cooperating with township officials and has agreed to demolish the building to make way for a new one, Mayor Ron Dancer said.
   The property, located directly across from the New Egypt Auto Body, was issued summons in April for violations to maintenance and construction codes. James Viviano has owned the property for about two to three years, but the building has been abandoned for about 10 years.
   The former owner, Morris Friedman, had died before Mr. Viviano bought it. The property had received a state Department of Environmental Protection violation under the Friedman estate for an underground heating oil tank, but the contamination was remediated before Mr. Viviano purchased it. The building served as Al-Dot’s Restaurant, and as an attorney’s office while under the Friedman estate.
   Mayor Dancer said Monday, however, that Township Construction Official Glenn Riccardi met last week with Mr. Viviano, who said he was willing to demolish the building.
   Mr. Riccardi, in turn, has taken out a demolition permit from the township for the building. Officials also had to contact and receive permission from the Ocean County Engineering Department because the road is county-owned, and the building was constructed right to the edge of the sidewalk.
   The demolition is expected to take place soon, Mayor Dancer said Monday. In the meantime, no cars will be allowed to park there. After the demolition, Mr. Viviano is expected to build a new business at the same location.
   Mr. Riccardi said Mr. Viviano has not yet decided what type of business to place there, but wants to rebuild the building on the existing footprints. Zoning on the property allows for this, and Mr. Viviano would only have to appear before planning officials informally to let them know what he is going to put there, Mr. Riccardi said.
   In addition to that property, Mayor Dancer said, officials are making progress with the other abandoned building next to the Welcome Center on Main Street.
   The Township Committee authorized initial proceedings for condemnation of the former Hartman’s Drug Store, which included serving notice to property owner Esther Hartman, but didn’t actually include the filing of court papers to condemn the property.
   The building was abandoned near the beginning of 2002 and was cited for not complying with property maintenance and construction codes. The property has been vacant for at least seven years.
   Esther Hartman had appealed the violations issued by Mr. Ricardi, but the Ocean County Board of Construction Appeals upheld them on Dec. 31, 2006. The township had been unsuccessful in bringing the property owner back to court, and as a result of a contempt of court charge and warrant for the arrest of Ms. Hartman, the township decided to go to the first phase of the condemnation proceedings, which was the notification.
   However, Mayor Dancer said Monday that the township ultimately found out that Ms. Hartman had died, and the attorney representing her estate has reached out to the township. The attorney has expressed interest in having the township possibly assist in getting an investor to purchase and restore the property for the estate.
   Because the property is located within the designated redevelopment area, under redevelopment laws, the township can solicit for interested investors for the property, Mayor Dancer said.
   Once it is advertised for the potential investors, the township would then begin discussions with them, he said.
   Under redevelopment law, the township will be able to determine which investor makes the best proposal that would benefit the township’s goal of redeveloping the downtown, he added.
   "The township had this authority under the law to try to have a redeveloper that is going to provide restoration and future business uses that would be beneficial to the downtown area," he said.
   Further, "the selected redeveloper would place the appraised value of the building in escrow," he said. "Then, the township would be able to facilitate the transfer of the property from the estate to the investors."
   So far, the township did authorize the appraisals for the property. However, in order for the appraisal to be relevant, officials have to determine whether an abandoned underground heating oil tank is in good condition. There may have been a leak, since it was unused for a long period of time, he said.
   "The township is proceeding to have the oil tested at this site," he said. "We expect to have that hopefully within a two-week period. Once we receive the test results, we will then proceed with putting out a request for bids from potentially interested investors for the downtown redevelopment project."
   Mayor Dancer said the progress made regarding the business district’s only two abandoned buildings "is a good positive indicator of the continued economic redevelopment that’s going on in the downtown."