EDC far from A-OK with mill plans

Committee’s opinion could kill proposed redevelopment changes

By Vic Monaco, Managing Editor
   HIGHTSTOWN — Too many concessions to the potential redeveloper of the former rug mill have left the borough with a lost vision for continued downtown revitalization.
   That’s the answer the local Economic Development Committee plans to give Monday to the Borough Council and specifically Larry Quattrone, the councilman who asked the question last week when presented with differing opinions from EDC members Jeff Bond and Mike Vanderbeck.
   At the same time, the majority of the EDC stressed at a meeting Wednesday night its belief that it is not its place to recommend defeat of the latest proposed amendments to the redevelopment ordinance, some of which amount to continued capitulation to rug mill owner John Wolfington.
   But Councilman Quattrone indicated last week that the EDC response is key to his vote, which could kill those amendments.
   ”This has been on the borough agenda far too long,” said EDC member Gene O’Connor, whose comments were most pointed.
   ”The borough has lost site of the vision and gotten bogged down in details. … Borough consultants have had a greater hand in the project than those charged with fulfilling its vision. … It is however unfair to place the blame on them. They are not paid for their vision. … The vision is a legislative responsibility.”
   Mr. Vanderbeck also criticized borough leaders — for the way they have negotiated.
   ”A tenet of negotiation is that you have to willing to say no at some point,” he said. “I don’t think the developer has ever gotten that impression.”
   In all, four of six EDC members attending the meeting strongly criticized the current proposal from Mr. Wolfington along with the latest proposed amendments, which include allowing him to pay the borough $350,000 in lieu of a requirement to rehabilitate the nearby municipal building. Only Chairman Bond and Mayor Bob Patten, an ex-officio member of the EDC who has negotiated with Mr. Wolfington for four years, expressed a desire to move forward. But even Mr. Bond, who will be sworn in as a councilman next month, agreed that the vision has been “watered down.”
   Mike McKitish abstained from giving an opinion, citing his position as an assistant head of the Peddie School. EDC members said colleague Vince Traylor, who missed the meeting, is on record opposing the current plans.
   The $350,000 compares to the developer’s estimate that it would cost $3 million to rehab the municipal building, according to Mayor Patten, who also explained that Mr. Wolfington dropped a plan for retail space along Main Street, on the first floor below municipal offices, because that would have cost him an additional $2 million.
   ”That’s $5 million right there,” said the mayor, while suggesting that perhaps someone else could bring that Main Street retail component to the borough in the future.
   Several EDC members expressed disappointment that Mr. Wolfington’s plan, as it stands now, does not include that feature, which would extend the downtown business district. Instead, they pointed out, it calls for only 20,000 square feet of retail space, down from 60,000, in a free-standing and isolated building across the street from the mill on Bank Street.
   ”It’s gotten to the point where it’s not the value-add we anticipated,” said Mike Wiley.
   Committee member Bill Gilmore suggested the borough should put the affordable housing units that will be required as a result of the new construction off site, as a means of lowering the proposed number of units, which has risen from 80 to 130 over the last four years of negotiating.
   Mr. Bond said it would be difficult to find locations for the approximate 14 affordable units expected to be required. Speaking of Mr. Wolfington’s statements that he did not realize there would be such a state requirement, Mr. Bond said, “We’re not dealing with the swiftest developer who ever came down the road.”
   At the same time, he said, “My fear is that if we go back to square one, will we ever find a developer … and will that developer pay the existing owner (Mr. Wolfington) to get the hell out of here?”
   Mr. Bond continued to say that the borough could still make the current plan an “attractive” one by holding the developer’s feet to the fire once he submits a site plan. But others weren’t buying it, saying it’s time for the Borough Council and the mayor to take decisive action.
   Councilman Quattrone could not be reached for comment since the EDC meeting. Council President Walter Sikorski, who sits on the negotiating committee, and Councilman Dave Schneider have expressed a desire to approve the amendments in order to move the process along.
   ”The ball’s still in your court,” Mr. O’Connor said to the mayor at the end of Wednesday night’s meeting.
   And that court will be open for play Monday night, as the Borough Council is set to reopen the public hearing on the proposed amendments to the redevelopment ordinance.