PLAINSBORO: Business issues raised with mayor

By Allison Musante, Staff Writer
   PLAINSBORO — Local business owners raised many concerns to Mayor Peter Cantu after a “state of the township” address to the Plainsboro Business Partnership on Tuesday morning.
   The mayor spoke about the township’s ongoing developments, traffic improvement projects and how to strengthen the municipality’s relationship to the business community.
   Many of the attendees were most concerned about the impact of losing Superfresh grocery store, which serves as the anchor of the Plainsboro Village off Schalks Crossing Road. The chain’s parent company is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, but hasn’t yet targeted the township’s store for closing.
   The mayor confirmed, however, that it’s a possibility.
   ”We won’t know probably until the summer what the outcome will be,” he said.
   David Lonmuir, owner of Diana’s Hallmark in the Plainsboro Plaza, said he came to hear the mayor address issues with plaza businesses, but did not feel assured by the mayor’s speech.
   ”We are suffering over in the plaza,” he said. “There is a high level of vacancies here and a lot of insecurity, especially if Superfresh closes and with the loss of ACE (hardware store). We are at a pivotal point where this could become a serious problem, but I guess time will tell.”
   Heba Macksoud, owner of Plainsboro Pharmacy in the Plaza, said she thought the township lacked sufficient signage to advertise businesses, especially in the Princeton Meadows shopping center off Plainsboro Road — her former location.
   ”I hear it all the time,” she said. “The bulk of people drive, park and go where they need to. We have all these lovely sidewalks but people don’t walk around and explore.”
   Mayor Cantu responded that it was an issue that frustrated him as well, but it’s the responsibility of developers, many who assume the township doesn’t allow signage but don’t even ask.
   ”We have a proper process to be followed … it’s not that we don’t want to do it. We want to do it right and we want to do it comprehensively.”
   The mayor discussed other projects expected to generate economic activity in the community, such as a $4 million conversion of the former public library into a cultural and recreational center. In the Town Center development, he said a 30,000-square-foot office facility is expected to open as early as October.
   Regarding the new University Medical Center of Princeton in Plainsboro, slated to open early next year, Mayor Cantu said it would be “an economic home run to this community. It represents a billion dollars worth of economic activity in the construction phases and a billion dollars worth of ongoing activity once it’s developed.”
   The second phase of a $1.75 million improvement project to Plainsboro Road at the Princeton Meadow center is under way, he said, to add a median strip and bike and pedestrian safety measures.
   ”We’re also pursuing an enhanced bus service from our residential areas into the Princeton Shopping Center,” he said. “We’re working with NJ Transit to bring it forward and I’m optimistic it may happen.”
   He said he hopes greater bus access would draw additional business into Plainsboro.
   The mayor concluded that he was mindful of the challenging economic times the township’s retailers face. To help, he said the administration will be updating the business listings on its “Welcome to Plainsboro” packet for new residents and continue producing business “spotlight specials,” which air on the local channel.
   ”We want to focus the attention of the local community of what’s available to them,” he said.
   Neil Sutter, president of the Ravens Crest East Condominium Association, said he left the presentation feeling “skeptical.”
   ”I see a lot of spending on municipal projects and I would like to see more spent on helping our businesses,” he said. “I know a lot of these road projects are necessary but I think we need more resources put into solidifying business in Plainsboro, especially at the Plainsboro Plaza. Overall, I think the businesses are languishing.”