The long-term fate of the C-Town supermarket site is still unclear, but it should be looking much better soon.
Law Director John Lanza said at the Nov. 4 South Amboy Council meeting that he participated in a call with the judge overseeing the release of funds for the site, located at 661 Bordentown Ave. During that call, the judge authorized the release of $1.5 million from the insurance company for the claim for the April 13 fire that destroyed the supermarket. The rubble has been sitting there since.
Those funds can be used for cleanup and the outstanding mortgage on the property.
Mayor Fred Henry said at the meeting that he talked to owner Ed Paczkowski, who told him he was ready to start the cleanup. Henry thanked Lanza for his assistance; Lanza said he did what he could, but the city’s involvement is limited because it’s a third-party situation.
Business Administrator Camille Tooker said during the meeting that it’s clear residents are interested in updates regarding the situation. She said when she first found out the funds were released, she posted the news on Facebook, and the post received almost 7,000 views.
“That’s a big reach,” she said, pointing to it as an example of why council members should follow the city’s Facebook page. “I think it’s important for the council and the officers of the city to know what’s being put out there.”
Henry shared some additional details regarding the property after the meeting. He said sewer and gas lines have been capped off, and demolition and cleanup are imminent.
As for what will become of the site, he said Paczkowski has been approached by a few people interested in it, “but he has no definite plans right now. [He] just wants to clean up first.” The property is one that has a long history in South Amboy. In 1928, Frank Paczkowski Sr. opened Frank’s Meat Market a block from where the C-Town debris now sits. A few years later, he purchased that site and relocated his market there.
In 1966, it became the South Amboy Foodtown. The Paczkowski family continued to run the business until losses stemming from superstorm Sandy forced them to close it.
The site was subsequently leased to Nasser Nasser, who operated the store initially as a Key Food, then as C-Town.
C-Town also sustained damage from a smaller fire in January 2014.