Speedwell Redevelopment Phase I Work Begins
Several Early Street houses and Department of Public Works building to be demolished, making way for 268-unit apartment building.
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The temporary fence is up and workers are working in the bitter cold on the first part of the first phase of the Speedwell Redevelopment project.
Several houses on Early Street have been fenced off for a couple weeks as the area is cleared of brush, old oil tanks and any other debris. A worker on the site Wednesday said this would pave the way for the houses and Department of Public Works building behind them on Clinton Street to be demolished, sometime in the next couple weeks.
That is when the area is poised to see a bit of disturbance.
"They will be ripping up all the sidewalks and utilities," Business Administrator Michael Rogers said. "It will be a major undertaking once they start."
With Morristown High School nearby, a pedestrian safety plan is in the works, Rogers said. This includes a crossing guard in place at the corner of Atno Avenue and Early Street. "There will be extra steps taken to ensure pedestrian safety," he said.
The entire Speedwell Redevelopment Plan, consisting of four phases, is set to transform that section of town over the next several years.
Mill Creek Residential Trust announced in early January it had closed on its purchase of the land, which will become "Latitude," a single building with 268 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units with a 357-space parking garage incorporated into the structure. The unit number also includes 26 deed-restricted apartments earmarked as "affordable housing."
Initial occupancy for Latitude is planned for 2014.
Rodrigo White
6:03 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
How many caucasians were kicked out of their homes on Early Street for this?
Jose
7:13 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Mucho plenty
Kim M
7:54 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Was a traffic study done for this development? The area is already very congested. Who decided an apartment building was superior to the homes in the area and what was the basis for the decision?
Chris
12:53 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Kim... where have you been? This has been going on for the last 10 years.
Kim M
1:19 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Yes Chris I am aware....just not of all the details or where they were with approvals. Let's see what happens I guess. I figure it will be a traffic nightmare but perhaps someone worked it out. It's already a traffic nightmare so improvement of the traffic flow would be nice.
K.W.
9:05 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
The only reason they are doing this is to get rid of the Hispanic population out of Morristown. They don't care how bad the traffic is as long as its all White. Dirty politics stemming from our Mayor. Its all the people are talking about.
Tryclyde
10:46 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
White, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Green, Purple, Orange. Who cares? Having 30 people live in one house and day laborers loitering all over the place is not desirable.
Walter O.
11:32 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
That's a pretty harsh accusation to make, maybe there's a little bit of truth behind it. However, I believe it's because people living here have very little money. If they had money, no one would care what color, race or ethnicity they were. I have to agree with Tryclyde on one thing...I really don't like seeing day laborers hanging out all over the place. i won't let my daughters walk in this area because many of these guys make all kinds of remarks towards young girls.
Chris
1:02 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Yeah.. I can't afford an apartment over there because they can get more money cramming 30 illegals in a two bedroom apt. Seems fair.
But, either way, my GF doesn't want to move over there anyway with all the crime they brought to Morristown. She's be a prime target for the gang of creeps standing on the corner. ...And that is why they are redeveloping the area.
Kim M
9:39 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I do not believe that for a second K.W.
Kim M
9:43 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
But who knows?
Sara Smile
11:05 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Mayor knows what is motivating him
Chris
1:04 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
This is great!!! That area of town needs a little TLC. Keep up the good work Morristown.
Doug
1:20 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Glad this is finally happening. Hope they remove the crosswalks and laundramats next.
Chris
1:26 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Ohh man.. the cross walks are the worst. I think the cross walks by the Futbol Bar makes more traffic makes it more dangerous! People should only be able to cross the street when the light is red (for cars). I think the cross walk is a big reason why there is always soo much traffic in speedwell/spring street area.
Doug
2:13 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
More people are bound to be killed or seriously injured on that road. Personally, I have had several very close calls of almost hitting someone. I agree with you, it does back up traffic around all the intersections especially in the evenings during rush hours.
K.W.
8:53 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
If the traffic is so bad already that all of you are complaining about it, why build a CVS and HUGE Apartment buildingS? You people are so excited to be getting rid of hispanics that you don't even see the traffic problem is going to get much worse. And Chris, the guy who can't even afford an apartment over there, I doubt your girl is a prime target!
Doug
11:16 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
The reason for the traffic problem are the crosswalks. An apartment building makes sense, however the CVS is a horrible idea.
Cletus
11:21 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
Pedestrians are the main problem, traffic-wise, and should be eliminated. Twelve land highways are the answer to all our woes.
Kim M
9:14 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
Good question about building an apartment building and a CVS....in fact that was my point in asking if a traffic study had been performed. If this was a public works/DOT project that would have been a requirement. Since this is private development who knows?
How if apartment affordability related to prime target selection?
Warren Bobrow
9:02 am on Sunday, January 27, 2013
another faceless development. Just look at Headquarters Plaza.. Do you really call this architecture? Speedwell Ave used to be a vibrant, thriving area.... Now it will be just another corporate put up. (or better yet, a shut up)