Amended Speedwell Redevelopment Plan Introduced

It wasn't a public hearing, but several audience members still expressed their opinions on the newest version of the Speedwell Redevelopment Plan, which was introduced by Town Council Thursday night.

The plan, which most recently was amended on Aug. 16, is expected to be voted on for approval on Sept. 15. That's also when the public hearing is expected to take place. However, several people spoke on the plan Thursday, mostly about the current affordable housing inclusions.

As recently as earlier this year, the affordable housing component of the plan was at 5 percent, which Rich Murphy, of developers Trammel Crow, maintained was the most that could be included for the project to be viable. In an amended plan last month–and in an amendment to that amendment this month–that has been raised to 10 percent.

Damika Webb, a representative for Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center, expressed her organization's desire for Morristown to provide the 20 percent affordable housing the project had once previously contained. If that was not feasible, Webb asked that a financial analysis be conducted–and made public–to determine why.

Jodi Miciak, of the United Way of Northern New Jersey, said, "There are working folks that you come across every day–hardworking people [that] need housing for their income level."

Ed Ramierez, a write-in GOP candidate running against Democrat Stefan Armington in the Third Ward Town Council race in November, said it "scared the hell out of me" that the developer could decide to walk away from the plan during any of its four phases should they decide to. He also said that realignment of Speedwell Avenue–a major component in previous plans–"is really the only true solution" to improving that intersection.

That, however, would not be possible should certain buildings be renovated instead of removed. As part of the amended plan presented on Thursday, several existing structures, including an apartment building at the corner of Speedwell Avenue and Early Street, and the former used car dealership and the building that formerly housed Blockbuster Video, would be saved from the wrecking ball.

Daniel Hernandez, the managing director for planners Jonathan Rose Companies, said his firm listened to the comments of residents and the Town Council (which acts as the redevelopment agency in Morristown) and asked, "Which buildings do you love?"

"We created a strategy to preserve the buildings," he said. "People love that building (at the corner of Speedwell and Early). It would be demolished if we did the realignment."

Mayor Tim Dougherty said the planners did an excellent job.

"They have made some significant changes that the council was concerned about," he said. "I think it's great that we're introducing this ... we're moving in the right direction."

See the PDFs for the amended Speedwell Redevelopment Plan, and the four-page memo explaining amendments, in this story.