Board Suggests Hospital Is Best Use For Crossroads Land
Planner calls Master Plan "most appropriate place" to make recommendation on what should be there
During the ongoing Planning Board review of the township’s Master Plan, the board discussed possible recommendations for the best use of the Crossroads property at the intersection of Routes 17 and 287.
The board is in the process of critiquing a preliminary plan put together by Burgis Associates Planner Brigitte Bogart. The plan, which purports to lay out a vision for the future of Mahwah, will go through several updates and revisions before it enters a series of public hearings.
Bogart called the Master Plan the “most appropriate place” for the board to comment about what it would like to see at the Crossroads site. The plot, which she called “one of the largest vacant lots” in the township, is currently zoned for office space. In March, the zoning was changed to allow for retail, but was reverted back to its original office space zoning in September.
A site plan application for a 750,000-square-foot retail complex was submitted to the township one day before the zoning was reversed. The Planning Board is set to begin public hearings on that application in January. However, questions about the timing of the application’s submission have led the planning board to seek a declaratory judgment on the development from the county superior court.
“Whatever zoning ends up being there, the [Master Plan] is the place to make sure that any future zoning changes to the area are in line with what you want,” Bogart said Monday night. “We know that office space doesn’t work, and there are questions about retail, so this is the time for the board to think about what it wants.”
Though the board did not make a concrete definition as to what should be included in the Master Plan, Board Member and Town Council Liaison Chuck Jandris suggested a hospital or medical facility might be the best use for the space. Jandris, who is also a volunteer ambulance worker, said “it took me an hour to drive down [Route] 17, to get to the Hackensack University Medical Center. It’d be nice if we could have something there.”
According to Bogart, the current office zoning allows for medical and dental clinics, “but that would need to be expanded if the board would want to recommend a full-fledged hospital go in that space."
Though the plan will contain only recommendations, and not any firm laws, Burgis officials say once finished, the plan can be used to justify development decisions in Mahwah. The board said public suggestions will be taken once this review process is over, and hearings begin.
This Master Plan overhaul is the first one the township has commissioned since 1989. In addition to providing recommendations, the current conditions of the town are being updated in the document.
Allan
7:04 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The NJ horse industry needs to develop Off Track Wagering sites to keep the industry alive; not just horse racing but the equine industry on the whole. That would be a perfect location to allow one to be built. When you hear OTW, don't think OTB that is up in Suffern. These are high-end places with dining and the like available.
Hospital? In theory that is nice but we got Good Samaritan just over the border and with the fight going on about reopening the old Pascack Valley facility, what is the chance the state would approve a hospital in Mahwah.
Lower Taxes
8:04 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Allan,
Since the Valley Hosptial I believe hass been turned down on their expansion plans in Ridgewood, they could consider the space available at the Crossroads. I also believe that they Valley Hospital could be considered higher quality, although I could be wrong.
Additionally, the Crossroads is an excellent location for data backup centers for various companies. It has co-generation power available, space, and excellent diversity of telecommunications facilities. I once studied the location for a group of local businesses in the area.
These two kinds of businesses would presumably be less destructive on the Township than a mall.
What do you think????
Andy Schmidt
8:29 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
>> Bogart said Monday night. “We know that office space doesn’t work..." <<
What is that statement founded on?
Jessica Mazzola
8:37 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hi Andy -- My understanding was that the statement was based on the fact that no office space has been developed in the years that the space has been zoned to permit office space (of course, before the rezoning, and then reversion this year).
Andy Schmidt
9:12 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thanks Jessica - I suspected as much.
Of course - Borgart's statement is nonsense. Otherwise it would have been true for EVERY lot in town in the past decade that at SOME point had not previously/yet been developed. Just because a lot has not been developed (due to a lack of economic need) doesn't mean the ZONING doesn't work.
Before the stock exchange built on the property on MacArthur/MaCarthur, it "had not been developed in years".
JP
9:33 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Andy, none of the other lots in town are the "largest" lot in town. That is what Bogart was referring to and it IS absolutely true.
Carter Morris, Sr.
8:54 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Though the few against the development are quite vocal, and sometimes even rude, the majority of Mahwah taxpayers want tax relief. Letting this prime commercial space 'go to seed' isn't the answer. Proper multi-use development, in this economy, would best serve the taxpayers of Mahwah. Why even consider a hospital,when Good Sam and Valley are certainly adequate. The 'hue and cry' about 'another Paramus' and 'increased traffic' does not hold water. If it were use as now planned and zoned office space, and when offices are built, the traffic will increase exponentially compared to the proposed mixed-use. Please remember what Mahwah faced years ago when Ford bailed out. If it were not for Sharp and the Crossroads, our taxes would have been even worse than they are. Let's 'get real' about this, and develop something that is economically feasible, in the near term, and not just 'hold out' and oppose anything and everything proposed, whether it is feasible, practical, and doable.
Andy Schmidt
9:18 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Based on the referendum votes, those who support the mall were fewer than those who opposed it. And then there were a silent majority, who didn't feel strongly about the projected tax benefits vs. problems - and thus didn't cast a vote either way.
Your statement about any "majority" is not based on fact.
JP
9:37 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
And I'll remind you and the others that the vote... was totally non-binding and has no legal impact on the project, especially since it was nearly half and half and show they did not have this big momentum of support they thought they had.
Andy Schmidt
10:11 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Correct: non-binding, about evenly split, ...
As far as the legal impact "***especially*** since it was half and half": I don't believe that the size of the majority (or lack thereof) has any "special" effect on whether there is a legal impact (or not).
Leaking Ink
9:07 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
I vote for the data backup center. We've already got Good Samaritan in Suffern,
Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, Hackensack Hospital, and proposed Pascack Valley
re-opening. We've also got New York hospitals we can utilize.
JP
9:38 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
That type of facility does not create that many job openings.
JP
9:29 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
At this point just build something, anything. A mall, a hospital, a casino, a bus terminal, another hotel, anything. That land is just sitting there wasting away. Create some jobs!
grandpaof5
9:32 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
We don't need a hospital. We have Good Sam, Valley, Pascack (which is coming back) and Hackensack. Office and retail (mixed use) is what it should be.
Kevin
10:49 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Retail would be fine but not a mall. I don't trust the owner to do the right thing by the residents of Mahwah. I went to the site to check it out and they claim a Tice Farms like mall. That could not be farther from the truth. Tice Farms is 120,000 sq ft and this mall will be 600,00 sq ft. How is that the same? I also sent several e-mails to that site with some concerns and questions. They said they started it to educate, so why have they not responded to my e-mails? Why give residents the ability to contact them if they do not respond back? Because its a dog and pony show from the builder who really when it comes down to it really do not much care about what they will leave us as residents. It all about money and they will step on us and our taxes are not going down because of it. That's great they want to build a ball field there for the residents but did you ever think how difficult it will be to get to it on a Saturday afternoon? It is in the far corner of the property and we will have to make our way through the mall traffic to get there. Thanks but no thanks. Like I said a dog and pony show. I might be wrong but the owner of the cross road site has not responded to my e-mails so they are failing to educate and communicate. Thanks for nothing.
JP
7:59 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
This isn't a mall ala Garden State. It's open air, individual stores with individual entrances, more like Interstate, but newer. BTW, more then half that 600K total sq footage is... PARKING LOT!
Hank
1:55 pm on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
It's an excellent spot for a prison
JP
12:28 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Ummm, that's unique! Let's push it and maybe they'll beg for the mall after all.
fred stedtler
5:54 pm on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Valley hospital should seriously think of expanding into this property at the Crossroads. Ridgewood doesn't want the expansion and it seems like a perfect fit for the site. I had sent a letter to the editor of the Ridgewood News suggesting this a while back. I know Good Samaratin is close,but I think it should still be considered.
Hank
6:46 pm on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
It may be convenient for us but that location is pretty much in the boondocks for the rest of the surrounding area. Metropolitan Mahwah is not a big population center.
JP
12:30 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Maybe we can have another referendum vote...
Hank
7:52 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
your right JP
what about a big farm?
just plow it all up and grow corn.
Kevin
9:21 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Whatever goes there will result in residents being happy and residents being mad with the outcome. What i want to see now is the new mayor and council work together ask the questions that need to be asked instead of the disorganized driven prior mayor and council who I feel rushed into the vote when they had time to think about it. If they think about what is right for Mahwah which include number 1. the residents, 2. all people who work here and 3. all who visit and pass through then they will make the proper call on what is there.
JP
12:28 pm on Thursday, December 22, 2011
Why is it you don't also include the OWNERS of the property? Why is it that you don't include the people who could find jobs at such a development. What about the business owners in Mahwah who would benefit by having their businesses there? There's a lot more to this then just the people you mention. Would you deny a property owner their right to develop or sell their own property for some imaginary reason? Would you like that happening to you?
Kevin
12:28 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
It is not imaginary reasons at all. When a resident want to do work to their house they have to report to the township what they want to do and fill out permits. If certain work does not fit to the area you cant do the work. You have to get a variance to do other work and notify residents in the area who can contest what you want to do. Why would the residents not be able to do the same here. Any current business owner is not going to move to that area all that space is already accounted for. Yes I think he can put something there but do not mislead the residents like the builder already has. I visited the crossroads site and sent an e-mail. They never got back to me. So much for open communication to the residents. They don't care what happens to our township as long as they make there money.
JP
8:02 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
You're wrong, they don't have solid commitments from anyone yet to open a store there especially if there's no commitment from the town for them to proceed. You have no idea if any local business owners want to open or relocate to this location.
Kevin
11:20 am on Thursday, December 29, 2011
And you do know. The only one wrong here is you JP. The builder states its like a Tice Farms. It is not even close to that it is a mall outside open air or not a mall. Tice Farms is 120,000 this 600.000 how is that the same. Do you think are taxes are going down because of this mall or BS life style center as they call it?
JP
6:32 pm on Thursday, December 29, 2011
No, I'm right. You have no basis in your assumption that no business owners eventually going in there, would already be from Mahwah or would relocate to Mahwah as their home. You have a list of their leasees? Please share.
This center IS like Tice farms in concept on a more spread out scale (because they have the acreage available). If you (and others) don't comprehend that by now, being so obvious from the layouts and web site, there's no convincing from anyone here that's going to change your mind. This is no Garden State Plaza, Paramus Park, or Palisades Mall. Sometimes people here sound like there's another Mall of America going in there (FCS!). Ridiculous.
Mahwah Resident
9:53 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
JP, You make no sense whatsoever. You probably are getting paid from the developer to say these lies on the Mahwah Patch!!! Please move to Paramus they are waiting for you there!
JP
10:01 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
Oh really. Truth hurts doesn't it? Maybe you should move to Paramus so we don't have to listen to absurd reasons for not improving the makeup of our town with addition jobs and revenue.
Hank
11:52 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
it's funny
on that site
on any given summer eve there are quads and dirt bikes blowing all kinds of dust into West Mahwah
Doesn't anyone wonder what's in that dust?
JP
5:48 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
They probably don't hank because people won't deal with the current reality (that being a severely underutilized, remote township site that's becoming run down), and rather deal with wild assumptions about how their quality of life in Mahwah is going to drastically change if something gets built there. I personally don't want to see this site go downhill any more then it already is. Every time I look over 17 and see it I think what a tremendous waste of land that could be a potential money maker for someone..
Hank
6:47 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
my suggestions
has great potential as an intermodal rail facility
could transfer trash to rail cars
or bulk tank cars could be unloaded onto trucks for distribution
rail/lumber distribution center
a state police super truck scale/inspection station
a huge truck stop/casino
a new college facility for technology that would turn mahwah into silicon valley
a costco/wegmans/tractor supply/casino
giant windmills/casino
minor league baseball park/casino
water park
gas fired power plant
prison
nursing home
homeless shelter
casino/hotel
hotel/casino
casino
casino/golf course