Politics & Government

Anti Mall Group Plans Update Meeting Tuesday

Group will share status of lawsuit against township and ask for volunteer support

The anti-mall group that filed a suit against the township of Mahwah last month is holding a meeting Tuesday night to update the community about its fight to stop a retail center from being built off Route 17N near the Sheraton Hotel.

The main purposes of the meeting, according to one of the group’s leaders and founding members, resident Michael Richards, is to update current supporters and corral new ones in the effort to stop the “Crossroads Town Center.”

The Committee to Stop Mahwah Mall filed a lawsuit after the Mahwah Town Council that allow for retail space to be developed on the so-called Crossroads land. The is a 750,000 sq. foot project that would include office space, one or two box stores, a hotel, a movie theater, and a pedestrian walking area.

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Proponents of the project have argued that it will be a “town center” and bring in revenue, while opponents have expressed concerns about traffic, the environmental impact, and changing the character of Mahwah.

The Stop Mahwah Mall group, which has been garnering support through an online campaign, is passionate about the cause. In an e-vite sent to about 2,000 residents of Mahwah and surrounding communities, the group said “Our joint efforts this summer can shape Mahwah’s future for the next 20, 30 years, and it’s now or never - they won’t be disassembling the mall once it’s up.”

Find out what's happening in Mahwahwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Richards, Tuesday night’s agenda will include:

  • Angelo Zappala will open with an introduction and review of what happened at the March 31st meeting.
  • A representative from the law firm hired to handle our complaint will provide an update on the suit..
  • Joey Bourgholtzer will discuss the issues the mall will bring to our township, review the referendum and the feedback we've received at the Suffern Street Fair.
  • Michael Richards will provide an outline on "Our plans for the future" and "How we going to achieve our goals".
  • Susan Chin will review volunteer positions needed and request volunteer help.
  • We will ask the townspeople for pledges towards our cause.  The pledges will go primarily towards legal expenses and to hire professionals to represent the interests of the community.

The meeting will be held this Tuesday, June 14, at 7 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel on Route 17S in Mahwah.


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