Last Stand for the Lackawanna

It’s been wisely observed that “Every nation has the government it deserves.” Similarly, the redevelopment of Lackawanna Plaza will reflect the participation or apathy of its residents. We are down to the absolute wire during which your input can make a difference. There are 2 (possibly 3) final meetings before the Planning Board votes: Monday, December 17; and Monday, January 14. Meetings are held at 205 Claremont Avenue, beginning at 7:30 (arrive late or leave early if you must). The Planning Board cannot accept commentary via email; you must appear in person at a meeting to let your opinion and concerns be known.

Another pertinent saying is, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” The current development plan is woefully inadequate and shortsighted. Due to its crucial location at the entrance to town, at the intersection of 2 of our busiest streets (Bloomfield and Grove), its impact on circulation, economic vitality, and livability cannot be overstated. If one of these issues touches you, you should make a sign stating so and bring it to the next Planning Board meeting Monday, December 17 (and again on January 14).

Pedestrian safety: Neither the city of Montclair nor the developer has conducted a pedestrian safety study, or even a pedestrian behavior study. (WalkScore rates Lackawanna Plaza 95%, “a walker’s paradise,” and the area teems with pedestrians day and night). How many children from Bullock Elementary School take the bus from the Lackawanna bus stop? No one knows. How long does it take an elderly shopper with a cart to cross a 40 foot driveway? Unknown. How many people walk on Glenridge Avenue between Grove and Greenwood and will have to contend with semitrucks? Unknown. How many people enjoy Crane Park, which is about to become Ground Zero for a valet operation? Unknown.

Building size is far too large: The developer plans a 47,000 square foot building on the main Lackawanna lot. For perspective, other area supermarkets are roughly:
Kings: 19,000
Food Town Bloomfield: 20,000
Whole Foods Montclair: 18,000
Whole Foods West Orange: 38,000
In fact, an independent urban supermarket expert testified that a 25,000 market would be most profitable and successful for a grocer. He speculated that there is still no supermarket tenant (despite 4 years of the developer’s effort) because the planned building is too large, there is not enough parking, and the delivery area on Glenridge Avenue is too constricted. Note there is no requirement that the developer actually bring in a supermarket; any zoned business would be permitted. One auxiliary business already on the drawing board: a fast-food restaurant.

Parking: The developer seeks a 45% reduction in required parking meant to be shared among shoppers, employees, residents of the 154 apartments being built on the east side of Grove Street, restaurant patrons, and medical office patients. Valet parking has been put forth as a solution despite tripling congestion (in/out on Lackawanna Plaza; in/out of the main lot entered from Grove or Bloomfield; and in/out again on Lackawanna Plaza); valets will be parking overflow anywhere they can find space, including residential streets, meters, and parking spaces in front of other businesses on Glenridge and Bloomfield. Note this plan removes 2 metered spaces used primarily by Post Office customers.

Flood control: The developer has not surveyed Second River which most maps show running directly under the project. Flooding is already a problem for many who live along the creek, and there was a massive flood on Bloomfield in August. Montclair’s Master Plan encourages “daylighting” (opening) the creek wherever possible so the water has someplace to go, yet that safety measure was never considered. The expanse of this site could allow it to play a crucial role in flood planning, versus presenting yet another unknown. In its original incarnation, Lackawanna Plaza had a lovely garden in the low spot; do you suppose those long-ago architects recognized something being ignored now? Environmentalists should question what happens if and when the developer encounters the creek during construction.

Historic preservation: The developer has no inkling of what the site holds and they’ve displayed no interest in learning. They have never granted the Historic Preservation Commission an opportunity to verify an inventory, and they’ve dismissed the opportunity for a collaborative project which could be something truly remarkable. This developer is known for massive buildings built on blank slates and that has been the approach here.

Most important: Community: The Fourth Ward desperately needs a grocery store; it is a veritable food desert. We should all insist that our neighbors have safe and reasonable access to an economically viable market. Instead of designing specifically to meet this overarching need, community members must contend with the ramifications from the developer’s drive for maximum leasable space and hope for the best.

You must speak up and show up. “The people, united, will never be defeated.”