Scotch Plains Unveils Downtown Redevelopment Plan

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Scotch Plains unveiled a redevelopment plan for its downtown on Wednesday night which calls for a new library and town hall, 350 housing units, and new open space.

This plan comes after decades of planning leading back to December 1984 which talked about the need for redevelopment.

The redevelopment area primarily includes land on Park Avenue, Bartle Avenue, Westfield Avenue, and Forest Road.

"For decades, Scotch Plains residents have been asking about downtown redevelopment, as we
have watched neighboring communities methodically upgrading and expanding their
commercial corridors to attract customers," said Mayor Josh Losardo, chair of the Downtown
Redevelopment Committee. "Any resident can agree that this is our time, finally, to launch a redevelopment plan that can create a lasting legacy for this entire community. We will be bringing new vibrancy to our downtown with a mix of new stores, restaurants, planned events and services."

The plan involves the redevelopment of 9.5 acres of municipally-owned properties, plus the Rescue Squad lot, that have been underused and have stifled economic growth for years, according to the township.

A new 27,000 square-foot public library and town hall will be combined in a single building, replacing the existing library on Bartle Avenue and town hall on Park Avenue.

The current town hall will be demolished and the property would then be converted into a
mixed-use, revenue-generating development, with ground-floor retail.

Police, fire, and rescue operations would then be relocated into a new facility on municipally-owned property on Plainfield Avenue.

A shared/joint service for municipal court with neighboring municipalities is being explored so that a new courtroom would not be needed.

The plan also allows for the construction of 350 residential units spread across the redevelopment area, a minimum of 15,000 square feet of commercial space for new restaurants and stores, and two major public open space plazas for a combined total of about 13,500 square feet for new outdoor events and activities.

The new housing would help to satisfy a major portion of the Township's unmet affordable need housing obligations. The redevelopment plan would create a "Veteran’s Residency Preference," in which up to 50 percent of the affordable housing units built in the plan would be given preference to any low- and moderate-income veteran who served in time of war or other emergency.

The plan will go up for a vote for introduction at the township council's meeting on Sept. 8. The vote is to allow for zoning of this project. Financing and other steps will follow.

Residents are welcomed to ask questions or comment on the plan at the meeting or they can contact Tom Strowe, Project Coordinator for Redevelopment, at tstrowe@scotchplainsnj.com or 908-322-6700 ext 317.

Watch the entire redevelopment plan below:

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