Morristown starts redeveloping the Speedwell Avenue redevelopment plan
Posted by Kevin Coughlin on September 17, 2010 · 1 Comment
Morristown’s massive Speedwell Avenue redevelopment project–on the drawing board since 2004–is getting another once-over, from a new planner and architect under the new mayor, Tim Dougherty.
Plans still call for 650 residential housing units, with some affordable units and 40,000- to 50,000 square feet of retail space.
But a controversial realignment of Spring and Early streets appears to be shelved, with emphasis shifting from improved traffic flow to European-style, car-free pedestrian paths. Courtyard parks from an earlier plan would become exterior greenways fronting Speedwell Avenue in this latest scenario, unveiled last night at a redevelopment meeting of the town council.
A pedestrian-only street in Brussels suggests possible walkways to connect the Morristown Green and a proposed redevelopment project at Speedwell Avenue and Early Street in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Cooughlin
Some residents and property owners urged planners not to gentrify the Speedwell section of town, a predominantly Hispanic area with many shops and restaurants. Others said further delays will mean more uncertainty for property owners fearful of eminent domain, and questioned why the project was being revisited at all in light of prior approvals.
“This is going to be a process,” answered the Mayor, assuring concerned parties they will have ample opportunities to be heard in coming months. The redevelopment approved previously contained provisions for amendments to reflect changing conditions, according to town Administrator Michael Rogers.
Rich Murphy, representing developer Trammell Crow, addresses the Morristown council. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
The economy and town administration have changed since the redevelopment plan was approved, and new town Planner Daniel Hernandez of Jonathan Rose Companies said the plan could more closely mirror the neighborhood’s character and be tweaked to fit into a broader traffic picture.
Preliminary sketches should be posted soon on the town website, he said. Another hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Dean Marchetto, a Hoboken-based architect who also is new to the project, said his challenge will be squeezing 650 housing units into large buildings that look small, like neighboring structures.
Dean showed slides of places that achieve this illusion by strategic placement of bay windows and other architectural tricks. He also cited a picturesque stretch of Washington Street, near the Morris County Courthouse, as an example of local design that could be emulated in the project.
Developer Trammell Crow is willing to cooperate–if things move quickly, said project manager Rich Murphy. He told the council the developer would like to see any plan revisions completed by year’s end.
“We could draw a line in the sand and fight and butt heads, or say, let’s try to work together on a plan everyone can be happy with. We don’t look to fight,” Rich said.
Planner Daniel Hernandez said he seeks residents' ideas for redoing the Speedwell Avenue redevelopment project. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
The council approved a $400 million Speedwell redevelopment plan in 2007. Trammell Crow scaled it back, and a three-phase revised plan encompassing Speedwell Avenue, Spring and Early streets and Prospect Street was approved in Dec. 2008. The whole thing was targeted for completion in 2016.
Trammell Crow sought permission last September to build 70 units of affordable housing on Early Street, instead of building a mix of market-value and affordable units there.
Opponents at the time warned that a stigma would attach to affordable housing next to the town’s seniors complexes, creating a ghetto. The whole project seemed to settle into a holding pattern as the new mayor eased into his job.
Samantha Rothman and Carolle Huber were among residents who exhorted the planners to preserve the Latino flavor of the site. While Morristown’s tonier downtown has some vacant storefronts, Samantha said, Speedwell’s Hispanic shops are bustling.
“We already have something going on there,” she said.
“Let’s make it a destination” for Latin American food akin to the Ironbound, said Carolle, referring to Newark’s neighborhood of Portuguese- and Spanish restaurants. She and Samantha are co-founders of a community garden on Early Street land designated for redevelopment.
Marty Epstein, who owns a bike store on Speedwell, gave an impassioned defense of the avenue as an affordable place for people who are starting out.
“A town has to have neighborhoods like this,” Marty said. “They can’t all be million-dollar mansions.”
Speedwell Avenue redevelopment plan from 2008.
The Council should be very careful about changing the main impetus for the Redevelopment Plan of Speedwell, which was the realignment of Early and Spring Streets. This is the most congested intersection in Morris County, producing air pollution, accidents and frustrated drivers. While complete streets aspects of pedestrian and bicycle safety need to be addressed, going to car free pedestrian paths is an experiment which has failed in a number of US cities.
Eliminating one of the main reasons for the redevelopment calls into question whether the project should move ahead, at all. Of course, this might be what some who are involved now want anyway. They apparently want the flavor of the South Bronx in Morristown. Lots of vitality. But is it good for the Town?