Is half a loaf better than none?
That was the philosophical question underlying Tuesday night’s workshop about a redevelopment project proposed for 185 Morris St. in Morristown.
A development group is eager to convert the 1.3-acre former scrapyard into 30 housing units, smack in the middle of a larger redevelopment zone.
The scale is just right, Mayor Tim Dougherty told residents. The proposal by Peter Cippolini and Joseph Lobozzo of Leona Development LLC will spur revitalization from Ford Avenue to the Morristown train station, he said.
“You’ve got to start somewhere,” said the Mayor, who was seconded by town Planner Phil Abramson of Jonathan Rose Companies.
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Unlike the Speedwell Avenue redevelopment, which was inherited from prior administrations, the Morris Street project offers the planners a chance to start from scratch designing a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, complete with shared car lanes/walkways called “mews.”
“We want to do it the right way,” Phil said.
They’re doing it the wrong way, countered Margret Brady, a longtime resident of the nearby Franklin Corners neighborhood.
She said the housing density of the proposed project exceeds that of another plan for the property that was shot down by the zoning board about six years ago. It’s unwise to approve plans for the center portion of the redevelopment zone without setting guidelines for the parcels flanking it, she said at the town hall gathering. Property owners on either side are sure to demand the same high densities granted to Leona Development, she warned.
“The redevelopment site should have an overall plan,” Marge said. “It’s hard as a neighbor to evaluate it because I have no clue what the rest of it will look like.”
John Inglesino, town redevelopment attorney, assured her that this won’t set any precedents. The town retains the right to deal with adjacent redevelopment properties as it sees fit, he said.
Hill Street resident Rich Modzeleski expressed disappointment with the workshop’s format. He attempted to ask questions at the start of the town hall session, but got shut down. Town officials insisted on breaking people into small groups to speak with project planners, architects and engineers.
“The Mayor talks about transparency. There was a lack of transparency concerning the neighbors,” Rich said. “We did not have an opportunity to express ourselves about the density-per-acre, space and footprint.”
Without public input, he fears this project will turn out like the “atrocious”-looking Highlands at Morristown Station apartments. “There’s no reason the town can’t get more” quality from developers, Rich said. Even basic design considerations like proper orientation for sunlight appear to have been overlooked, he said.
Phil Abramson said the workshop was meant to solicit suggestions and ideas from neighbors. His next step is to incorporate some of those ideas into a redevelopment plan for the property, he said.
The developers seek approvals for three, 2 1/2 story complexes of 10 “interlocking” or “stacked” units apiece, to be built in three phases over about two years. The units would sell for around $300,000 each and some might be rentals, Steve Meiterman, operations manager for the project, said previously.
Tuesday’s workshop suited Franklin Place resident Linda Stamato just fine.
“I like how they’re trying to engage the neighborhood,” Linda said of the planners, “and I like how they’re trying to relate this to a broader area: The train station.”
Councilwoman Rebecca Feldman hopes the Morris Street project helps transform a “creepy and scary” stretch of Ford Avenue into something nice. The main entrance for the proposed development would be on Ford Avenue, to a presently undeveloped roadway called Delaware Street. (The other access point would be a long driveway to Morris Street.)
“New investment in Ford Avenue will mean a better, safer, more welcoming streetscape for everyone in the area,” said the councilwoman, whose First Ward includes Ford Avenue and Morris Street.
The owner of an adjoining parcel in the redevelopment zone wants to put apartments into his 22,000-square-foot building at Ford Avenue, according to Sal Candarella, representing owner Tom Maoli. Sal said the structure dates to the 1950s and was used for ambulance maintenance by Morristown Memorial Hospital (now known as Morristown Medical Center). The former Bell Atlantic also owned the building for a time.
