By Linda Stamato
It occurred to me to think about places in Morristown that ought to be improved, developed, maintained or certainly better cared-for than they were in 2015. So I collected some images from my part of town and invite others to share theirs here at MorristownGreen.com.
What places in your neighborhood need some shaping up, or perhaps even require big-time attention?
Maybe we can encourage property owners to do something to contribute to the beauty of the town instead of providing embarrassing evidence of their lack of interest or care.
No such list for Franklin Corners would be complete without the “lumber yard.” One of the major gateways to Morristown is this awful, empty, chain-linked lot.
And just across the street, there remains work do be done. The former Del’s Novelty, destroyed by fire last January, says it’s “hanging in.” But what about the property?
I’d like to get NJ Transit’s attention too. This underpass is such a visible eyesore. How about some lighting, and maybe a mural?
Both sides of the street, by the way. It’s dark, almost forbidding and could benefit from a sprucing up that contributes to the neighborhood.
And then, heading toward the town center one encounters the diner and the grotesque-looking Cy’s Brakes. Seriously, Cy, can nothing be done to make even minor improvements?
And, finally, there is this seemingly abandoned and certainly neglected building and its adjacent lot that one encounters heading up the hill to the Green. It’s a too-visible anomaly in the midst of the other structures on the street that show care by their owners and occupants.
So that’s my list for 2016! I hope those who can do something about these properties are paying attention.
Do you have your own wish list for Morristown beautification? Send us your photos and comments.
The author writes as if she is championing an important cause. [It’s small potatoes, frankly. See The New York Times’ recently article praising the merits Morristown, and compare the state of Morristown now to 20 years ago.]
And she does so by calling out individual property owners and attributing property appearance as “embarrassing evidence of their lack of interest or care.” Presumptuous and insensitive. In the case of the Elm Street fire: the demolition occurred two months ago and has layers of complexity associated with its repair. Give the relevant stakeholders a break. In the case of Cy’s: grotesque? A bit much. It’s an auto repair shop.
I don’t think an honest list of neglected eyesores that make our Town look bad can be considered “smug” comments. The Town does not hesitate to cite individual residents deemed not to have maintained their properties, why are commercial owners or the Government entities including NJ Transit
held to a lesser standard.
Regarding the comment by jackie81:
“A rather smug article by someone who clearly lacks the knowledge of (or worse, empathy for) the reasons why certain areas are falling short of her aesthetic standard…”
I have to wonder now this column could have been read as he/she does. Let me try to clarify:
These are commercial properties and I don’t know why residents of the town should not expect the owners to maintain them or improve them. I’m not talking about “areas,” but specific properties, nor am I disparaging any part of town–I live in the part of town I took pictures of and love living here– nor do I NOT understand why some dwellings may be less well maintained than others. Again, these are not residential dwellings, they are commercial properties and I do think a standard of care applies. I didn’t speak about aesthetics although an appreciation of that element wouldn’t hurt. I’m talking about appearance, safety, and a reasonable expectation of care.
The curbside on Court Street running up the hill from Ann Street (behind the court house) is just a mess, full of trash and overgrown weeds. Many people from all around park here every day (probably with business at the courthouse or county offices). They can’t come away with a very favorable impression.
A rather smug article by someone who clearly lacks the knowledge of (or worse, empathy for) the reasons why certain areas are falling short of her aesthetic standard. And a rather bizarre brand of local muckraking.
I hate the lights on Spring St. Never timed right!
The lots that need development-
-Next to Pazzo Pazzo
-Next to Grasshopper
-Next to train station
-Also can we put like a coffee house in the abandoned building at the train station next to Staples?
The space next to Grasshopper on Wilmont St across from DD seems like a waste as well.
Also the tarped section on Ann St between Schuyler and Court is a huge eyesore. I’ve seen some construction there recently so there may already be plans in the works.
So many look but don’t see and there’s lots to see in Morristown. Perhaps now that we have a 2 new councilpersons, a new administrator and Public Works director and a new Master Plan, things will be seen from a new perspective.
James and South Street is really bad, too. With no turn on red for half the day, you guzzle lots of gas idling on James, especially on weekends. And pedestrians can grow a beard waiting for the walk sign.
One thing that adds to the visual pollution in town are the street/road/town/gov signs that are Everywhere and few if any are straight or placed with any forethought to the others around it. Some are not even relevant anymore. I think Morristown’s Road Dept and whatever agency in town should start going thru major streets and avenues in town to straighten up these signs and in a lot of cases remove the redundant or invalid road signs…Chatham did this a few years ago!! That alone would make Morristown alil easier on the eyes…
Some terrific comments and contributions! I heard from Bob Innacone, our ward’s new council member, and he has indicated his interest in “walking our ward” to identify the most egregious examples and follow-up to see, essentially, why, the disrepair and/or abandonment and what can be done. Kristin Ace might want to join the walk? Thanks!!
Poorly timed traffic lights are still an issue in many spots in Morristown. The four worst, in my opinion, are: (1) Water street and Spring Street – this light is useful for one hour a day during morning rush hour and then just disrupts traffic flow on spring street for the other 23 hours of the day. (2) The light at Spring street and Speedwell Avenue – gives too much green time to traffic on Speedwell northbound and too little green to traffic on Speedwell southbound and to Spring street. (3) Bank Street and Anne street – traffic light turns green for southbound (from Green) Bank street traffic when there are no cars waiting, and then turns red right when traffic is heading towards it from the Green. (4) Ridgedale and Abbett Avenue – light takes too long to give a green to those exiting from the highway, and you can wait two minutes there at midnight for the light to turn green with no traffic even passing on Ridgedale avenue.
The headquarter plaza parking garage. Has it ever been inspected to determine if the dilapidated garage interior infrastructure is safe? I walked the stairs one day when the elevator was slow and felt like I was in a horror movie. Disgusting!
That sounds exciting, Kristin. Maybe you could speak at next week’s regular council meeting?
The empty lot next to Pazzo Pazzo.
The empty lot and parking garage on Anne Street.
The cement park at HQ.
The seemingly empty building on the southeast corner of the green that used to be a travel agency.
I also would like to say that Mayor Dougherty had a great idea on how to expand participation into our community around the mural idea for the train station. I will reach out to him and see if he has time to revisit the idea…Kristin Ace
I would love to connect with people interested in working on the sites! I’ve got tons of ideas and one really big idea for the old electrical building and grassy area across the street from it on Spring Street. I went to the Mayor three years ago about murals under the train station and even got so far as getting the Morris Arts Council involved. NJ Transit said they would allow it if the Morristown government was on board. But then Michael Rogers never got back to me after I connected with the Morris Arts Council…Kristin Ace
Not a blight per se but can something be done about the crosswalk on Speedwell Ave by Domino’s Pizza? It’s a fatality waiting to happen! Should be eliminated and moved to an intersection with traffic lights and crosswalks.
The magic formula involves not paying property taxes, multiple bankruptcies and a host of other shell games at the communities expense. Close local political ties don’t hurt either.
Lawrence S. Berger is the owner of the empty restaurant, Yo & Papa’s, and of the former lumber yard. He must have found a magic formula for profiting from derelict real estate.
The sidewalks on Madison Street and Maple Avenue across from the Assumption Church
He also owns the old lumber yard, so much of the blight in town can be attributed to him.
That abandoned restaurant on South Street that was once Perkins Pancake House. The guy that owns it, also owns half of Morristown and cruises Motown in his personal limo…disgraceful.
The ambulance squad still needs a building…