Hearing, possible vote, on Morristown ‘M Station’ project pushed to Sept. 25

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The M Station project, which had been scheduled for another hearing and possible approval this Thursday, Sept, 12, 2019, has been pushed back to Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, at Morristown town hall.

Council members said they received updated plans this week.

“Given the size of the package — 140 pages — several people on the council, including myself, felt we needed more time for review,” said Councilman Robert Iannaccone, whose First Ward borders the site on Morris and Spring streets.

SJP Properties and Scotto Properties want to replace the Midtown Shopping Center, a strip mall with a dozen restaurants and shops, with nearly 400,000-square-feet of offices and retail in two buildings, with a five-deck parking garage.

A tree-lined promenade, plaza, and traffic “roundabout” are included in the proposal.

The town earmarked the site for redevelopment in 2004. Other permitted uses include up to 325 residential units and a 175-room hotel, at maximum heights of eight stories.

Last month, the developer knocked one story from its proposal, from eight stories to seven floors for the tallest structure. The other building would remain at six stories.

Artist’s rendering of proposed M Station plaza. Image courtesy of SJP Properties.

Big Four accounting firm Deloitte is being courted as a tenant. The town planner estimates the project could generate nearly five times the tax revenue of the present mall, while boosting business for area restaurants and stores.

Opponents say the project will eliminate affordable eateries popular with low-income residents of the Second Ward, while doing away with one of Morristown’s last free parking lots. It also will exacerbate traffic congestion, some residents contend.

Morristown’s council doubles as the town redevelopment authority. The Sept. 23 meeting starts at 7 pm 7:30 pm at town hall, 200 South St.

READ MORE ABOUT M STATION:

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect date for the rescheduled meeting. The correct date is Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, at 7:30 pm in town hall.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. There was a plan for Market and Bank streets. It was planned for new development but at a lower density more suited to the limitations of the site.

  2. The original rehabilitation zone here was converted to a redevelopment zone by the Town Council. This was made possible, when the Mayor at the time, named the council as theredevelopment committee, instead of an appointed group of Town residents as before. The Council has no training and often little understanding of the zoning and planning process or its implications.The development committee has the power to ignore the actual zoning and replace it with their own criteria. That was how the original limitations on the amount of development on Market Street was changed. Most of the current redevelopment zones were created in this same manner.
    Not considered was the impact of that construction, which has severely impacted all the businesses on DeHart and Market Street and surrounding the others redevelopment projects for many years and opened the door for future overdevelopment in the area.

  3. Even though the town will make more money on taxes. This town needs to rethink this project. There is a Hotel being constructed right down the street from a drug and alcohol rehab. These locations also need to be questioned. Especially for the safety of Morristown Citizens along with Morristown Guests.

  4. You should be able to get it from the Town Clerk, Margot Kaye, She included the PDF in the packet sent to the Council members. They could also forward you copies of their packet.
    .

  5. Is this 140-page booklet available as a PDF for download on the town or developer’s website for public review?

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