New Facade in the Autumn
The most recent general meeting of the Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce featured Mayor Fiorenzo as a guest speaker. The early morning event was held at The Blue Moon Cafe in Boulder Run, and the development project there was only one of several important topics raised by the Mayor and members. The history of the sites affordable housing status, estimated completion dates, potential new tenants, taxes, state mandates, and the impending budget struggles were only some of the issues addressed.
New Stop&Shop
The Mayor informed Chamber members that residents can expect to see work moving rapidly as Stop&Shop seeks to meet a May 1st deadline for the opening of the new store. The completion of the additional retail space and the residential units are expected to soon follow, and hopes of renovations on the existing mall to be completed in the autumn. The ultimate goal is to bring the architectural design more in line with the new developments with work to be done on the facade and perhaps the roof line.
Old A&P empty
The adjacent shopping area, former home to A&P, has been long vacant, but the Mayor expected progress in the coming months. The lease now held by Stop&Shop is expected to expire, and the township is expecting to see applications for development being submitted within the year. Initial proposals will work through the Wyckoff Planning Board prior to being reviewed by the Township Committee. Expectations are that the existing building will be knocked down with rumors of an interest by ShopRite.
The Mayor addressed concerns over taxes. the struggle to maintain quality services, and continued his advocacy for legislative relief from Trenton. While applauding the state’s efforts to force municipalities to seek shared services as a way of cutting costs, the Mayor took offense that Wyckoff is suffering the consequences of Trenton’s attempt at efficiency. Using statistics compiled for auditing purposes by the local Joint Insurance Fund, the Mayor boasted of Wyckoff’s frugality in being first amongst other towns in the area in providing services at the lowest per capita cost. The number of municipal employees, 104, has not increased in over a decade, and the Township will be implementing a wage freeze in an effort to avoid furloughs and other cost cutting measures.
Further explained were new changes impacting Wyckoff’s, and many other towns’, abilities to stay within a mandated cap of 2.5% increase for certain operational costs. Specifically for Wyckoff, the state added $664,000 in pension obligations to items restricted by the cap. This accounting maneuver immediately placed Wyckoff over the allowed percentage increase and necessitated cuts. While agreeing in principal that placing a cap on increases, towns such as Wyckoff that have not increased staff and have limited areas to cut were now being punished for their fiscal conservatism. The situation is expected to be worsened by additional cuts in “state aid” which was reduced by 200k last year.
Retail & Residential
The development at Boulder Run, an issue of significant controversy in the past, was given a brief overview with respect to the site’s COAH history. It was detailed during the Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce meeting that the site had been designated as available for affordable housing, and that plans had been approved for the building of over one hundred garden apartments. In an effort to negotiate a development more conducive to the township’s character, allowances for additional expansions were given. The Mayor believed that had the town not been faced with the COAH obligations, there would not have been an expansion of the Boulder Run mall.
A Chamber member at the meeting answered a question put to the Mayor concerning any knowledge of prospective tenants. It was stated that it appears fairly certain that new entities in the mall will include a Japanese Restaurant, a card store, and ice cream store, a Stride Rite and a Tiger Shulman karate school. Less definitive were rumors of a TJ Max and a Staples.
The Chamber concluded the general meeting with announcements on the Chamber funded scholarship with applications having been sent out to the local schools and due back April 15th. Preparations are underway for the Chamber sponsored float for the Memorial Day parade, and announcements concerning upcoming charitable events such as the RBARI golf outing on April 27th, and Blue Moon Cafe’s continued tradition of hosting Community nights for local charities. This week listed RBARI as one recipient, and next week supporters of The FLOW Follies can have 20% of their purchase donated to the Follies.
