Featured Property is:
43 Route 46, Unit 703, Pine Brook, New Jersey
6,867 sf available
Download unit_703.pdf, See all available space in Pine Brook: Download May_Availabilities_4-30-08.pdf
Continue reading "First Industrial has space for business in Montville!" »
101 Horseneck Road, Shannon Gessler, $220,000, (Alison Frint)
19 Fletcher Drive, Victor Dang, Shilpa Dang, $925,000, (Weichen Ye)
19 Louis Drive, # D, Fran Rosensweig, $670,000, (Rona Kling)
59 Revere Court, # C107l, Antonuos Tanuos, Samira Tanuos, $70,029, (Frank D'aries)
6 Bark Mill Terrace, # 63, Daniel Balassone, $458,500, (Steven Deitz)
See Daily Record.
Owners plan to raze ruined Hilltop Care to build new facility- When Doreen Helmke moved into her Sylvan Drive home nearly two years ago, she had no qualms about living in the shadow of the shuttered Hilltop Care Center in the upscale Pine Brook neighborhood. Like her neighbors, Helmke, 42, said she was told the site of the vacant, multi-story nursing home off Hook Mountain Road was zoned for single-family dwellings.
That knowledge suited the young mother, as it did for other families who had moved to the growing Windsor Sylvan section of Pine Brook after Hilltop closed its doors in the mid '90's. But now, Helmke 
and her fellow residents are fighting a proposal to build a new, four-story nursing home with 120 beds and a 60-unit residential health care facility at the site. "I think that's a big concern, that a neighborhood was established while (the nursing home) was non-operational,"Helmke said. "(This plan) will change the neighborhood."
The 6.3 acre-tract houses the skeleton of the 114-bed Hilltop Care Center, which was destroyed by arson in August 2006 after standing abandoned for a decade. The center was built in 1925. Hook Mountain Road Associates, which purchased the property from Hilltop for $1 million one year before the fire, plans to raze the structure and rebuild. The proposal calls for a 75,538-square-foot facility in a four-story building, but the owner is seeking a variance to allow the facility in the residential district, as well as height and building coverage variances that exceed the maximums allowed by township law. See Daily Record.
Revitalization plan is step in right direction - We're glad the planning board in Montville has endorsed an ordinance to allow 45 housing units and about 50,000 square feet of commercial space in Towaco. We understand some resident fears that the development would be too intense, but we simply do not see it that way.
The Towaco section of Montville can use some sprucing up. As of now, it's a bit static. If a community strives to stand in place, time passes it by, and it regresses. The plusses here -- more vitality and a ratable increase of an estimated $29.8 million -- outweigh concerns that the character of Towaco will be altered. In truth, Towaco's character will be changed, but we think for the better. See Daily Record.
Discuss on OurMontville.com blog.
Montville weighs addition of 45 housing units, commercial space - The township planning board 
approved an ordinance that will allow 45 housing units and 52,000 square feet of commercial space as part of a revised master plan intended to revitalize Towaco Center. The measure, which passed 7-0, will be sent to the township committee for review, public hearings and possible adoption.
Prior to the meeting, Robyn Welch, an associate planner with Burgis Associates, said a provision was added to the ordinance for a school impact study. "After a total of 20 dwelling units are constructed -- out of the total 45 maximum -- the township will be required to take an assessment of the impact building would have on the school system, to determine if remaining units should be age-restricted," she said.
The new plan proposes a maximum of 45 multi-family units and 52,000 square feet of commercial space with approximately 251 spaces for on-site parking. The Board's planner estimated that the plan would add $29.8 million in taxable properties. Future growth of Towaco, however, long has been a bone of contention for residents who fear the negative impact on the Towaco Valley Aquifer, the township's primary water source. See Daily Record. Discuss on OurMontville.com blog.
The planning board will continue discussions of the Towaco master plan on Thursday. 
After approving the proposal in January, the planning board will talk about the ordinances that would lay out how to put the ideas into practice.
The master plan proposes a pedestrian friendly village for the area around the Towaco train station, including 45 housing units and 52,000 square feet of storefronts and office space, as well as additional parking. It also suggests reducing from 35 mph to 25 mph through the area, and it lays out design standards to create a uniform architectural style.
From the big boom in 2004-05 to the big bust in 2006, the economic effect of the real estate decline can be felt rippling across the nation.
See Daily Record and Montville Office Plaza.
But, according to many Morris commercial real-estate professionals -- who echo professional impressions of the Morris residential market-- business is strong here, compared to many regions throughout the United States.
Revitalizing town center is imperative - By any measure, the center of Towaco in Montville can use some sprucing. For the second time in recent years, the township is considering a plan to revitalize the area. And judging from public comments at a meeting last week, for the second time in recent years, residents don't like the idea.
Most of the unhappiness seems to be with a zoning plan that would allow 45 residential units in the area. There was much discussion over how many children these units would produce for the school system. Studies show that the number of children would be minimal, but some in the audience were skeptical. An interesting side question could be why children are considered such a negative.
See Daily Record. Discuss on OurMontville.com blog.
See Downside to Towaco Village plan, Delay Towaco, give Montville time, Editorial a disservice to critics .
More than 100 residents packed the municipal building on Thursday night, most to air their grievances to the planning board about a plan meant to revitalize Towaco Center. The amended plan, prepared by township planner Joseph Burgis through a $50,000 state grant, calls for an influx of residential and retail development with a coordinated architectural design near the train station on Route 202. But it has received largely the same strongly negative reaction from Towaco residents as the original master plan for the area did in 2003. Back then, residents protested a plan that was predominantly viewed as a gateway to dense building over the Towaco Valley Aquifer, the township's primary water source. See Daily Record. A draft copy of the Master Plan under consideration is available at this link. Discuss on OurMontville.com blog. See Towaco development gets harsh response - again. See Towaco residents say aquifer in danger. |
An email which has circulated in town describes concerns about the proposed re-development opposite the
Towaco train station. Are 45 units with 200 additional cars on the road really being proposed? Or is this mis-information?
Discuss on OurMontville.com blog.
Editor's note: Two different things are going on here. The Olde Town (existing retail opposite the train station) site plan proposes 16 units. The master plan allows for up to 45 units, maximum throughout the entire Towaco Village area. If Olde Town gets approved for 16 units, there would be 29 more allowed, maximum, on any another properties.
Continue reading "Towaco Village and Master Plan being discussed" »
