Jones Lang LaSalle
James may depart, but his big projects will cast a shadow
Monday, April 03, 2006 BY JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff Newark Mayor Sharpe James is not your ordinary lame duck, and that's why his business administrator's desk is a little more cluttered than usual. With just three months left in James' 20-year reign, Richard Monteilh has to keep a long list of the mayor's pet projects rolling. "There's more of an urgency to move faster to get things done," Monteilh said. Since announcing last Monday that he would not seek a sixth term, James has been in and out of his office at City Hall. Just a few doors down is Monteilh, who has done two stints as city business administrator under James.
"He's going to be mayor until noon on July 1 and will not relinquish his obligation to the city," said Monteilh, who continues to work on projects that will shape the city long after James is gone. They include: Choosing a developer for a hotel next to Devils arena. Demolishing Douglass-Harrison Homes to create a park. Making sure the state funds several major road projects, including the widening of Route 21 from Green Street to the viaduct and the widening of Lafayette and Mulberry streets.
Providing funding for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's residential tower. Demolition of the Pabst Brewery on South Orange Avenue to make way for housing and retail. Securing funding for completion of Joseph G. Minish Passaic Riverfront Park and Historic District. Providing funding to launch an expansion of the Newark Museum and Newark Public Library. Completion of the extension of the platform at Newark Penn Station and a pedestrian bridge leading to the Ironbound or the Newark arena and pocket parks leading to the arena. Launching the Mulberry Street project which will see 2,000 market-rate condominiums built downtown. Establishing a mechanism to spend $30 million to provide redevelopment projects in the city's neighborhoods. Taken together, the fate of the list could forever change Newark, the state's largest city. Monteilh said most of the projects James wants to address are already in the pipeline.
The job over the next three months is to make sure they continue smoothly and transition successfully to the next administration. "I don't think anyone is going to double cross Sharpe James," said Dennis Gale, a political science professor at Rutgers University. "He still carries power (as state senator). He still carries a certain amount of respect. The loss of power will happen slowly." One of the projects already under way is the widening of Mulberry and Lafayette streets, which will benefit the arena and a project to build 2,000 condominiums near Mulberry Street and the federal courthouse. The bulkhead for the waterfront park is in construction phase and the park itself is in the design stage. The ink on contracts for the arena are dry and the steel frame is starting to emerge.
Devils principal owner Jeff Vanderbeek said he was glad he had a chance to work with James, who used $210 million in taxpayer money from the Port Authority to finance the arena after a couple of earlier versions fell apart. But Vanderbeek made it clear he will also work with whoever winds up in the corner office suite on the second floor of City Hall. "This is a large project. It is the cornerstone of downtown. Whoever is mayor I will welcome them with open arms, bring them up to speed," he said. It was a tone struck by many of the people behind the projects on James' to-do list. "All the work and politics (James) did has laid it out for (mayoral candidates) Cory (Booker) or (Ronald) Rice," said Emilio Farina, one of the principal developers of the Mulberry Street condo project. "We want to work together."
Newark is also looking to provide money for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's plan for a residential high-rise. The money would come from an $80 million pool Newark is using to fund redevelopment projects. The state is reviewing Newark's use of the money and the city already has started the process of assigning $33.5 million to the library, museum and other projects. City officials met with the state earlier this week in Trenton and a ruling is expected soon. Larry Goldman, CEO and President of NJPAC said the commitment of public money is necessary to get commitments from the private sector.
"We hope the underlying rationale, which is residential development in downtown Newark, people on the street, high quality shops, cafes and galleries ... would be embraced by whoever is in office," Goldman said. "Who wouldn't want the downtown to be alive and vital not just on performance nights, but every night." Booker said that while he will have to honor legally binding contracts entered into by the city to spare the city expensive legal wrangling, one of the first things he wants to do if elected is review all the contracts to make sure the city received the best deal possible. The city's history of starting or announcing projects such as the now-demolished Renaissance Mall, and not finishing them, is too much to ignore, he said.
"I'm in favor of creating a 24-hour downtown with housing and stores. We just don't need to give our city away to developers for pennies on the dollars to accomplish these ends," Booker said. Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark City Hall. He may be reached at jmays@starledger.com or (973) 392-4149. © 2006 The Star Ledger© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
James may depart, but his big projects will cast a shadow
Monday, April 03, 2006 BY JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff Newark Mayor Sharpe James is not your ordinary lame duck, and that's why his business administrator's desk is a little more cluttered than usual. With just three months left in James' 20-year reign, Richard Monteilh has to keep a long list of the mayor's pet projects rolling. "There's more of an urgency to move faster to get things done," Monteilh said. Since announcing last Monday that he would not seek a sixth term, James has been in and out of his office at City Hall. Just a few doors down is Monteilh, who has done two stints as city business administrator under James.
"He's going to be mayor until noon on July 1 and will not relinquish his obligation to the city," said Monteilh, who continues to work on projects that will shape the city long after James is gone. They include: Choosing a developer for a hotel next to Devils arena. Demolishing Douglass-Harrison Homes to create a park. Making sure the state funds several major road projects, including the widening of Route 21 from Green Street to the viaduct and the widening of Lafayette and Mulberry streets.
Providing funding for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's residential tower. Demolition of the Pabst Brewery on South Orange Avenue to make way for housing and retail. Securing funding for completion of Joseph G. Minish Passaic Riverfront Park and Historic District. Providing funding to launch an expansion of the Newark Museum and Newark Public Library. Completion of the extension of the platform at Newark Penn Station and a pedestrian bridge leading to the Ironbound or the Newark arena and pocket parks leading to the arena. Launching the Mulberry Street project which will see 2,000 market-rate condominiums built downtown. Establishing a mechanism to spend $30 million to provide redevelopment projects in the city's neighborhoods. Taken together, the fate of the list could forever change Newark, the state's largest city. Monteilh said most of the projects James wants to address are already in the pipeline.
The job over the next three months is to make sure they continue smoothly and transition successfully to the next administration. "I don't think anyone is going to double cross Sharpe James," said Dennis Gale, a political science professor at Rutgers University. "He still carries power (as state senator). He still carries a certain amount of respect. The loss of power will happen slowly." One of the projects already under way is the widening of Mulberry and Lafayette streets, which will benefit the arena and a project to build 2,000 condominiums near Mulberry Street and the federal courthouse. The bulkhead for the waterfront park is in construction phase and the park itself is in the design stage. The ink on contracts for the arena are dry and the steel frame is starting to emerge.
Devils principal owner Jeff Vanderbeek said he was glad he had a chance to work with James, who used $210 million in taxpayer money from the Port Authority to finance the arena after a couple of earlier versions fell apart. But Vanderbeek made it clear he will also work with whoever winds up in the corner office suite on the second floor of City Hall. "This is a large project. It is the cornerstone of downtown. Whoever is mayor I will welcome them with open arms, bring them up to speed," he said. It was a tone struck by many of the people behind the projects on James' to-do list. "All the work and politics (James) did has laid it out for (mayoral candidates) Cory (Booker) or (Ronald) Rice," said Emilio Farina, one of the principal developers of the Mulberry Street condo project. "We want to work together."
Newark is also looking to provide money for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's plan for a residential high-rise. The money would come from an $80 million pool Newark is using to fund redevelopment projects. The state is reviewing Newark's use of the money and the city already has started the process of assigning $33.5 million to the library, museum and other projects. City officials met with the state earlier this week in Trenton and a ruling is expected soon. Larry Goldman, CEO and President of NJPAC said the commitment of public money is necessary to get commitments from the private sector.
"We hope the underlying rationale, which is residential development in downtown Newark, people on the street, high quality shops, cafes and galleries ... would be embraced by whoever is in office," Goldman said. "Who wouldn't want the downtown to be alive and vital not just on performance nights, but every night." Booker said that while he will have to honor legally binding contracts entered into by the city to spare the city expensive legal wrangling, one of the first things he wants to do if elected is review all the contracts to make sure the city received the best deal possible. The city's history of starting or announcing projects such as the now-demolished Renaissance Mall, and not finishing them, is too much to ignore, he said.
"I'm in favor of creating a 24-hour downtown with housing and stores. We just don't need to give our city away to developers for pennies on the dollars to accomplish these ends," Booker said. Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark City Hall. He may be reached at jmays@starledger.com or (973) 392-4149. © 2006 The Star Ledger© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
posted by Jones Lang LaSalle NJ News Blog at 2:21 PM
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