Jones Lang LaSalle


POISED TO PICK PAL
Mayor's choice for HEDC post draws opposition
Friday, March 31, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy wants a local businessman - and longtime friend - to oversee much of the city's economic development, even as at least two City Council members have expressed concerns about his past work experience.

Healy said Wednesday that he is looking to appoint Robert Antonicello as either the head of the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce or the Redevelopment Agency.
Antonicello has more than two decades of experience in real estate, from selling properties as a broker and redeveloping blighted land to building a property management portfolio in excess of $200 million as the president of Jersey City-based ACI Real Estate Group, according to a résumé he provided.

He also earned a master's degree from New York University in real estate development and a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in city planning and urban affairs.

"Robert is a great talent with a tremendous résumé and we are currently looking at the possibility of bringing him to City Hall in a vital role," said Healy.

The HEDC oversees the city's Planning Division, which issues permits for development projects and distributes federal Community Development Block Grants, among many other similar tasks.
The Redevelopment Agency, which is autonomous, creates redevelopment zones and selects developers for certain projects.

Two council members, who will vote on any appointment, said Antonicello's résumé doesn't tell the whole story.

One of his former companies, ACI Management, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January 2005 after a judge ordered him to pay a local condo association nearly $6,000, according to court documents.

Several officials also noted that Antonicello fought the city for $250,000 in 1999 after he spent four years helping to find a location and developer for the municipal court. The city eventually agreed that he was entitled to the money as part of his contract.

"I don't like the idea, and I won't be voting for him when it comes before the council," said Councilman Bill Gaughan, who pointed to the bankruptcy and what he called Antonicello's lack of government experience.

Councilman Steve Fulop also said he would not support Antonicello.

"We should not be looking at someone who bankrupted his own company to run such an important department," he said.

Antonicello said he filed for bankruptcy because he believed the condo association planned to file more suits. He was sued because he authorized spending money on a plumbing job without the association's approval.

Healy's former law partner, Oswin Hadley, has represented Antonicello a number of times. Healy said that Hadley "supported" the potential appointment but that the decision is his alone. Antonicello's father provided office space for Healy's 2004 mayoral campaign.

"This is more of the same, and another mediocre appointment for Healy at best," said Fulop. "It's about time Healy looks outside his own address book."

Responding to charges he is not experienced enough, Antonicello said: "If I am mediocre with 25 years of experience, a master's degree from NYU, then I want to see what they consider outstanding." Both city agencies are currently run by acting directors.

Barbara Netchert heads HEDC and Christopher Fiore runs the Redevelopment Agency.