MINOR LEAGUE TEAM OWNER JOINS POST OFFICE PROJECT

The owner of the Somerset Patriots minor league baseball team, who is also a major New Jersey auto dealer, is investing in the former Maplewood Village post office redevelopment project, according to Mayor Vic De Luca.

De Luca announced at Wednesday's TC meeting that Steve Kalafer, who owns Flemington Car and Truck Company and the baseball team, has created an entity known as Gladstone of Maplewood LLC. That entity will take over a portion of the tax abatement agreement for the post office plan under an ordinance approved on first reading at the meeting.

Steve Kalafer

The TC approved the ordinance, 4-0, with Kathy Leventhal absent. It will be voted on final passage at the Nov. 16 TC meeting.

"The existing redevelopment agreement ... allows for the transfer of interests in the redevelopment project," De Luca said. But the ordinance did not indicate how much of an interest will be transferred or why.

The redevelopment project, which recently received conditional approval from the Planning Board, would replace the post office with a three-story building with 20 apartments and five retail shops.

The initial developer was known as Maplewood Redevelopers LLC, a division of JMF Properties of Whippany. Under the new arrangement, JMF would retain an interest in the development along with Kalafer's Gladstone.

"When the request came in, we communicated to the redeveloper (that) we need to have some degree of comfort with this new entity," Township Attorney Roger Desiderio said. "We received a personal guarantee from individuals which we believe are people of significant wealth who will ensure this project is done."

He said JMF Owner Joseph Forgione and Kalafer each have a net worth of more than $20 million, which he says is proof enough that the project will continue and be completed properly.

Contacted Thursday, Forgione said the changes will not alter the project's plans and he would remain in charge. But he said Kalafer would likely invest some funds into the project, although he declined to offer specifics.

But some residents raised questions about the transfer.

"I would think that this is a process that requires some deliberation and discussion," former Mayor Fred Profeta told the TC. 

The approval also included a change to the project that will have it relocated 10 feet south into the parking lot next to Village Coffee so as to allow more room on the north side next to Ricalton Square for parking and truck access.

De Luca and Desiderio said that the portion of the parking lot -- which is owned by the Township -- to be used for the 10-foot extension of the project will be deeded to the developers and subdivided for that purpose.