Sunday, April 17, 2016

DELUCA/VILLAGE MERCHANTS MEETING ON POST OFFICE SET FOR MONDAY

In what Mayor Vic Deluca described as a "listening session," he and a representative of the Maplewood Village Alliance will meet Monday with merchants who are concerned about the retail outlets slated for the new post office complex.

The meeting follows a letter submitted to the Township Committee on April 5 by 45 Maplewood Village merchants and three landlords concerned about the retail outlets that are expected to move into the housing/retail complex being built at the former Maplewood Village post office site.

Joe Forgione of JMF Properties, which is building the 20-apartment, five-retail space building, recently indicated it would include a restaurant, bank, laundry, clothing store and Starbuck's.

Some merchants said they were worried the new businesses would unfairly compete with their stores.

Deluca agreed to met with the merchants Monday at 8:30 a.m. at The Woodland. Forgione has also been invited, but it is unclear if he will attend.