SEWER LINE THAT'S KEY TO POST OFFICE PLAN STILL UNRESOLVED

As the developers begin dismantling the former Maplewood Village Post Office to make way for their new housing/retail development, the issue of a new sewer line remains unresolved.

We told you back in November about the need for Developers JMF Properties to obtain a right-of-way to run a new sewer line through the parking lot behind the retail buildings on Maplewood Avenue that run from Village Coffee to Arturo’s.

The Township currently leases that back parking lot from the building owners, a lease that runs out in March. In order to run a new sewer line through there, they need permission from the building owners.

The biggest building owner is Saul Fischer, who owns the buildings that contain Village Coffee, Jerry Rose and Arturo’s. He told us Sunday that he has still not heard back from the Township about the right-of-way after last meeting in December.

“We met with them once, it was wide open,” Fischer told Maplewoodian.com. “The mayor and the township attorney in December. They were not sure which way they wanted to go, they wanted to put a sewer line in. I have no problem with that. They have a lease with me, that is up in March. I don’t know what the situation is with that, I am waiting to hear from them.”

“They wanted another lease and there was no benefit to me or any of my people living in my building,” Fischer added. “They offered compensation and I have no problem with that, everyone who owns property back there. It’s minimal. About $5,000.”

 

Fischer has said he is not opposed to the post office project that will include 20 apartments and five retail stores in a three-story building. 

But he said he would like to get the issue resolved now that the developers have begun taking out windows and started the pre-demolition process. 

“If they want to start construction, they better know where everything lies," Fischer said.  

We reached out to Mayor Vic Deluca, who has championed the project, to ask what the status is. He said via email: “At its last closed meeting, the Township Committee discussed its position with regard to the negotiations. That position is not public at this time. I can say that it is still the intent of the Township Committee to have the sewer pipe run through those lots.”