The Redevelopment of Downtown Bloomfield New Jersey
The Barista of Bloomfield Ave. has a good discussion going on regarding the redevelopment battle brewing in Bloomfield.
Excerpt from the Barista's post:
Official Bloomfield sees the project to improve Bloomfield's Downtown a chance to turn a sagging retail district into a vibrant transportation village with condos across the street from Midtown Direct and upscale shopping. Downtown merchants see it as an abuse of eminent domain, in which the town is forcing them to sell their businesses, below market value, with a big out-of-state developer standing to gain the most from the deal.
The post is chock full of links to relevant eminent domain topics including Kelo and Utah's recent decision to ban eminent domain use by redevelopment agencies.
You can also make your voice heard by voting on the question: Should the Town of Bloomfield be able to take the property in Bloomfield Center by eminent domain?. As of this post, the "No's" had it 84 to 48.
Bloomfield is a grand old community and will benefit tremendously from the new development plan. It will increase property values. The midtown direct train would be fully utilized. Everyone should support this. Those who have to sell should get a fair market price though. The end result would be similar to what you see in Montclair on Bloomfield Avenue. The train station is the draw. Hopefully, NJ Transit will be refurbishing the historic station sooner than later. With the cost of gas, public transportation is the way of the future.
A redevelopment plan could certainly happen without removing existing businesses.Just look at Hoboken or Montclair! Destroy the old architecturally beautiful buildings for redevelopment? Work with what exists. Imagine a Greenwich Village or Baltimore's inner Harbor without the interest of mixing the old with the new. I suppose its progress as long as the same stuffed shirts benefit and not the town, the town's loyal merchants or saving part of the town's historic business areas.