Linda Federico-O'Murchu,

You never cease to amaze. Your ever-present hard work and creativity have helped build a greater sense of community in a town that longs to pull together and fulfill its potential. I really enjoyed hearing from out merchants and neighbors. In fact I'm going to wander down to Washington Street this weekend to pick up some earrings and summer blouses at the Taj Mahal then hop over to Anthony's for some of that incredible Brooklyn-style cheesecake. Who needs Junior's when you have Anthony's in town? Thanks again, Linda. More of the same, please.

the Mayor sounds like a typical liberal it's not his fault. They cost us $2 million in a legal battle with the previous developer. They have yet to build a parking garage but have been able to create a parking authority that has done very little but appoint their friends on the board. The town manager wants to spend $21,000 for a feel good
video. Pay it out of your own pocket. We the people need to hold the mayor and council accountable for their lack of action.

the Mayor and the township should have ironed out all the lawsuits and the battles before they went ahead and tore down all these business (before they lost all that tax money from all those businesses before they lost all that tourism from all those businesses .Im sure they knew it would be a fight a long one so they should have at least waited until they were ready to do the construction had all the lawsuits final before they tore down anything (that way the business would still be there and the town would at least look normal some businesses left years ago like 5 years ago before they even tore down anything.

Im in agreement that they should hurry up and build something but Bloomfield will never be Valley road in Upper Montclair so i hope they don't try and copy Upper Montclair

If there were ever a slam/dunk case for eminent domain, this is the time and place. But the mayor is gun shy from his last debacle. Haberman and Heller should be run out of town! http://www.baristanet.com/2012/05/yellow-tape-added-deteriorating-bloomfield-station/#comment-296084

Build a vertical lot with automated pay parking to draw commuters to Bloomfield. Make it safe, and beautiful and green. Nail down a Starbucks, a Florist, a Bookstore, a Jeweler, a great Chinese place, a Hardware store, a Pet Store, a nice Movie theatre, Men's Clothing, Women's clothing, a Shoe Store, a Bike Shop, nice Banks, a Butcher, a Bakery, and a Pub. Get rid of the sleazy elements. It would feel like a time warp back to 1980. Even bring back the Arcades and a Toy Store. People love Bloomfield, but Bloomfield is not like it used to be. I grew up in Bloomfield and miss the old feel it had with Kresge's, Woolworth's etc. Talk about awful economic development. So sad.

I wish they would do something with that part of Bloomfield, it's such a dump and has been tied up in politics for YEARS. I don't understand why Bloomfield Center can't be pretty and trendy like Montclair or the North Center in Bloomfield.

Bloomfield officials say it’s not their fault.

It's NEVER their fault! There's always someone else to blame. It's epidemic in town hall from one department and official to the next. They have made this town a joke, each and every one of them.

Thank you Linda for putting this piece together. Business owners and residents need to know that Mr Heller who came in our store last year wanted all us business owners to join his team in fighting the redevelopment that was planned. When we refused, his comment was "I can hold this project up for a very long time". It's about time everyone get on the same page and question Mr Hellers real motives for his lawsuit. I am asking our town leaders and council to help us all here in Bloomfield Center.

Thanks very much, everyone, for your comments on this developing story.

Can someone tell me what businesses are owned by, or associated with, Mr Heller and Mr Haberman? I'd like to make sure I don't support them in any way.

I think we need something along the lines of what happened with the Braod St Cell Tower. Public pressure on the town and the boycott of the garden center is what killed that plan, and that same kind of thing is in order here.

Join the SAVE BLOOMFIELD NOW facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SaveBloomfieldNow
and join us at the next Planning Board meeting on May 30th- 7pm in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building.

Save Bloomfield Now is a nonpartisan group of Bloomfield residents committed to keeping Bloomfield as a town that is affordable, with a high quality of life and good schools, by fighting over-development and other bad local government policies that sacrifice the long-term best interests of Bloomfield for dubious short-term gain.

There is also a special Planning Board meeting scheduled for the development at 225 Belleville Ave- June 26th 7pm in the Council Chambers of the municipal Building. The architect is expected to testify and environmental testimony is scheduled to be presented as well.

It will be worth coming to the meetings on 225 Belleville Ave to see what the development will look like - 332 apartments proposed; how traffic along Belleville Ave will be handled, backups already exist; how the influx of school age children will be handled, trailers are already at franklin School; whether the contaminants at the site be cleaned up, if the developer is going to receive a 30 year tax abatement.

Community involvement is key to the answers to these and many other questions!!!

Agree with you 100% Fabio. Is Mr Heller REALLY that concerned with the traffic flow and green space or is he upset with the developers who were sold the property instead of him. Funny how the rough traffic flow and lack of green space at his Smashburger Mall on Bloomfield ave isn't spoken of. This lawsuit has held all of us business owners from possibly becoming the thriving town it used to be, a community filled with new restaurants, shopping and residential properties. Please Mr Heller, put your differences aside and allow us to move forward

Fabio - this isn't Times Sq - we need a good traffic pattern since Bloomfielders will be living with this for the next many years. I also question the claims that 1+den, two-bedroom and 3-bedroom apartments will not bring more children to the already overcrowded Bloomfield Schools.

Franklin Schools already has 6th graders in trailers and other schools are overflowing as well.

Anthony - this is Bloomfield's redevelopment and should NOT look like a strip mall. Residential development isn't going to bring businesses back to Bloomfield- what it will bring is more children into the school system and even more traffic.

Pat, from the looks of the proposed development, it hardly looks like a strip mall. I firmly believe new businesses will thrive as well as the ones that have waited almost a decade for the Bloomfield Center Redevelopment. Montclair did it on church st with Starbucks, a sports club and other retail stores and things are just fine there. In the case of Bloomfield Center, I don't see how building a parking deck, new beautiful residential and retail and some green space is going to hurt Bloomfield. It will bring more jobs to an already struggling economy and it will make us to be a standout community. I will take some traffic any day than to look at destroyed buildings and gaping holes in the ground. I wish everyone would stop focusing on the negative and give this town a chance to be beautiful throughout.

Anthony - you brought up ther strip mall and I agreed that it should not look like a strip mall - what is DOES look like is The Siena in Montclair which doesn't exactly blend in or even compliment the surrounding architecture. What is ALSO DOESN"T LOOK LIKE is the design that won Bloomfield a NJSmart Growth award in 2009

"Ultimately, the plan envisions “Six Points” as a pedestrian hub. With the addition of safe, well-lit mid-block pedestrian alleys and connections, visitors will have convenient and interesting ways of walking throughout the downtown. Bicycle lanes and conveniently placed bike racks will also encourage riders from intermediate distances to participate in the downtown experience without driving."
http://www.njfuture.org/smart-growth-101/stories/2009-award/bloomfield/