Bloomfield Planning Board Approves Downtown Redevelopment

The Bloomfield Planning Board approved last night the Glenwood Village redevelopment project, which will be across from the train station and would bring in new apartments, shops, restaurants, and a parking garage, according to town officials.

The unanimous vote by the board will pave the way for the revitalization of the area, said Mayor Raymond McCarthy.

"Ecstatic," McCarthy said about his feelings. "It's a well presented plan, something we have been waiting for years."

"The residential units will be prime location for people wanting to work in Manhattan. Everything will be at your beck and call," he continued.

There will be 50,000 square feet of retail space, 10,000 square feet of restaurant space, 224 residential units and a 439-space parking garage, according to a press release from the redeveloper, Bloomfield Center Urban Renewal, LLC, headed by Bill Colgan.

The project is made up of three triangular buildings with the parking garage at the center, the same press release states. It is situated at Lackawanna Place, across the street from the train station, which is on the Montclair Boonton line and goes direct to New York Penn Station.

“We are excited to be leading the way in the renaissance of Bloomfield Center,” said Colgan. “Bloomfield has so much to offer and we hope to attract new residents as well as visitors to this community with the convenience of Midtown direct train service and a variety of retail and dining options in a walkable downtown setting.”

Bloomfield officials have for years tried to redevelop the blighted downtown area. A previous attempt was struck down when the state Supreme Court rejected the town's efforts to designate certain properties as blighted and seize them through eminent domain, according to two reports from Bloomfield Life and the Star-Ledger.

A few years later, the town had to pay almost $5 million to the redeveloper Forest City after the deal had fallen apart, the reports said.

The court again ruled against the town on the eminent domain question last year, according to the Star-Ledger.

Councilman Robert Ruane said, "I wish it well."

But he complained the project had taken too long and the town had spent too much, about $16 million he claims, to get to this point. He attributed the costs to lawyer fees, redevelopment consultants, and other expenses.