Montclair Business, Arts Districts Face Redevelopment

A meeting has been scheduled to discuss possible redevelopment in the heart of Montclair’s arts and entertainment district, the business district, and Lackawana Plaza. The call for redevelopment follows growing concerns that vacant buildings in this corridor are shining a negative light on the district.

The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 26 at 7:30 pm in the Council Chamber at 205 Claremont Avenue to present the findings of a study evaluating three areas in the Bloomfield Avenue/Glenridge Avenue corridor to determine if they meet the criteria for an area in need of redevelopment.

Seymour Street

The Seymour Street area (properties 1 – 6) includes the vacant Social Security building, the STS auto repair center, several Township properties and the Wellmont Theater.

These properties are strategically located in the heart of Montclair Center and are important to the continued success of its Arts and Entertainment district.

The Township Council is concerned about the impact the vacant Social Security building creates for this area and has requested the Planning Board to evaluate these properties to determine if they meet the criteria for an area in need of redevelopment.

Glenridge Avenue

The area along Glenridge Avenue (properties 7 – 13) is an area with several vacant properties that have been detrimental to the surrounding business district and were designated an area in need of redevelopment in 2002, but a redevelopment plan was never adopted for these properties.

The Township Council has asked the Planning Board to evaluate these properties to see if they still meet the criteria for redevelopment.

Lackawana Plaza

Lackawanna Plaza (properties 14 – 16) was designated as an Urban Renewal area in the 1970’s and was subsequently redeveloped as a shopping center. The shopping center has many vacancies and a large parking lot.

The Township Council has asked the Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if this area meets the criteria for an area in need of redevelopment.

Redeveloping Montclair

Redevelopment is a planning tool that is applicable to areas that are exhibiting signs of neglect. This can include neighborhoods with an increasing number of vacant buildings, a tired commercial corridor, a struggling downtown business district or an industrial area that no longer serves as the economic engine that it had in the past.

Redevelopment is often used for properties that have been lying vacant and fallow for a long period of time, such as the Hahne’s building. Other times, it is used in areas where property assemblage is necessary to provide sites that are large enough for well-planned growth and development.

Under some circumstances, these areas become stagnant and unproductive because of its lot size and ownership pattern. Lots may be too small to accommodate modern uses, especially given evolving requirements for parking, loading and circulation.

These undersized lots may involve numerous property owners, making lot consolidation difficult or impossible to achieve. This was the case with the redevelopment for the Lackawanna train yard in the 1970’s, which was redeveloped over time into the Lackawanna Plaza shopping center, Montclair Mews complex and other assorted buildings near the Bay Street train station.

Redevelopment provides municipalities with more control over the future development of an area in decline by ensuring what is built is in the best interests of the community. Without redevelopment, haphazard and limited growth will occur, allowing some properties to languish and marginal new land uses cropping up on a few scattered sites within the area. This provides only a limited opportunity to create new jobs and alone is not sufficient to expand the municipal ratable base.

A well designed redevelopment plan will allow the area to be “reinvented” through entirely new land uses or a mix of land uses that require specialized development regulations.

Redevelopment Process


The redevelopment process is defined and governed by constitutional, statutory and regulatory requirements. These requirements are in turn molded by court decisions that affect the way the laws are applied.

In 1992, New Jersey adopted the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL) which provides municipalities with the authority to designate “areas in need of redevelopment,” to formulate and adopt redevelopment plans for these areas, and to undertake redevelopment projects.

The LRHL defines the roles and responsibilities of the governing body and the planning board in the planning process. It establishes the procedural steps and criteria by which an area is designated in need of redevelopment in need of rehabilitation, and it outlines the powers provided to municipalities for these areas.

Step 1. The Council directs the Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation to determine whether the study area is in need of redevelopment. Council resolutions R-14-037 and R-13-103 authorize the Planning Board to undertake the preliminary investigation for the properties in the Montclair Center area.

Step 2. The Planning Board conducts an investigation and holds a public hearing on the proposed redevelopment area designation. After the public hearing, the Planning Board makes recommendation to the Council regarding which properties meet the criteria.

Step 3. Based on the Planning Board’s recommendation, the Council may designate all or a portion of the area as an area in need of redevelopment.

Step 4. The Council prepares the Redevelopment Plan or directs the Planning Board to prepare the Redevelopment Plan.

Step 5. The Council adopts the Redevelopment Plan.

Preliminary Investigation

The preliminary investigation begins with the preparation of a map showing the boundaries of the proposed redevelopment area and the location of the various parcels located within the redevelopment area.

The preliminary investigation includes a detailed land-use planning analysis to determine if the area is in need of redevelopment in accordance with the statutory criteria set forth in the LRHL.

The results of the preliminary study area presented in a written report that includes recommendations on whether or not the area should be designated in need of redevelopment.

Once the preliminary investigation has been completed, the Planning Board holds a public hearing and considers the report’s recommendations. During the public hearing, testimony is provided by the professional planner who conducted the investigation and prepared the report.

Evidence presented to the Planning Board may include photos and maps illustrating conditions within the area, as well as other documentation compiled in support of the conclusions.

The public hearing also provides the primary opportunity for interested parties, including property owners within the redevelopment area and the general public, to provide comments regarding the proposed designation.

After completing the public hearing, the Planning Board may recommend to the Council that all or a portion of the study area is in need of redevelopment. The Council then finalizes the process by adopting a resolution designating the area in need of redevelopment, if they so choose. The Council is not required to hold a public hearing at this stage and no public notice is required other than standard advertisement in the agenda.

Next Steps


Once an area has been determined to be an area in need of redevelopment or an area in need of rehabilitation, a redevelopment plan is prepared and adopted. The redevelopment plan is both a plan and an ordinance.

The plan articulates the community’s vision for the area, which is expressed in goals and objectives. The redevelopment plan also includes new zoning standards for the area.

The preliminary investigation can be viewed at the Township Clerk’s office weekdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and can be downloaded here: http://montclairnjusa.org/dmdocuments/Montclair-Center-Preliminary-Investigation.pdf

Information courtesy of Katya Wowk, Communications Director, Township of Montclair

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