Politics & Government
Video: TC Candidates Debate Old Police Station Development
Albini and Perez (R) square off against Leventhal and Ryan (D) on the subject of the redevelopment of the old police building on Dunnell Road.
This is the third segment of video that Patch is showing from the Hilton Neighborhood Association's Maplewood Township Committee Candidates Debate which took place last Thursday, October 15. Patch will be presenting one more segment in which the candidates comment on the Community Coalition on Race. The complete video of the debate can be seen on SOMAtv shortly.
This segment of the debate began with Art Christensen, Chair of the Maplewood Republican Committee, asking a two-part question related to the police station sites, new and old. Christensen asked:
1. If you were the last word in putting the new police station where it is today, would you put it there (on Springfield Avenue)?
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2. If you were the last word in redeveloping the site of the old police station on Dunnell Road, what would you put there in place of the old police station?
The candidates responses in short:
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Jerry Ryan would still choose to relocate the police station to Springfield Avenue which he feels is an "ideal location." In place of the old station, "if money was no object" he would like see a full-service YMCA. But he feels that the current financial reality makes small apartment residential development the best option. However, Ryan said he was still keep an open ear at Planning Board meetings.
Bob Perez said he would have refurbished and enlarged the old police station, which he stated would have saved the Township at least $10 million. He did not put forward his ideal for redevelopment of the old site but did say that he felt that something should have been decided three years ago and that the Township is now taking the path of "least resistance" and proposing a development that has citizens "concerned." Perez called the proposed residential redevelopment plan "a disaster waiting to happen."
Kathy Leventhal said that she would still choose to relocate the police station to Springfield Avenue where she feels it has already been a catalyst for development. Leventhal said the police station development was a factor in Walgreens' decision to locate to Springfield Avenue. Leventhal said that a "heavy recreation use" would be ideal for the old police station site but that "the only thing that works in this market is residential."
Bart Albini expressed dismay that the Township had borrowed $24 million to build the new police station and said the Township should not have taken on that debt service. Albini said his "gut" was to refurbish the old station and develop the site on Springfield Avenue as a commercial multi-use. As it is, Albini said he would prefer a recreational or PAL (Police Athletic League) use for the old police station site.
