CityWorks in the Press
Panel's task: Steer Springwood Work
Asbury Park official says committee is "top priority"
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/13/05
BY NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
ASBURY PARK - The City Council hopes by next week to announce a new committee drawn from interested community members to help jump-start development of Springwood Avenue and other sections of the city's southwest section.
Officials last winter had presented a plan to build affordable and market-rate housing on four blocks of vacant land between Memorial Drive and Atkins Avenue. But residents at special community meetings in March and April rejected that plan, favoring stores with apartments above and light industry for the once famed thoroughfare.
Four of the five City Council members won new seats on the council in May and along with newcomer Jim Keady, were sworn into new terms July 1.
"When we had the community meetings, several people said they were interested in moving forward," City Manager Terence Reidy said Tuesday. "The governing body has decided that the new council is in place, and this is the top priority to work on - the whole southwest part of the city. They are going to form a committee. It will be the council's call on who will be on the committee."
Mayor Kevin Sanders on Tuesday emphasized that Springwood Avenue is a priority and said the council received letters of interest from residents who want to be on the committee.
At the last community meeting on April 14, residents said affordable homes and recreation fields for children were important but emphasized the need for stores along Springwood, possibly with upstairs apartments, and light industry to help create jobs.
The city had jumped on an opportunity last fall to get the land back under a settlement of a lawsuit with Long Branch millionaire Philip Konvitz, who controlled the land for 15 years without developing it.
A Lakewood developer had agreed to pay $475,000 to Konvitz and an additional $350,000 to the city for the land. But residents and community leaders said the new housing should be scattered throughout the city, not built in a location already encircled by three large city housing projects whose residents still do not have the commercial services nearby that they need.
City officials have said they'll return to court fo continue the litigation with Konvitz.
Asbury Park official says committee is "top priority"
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/13/05
BY NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
ASBURY PARK - The City Council hopes by next week to announce a new committee drawn from interested community members to help jump-start development of Springwood Avenue and other sections of the city's southwest section.
Officials last winter had presented a plan to build affordable and market-rate housing on four blocks of vacant land between Memorial Drive and Atkins Avenue. But residents at special community meetings in March and April rejected that plan, favoring stores with apartments above and light industry for the once famed thoroughfare.
Four of the five City Council members won new seats on the council in May and along with newcomer Jim Keady, were sworn into new terms July 1.
"When we had the community meetings, several people said they were interested in moving forward," City Manager Terence Reidy said Tuesday. "The governing body has decided that the new council is in place, and this is the top priority to work on - the whole southwest part of the city. They are going to form a committee. It will be the council's call on who will be on the committee."
Mayor Kevin Sanders on Tuesday emphasized that Springwood Avenue is a priority and said the council received letters of interest from residents who want to be on the committee.
At the last community meeting on April 14, residents said affordable homes and recreation fields for children were important but emphasized the need for stores along Springwood, possibly with upstairs apartments, and light industry to help create jobs.
The city had jumped on an opportunity last fall to get the land back under a settlement of a lawsuit with Long Branch millionaire Philip Konvitz, who controlled the land for 15 years without developing it.
A Lakewood developer had agreed to pay $475,000 to Konvitz and an additional $350,000 to the city for the land. But residents and community leaders said the new housing should be scattered throughout the city, not built in a location already encircled by three large city housing projects whose residents still do not have the commercial services nearby that they need.
City officials have said they'll return to court fo continue the litigation with Konvitz.
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