Message from Mayor Josh Losardo | July 15, 2021

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer and taking advantage of the many outdoor recreational offerings we have in Scotch Plains.

This summer, the Township Council has been focused on pushing forward the many redevelopment opportunities that exist in our business corridors and downtown. 

You are likely very aware of our grand plans for the downtown, which our Downtown Redevelopment Committee is now refining. But there is new information about other projects in the works that I am happy to share with you.

At our July 20 council meeting, we are planning on moving forward with three redevelopment opportunities, in which the governing body and our redevelopment professionals will have a strong hand in ensuring the highest design standards and aesthetics.

Allow me a moment to explain these three plans:

• The Scotch Plains Baptist Church owns approximately an acre of land, at the corner of Forest Road and Grand Street, and is planning on working with a developer to redevelop the property into a residential project.

Such a project would be ideal for young singles and empty nesters eager to live in our downtown and take advantage of the restaurants and other vibrancy within a few steps of their front doors. Such a project would generate more foot traffic, a benefit for our merchants, while dovetailing with the township’s expanded plans for downtown revitalization.

• The Jade Isle property on Terrill Road is being studied for redevelopment. If determined to meet the redevelopment criteria by the Planning Board on July 19, the Township Council will move to write a redevelopment plan for the site. Right now, Quick Chek is looking to construct a well-designed store with a service station. Learn more here: https://scotchplainsnj.gov/index.php/jade-isle-terrill-road.

• There are three properties on East Second Street that a developer is looking to consolidate and develop into a mixed-use project. If determined to meet the redevelopment criteria by the Planning Board on July 19, Elite Properties of Warren, which has built similar types of projects in Fanwood and Westfield, wants to construct ground-floor retail with apartments above.

Learn more here: https://scotchplainsnj.gov/index.php/east-second-street

These redevelopment projects, just like other major construction in town, will be closely reviewed. Our committees, land use boards and professionals, in meetings that are open to the public, will review the studies and plans and ask questions. In addition, any plans under consideration are open for your review at town hall and the township website. I encourage everyone to watch the Planning Board meeting on July 19 and the Township Council meeting on July 20 to learn more.

Scotch Plains has waited a long time for this type of focus on redevelopment, as the governing body, land use professionals and volunteers are all quickly working toward a common goal. I, for one, eagerly anticipate the results.