The New Jersey Schools Construction Corp. made it clear recently that the old Davey Paper Company site encompassing Summit, Jefferson and Laidlaw avenues belonged to them.
“No Trespassing signs” were seen last week on the fence facing the Summit Avenue side of the property as well as at entrance gate on Laidlaw Avenue. According to SCC spokesman Kevin McElroy, the SCC may have put up the signs with the intention of warning people to not enter the property to ward off any liability for an injury.
But it also sends a message: This property should be a school, not a supermarket.
On Feb. 27 the New Jersey Schools Construction Corp. (SCC) took over the 2.8-acre property from its previous owners, the Stop & Shop Corporation. The SCC plans to build Early Childhood Center No. 9, a pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Stop and Shop had owned the property since December 2001 and was planning to build a 72,000 square foot supermarket with 218 parking spaces. They also planned to allot space for a new police precinct building and possibly some homes.
The SCC issued a “declaration of taking” and placed a $6.8 million deposit with State Superior Court in Jersey City after the court ruled in favor of the SCC taking over the property.
McElroy said last week there are ongoing financial negotiations to acquire the property from Stop & Shop, since the company is looking for up to $10 million in compensation. But Frank Maglio, senior real estate development manager for Stop and Shop, said unless the SCC and the Jersey City Board of Education “changed their minds,” the property is the SCC’s.
But not everyone is thrilled with the SCC making their visible declaration of ownership.
A large black blanket was hung on the fence on Summit Avenue, a few feet from the SCC warning sign. Painted in white capital letters were the words, “THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF SHOPPING.”
It is not known who put up the sign.
Mayor Jerramiah Healy last week said he was upset with the SCC for putting signs on the fence and still wants to see a supermarket on the site, since it would bring about $300,000 in tax dollars and hundreds of jobs for local residents.
Healy was scheduled to meet Friday morning with Jersey City Schools Superintendent Charles Epps about the finding alternate sites for a school to allow for Stop and Shop to build their supermarket.Two schools?
The old Davey Paper Company site lay barren as of last week. But instead of people looking at an empty piece of land and visualizing a state-of-the-art supermarket they will have to visualize a school – or maybe even two.
SCC spokesman McElroy said that there could be the possibility of the Early Childhood Center No. 9 and maybe a kindergarten to fifth grade school on the site but that would have to be studied further.
When asked about the recent financial woes of the SCC, with the agency possibly being dissolved by Gov. Jon Corzine for overspending on land acquisition and construction, McElroy said monies had been committed to build 59 schools across the state with five for Jersey City including Early Childhood Center No. 9.
Asked about the black homemade sign, McElroy said that was first he had heard about it.
Bill DeRosa, chairperson for the Jersey City Board of Education, said last week that if the SCC is able to gain full ownership of the property, then the early childhood center is necessary.
“Our numbers in the Heights indicate that more schools need to be built in that area since there has been an increasing amount of children,” said DeRosa.
DeRosa also there have been a series of meetings between the Board of Education and city officials about looking at other sites, but nothing has panned out.
Michael Yun, owner of Garden State News on Central Avenue and president of the Central Avenue SID, has been a critic of the Stop and Shop proposal from the beginning, citing its possible harmful effect upon Central Avenue merchants.
Yun said he had no problem with a school.
What Yun has a problem with is Mayor Healy continuing to pursue Stop and Shop when, according to him, many in the community do not want the supermarket.
“Healy thinks he’s a king in the 16th century,” Yun said. “I feel sorry that the people have this kind of mayor.” But others disagree
But some community members are unhappy with the school idea as well.
Mike Walsh is the owner of JC Auto Parts on Laidlaw Avenue, directly across the street from the site.
“How many schools do we need in the Heights?” he asked. “We have so many.”
Catherine Grimm, who resides a few blocks from the store, has been a big proponent of the Stop and Shop and is becoming well-versed in the debate. “I have done my research and I am convinced that the SCC could build a school somewhere else in the immediate area,” said Grimm.
State Assemblyman Louis Manzo had said recently that there is a site located adjacent to a middle school close to completion a block west from the Davey site where a new school could be built. But that property is intended for a playing field.
Maglio, however, sounded an almost defeated tone as he thought back on what could have been.
“We were proposing to do something, something unique,” Maglio said. “And we thought this was a wonderful project…it just defies logic.” Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com