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Former Texaco station still ‘in need of redevelopment’
(by Maggie Fazeli Fard - June 17, 2008)
After years of discussions, studies and speculation regarding the fate of the former Texaco gas station, the Borough of Montvale announced for the second time last week that the site fits the criteria of “an area in need of redevelopment.”
The former Texaco station, located at the corner of Kinderkamack Road and Grand Avenue, has gone through a rough time in recent years. In November 2005, Borough Planner Richard Preiss of Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates conducted a study at the request of the governing body on possible land use of the site, which by that time had been shuttered for 15 years. Preiss deemed the area “in need of redevelopment” under the state’s Local Housing and Redevelopment Law.
The following year, in the spring of 2006, 10 storage tanks, some still containing fuel, were excavated from the property. Simultaneously, there was talk of Starbucks expressing interest in purchasing the property and opening a branch of its coffee shop chain on the location. The Starbucks prospect didn’t pan out and the borough was left to once again play the waiting game.
This spring, Preiss conducted a second redevelopment study, this time at the request of the Planning Board, in light of recommendations in the new Master Plan, which was adopted in April. This second study had the same conclusion as the first.
“Beyond the area’s poor physical condition,” wrote Preiss in a report of his most recent findings, “the former use of the property – a gas station – has, from a land use viewpoint, become an undesirable and inappropriate use within downtown Montvale.”
Preiss recommends that the site, which is located in the borough’s B-1 business zone, is better suited to “pedestrian-oriented retail type use, with buildings at the front property line.”
The study area, according to Preiss’ report, is bound by Kinderkamack Road to the west, a commuter parking lot to the north, the former library to the east and Grand Avenue to the south. To the south are commercial properties including a 7-Eleven convenience store and a two-story building with both retail and office tenants. To the west are the train station and a municipal park.
As a part of the B-1 zone, Preiss said that the site could theoretically be developed into a retail store, personal service establishment, restaurant, office, bank, church, municipal building or park, and, subject to conditional use approval, residential apartments above the first floor. Additionally, single family residences, transportation stations and public and private school are permitted in the B-1 zone, as are professional offices as accessories to residences.
Preiss also noted that gas stations are conditionally permitted. The former Texaco station, however, does not conform to conditional use requirements in the zone, making it a non-conforming use.
While there have been no conclusive discussions about what will become of the site, one thing is clear: it cannot stay the way it is.
“The study area,” said Preiss, “consists of an obsolete and abandoned structure that is unproductive and constitutes a deleterious use.”
The Montvale Planning Board was scheduled to discuss Borough Planner Richard Preiss’ report on the former Texaco gas station’s need for redevelopment at its meeting of Tuesday, June 17. To view Preiss’ report, visit www.montvale.org.
Maggie Fazeli Fard's e-mail address is fazelifard@northjersey.com.
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