Plans are advancing for an addition and renovation of Emerson Borough Hall—now estimated to cost $12 million—with the recent hiring of an architect, and final conceptual drawings being prepared for council consideration later this year.
Settembrino Architects of Red Bank, hired to complete plans for the work, estimates completion in June 2022, according to its website.
Meanwhile, the borough’s lawsuit against its redeveloper partner to recoup $500,000 in construction services agreed to as part of the now-stalled downtown redevelopment—called Emerson Station, known locally as Block 419—remains tied up in court.
The $500,000 was to be used to aid construction of the newly redesigned Borough Hall.
According to a third revision of redevelopment plans approved Dec. 31, 2018 by the then council, the borough had until Dec. 31, 2019 to develop its plans for a new emergency services building and obtain all permits to be eligible for $500,000 in construction services from the redeveloper.
The borough did not meet the deadline.
Architectural plans for the building are ongoing and may be finalized soon, officials said.
Earlier this year Mayor Danielle DiPaola—who as a councilwoman spoke out and voted against the scale of the project and its impact on existing businesses—and other local officials said they had inferred from conversations with redeveloper attorneys and Yaakov Klugmann of redeveloper JMF Properties that the redeveloper would grant them an extension on that deadline.
However, based on lawsuits filed since then, it appears the matter may eventually be decided in court.
The borough filed a lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court in June citing a breach of contract due to the redevelopers’ (JMF Properties LLC and Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal LLC) failure to reimburse the borough for $500,000 or fair market value for borough property (ambulance building and parking lot) deeded to the redevelopers as part of the redevelopment agreement.
Previously in April, the redeveloper sued in federal court charging the borough with “a stream of frivolous roadblocks and impediments” in advancing the redevelopment.
Brian T. Giblin Sr., an attorney representing Emerson in its lawsuit, told Pascack Press that the redevelopers recently filed a motion to dismiss the Emerson lawsuit because it was filed in state superior court and not federal court, where the redevelopers filed against Emerson.
He said it was uncertain when the motion would be decided given court delays due to Covid-19 concerns and that the redevelopment delays “are not good for the borough… the borough wants this to move ahead [as contractually agreed],” he said.
The planned downtown redevelopment, part of the borough’s affordable housing settlement, comprises a 4-story mixed-use development that includes 147 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail space near Emerson’s downtown train depot. It includes 29 affordable units, 22 to be built on site and seven at another property.
The redeveloper said Habitat for Humanity was working with them to construct a building to house seven affordable units.
At least one remaining Block 419 tenant—Laurel Chinese Restaurant II—has refused to vacate its premises in the redevelopment zone despite the expiratiom of its lease.
The borough appears to be moving ahead with condemnation proceedings against the owner while the redeveloper takes the owner to appellate court in an effort to remove them.
Despite the legal proceedings and delays, the borough’s effort to redesign its storied Borough Hall are moving forward without $500,000 in construction services from the redeveloper.
On July 21, the Borough Council approved a $749,500 contract with Settembrino Architects for architectural services on the $12 million renovation and addition project.
The vote was 5-0, with Councilwoman Jill McGuire abstaining. McGuire told Pascack Press she abstained due to her home’s proximity within 200 feet of Borough Hall.
The contract was approved after the council reconvened following the late July closed session. There was no discussion before or after the vote. Settembrino Architects previously presented conceptual plans for a new Borough Hall or a Borough Hall renovation and addition on Feb. 4. Those plans are available for inspection at Borough Hall.
The 22-page approved contract lists architectural costs as $112,425 for schematic design phase; $187,375 for design development phase; $299,800 for construction documents’ phase; $14,990 for bidding or negotiation phase; and $134,910 for construction phase services.
In late March, following a presentation by Settembrino Architects earlier this year, Kevin Settembrino sent a letter to Borough Administrator Rob Hermansen detailing the $12 million estimate for Borough Hall renovation and an addition.
“Settembrino Architects has completed a conceptual estimate for a new 2-story, 18,000 square foot building with a basement addition and link in the approximate amount of $8.265 million, and an existing 2-story building with a basement renovation plus selective demolition in the approximate amount of $2.230 million. Site costs, with all survey, civil, environmental, and ground penetrating radar work to be completed by the Borough Engineer and coordinated with Settembrino Architects, is in the approximate amount of $1.5 million,” the letter reads in part.
Initial renderings of a conceptual plan for the borough hall renovation and expansion are available on Settembrino Architects’ website listed under “recent projects.”
The Borough Council decided Feb. 4 to move ahead with a renovation and addition, which totals about 27,000 square feet of space.
Settembrino has met with borough department heads, ambulance corps and police department officials to configure the space for renovation and addition. Currently the architect is developing construction documents and will be preparing bid documents to go out possibly later this year.
Funding for a renovated Borough Hall and addition will likely be part of a future municipal bond issue, though the amount to be bonded may be reduced due to possible sale of other borough assets. Settembrino said in February that a timeline for construction was estimated between 18 and 24 months, following completion of demolition.
Councilmembers decided unanimously Feb. 4 to approve a renovation and addition as opposed to demolition and a new building due to the Borough Hall’s historic heritage. The local Historic Preservation Committee declared the hall “has irreplaceable historic value to Emerson” and urged the council to preserve it.
The borough hall was built by the Works Project Administration about 1938 and contains Depression-era murals produced by artists working for WPA. It was granted state certification in mid-2019 to be listed on the New Jersey and U.S. Registers of Historic Places. Its status could not be determined by press time.
The council in February formed a Borough Hall renovation subcommittee to provide guidance to Settembrino on the project. Committee members include DiPaola, Councilwoman Patricia Dinallo, and Councilman Brian Gordon. Alternates are Councilwoman Nicole Argenzia and Councilman Jim Bayley.
In its online description, Settembrino Architects said the new addition and renovation for police and council/court chambers was designed specifically “as the borough desired to save the iconic WPA Era Municipal Building.”
“By selecting an addition and renovation option rather than a new (building), the Borough of Emerson was able to achieve more usable space for less money while preserving the integrity of the existing municipal building,” said the architect’s description.
For more information on Settembrino Architects, visit https://settembrino.com. Photos courtesy Settembrino Architects