BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Two upcoming meetings to solicit ideas for an Englewood community center in April and May will be “an exploration of possibilities” to help sift through and clarify what residents want and discuss local expectations for a possible community center.
Joyce Dudley, a communications consultant with Dudley Hamilton Associates, Englewood, was hired Feb. 19 by the City Council to conduct five or six forums in Englewood to determine if the city should move forward to develop a community center proposal. Her contract was for up to $48,000 to conduct the meetings.
Currently, three separate organizations have initiated efforts to seek public support for community center proposals, including Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s Project Liberty, Metro Community Church and Shiloh A.M.E. Zion Church. All efforts were initially focused on reusing the century-old Liberty School property, near the corner of Tenafly Road and West Palisade Avenue.
All three efforts appear to be on hold as the city conducts outreach meetings to solicit residents’ feedback on a community center concept, which Dudley acknowledges may not be the ultimate conclusion, if there is a conclusion.
‘Talk to each other’
“First of all, we have to learn how to talk to each other…what you have here is a growing diversity [of people] with different perceptions of what they want from this city,” said Dudley, March 19 during a brief update to the City Council.
“I’m going to need everyone’s help to get folks out to these sessions…everyone has to come into them,” said Dudley.
She said she hopes the sessions may make people think hard about what a community center could mean or offer residents.
“We want to test your assumptions around what you believe,” Dudley said, adding her efforts can “guide you to come to a resolution that’s comfortable.”
She estimated the process may take five or six months to complete and noted she takes no sides: not being for or against a community center.
“I’m not here to push a certain agenda,” she noted.
She said in addition to the public input meetings—which will include one in each ward—she will also help form a residents’ advisory group, which will meet after every meeting to assess the public forum and offer input and follow-up.
No ‘magic bullet’
Moreover, she said a strategic advisory group composed of not-for-profit organization leaders and separate ward-based youth focus groups will help to provide additional input and engagement for the community center discussion.
“I am not bringing a magic bullet but I am bringing my love for the city,” Dudley said.
She said an online exchange for citizen comments will be created before the first public session, which will also serve to keep residents updated on future forums.
“This process is not going to be a battle of opinions and perspectives…we want to be clear on what are the combinations of needs we are trying to fulfill” in Englewood, she said.
She said the hope is upcoming sessions “will provide ways of talking and communicating on an issue to minimize conflict.”
“We need to talk truthfully to each other,” about city issues, said resident Curtis Caviness.
Following a November meeting hosted by Councilman Wayne Hamer to begin a discussion on a community center, partly moderated by Dudley, the City Council requested a proposal from Dudley to continue meetings on the topic in hopes of building community—and possible consensus—on what actions should be undertaken.
Dudley’s three-page proposal urges the City Council to approach the issue of a community center with “authenticity” and “complete transparency” and notes “it is important not to overlook the long-term pain and frustration connected to this issue.”
Reusing Liberty School?
A key question underlying the community center forums is whether future city attention and funds should be focused on reusing, repurposing and preserving Russell C. Major Liberty School, a 117-year-old edifice that every group has eyed as a possible community center, including city officials.
In particular, Project Liberty has provided several professional experts at City Council meetings to discuss “adaptive reuse” of Liberty School and ways to make the school a “cultural anchor” for downtown Englewood.
Moreover, a 2010 city-funded study, costing $34,000, identified the best uses for Liberty School as a performing arts high school or a community center.
No action was taken by council members on adaptive reuse suggestions or the 2010 study performing arts high school recommendation.
The 2010 report suggested a partnership with BergenPAC, which supported the plan, but nothing further was done.
In early 2018, the area around Liberty School was declared an “area in need of redevelopment” by the Planning Board and the City Council.
The redevelopment designation was based on two criteria, including the facility’s deteriorated grounds and its location for future “smart growth” development.
Smart growth is development close to shopping, transportation, and in Englewood’s case, the downtown shopping and dining district.
Despite previous approval of an $18,000 contract with T&M Associates, city officials held off authorizing T&M to complete a redevelopment plan, after questioning by a couple residents about whether other consultants would be considered to help develop a plan to preserve and repurpose the historic school.
Several times, officials have said they wanted more information about the school’s physical conditions before determining any future uses for the school.
In late 2017, one former councilman recommended a request for proposals to develop the school for residential housing be issued. That did not occur at the time.
Historic advisory
Englewood has a Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, which can recommend structures for historic designation but lacks the legal authority to request a property or structure be designated as historic for its protection and preservation.
An effort to create a city historic commission fizzled out last fall when council members disagreed over mayoral appointment powers and whether a historic designation would reduce property values.
The commission ordinance—a long sought-after goal for advisory members—failed when members could not reach a compromise.
The city’s Master Plan—a guide for future development—has called for a community center or similar facility in several recent versions.
According to residents and public officials, the idea of a community center has been discussed for at least three decades with little resolution or action by officials.