by rcbsd45
MONCLAIR, N.J. — The rustic interior, mock Tutor-style beams and grooved red tiles that lined the roof had been replaced by charred beams and gutted framework hidden beneath a deteriorating plywood shroud.
But this will not be the scene for much longer.
Nearly one year after a two-alarm fire blazed through the historic Upper Montclair Train Station, its future has been unveiled.
NJ Transit and the Montclair municipal government announced this week that they are advancing plans to rebuild the structure with a design inspired by its former historic style, according to a release issued to The Times.
A quasi-public agency, NJ Transit leases the station to Montclair, which then subleases it out, most recently to the Round Trip Fare Restaurant, which occupied the facility when the fire occurred.
NJ Transit and Montclair “will issue a Request For Proposal [RFP] next week seeking a qualified developer/tenant to enter into a long-term lease” to construct a new train station “that includes a passenger waiting area and commercial space with a focus on a new restaurant,” the release stated.
The Montclair Historic Preservation Commission and the municipal Station Reconstruction Task Force created the design guidelines in the RFP to ensure the structure retains its once-ornate style.
“We’ve been saying ever since the unfortunate fire that we were looking to rebuild a facility that fits in the historic nature of the community and works as a functioning facility,” NJ Transit spokesperson Penny Bassett Hackett told The Times.
The train station, constructed in 1892, was placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in March 1984. Three months later, the station was included in the National Register of Historic Places.
Once a tenant is chosen, NJ Transit and Montclair “will work with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Historic Sites Council (HSC) on the design of the new structure. The HSC will review and prepare a resolution recommending authorization of the proposal construction with conditions that will be incorporated into the final design of the station,” according to the release.
“Even though it’s been many months, that time has not been wasted. It has been used productively to get the station on track,” Township Manager Joseph Hartnett said. “The end result will be a facility that is respectful of the history of the site and is better for everybody. We are very happy about that.”
Hartnett indicated that well-known restaurateurs, some of whom have been featured in Gourmet magazine and who own restaurants in Beverly Hills, have expressed interest in the site.
“If the station is built historically sensitive, better for commuters and an amenity for the Upper Montclair Busi-ness District, then it’s a win, win, win situation for everybody,” Hartnett said.
Although plans have been announced, the insurance payment for the fire-damaged station remains undeter-mined.
However, the release states that NJ Transit and Montclair “have established a framework of a resolution on the insurance matter that will be agreed upon and formalized within the next 30 days.”
The train station damage claim has become a point of contention for some citizens concerned with the lack of financial information that has been released concerning the station.
The insurance was originally to be announced in September 2006. At the time, Hartnett indicated that a NJ Transit official had questioned aspects of the proposed settlement. As a result, he and the township attorney initiated new research into the matter.
For now, NJ Transit and Montclair officials are focusing on construction. They expect to receive proposals in April and once that is complete, they will select a developer.
“This is the best way and it does not require taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Mayor Gerald Tobin, who led the Sta-tion Reconstruction Task Force. “We are trying to move this along as fast as we can. No one wants to get the shovel in the ground faster than me.”
Those interested in submitting a proposal can contact NJ Transit Project Manager Michael P. Murphy, 973-491-8472.
But this will not be the scene for much longer.
Nearly one year after a two-alarm fire blazed through the historic Upper Montclair Train Station, its future has been unveiled.
NJ Transit and the Montclair municipal government announced this week that they are advancing plans to rebuild the structure with a design inspired by its former historic style, according to a release issued to The Times.
A quasi-public agency, NJ Transit leases the station to Montclair, which then subleases it out, most recently to the Round Trip Fare Restaurant, which occupied the facility when the fire occurred.
NJ Transit and Montclair “will issue a Request For Proposal [RFP] next week seeking a qualified developer/tenant to enter into a long-term lease” to construct a new train station “that includes a passenger waiting area and commercial space with a focus on a new restaurant,” the release stated.
The Montclair Historic Preservation Commission and the municipal Station Reconstruction Task Force created the design guidelines in the RFP to ensure the structure retains its once-ornate style.
“We’ve been saying ever since the unfortunate fire that we were looking to rebuild a facility that fits in the historic nature of the community and works as a functioning facility,” NJ Transit spokesperson Penny Bassett Hackett told The Times.
The train station, constructed in 1892, was placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in March 1984. Three months later, the station was included in the National Register of Historic Places.
Once a tenant is chosen, NJ Transit and Montclair “will work with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Historic Sites Council (HSC) on the design of the new structure. The HSC will review and prepare a resolution recommending authorization of the proposal construction with conditions that will be incorporated into the final design of the station,” according to the release.
“Even though it’s been many months, that time has not been wasted. It has been used productively to get the station on track,” Township Manager Joseph Hartnett said. “The end result will be a facility that is respectful of the history of the site and is better for everybody. We are very happy about that.”
Hartnett indicated that well-known restaurateurs, some of whom have been featured in Gourmet magazine and who own restaurants in Beverly Hills, have expressed interest in the site.
“If the station is built historically sensitive, better for commuters and an amenity for the Upper Montclair Busi-ness District, then it’s a win, win, win situation for everybody,” Hartnett said.
Although plans have been announced, the insurance payment for the fire-damaged station remains undeter-mined.
However, the release states that NJ Transit and Montclair “have established a framework of a resolution on the insurance matter that will be agreed upon and formalized within the next 30 days.”
The train station damage claim has become a point of contention for some citizens concerned with the lack of financial information that has been released concerning the station.
The insurance was originally to be announced in September 2006. At the time, Hartnett indicated that a NJ Transit official had questioned aspects of the proposed settlement. As a result, he and the township attorney initiated new research into the matter.
For now, NJ Transit and Montclair officials are focusing on construction. They expect to receive proposals in April and once that is complete, they will select a developer.
“This is the best way and it does not require taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Mayor Gerald Tobin, who led the Sta-tion Reconstruction Task Force. “We are trying to move this along as fast as we can. No one wants to get the shovel in the ground faster than me.”
Those interested in submitting a proposal can contact NJ Transit Project Manager Michael P. Murphy, 973-491-8472.
I know I'm getting old... My insurance company sent me only half a calendar this year!
