Supreme Court Ruling Won’t Deter West Orange’s Plans, Mayor Says

WEST ORANGE, NJ — “The matter has been settled, and ground will be broken.” That was the reaction from West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled on a case involving redevelopment in the township.

On Monday, the state’s highest court issued a decision on a real estate dispute involving the town’s public library, finding that town officials improperly designated it as an “area in need of redevelopment” prior to its move. Read More: NJ Supreme Court Rules On West Orange Library Dispute (VIDEO)

McCartney has since issued a statement about the court’s ruling, which can be seen in full below.

According to the judges, the library building was aging and needed improvements, but there wasn’t enough evidence that it “suffered from obsolescence, faulty arrangement, or obsolete layout in a way that harmed the welfare of the community.”

Monday’s ruling reverses the Appellate Division’s previous judgement on the case.

The library board voted to close the facility at 46 Mount Pleasant Avenue to the public in February in order to prepare for the move to its new location at 10 Rooney Circle, which is still under construction. It is expected to reopen this spring, officials say.

A temporary location is available for local residents on the second floor of 80 Main Street in the meanwhile.

The new library was a key bargaining chip in a major redevelopment project at 100 and 200 Executive Drive and 10 Rooney Circle that took shape during the pandemic. Read More: See Plans For The Proposed New Library In West Orange

McCartney referenced that project in her statement on Tuesday. She wrote:

“The township is proud of its redevelopment and other efforts to build a new library on Executive Drive, provide a two-acre dog park, obtain ownership of a first-class, 70,000 square foot building in the center of town with the Department of Homeland Security, and revitalize the municipal complex with 64 low and moderate-income units. Specifically, the New Jersey Supreme Court’s determination will not deter the township from achieving the critical need of low and moderate-income senior housing. As the court was advised, this matter has previously been settled and ground will be broken for senior housing within the next 30 days. Everything the township did in this endeavor was aimed at serving our residents, recognizing the decaying structure, and moving forward.”

McCartney continued:

“In 2015, the entire brick facing collapsed and came within minutes of seriously injuring one of our neighbors. The court found that the fact that we took action to repair the brick facing meant that there was no immediate harm or detriment to the public. We respectfully disagree with that determination, but hope that the governor and New Jersey Legislature will carefully examine the law. Thousands of our neighbors have obtained quality housing and seen downtown areas revived as a result of the carefully thought out and implemented redevelopment. Nothing in the township’s actions ever involved eminent domain or any of the other constitutional rights. The township’s municipal complex is at the very core of what government must use to serve its constituents.”

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