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UCIA News |
May 7, 2009
For immediate release
Contact: Sebastian D’Elia
Public Information Director
908-527-4419
Cell: 908-770-3662
UNION COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY/LINDEN PROJECT WINS
STATEWIDE PLANNING AWARD
Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade-Amphitheater awarded New
Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award for
Community merit
LINDEN---The Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade, a project
financed and developed by the Union County Improvement
Authority and the City of Linden, has won the New Jersey
Planning Officials Achievement in Planning award,
Improvement Authority Executive Director Charlotte DeFilippo
announced.
The mixed-use development contains a 350-seat amphitheater,
stone chess tables, bench seating, plaza entry, surrounding
flower beds, and a two-story, and 5,000 square-foot
commercial building.
A kiosk area and bathroom facility is also located in the
promenade, which was designed by Victor E. Vinegra of Harbor
Consultants in Cranford. The entire development is in foot
print of the former Linden Theater at 400 North Wood Avenue
(at Knopf Street), across from City Hall. The promenade was
named after Raymond Wood Bauer, a deceased banker and
philanthropist.
The promenade and amphitheater was financed/funded in part
through the Union County Improvement Authority, the City of
Linden, and the State of New Jersey Green Acres program. The
County of Union also contributed an additional $250,000 in
funding from the Open Space Trust Fund’s “Green the Streets”
program.
“The promenade represents a unique public-private
partnership and serves as a model for future redevelopment
projects,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.
The New Jersey Planning Officials (NJPO), founded in 1938,
is the State's association of planning boards and zoning
boards of adjustment, NJPO is a non-profit, tax-exempt
organization comprised of appointed members of planning
boards and zoning boards, elected officials and
professionals dedicated to promoting sound planning through
educational services, support and information. Associates
include citizens groups and corporations interested in
planning, interested individuals, and professionals
(lawyers, planners, engineers, etc.).
The Bauer promenade was managed by the Union County
Improvement Authority, utilizing the professional team of
Harbor Consultants of Cranford, and the Silcon Group of
Elizabeth.
DeFilippo thanked all partners who handled the project and
for making this unique downtown park a reality.
“Part of the Union County Improvement Authority’s mission is
to provide financing to develop important public projects
that improve the quality of life for our residents,”
DeFilippo said. “We’re proud to have participated in the
development of the promenade.”
DeFilippo added the County of Union also won a National
Association of Counties (NACO) award several years ago for
another project, the Plainfield Park-Madison complex, which
was financed and developed through the UCIA.
The Linden amphitheater, which has professional lighting and
sound systems, has already hosted several seasons of Summer
concerts, films, and additional shows well into the Fall and
Holiday seasons.
The amphitheater is ringed by chess tables, a public seating
area and plaza, and grand arched entry off North Wood
Avenue. The plaza itself contains elements of colored
stamped concrete, blue stone, slate, brick, and other
ornamental metals.
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Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) Board Chairman
Anthony Scutari and Executive Director Charlotte DeFilippo
(seated) display the New Jersey Planning Officials
Achievement in Planning award the UCIA won for the Raymond
Wood Bauer Promenade in Linden. They are joined by (from
left standing) UCIA Commissioner Cherron Rountree, UCIA
Commissioner Linda Hines, UCIA Commissioner Sebastian D’Elia,
UCIA Commissioner Carolyn Vollero, UCIA Project Director
Mark Brink (back row), Victor Vinegra, Engineer of Harbor
Consultants (designer of promenade) and UCIA Commissioner
Sam McGhee. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union) |
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January 29, 2009
Reprinted from Progress & Pride/LocalSource.com
Public buildings take lead in development
By John O’Reilly
StaffWriter
LINDEN — Commercial redevelopment in the city trudged slowly
this year, with
plans to upgrade the train station area hitting snags and
demolition at the old General
Motors site moving glacially.
One front, however, was abuzz with action — municipal
infrastructure.
A new public library is under construction along with the
rebuilding or renovating of
four city fire stations. Both projects, with the assistance
of the Union County Improvement Authority, were able to
earmark approximately $32 million in mostly county bonds.
Construction on the new Linden Public Library began in
September, directly behind
the current site at 31 East Henry St.
The old library will remain in use until the new facility is
finished. However, library
director Dennis Purves said there were far too many
structural problems for the old library to last much longer.
“The library...is really on its last legs. If we weren’t
getting a new library it’s hard to
state this one would have been standing much longer,” Purves
said.
The project is expected to be completed by the fall and will
boast expanded meeting
space, computer labs and a bigger children’s area.
Modernizing the new fire stations is a longer project, but
work has already been
blazing along for months.
A brand new Firehouse Number 2, located on West St. Georges
Avenue and Dewitt Terrace, was completed in September at a
cost of approximately $3.3 million.
Next up for the department is the total reconstruction of
Firehouse Number 1 on
Wood and Morris avenues. The Union County Improvement
Authority and contractors are trying to set a date to begin
construction, which will take between 14 and 16 months to
complete, according to Acting Fire Chief Joseph Rizzo.
Firehouse Number 3 on Elizabeth Avenue will also be rebuilt
and Firehouse Number 4 on South Wood Avenue will be
renovated.
The total cost of the construction projects is estimated at
$25 million.
With a firm foundation, city officials hope incoming
businesses can now start
developing property and bring in new ratables to help out
taxpayers.
Linden Mayor Richard Gerbounka mentioned several projects in
the works for 2009,
including the long-awaited redevelopment of the Wood Avenue
train station, completing proposed commercial, industrial
and residential development at the former GM property along
Routes 1&9, and turning the current ISP/Dupont property
along the Linden waterfront area into a marine terminal or
energy company.
“Many others...are only in the formative stages,” said
Gerbounka, of a number of other
plans, “But one could see the vast potential our great city
has if responsible industrial
development is encouraged.”
John O’Reilly can be reached at 908-686-7700, ext. 116. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2010
Contact: Jim Lowney, 908-527-4711
Officials from the City of Linden, the Union County
Improvement Authority and the County of Union cut the
ceremonial ribbon officially opening Linden Fire Station 1
on South Wood Avenue. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union) |
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