Nat'l Lead prospects fade, though potential remains

It was one year ago this month that Sayreville officials named a redeveloper for the massive waterfront property formerly owned by National Lead. The competition for the project and the choice of a firm that proposed a $1.7 billion mixed-use redevelopment for the blighted 400 acres were celebrated as milestones in planning a brighter future for Sayreville.

What a difference a year makes. The excitement and optimism of last spring have all but disappeared, and National Lead has returned to being little more than an ongoing subject of litigation and political posturing.

That's not to say there was anything that Sayreville officials could have done to keep this project on track, since there were factors outside their control working against the redevelopment process from the start.

The redeveloper, LNR Northeastern Investments, was reportedly unable to negotiate a deal with the owner of National Lead regarding cleanup issues on the site, and later asked the borough to increase the residential component of the project from 2,000 to 4,500 units. In September, after the borough declined the request, LNR withdrew from the project.

Also, the decline in the real estate market likely dealt a blow to the feasibility of LNR's proposal, which in addition to residential housing included millions of square feet of retail and office space, and amenities from a minor league baseball stadium to parks and open space.

In the months since, the Sayreville Economic Redevelopment Agency (SERA) has continued efforts to get the project back on track, but was dealt a blow last week when a state Appellate Court ruled that National Lead Industries can retain control of cleaning up the contaminated site. SERA had sought to take over the cleanup with NL footing the bill, which SERA estimated at $28.1 million.

Nonetheless, borough officials are reported to be on good terms with National Lead, and one can only hope they are making progress in talks to have the land cleaned up so that the redevelopment can go forward.

National Lead can still be turned into something productive and vital - that potential will always exist - but for now, the glimmer of hope that something will happen in the foreseeable future has faded.