So. Amboy has big plans for year ahead
Several projects in works, despite poor economy
BY JACQUELINE DURETT Correspondent
In spite of a challenging economy, South Amboy officials are moving ahead with a series of planned projects for 2009.

Initiatives such as completing work at the South Amboy train station, reopening the city's ferry service, unveiling the new YMCA, reopening a power plant and building new commercial space on Lower Main Street all make for a busy year. But officials are mindful of the current economic environment.

"You can feel it everywhere," Mayor John O'Leary said. "It has slowed some progress, but it hasn't stalled it."

"I think that every town in the state is challenged," Business Administrator Camille Tooker said, adding that the city is taking a hard look at its expenses as it determines the forthcoming 2009 budget.

"We don't have frills in our budget," Tooker said, adding that the goal is to avoid a property tax increase. However, that depends on a year with no surprises financially. "Now, if we lose grant money, that changes the game," she said.

The city is realistic about what it will be able to achieve this year, but is excited to move ahead with projects already in progress. "We don't have big wish-list projects this year," Tooker said.

Development projects

Those residents who have physical fitness on their own wish list should be excited that the city plans on breaking ground on the new YMCA in the next couple of weeks.

"It's one of the projects that took a little longer than we would have liked, but it's there," O'Leary said.

The recreation center will be built on a 40,000-square-foot lot at the corner of Broadway and Portia Street. The nonprofit Metuchen Edison Woodbridge YMCA organization will operate the South Amboy facility.

Tooker said construction should take between nine and 12 months. "With any luck, by the end of next year, we'll all be swimming," she said.

Perhaps the city's most significant redevelopment project is a series of commercial businesses on Lower Main Street. The project includes a hotel, a health care facility offering assisted living, subacute care and dialysis, and additional office space. The health care facility, Venetian Healthcare, will be run by the Jacobs family, which currently operates a facility on Ernston Road, O'Leary said.

However, the developer of the proposed hotel has scaled back plans because of the economy, and what was once an eight-story project is now a four-story building.

"Eight-story buildings are very, very expensive to build. We really needed to rethink that project," O'Leary said, adding that a tenant has not yet been named for the 150-room project.

The Lower Main Street project will also feature 100,000 square feet of office space, he said.

The city is also moving ahead with plans to reopen the city's old JCP&L power plant facility, O'Leary said. Suez Energy will operate the plant.

Currently, the project is in its very early stages, as officials are now starting to file for permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection. That means progress is largely dependent on the efforts of both the state and federal governments, O'Leary said.

"The plant being reopened is part of the governor's renewable energy plan. It not only benefits South Amboy, but also New Jersey," the mayor said.

Commuter projects

South Amboy's ferry plan also is progressing.

"We hope that 2009 is the year to bring back restoration of the ferry service," Tooker said. The city is nearing a contract with an asyet unnamed ferry operator. Tooker said the project is now a more attractive endeavor to prospective operators, since the price of fuel has come down. "It makes it a better business venture."

Commuters should also see the completion of track work on the South Amboy train station.

"The more we got into it, the more complex it became," O'Leary said, adding that local officials have worked closely with NJ Transit on the project. The city is also completing station improvements that should be complete by year's end.

O'Leary said South Amboy is looking to add parking for an additional 500 cars at the rail station, which is the third busiest on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coastline.

"We're pretty excited about it," O'Leary said of the train station improvement project.

In addition, the city is looking to capitalize on its seaside location and plans to expand its waterfront walkway to Augusta Street.

O'Leary said the goal is to position South Amboy for success when the economy rebounds. "You keep advancing the ball," he said.

Ready for 2009

The South Amboy City Council held its reorganization meeting Monday. Tooker said that although the city did not appoint any new officials this week, the council did swear in a new councilman, Mark Noble, who replaces John Szatkowski.

Noble was elected in November, defeating Republican David J. Longenhagen Jr. O'Leary said he is pleased to see Noble join the government body.

"I think he'll be an asset to the City Council," the mayor said.

Councilman John O'Connell, who is currently serving in Iraq, was sworn in to his latest term via phone, though Tooker said the original plan was to do so by videoconference. The city's technology is not compatible with the military's, she said. O'Connell, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, is expected to remain in Iraq until March.

Also, Russell Stillwagon was sworn in to a new term on the council. All five City Council members are Democrats, as is O'Leary.

The council schedule for 2009 is available on the city's Web site, www.southamboynj. gov. The next meeting is Jan. 16.