My vote is Luxury Apartment complex. WE need to bring more foot traffic and higher end stores to Teaneck. Thats the only way to get more business. These lots are very ugly. Too bad they have been empty forso long. Senior Housing is nice idea but I dont feel it would contribute much to the township. Younger familes are best for local shops.

This is a no-brainer. Luxury mid/high rise apartments with shops/retail/restaurants below. The formula works and will greatly benefit the Cedar Lane Business District. I honestly can't think of one argument against this.

I have many ideas. Section 8 / Low-Income housing for DISABLED single moms (because of our children, we do not qualify for senior housing)!!!! - such as myself and many others. A Dollar Tree-jobs! A Taco Bell - jobs! Build something to CREATE JOBS!!! I don't think I am being to selfish as JTS, is.

MEN!

I'd like to see a multi-story structure with apartments and retail establishment below. First things first, no matter what kind of stores you want - there need to be PEOPLE to walk by them and walk IN them.

Get the people, you get the Starbucks (or local equivalent) and then the other retailers to capitalize on those walking around.

Im sorry but SECTION 8 is not a good idea. We need higher income homes for people who will shop, eat and support Teaneck stores. So many nice stores are gone (BLAST ). Things are looking very very shabby in Teaneck. A nice high rise would be great. How is that selfish?? i am very worried about the merchants (im not a shop owner). They need customers who will spend! Taco Bell or other fast food is on Rt. 4. We need nice local shops, classy restaurants, and the like. And please please PLEASE no more dollar stores!! I want to be PROUD of cedar lane. it is a great location and built for crowds. High end apts would be a huge help.

All I will say is there has to be a happy medium. Single moms, like myself want to get out of our RUT. Not all on Section 8 are scum. Without jobs, there is no income, without income, there isn't much money to be spent. High end apartments means hugh taxes/maintenance fees for those that can afford to just purchase these homes/apartments in the first place. I may be disabled, but I am far from stupid. To end this debate......JOBS, and/or AFFORDABLE HOUSING!

Would you really want to rent/buy a high-end, luxuary apartment/condo that was built alongside working train tracks? I sure wouldn't. We need higher income homes? To go along with the wonderful high taxes? I don't see that being a solution for this space. Retail would be nice but the rent is so expensive (on Cedar Lane) causing many stores to close. What can this space do that Cedar Lane can't? Affordable space for retail along with mid-range apartments or condos I think will suit this vacant space.

I've been trying for a year to figure out how i can afford to purchase this place or lease it to make it into a Performance/Restaurant/Community outreach Space. I currently live across the street and I have been working on a business plan with a current Teacher at THS. I have looked at the Non Profit Way but it just takes to much fundraising for the amount of money that we would need to invest. If anyone loves this idea and would like to help me pursue or back this project please notify me. My name is Josh Passaretti and my Email is Joshp033@aol.com

I also Run an open mic in Teaneck called Verbal Rhythms in Teaneck that would be a good way to reach me as well

Mid-rise apartments are good enough for me. Right now, Cedar Lane lacks the critical mass of population to thrive economically. I shop there whenever I can but I am an "empty nester". How much can I buy? The railroad tracks shouldn't be an obstacle. Look at the high-rises in Ft. Lee next to the toll plaza. True, Cedar Lane does need a freshening to replace the short-sighted Streetscape design and a double deck parking structure would help. Adding new shops should wait until the empty storefronts are filled. Bus shelters are an absolute necessity. Spending $3.5 million on an expanded town hall can wait. It generates no addition economic benefit. Oppose the Town Hall expansion. Truly improve Cedar Lane.

Anything that brings a critical mass of residents closer to Cedar Lane and its businesses. Luxury apartments won't happen due to the railroad tracks but mid-range or mixed-income housing could, with retail below.

First a little history. A plan to develop two mid-rise apartments, 6 to 8 stories, was defeated in a Council election when the successful candidates argued that it would turn Teaneck into Fort Lee. It was an outrageous scare tactic, but it worked and Cedar Lane has suffered ever since. Of course, the creation of mid-rise apartments makes sense, in a broader rehabilitation plan that would include deck parking and the refurbishing of rear facades and access to the Cedar Lane stores. Have you ever looked at the backs of those stores? Looks like a "shanty-town". Would suggest a study of allowing residential units in second- and third-story units above the Cedar Lane stores. Expect new initiatives in the County will permit taffic calming designs on Cedar Lane (which is a County road) to accommodate creative design. Wake up Teaneck! It's time.

Yes to Luxury apartments/ Retail

No to everything else......

I'm with Mickey Kates. How about mixed use building - similar to what is now in Englewood: lofts/condos over stores. BUT - I would move them to the other side of the street, that is now a parking lot, and put the parking lot where the popcorn factory / cleaner was (maybe with plantings and a skating path going around it; mixed-use parking was also considered once upon a time). After all, who wants to live on top of a railroad track with idling trains. Wouldn't it make more sense to switch things around? And why can't Cedar Lane look better and be more bustling? This has to be something that Teaneck can support!!!

Wish i saw this kind of verbiage being made abt teaneck rd in general. As much time and tax payers money invested in cedar lane while other parts of the town stay stuck its amazing how the commentary suggests that its still not up to par. Give me a break with the subjective thoughts. Put up mid range apartments/condos w/ everyday retail/food stores...ie starbucks n chipotle or something. Then get to revitalizing other parts of Teaneck so we dont continue to appear as two different towns.

I like most of these ideas but then why when something like this is proposed does evryone complain?? Teaneck Rd is a differnt story all together. it is also very run down. And I agree with M. Kates comment about the backs of stores ... it does look like a "shanty town" ... Teaneck becoming Fort Lee? I WISH!!! ha ha.

Barnes and Noble...even though there is one in Riverside Square Mall it would LOTS of foot traffic, it would only be 2 stories and they could afford the rent. Everyone would benefit....

Whatever we do here.... we should not spend a cent of tax payers money on this adventure..... Let the developer take care of things......
Cedar lane is a dud.... look of what kind of businesses occupy the stores.... it will never compete for the likes of business centers other towns have.....

The formula should be, as others noted, mixed use, with residential above and street retail below. Storefronts limited to 20 feet or so to maximize traffic (large storefronts used by banks, drug stores, etc, discourage foot traffic while multiple retailers with smaller frontages encourage it). Doorman building with some (15-20%) of the units set aside for middle income & seniors. Range 1-3 BR to get singles, couples and families. Some office space for professionals if there is demand. Multiple uses and mix of residents = more traffic with a mix of demographics = better for business. Similar development should take place on the municipal lot across the street and the Stop & Shop lot, so long as provision is made for free shopper parking. Zoning bonus should be given if needed to provide the parking, but heights should be limited to 6-7 stories. Incentives to develop Cedar Lane retail buildings with 3 additional stories of residential/offices above (and on the south side) behind the stores to complete the streetscape and bring foot traffic. Mandate that the buildings meet the highest level of environmental sustainability (LEED Gold or Platinum).

The trick will be to find parking and that may mean some tough (and unpopular) decisions, but projects like these will put the town on a much stronger financial footing, both the municipality and businesses.

We need more rent affordable apartments.Not everyone can afford $1400 a month 1 bedroom apartments on one salary.We already have senior housing at the bottom of Cedar Lane and on River Road.

@mysterious: $1400 a month is a bargain........ ask us... we (property owners) pay about $1000 a month just for taxes...... plus the mortgage...... We need more luxury style properties in Teaneck so we can broaden the tax base...... and not low end stuff.......

1400 a month is cheap in Bergen county. Sign me up! i would like to see more young families etc. they will spend and stores will follow. Low end, cheap housing is the wrong answer to fix the "shanty town" area. Michael Rogovin has a good suggestion.

A $10+ Million property near Alfred Ave sold for $6.1 Million recently. Unless we want to see more of that, we need to secure businesses like Mr. Rogovin mentioned above along with residential space to create walkers-by and shoppers for the stores.

I would also like to give incentives to get banks out of the first floor and into second floor locations, like they did in Hell's Kitchen when NY was expanding midtown.

Great to see so many comments. Maybe we all ought to meet up on evening face to face and get some consensus. Not only that but we must hold teaneck and its Council accountable. Councils continually remain silent on mistakes and misdeeds. It is folded in to our taxes. The ~$10 million we paid in judgments against Teaneck was money that could have been invested in Teaneck Rd and Cedar Lane. We didn't have it. We paid for municipal mismanagement instead. The ~$10 million we paid to reconstruct the police station is also money gone. Now the Council wants to spend ~$3.5 million on improving office conditions for about 30 employees. Good for them but it is an investment with little return to the public. Twenty three million spent very poorly. The original streetscape sidewalk looks dingy and dirty and, actually, in need of replacement. I don't win friends by writing these words but that is our history: sexual harrassment in the 1990s, employee harrassment in the 2000s, poor design, poor construction, poor oversight, refusing to address the real issues. Despite all this history, we have to find ways to progress. I think we will. We must.

The Township has been living in the past. It's time for catch-up. We need luxury apartments, new retail, and more parking. Come on Teaneck. Let's get the Show on the Road.

When I browse through Montclair's shopping area I drool with envy. They have such a nice variety of shops. The stores are thriving because not everyone wants to shop at malls. We do not need anymore low income and/or section 8 housing. Have you been around Foster Avenue lately?? Let Tenafly and the surrounding areas do their fair share. We should make it enticing for more middle and upper middle young parents to move into the area. That will improve the schools and the stores.

I meant Forest Ave.

Senior housing!

Teaneck needs moderate priced apartment for people that would like to stay in Teaneck, but can no longer afford their high taxes, namely seniors.

A nice gym as part of a shopping and apartment complex would be good.

REACH OUT TO GERIATRIC SERVICES WHO WANTS TO BUILD A 62 UNIT--62 AND OVER LOW INCOME COMPLEX IN THE LAST SOUTHWEST CORNER OF TEANECK RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF A QUIET RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THOUGHT THERE WAS NO OTHER LAND AVAILABLE IN TEANECK?

Ok, Ok, it's true. Everyone complains about the way things are on Cedar Lane but then many oppose any changes to it. Businesses feel they are being bled dry by high rents and high taxes. Our sidewalks are too narrow to encourage walking but no one noticed that when the streetscape was done. Perhaps Cedar Lane could be only three lanes of traffic (or one lane of parking)? Either would double the width of sidewalk in some places. Bus bump outs were great for bus drivers but they take away the traffic advantage of keeping four lanes. Cedar Lane is effectively two lanes wide at Garrison when buses are there. It is a matter of choosing the proper scale and quality of improvements.

Build a synagogue and some kosher restaurants

Wow. All of a sudden, the likes of Kates, Ostrow & Ostroth have resurfaced. Ladies & Gents - Those are the same individuals who "led" this town in the 80's and the 90's and refused to allow exactly the discussion, never mind actual progress, towards new housing and tax relief for Teaneck residents.

I wonder what got them going now?

@Jacob: I guess Teaneck is planning on spending millions more on another street scape project....... What a waste......
Let us just stop spending Tax money to benefit businesses...... If they want something let them spend something...... otherwise just stay the way they are.......
Also... what is this talk about narrowing an already narrow cedar lane..... we should talk about making it easy to navigate around the town not difficult.....
The problem with cedar lane is the kind of businesses we have... not the width of the sidewalks...... it is absurd to believe that crowds of people will show up to shop in stores that exist on cedar lane.... never gonna happen ......

zizi: Streetscapes have worked in other towns. Properly conceived and quality constructed streetscapes. Cedar Lane businesses invested plenty in the Streetscape but had little control. Residents had little control. Further, Cedar Lane now is six lanes wide!! I did recommend narrowing it to 5 lanes so people could walk. That is what you find in successful shopping areas - pedestrian traffic.
I don't shop at other shopping areas. Perhaps I should but I spend what I can at Cedar Lane. My bank, my gas station, my cleaners, my bookstore, my shoe store, my pharmacy, my movie theater, my restaurants (Indian, Chinese, Italian, Kosher, Cuban, yogurt), are all there. Give pedestrians a pleasant shopping environment, well kept, friendly, with nice amenities like benches, trees, and bus shelters and people will come. I think traffic flow would be better without the bus bumpouts which turn Cedar Lane into a two lane road every time buses arrive at the same time.

@Art: Other towns don't have the kind of businesses we have..... We are unique...... I don't think any kind of streetscape will change the amount of people who shop at these businesses.
Teaneck do need to give developers a chance to develop nice looking high rise buildings that can house people with a lot of disposable income. Once we will have consumers.. the market place will force out the weak stores and we will have plenty of tax generating activities on cedar lane.... but that will not happen with our current town administration and council which goes out of its way to try to stop developers develop in other towns..... We need a change of attitude in this town towards development..... We need high rise high class tax generating properties...... like other towns around us.....

zizi: We are going to have to agree to disagree. "Unique" is in the eyes of the beholder. Yes, we have some ethnic shopping. Ethnic shopping areas are not unique. Go to Queens, for instance, or many other towns/cities in NJ. I don't want to see Cedar Lane continue as it is nor do I want to see it changed beyond recognition. That is why mid-rise apartments appeal to me and others. Whether the Council and its Planning Board have the courage to allow that to happen is another story. Remember, some of the same Council members who supported the Streetscape back then are still on the Council. They may not be willing to concede that Streetscape 1 was not all that successful. That is why I fear what Streetscape project will be approved for Teaneck Rd.

More stores with mid priced apartments above will encourage foot traffic. Build multilevel parking structures like what Montclair has. Use parking meters to cover cost of structures and discourage long term parking there. Keep free parking further from Cedar lane.

Art: you probably are right..... the people who spent our tax money before in millions will spend some more of our money....... I guess they get a cut or profit from the spending somehow..... I don't see any other reason good enough to spend more money down the drain..... It was a waste of money on cedar lane and it will be a waste of money on Teaneck road......
The right thing to do is to allow high class development that will bring high class residents who will spend money locally..... we will end up having some nice main stream stores where people will like to shop in masses and we will see our taxes become stable.....
Otherwise.... we will force out residents who are unable to pay the ever increasing taxes..... I guess that is the real plan...... cleansing based on the ability to pay ever increasing taxes........ I guess you can call it selective gentrification....

No one addressed the issue of parking.....the municipal lot houses several residents on Chestnue Ave in the apartment buildings nearby as well as housing renters that utilize the parking lot after 6p.m. through the next day. There is no on the street parking on Chestnut Ave between 2am and 7am daily. The gym nearby takes up all the parking between 5-8pm daily, leaving little or no parking for other residents/visitors that shop on Cedar Lane in that area. A mid-rise luxury may not necessarily be the answer as it would more than likely increase the rental properties already in the area. For those inconsiderate commentators who state $1400 is not high you are very inconsiderate to those who don't command a salary such as yours to afford such a cost. Many employees, especially single parents or adults are trying to survive without pay raises, sending kids to college and meeting ever increasing expenses. Other viable options would be more businesses...remember the days of that shoe-store where Veggie heaven is now? the pay half clothing store? When we had four supermarkets instead of the one with two Glatt supermarkets we now have? Why we have three CVS stores is beyond comprehension. Attracting more businesses in the area seems to be the best soluton.

Sorry.....there is the Bravo supermarket where the products are expensive and the parking lot is always empty. That's another location to look at for ventures. At least with stop and shop having another supermarket that services everyone could provide a healthy competition.

I have a question to those that support a high end high rise apartment building. What is it about these apartments that will magically bring these high-end spending residents to live in them? And if they do appear, why would their spending habits be different from all of the people that currently live in comparable high end homes within a mile of cedar lane? Just because a high rise is built, doesn't mean it then is filled with people. it could easily become a stalled non-starter like what has happened in Fort Lee.

I agree with bill isecke. Those of you who support luxury apartments, how will you feel when you retired and have to leave Teaneck because you won't be able to afford the rents?

Luxury senior housing for those of us that would like to remain in Teaneck,rather than move to Fort Lee.

Cedar Lane now at Garrison looking west looks exactly the same as it did in the 1950s. Same buildings. Different cars. That's about it.

Chestnut Plaza was forced on the residents of Chestnut Ave and when the plaza was built it was built on a slant. Even it was level it is far too small! Based on the success of the Farmer's Market on Garrison Ave, I wish there was a Garrison Plaza and triple the size of Chestnut Plaza. Chestnut Plaza is about half the size of a basketball court! Maybe if we opened up Chestnut again, it would open up investment in that area to get those mid-rise apartments/condos?

Teaneck has wonderful attributes: It has great neighborhoods, many parks, a great library. It is only 5 miles from NYC and it has both the Holy Name Med Center and FDU. Further it is located on two Interstate Highways: Rts 80 and 95. Kinda hard to figure out why Teaneck isn't thriving, isn't it? We also have a school district that strives to meet the challenge of a multi-ethnic school population.

On the negative side, Teaneck has ridges. Breaks up our East - West shopping area. If it were flat, Cedar Lane would be a longer commercial district but it is too steep in places. The Teaneck Council discourages business by closing 10 township departments every Friday. Developers don't work four-day weeks. And we have old infrastructure.
Teaneck needs to "get real" about our true strengths and weaknesses.

@Art: I don't think our school system is anything to talk about.... take a look at our results and compare them to our neighbors who pay less in taxes and you will see that we are ranked at almost at the bottom in almost every category there is in terms of achievement. We are big spenders though and there not many school districts in northern NJ that can compete with us....... So there is something that we can say about our school district that sets us apart from the competition.... we spend on our school system but without getting the results that our kids deserve......

@zizi: I don't think that our school system is as bad as you say. I tutor students at the Teaneck Public Library. I see their textbooks. I see their homework. I speak with some of their teachers. Those students are smart and hungry to learn. The textbooks are modern and challenging. The teachers I see are dedicated and enthusiastic. For the students I've come to know, I think the system is working for them.

Keith: Good point. Most teachers earn their salaries but perhaps some make bad examples. Parents with kids in school care more about how their kids are doing than global scores. But those scores and word of mouth discourage families from coming to Teaneck. There is the rub. I don't like the fact that our population is dropping. We are an older, inner suburb, well located and fully developed. We should still be growing slowly but we are not. How do we fix that?

Art and Keith: I was only talking about the results...... I know most kids and most teachers are good every where... not just in Teaneck...... What matters is if our students are getting the most from our tax dollars...... Are they scoring high enough to compete with others and get into great schools and perhaps obtain merit scholarships........ All kids who attend our school system deserve a great shot at the American dream specially given the amount of money we spend on them.... It is our duty to make sure that they get what we pay for......
I know most kids are hungry for knowledge and most teachers are working hard but that is NOT enough.... is it?

Keith: Are you trying to tell me that school systems that spends less than us and get better results are using some other form of teaching/text books/AIDs? Are we teaching something other than the neighboring towns? Why are we not doing what other towns do and get better results......

It is ridiculous that you say "greater scores to get into college don't mean much"...

Please go ask kids who are not able to get into good schools or get merit scholarships if the results matter....... perhaps seeing your father and brother teach school has clouded your judgment to the point where you can't see what matters and what don't......

I know education is not my primary field but I know when people are playing around.... Why Teaneck schools are so low on results and so high on cost? that is the question........ We all know the answer.... it is just matter of where your interests are..... If you want what is best for kids.... than you would demand more for the money we spend.... the answer is not throwing more money... the answer is getting the most of the money we already spend.......

Keith: It does matter...... It matters to students that will get in schools they will not otherwise.... it matters because our students deserves a fair shot at the American dream......
I agree that we need to change the system but that is a noble goal for the state or for the federal government..... Teaneck can do very little if any... what we can do and should do is to do what others do well.... send our kids to great colleges and with scholarships..... We need to worry about what is in our control and is doable.... Our kids deserve a school system that can prepare them well and can get them INTO great colleges so they can do well after they get in.......... but they need to get IN first...... that should be the goal of our school system.... by hook or by crook... by any means necessary... We are near the top of the list for money spent/student in the state of NJ and it is time for us to be near the top of the list in terms of results..... that is not too much to ask for... is it?

Keith: With all due respect..... We have to agree to disagree...... on this one...

You go on trying to do what should be done at a much higher level than on the township level... meanwhile.... our kids will suffer..... I think we need to live in the world we live in and obviously you think we should live in an ideal world....

Our priorities are different..... our goals are different... and our interests are different......