When Will It End?

Redevelopment has been one of the most pressing issues in Cranford for many years and will continue to be so as we work to address the Affordable Housing obligations that have been imposed on us by the State. Recent approaches to tackle this issue have taken a wrong turn, allowing corporate developers to exploit these obligations for their profit. We need leadership that will stand up for Cranford and steer us back in the right direction!

We need to shift the focus from mega-projects to individual organic growth opportunities. There have, in fact, been several missed opportunities to revitalize neglected spaces like the MDTV building on North Avenue, a township-owned eyesore in the middle of the downtown. Instead of embracing these smaller growth opportunities to move forward in a direction more fitting with the scale and character that is fundamentally Cranford, the property continues to sit in a dilapidated state. Instead, our leadership seems determined to hand it over to corporate developers along with a block-sized land grab with a “vision” that is more reminiscent of the cities that many are currently fleeing. And it doesn’t stop there—with the North Avenue project, the door has been opened and developers are even including uninvited recommendations for development that are outside the scope of the initial project. Presumptuous or greedy? You choose. Add to this the additional proposed projects along South Avenue, both in Cranford and in neighboring towns, and the outlook becomes pretty alarming!

We need a leader that is ready to provide balance to the discussion over Cranford’s growth. We need to stop selling out to corporate developers. We need to be willing to fight to retain our rights to grow in a way that our town can support. We need to engage at higher levels of government to help us in this fight.

We need a leader that is not afraid of public input and instead seeks it out, one who will put aside personal and political agendas and speak for all Cranford residents

I will be that leader who puts Cranford first!