The Future Of Lackawanna Plaza In Montclair: A Virtual Discussion

MONTCLAIR, NJ — An upcoming virtual meeting will give Montclair residents a glimpse into the future of Lackawanna Plaza.

Fourth Ward Councilor David Cummings will moderate a discussion with David Placek of BDP Holdings, the new owner of Lackawanna Plaza, on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 p.m.

According to a municipal news release, the event will give residents a chance to hear Placek’s vision for the property, which was formerly home to a Pathmark supermarket that has remained vacant since the company closed it down several years ago.

The meeting will be available live on TV-34 and the township’s YouTube channel. Anyone interested in participating in the discussion can do so by connecting to WebEx for the question-and-answer session: https://tinyurl.com/MontclairTV34.

According to town officials:

“David Placek is the managing partner of BDP Holdings. He is an experienced real estate investor and developer with more than 17 years’ experience investing in more than $4 billion of real estate throughout the US. Mr. Placek’s expertise and experience include the acquisition and development of millions of square feet of commercial property and over 30,000 units of residential property including developing, investing, financing, and rehabilitating mixed-use, retail, office, industrial and multi-family properties in more than 30 states. He also has substantial experience with properties having environmental concerns or complicated legal and tax issues or structures.”

Some Montclair residents might recognize Placek as the local landlord who offered his tenants a three-month break from paying their rent when the coronavirus pandemic first hit New Jersey.

Montclair officials gave the following recap of Cummings’ background:

“David Cummings is Montclair’s Fourth Ward councilor. His community involvement includes serving on the following organizations and committees: Vice Chairman Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, Parent Chair Mt. Hebron School Action Team, member of the Montclair Board of Education, Montclair Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Montclair Neighborhood Development Center Policy Committee, and Montclair Civil Rights Commission. Councilor Cummings is currently Principal of DEK Strategies, LLC, a boutique consulting agency specializing in Digital Media and Content Communications Strategy. His client lists include the NFL, the Fritz Pollard Alliance, the Township of Hillside N.J., and Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation. He is a lifelong resident of Montclair.”

Montclair-based BDP Holdings announced that it acquired the 7.6-acre development site in February.

BDP Holdings provided some background information about the property in a news release:

"As the largest development site in Montclair, Lackawanna Plaza consists of two parcels separated by Grove Street. The parcel to the west side of Grove Street includes a nearly vacant enclosed mall, former supermarket and office building. The east side parcel currently serves as surface parking. Built in 1912, Lackawanna Terminal served as the Montclair Branch of the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad from 1913 until 1981 and helped to establish Montclair as a location of major importance just 12 miles from New York City. The terminal was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973."

There has been debate in Montclair about how Lackawanna Plaza should be developed.

For years, The Hampshire Companies and Pinnacle Companies tried to redevelop the site, which is home to a historic, former train terminal. After getting approval from the Montclair Planning Board in 2019, the companies announced that a 216,772-square-foot, mixed-use project was in the works, including residential, retail and office spaces.

There were plans to make 20 percent of the residential units "affordable housing." In addition, developers announced they landed a tenant to replace the vacant Pathmark supermarket at Lackawanna Plaza – later revealed as German chain Lidl.

• See related article: Lidl To Fill Supermarket Void At Lackawanna Plaza In Montclair

The project was expected to kick off later that year. But it hit a major roadblock when a group of local advocates launched a lawsuit to stop development, seeking to reverse the previous decision from the planning board and nix the project's site approval, sending everything back to the drawing board.

• See related article: Montclair Group's Legal Battle Over Lackawanna Plaza Continues
• See related article: Lackawanna Plaza Plans Hit Big Speed Bump In Montclair

Some local residents have also argued that there are key historic elements that need to be preserved; the site was recently put on a list of the "10 Most Endangered Historic Places in New Jersey."

But according to Placek, BDP Holdings will be keeping Lackawanna Plaza's historical importance in mind as plans for the site evolve. And yes, a grocery store is still on the to-do list, he added.

"BDP is very excited to acquire this extraordinary property, and we look forward to realizing its full potential, which includes bringing a grocery store back to the neighborhood," Placek said. "It's an incredible opportunity for us to bring a fresh vision to the property, while still paying homage to the history of Lackawanna Terminal."

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