The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 9

THE HOME NEWS the home news humimb EDITORIAL B8-9 LIFESTYLE B6-7 OBITUARIES B5 Tuesday, august 20, iqss The Home News Dick CostaUo History stays the hand of demol ition The Home News Church Street bank won't fall for planned Hub City mall tCPtl1 ft VX ...........,,.,,3 By NEIL EISNER Home News staff writer NEW BRUNSWICK A historic bank building that had been scheduled for demolition as part of redevelopment on lower Church Street instead will be renovated and included in the new urban mall. Developer Don Gatarz yesterday said he has bowed to pressure from state and federal historic preservation officials and will restore the facade of the former National Bank of New Jersey building at the corner of Church and Neilson streets. State and federal preservation officials were threatening to bold up a $3.1 million federal grant for the urban mall until Gatarz either came up with a rehabilitation plan or made a better case for the demolition of the 19th century structure. Beth Sullebarger, historic preservation specialist with the state Office of New Jersey Heritage, hailed the decision. Sullebarger said the move will "make it a lot easier for us to approve the project." She said she hoped the decision "would turn around a trend in New Brunswick that has been destructive to historic resources." Changed tune on razing The bank building had been included in the original Church Street plan.

But Gatarz had contended the build ing was structurally unsound and could not be rehabilitated economically. Until recently, the building housed a gift shop and a barber shop. "We're going to restore it back to its original appearance prior to being modified into retail stores on its lower level," Gatarz said. "Unfortunately, it's going to cost us a great deal of dollars, a helluva lot more than we originally anticipated." Gatarz estimated the additional cost at "several hundreds of thousands of dollars" and said he was negotiating with two possible tenants for the building. Although he declined to name the prospective tenants, he did reveal Rutgers University Press is to occupy the former Roselle's store on the upper portion of the block.

The announcement was the first regarding tenants on the block. Though Gatarz has stated several times he would reveal the names of more tenants, he said yesterday that he will withhold further information for the time being. "We're just trying to finalize some mixes on some specific tenants," he said. 'Some have very good reasons for not wanting to be announced and with others, we're evaluating the possibility of one versus another tenant." Sullebarger said the bank building is important to the Church Street block and that state officials opposed the proposed demolition. ESS 11 fell I 7 ciTr III Wf I Distinctive red-brick building at Church and Neilson streets will be renovated.

the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation said lack of communication and history of non-cooperation with historic preservation agencies had jeopardized the federal Urban Development Action Grant Sharon Conway, northeastern representative for the council, said the city had failed to provide the council with any information about its plans. "It was our feeling that the case made for the demolition was not convincing enough. We believe that the facades are important and that the building anchors the rest of the block. The corner site is a very important one in anchoring the street," she said. The rehabilitation first was proposed several weeks ago during a meeting between Gatarz and Sullebarger.

Gatarz said he hoped to begin the work next month, with occupancy scheduled for the end of the year. Sullebarger said the office's usual 60-day review process likely would be expedited to accommodate the developer. Last month, a representative of Technicality invalidates Stephenville mall's OK S. Brunswick likes proposal for mall, frowns on a second 'Disputed' hydrant opposite the Dunellen municipal building. Middlesex firemen fuel fireplug feud in Dunellen By HERB JACKSON Home News staff writer SOUTH BRUNSWICK Two pleas for zoning changes to permit shopping centers last night received divided reactions from the Planning Board at its workshop meeting.

Planners generally were pleased with a proposal for a 28.4-acre shopping center and a small office area along the southbound side of Route 1 at Wynwood Drive. But a proposal for a 13.5-acre community shopping center and sion violated the Open Public Meetings Act, known as the "Sunshine Law," according to Superior Court Judge Robert P. Figarotta in a decision rendered on Aug. 8. As a result, Figarotta has ordered the board, which voted 4-3 in Sendelsky's favor in November, to vote again "at its earliest meeting." "We voted in November on the assumption that the area is zoned as L-B, and the court upheld that decision," said Bohn.

"The judge threw out the decision on the basis of the technical error it wouldn't have mattered if we voted for or against it." Bohn added, "When this originally came up, I voted against the proposal mainly because no one could explain to me which way the area was zoned. I wasn't sure then, but now with the judge's ruling (in favor of L-B zoning), I know how I'm going to vote." Although tomorrow night's meeting is considered a public meeting, no testimony from the public will be heard before the vote on that particular matter, said Bohn. By JOESABO Home News staff writer EDISON A violation of the state "Sunshine Law" will force the Planning Board to re-vote tomorrow on its approval of developer Leonard Sendelsky's plan to build a commercial project in the Stephenville section. Planning Board Chairman William Bohn last night described the violation as a "technical error" which occurred during the discussion of Sendelsky's proposal. During discussion of the proposal in November 1984, the board referred to zoning maps which showed that the site of the proposed retailoffice structure, at Stephenville Parkway and Richard Road, was located in a zone designated L-B, for local business.

But residents of the area contended that the area was historically zoned for residential use, producing zoning maps to prove their point. Following the discussion, the board members adjourned to closed session to determine exactly how to designate the area. That closed ses South Brunswick Plaza. Board members frequently have complained about developments in the township using the name "Prinecton." The project would require rezon-ing to a different commercial classification, C-2, that would allow the shopping center. Zublatt said the developer was negotiating to attract a Fortunoff's department store to anchor the center, which also would include fast-food and family restaurants, a drug store, a supermarket, a movie theater and a service station.

The (Amoco) gas station and nearby buildings on the site would be removed to make way for a new service station. A small part of the tract that sits on the south side of Wynwood Drive would be developed for office use, Zublatt said. The zoning change would have to be achieved through an ordinance. Mayor Warren Monroe asked board Chairman Roger Craig to write a letter to the Township Committee detailing the board's position on the change. Members took a different tone when discussing a self-storage ware house off Finnegans Lane.

Howard Bellizio, liaison from the Township Committee to the board, said he was concerned that the area might be reaching the "saturation point" for mini-warehouses. "I envision a flea market in 10 years, with people just opening their doors" for customers, he said. Members also said the use might be too intense for the heavily trafficked intersection. "Finnegans Lane and Route 27 is a bad situation," said Jerry Yaros. "We should make sure there are no exceptions there.

Whatever is put in should conform strictly." The property is zoned for neighborhood commercial uses that do not generate much traffic. Richard Brunelli, who represented the builder said the site was too large to conform to that standard. Bob Hall, township planner, agreed that at 13.5 acres, this was the largest C-l site in the township. He suggested new standards be considered to limit how it could be divided for future uses. mini-warehouse at Route 27 and Fin- negans Lane drew negative comments from members.

Zoning on the Route 1 property, which starts at Greenview Drive and extends past Wynwood Drive, is split; part is zoned for intense com mercial use, part for medium-density housing. Attorney Alan Zublatt represented the developers, Atlantic Federal based in the Wynwood development. Planners approved when he said the shopping center would be called South Brunswick Center or By GREG CLARICK Home News staff writer DUNELLEN Although the borough's population may have dipped slightly during the past few years, the apparent takeover of a Prospect Street fire hydrant by the Lincoln Hose Company of Middlesex Borough may be a bit hasty. "It's a hand-painted sign that someone put out there, evidently as a prank," said Captain Bernard Talada of the Dunellen police. The hydrant is across the street from the municipal building and two miles away from the Middlesex firehouse.

The sign was posted over the weekend. Although Talada didn't know who was responsible, Chief Michael Ko-zik of the Middlesex Fire Department thinks it's a case of "young firemen just having a good time." Dunellen and Middlesex fire companies have a standing agreement to answer each other's calls when necessary, he explained. Over the last year, Middlesex firemen responded twice to Dunellen fires, and used the Prospect Street hydrant both times, he said. "I think the firemen just wanted to have a little fun with Dunellen and see what kind of reaction they could get," Kozik said. The Elizabethtown Water in fact, maintains Dunellen's fire N.

J. leads nation in Superfund cleanup money By ALAN FRAM Associated Press writer WASHINGTON New Jersey, which has more toxic waste sites on the "Superfund" spent through September 1984. They had no figures on the amount spent in each state. The $1.6 billion Superfund program became law in December 1980, but most states including New Jersey were given no money under the program until late 1981. New Jersey has more toxic waste sites that have been declared eligible for Superfund cleanup than any other state: 87, plus eight others that EPA has proposed adding to the list.

Nationally, 818 sites are on the cleanup list or have been proposed for addition to the list In each of the three fiscal years examined, New Jersey received the second largest obligation in the country of Superfund money. The Superfund program will expire Sept. 30 unless Congress renews it. Because of the possibility that Congress will not act in time, EPA said last week that it would hold up work on 57 Superfund sites, including 10 in New Jersey. That would mean a delay in spending $13.4 million on cleanups in the state, according to James Staples, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

cleanup list than any other state, has also been obligated the most money under the program, a report shows. That total was 15.4 percent of the $335 million made available under Superfund nationally. The next highest proportion has gone to Missouri, which received $40.1 million, or 12 percent of the total. The survey was prepared by Federal Funds Information for States, which prepares reports on federal affairs for the nation's governors and state legislatures. It covered the 1982 through 1984 federal fiscal years, a period that ended Sept.

30, 1984. The report's authors said that of the $335 million, only $91 million had actually been The survey said that the Environmental Protection Agency set aside nearly $52 million for cleanups of chemical dumps in New Jersey during the first three full years of the N.J. prisoner plays Santa from a cell to help kids 'You've got to do a lot of begging and taking abuse. 9 Richard Rowe some firms turn him down when they learn he's a convict. "I just chalk it up to experience and don't quit because somebody hurt my feelings." Some 25 inmates wcrk in Ayuda's toy shop and another three arc s.

its office, where Rowe directs his nationwide toy network. P.c:ve said he started Ayuda after his own child visited him in prison and he didn't have a Christmas present for her. "She was 8 years old," he said. "The first thing she said was 'Where is my Christmas It made me feel real crummy, her looking behind my back to see if I was hiding it. "So I thought I'd raise some toys for inmates' kids.

I thought originally I'd supply all the prisons in Jersey with toys." He began by soliciting mostly used toys, which were repaired by prisoners. Now Ayuda distributes only new toys, he said. When Ayuda first started, "we raised about 20,000 toys and (the number) started going up each year." PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) The work of a New Jersey convict has resulted in some 30,000 toys being shipped 1,700 miles to make next Christmas brighter for youngsters on South Dakota Indian reservations. The toys, valued at $100,000 by Indian officials, arrived Sunday at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in two semi-trailer trucks.

They were donated by the Russ Ber-rie a toy manufacturer in Oakland, N.J. "I get toys from all over the nation," said Rick Rowe, 44, a convict in Rahway State Prison in the Avenel section of Woodbridge, who coordinates distribution of the toys through an organization he founded seven years ago the Ayuda Toy Drive Inc. Rowe, who has served 12 years of a life sentence for kidnapping, said in a telephone interview all of Ayuda's toys are donated by manufacturers and stores for distribution around the country. "Right now, I've been offered more new toys than I can use, and that hurts," he said. As of July 31, Rowe estimated 1 million toys had been bandied this year by Ayuda, a word meaning "help" many children there are, I brought it up to five loads, which is about 75,000 toys." The toys are being stored in Pine Ridge and Rosebud until Christmas.

Even so, some 30 or 40 Indian children at Pine Ridge received early Christmas gifts when a few of the cardboard boxes were broken open. About 80 percent of the toys are stuffed animals and dolls. Rowe said even though he's in prison, he deals "with about 130 police departments around the country" to find businesses that will donate toys. Sometimes, "you've got to do a lot of begging and taking a lot of abuse if you want to get the toys" because in Italian and Spanish. By the end of October, Ayuda's distribution will reach ltt million toys, Rowe said.

"That's when I quit for the year. I've got to get rid of this stuff." The drive will start again in February. In Ayuda's seven years, some ZVt million toys have been donated, Rowe said. He said he originally intended to consign just one truckload of toys to South Dakota's Sioux Indian children. However, Sioux leaders "said they had some white organizations they wanted to give to this year, too, so I decided to give them two loads.

When I found out how.