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STATE OFFICIALS SAY IT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC FOR LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS TO GIVE $300,000 GRANT TO MARK TRESS TO OPEN DAY CARE CENTER AT DOWNTOWN CHURCH


New Jersey UEZ Authority officials do not appear to be giving the go ahead to Lakewood developer Mark Tress's request for $300,000 in UEZ funds grant to repair and repurpose the First Presbyterian Christian church building he recently purchased for $4,150,000, LDC Executive Director David Klein said today.




As previously reported here on FAA News, Mark Tress of Lakewood Study Square Inc. recently purchased the First Presbyterian Christian church, which has been iconically standing on 3rd Street in Downtown Lakewood for the past 155 years.


As subsequently reported here on FAA News, at Lakewood Development Corporation's regular meeting last month, Mayor Ray Coles told the LDC that Mr. Tress has requested a $250-300,000 UEZ funds grant to redo the outside facade as well as fix up the interior, with the plan to use the building for multiple purposes including to return the use of a child care center which was previously closed down at this location, as well as to use the building as a meeting place for seniors who are still trying to find meaningful work despite being semi-retired.


Mayor Coles noted that "we have lots of money and not many people asking for the money," and that the Township has in the past provided grants for upgrading downtown building facade.


The LDC unanimously consented to allow Mr. Tress to return to the Board with a formal proposal for his project.


At today's LDC meeting, which was held in between cleaning the cars and Bedikas Chometz, Mr. Tress along with Mrs. Chana Stefansky made a formal request to the LDC for $300,000 for their project.


Mrs. Stefansky told the Board, "we bought the building to build a community center for seniors. This project will revitalize the Downtown area which is currently blighted."


"This is across from the town square, and as we have seen in the past, when buildings in this area fall apart they get taken over by squatters," she added.


Mr. Tress echoed her words, adding that his project will be a benefit to the local commerce.


LDC Board Member Mike McNeil excitedly said "count me in!"


LDC Board Chairman agreed, saying that "this project could revitalize the entire downtown."


However, LDC Executive Director David Klein noted that after discussing the proposal with State UEZ Authority personnel, it appears that they are not enthusiastic about the project as UEZ grants must generally be made available"broadly" and they "can't enrich any one developer particularly."


Mr. Klein also noted that the Lakewood UEZ does not currently have a grant program for "revitalizing businesses and upgrading building facades," which is the purpose that Mr. Tress is seeking grant funds.


A member of the public spoke up, telling the LDC that this site, which is located at a congested intersection with no parking lot, is not conducive for a child care center and therefore it's inappropriate for the LDC to use taxpayer funds to speed up and enable operation of a child care center at this site.


The First Presbyterian Christian church is one of Lakewood's first Christian congregations, having gotten started in 1868 after the Civil War, back when Lakewood (then known as Bricksburg) was a rural town known for iron production.


The current building was completed in 1884 and it has been standing there ever since.


Lakewood's first Orthodox Jewish community was organized in the early 1900's. Congregation Sons of Israel, (now known as The Old Shul) at Ridge Avenue and 4th Street, built in 1908, is the first known shul in the Township, according to the Lakewood Historical Society archives.


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

PRIVATE BUSINESSES SHOULD SELF FUND, NOT STEAL THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

Anonymous said...

Tress shouldn't have bought it if he didn't independently have the resources to fix it up himself. $300K is a lot of money ato ask for. This ask stinks to high heavens. He wants the Township to create a grant earmarked for his pet project. It not just the state that has a problem with this. It's the taxpayers too.

Anonymous said...

If the building burns down by accident from teens playing with fire, he will be able to rebuild it with the insurance money. Dont worry, he will bring pizza for the firefighters.