Sasson urges city to negotiate with developer

A public plaza with benches and a fountain, below, will replace an art-deco bank building at 15 Main St. in Hackensack, across the street from the Bergen County Courthouse.

 

City Council candidate Victor E. Sasson is urging Hackensack officials to negotiate give-backs from an apartment developer who has been promised a 30-year tax break.

City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono and City Council members argue the developer wouldn't build a 222-unit luxury apartment building on State Street without concessions on property taxes.

City officials hope the building, scheduled for completion in 2015, will spark redevelopment of the Main Street shopping district a block away.

The Record reported an ordinance granting the tax break was introduced at the March 5 City Council meeting, and approved unanimously.

But Sasson wants the developer to pay for such improvements as buying the property across the street, as well as a vacant parcel at Park and Gamewell streets.

The parcels could be turned into a dog run and a public park for building tenants and neighborhood residents.

On Monday, Lo Iacono told Eye on The Record there have been no such discussions with the developer, Meridia Metro Urban Renewal, a subsidiary of Capodagli Property Co. in West New York.

This property, across the street from a proposed luxury apartment building on State Street, is for sale. City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono refers to it as the Salvation Army property.

 

 See previous post on today's paper