Supermarket Meeting: Summary and Feedback
Summary of the Community Meeting on Replacing Stop & Shop
On February 28, 2023 a full room gathered in the community center on South 6th to hear what was announced as a “Community Meeting on Replacing Stop & Shop.”
Mayor Elsie Foster said the supermarket is top on her mind. She asks everyone she meets “Do you know anybody who wants to move a supermarket to Highland Park?” She is tapping into everyone who says they will help to make sure we have a supermarket in our town.
Matthew Hale, chair of the economic committee, presented next. Stop & Shop’s business model is for a much bigger store. The building not in great shape. He said a local family owns the property that holds the supermarket, and the borough officials have had numerous meetings with the family. The parcel of land that holds the supermarket has been designated for redevelopment. He talked pathways of getting to a supermarket. He referred to the redevelopment plan as a “picture frame.”
Teri Jover, Borough administrator and head of redevelopment, talked about the many Borough services available to help those in need. She talked about the food pantry, rides to markets, and training for online shopping using Borough computers. She also mentioned that we do have a market in Highland Park: Glatt 27.
Jim Constantine, Borough Planner who works for LRK, Inc. gave a presentation on the redevelopment plan presentation. Included was a possible 5-story-building on the current supermarket parking lot. He did say they will limit the height of the buildings, and some will only be 2 stories high. He presented several slides of current Borough scenes that he felt could use improving.
Feedback from Community Members
We asked a few people for their feedback about the meeting. Here are the responses that we got:
The borough council is trying hard, but there’s no quick solution. To be profitable, big name supermarkets need much more space. One thing I would like to know that they didn’t share is, how are they actively pursuing supermarkets? Are they just randomly calling, or could they find a professional that knows all the players in the field and could help make a plan that is attractive to a brand that has a smaller supermarket model?
I think the mayor is genuinely looking for people to help us get us a supermarket. However, the meeting itself was really a sale of the redevelopment plan. No one I know wants a 5 story building on Raritan Avenue. Personally, I would like to see local farmers invited to come to Highland Park more often.
My biggest disappointments were lack of communication and no real specifics when closure is only 3 weeks away, and the unwillingness to provide the public with a chance to speak. The pictures of redevelopment were nice, but they don’t tell us anything. Anyone coming in will likely have their own desires. Sadly, this was a public meeting without public comment.
It was great to see and hear from our elected officials in person, and to see such a large number of community members turn out. I was disappointed in the event, as the presentations were predictable and unimaginative. The structure of the event prevented us from listening and sharing our concerns in a public forum.
What is Your Response?
What is your response? What are your concerns? Visit the forum and discuss the redevelopment plan, the supermarket meeting, or other Highland Park issues. Sign up for the forum.