Thursday, June 22, 2017

Commercial Spaces Planned for East Orange Train Station


East Orange, New Jersey: You could soon be able to shop before or after riding a train at a local station.

East Orange Mayor Lester E. Taylor III has signed a resolution that authorizes "the City of East Orange to negotiate a lease agreement with NJ TRANSIT to construct, maintain, and operate commercial spaces inside the East Orange Train Station," located at 65 City Hall Plaza. According to the resolution, in September 2016, the City first sought to enter a lease agreement with the transportation agency, which has "indicated that it is prepared to enter into discussions with regard to the issuance of a license agreement to the City."

The long vacant station building, which is situated across from the site of the upcoming Hue Lofts development, dates to when the train tracks were elevated between 1921 and 1923, according to the Urban Essex Coalition for Smart Growth, which has called for an adaptive reuse of the structure.

The East Orange Train Station is one of two stops on the Morris & Lines Lines in the city, with the other being the Brick Church Station further west.

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