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Online Newsletter - 5/17/2016



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May 16,  2016
Investing in South Jersey  
In This Issue
HUDSON TUNNEL PROJECT SCOPING MEETINGS

Federal Railroad Administration and NJ TRANSIT will hold two scoping meetings to discuss the Environmental Impact Statement for the Hudson Tunnel Project on the following dates:
  • May 17, 2016 at the Hotel Pennsylvania, Gold Ballroom, 3rd Floor, 401 Seventh Avenue at West 33rd Street, New York, New York 10001.
  • May 19, 2016 at Union City High School, 2500 Kennedy Boulevard, Union City, NJ 07087.
Both days will include an afternoon session from 3 to 5 PM with a brief presentation about the Proposed Action at 4 PM, and an evening session from 6 to 8 PM with a brief presentation about the Proposed Action at 7 PM. The public will be able to review project information, talk informally with members of the study staff, and formally submit comments to  the Federal Railroad Administration. 

REPAIRS TO PULASKI SKYWAY REACH HALFWAY MARK

State transportation official say work to install a new bridge deck on the Pulaski Skyway is past the halfway point.  
Stephen Schapiro, a State DOT spokesman, reported that the overall project is still on schedule and is expected to be completed in 2020. He said the bridge deck is more than half done as a majority of the north side is completed and there has been a lot of progress underneath the southbound lanes.  

PATH WILL SPEND $87 MILLION FOR FLOOD PROTECTION

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will spend $87 million to protect PATH from flood damage and replace an escalator in the Exchange Place Station.  Of  that amount, the Authority commissioners approved $25.2 million to expand a rail yard in Jersey City to store the cars on higher ground.
The project will be partially funded by Federal Transit Administration grants to protect PATH after Superstorm Sandy flooded 353 rail cars and locomotives.  The project would build 1,800 feet of track to store the equipment at 3 to 5 feet above requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  

NEW BUS TERMINAL TO BE BUILT IN MANHATTAN, NOT NEW JERSEY 

A new state-of-art bus terminal will be constructed on Manhattan's west side under a commitment made by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to replace the aging, outmoded current terminal. 

The Authority Board voted to allocate the necessary funds for construction in New York City when it establishes its 2017-2026 capital plan.

Port  Authority Chairman John Degnan said: "By committing to build a much needed 21st Century terminal in Manhattan with the underwriting that no bus terminal will be built in New Jersey, we are making crucial investment in our region's economic growth."  Final submissions are due in April, with an announcement of the competition winner expected in September. 

HACKETTSTOWN HOSPITAL OFFICIALLY JOINS ATLANTIC HEALTH 

Hackettstown Regional Medical Center officially transferred ownership to the Atlantic Health System from  Adventist HealthCare following approval from a State Superior Court Judge. The facility has been renamed Hackettstown Medical Center. 

EPCON 2016

The Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey, the Alliance for Action and several other organizations and companies are partnering on EPCON 2016.  The Environmental Procurement Conference will bring New Jersey leaders together to focus on brownfield redevelopment, water, sustainability and other environmental infrastructure challenges.    For more information and to register for the May 20th event please visit n the conference please visit http://web.cianj.org/events/EPCON-2016-(Environmental-Procurement-Conference)-468/details.

NARUC's PRESIDENT APPOINTS MROZ AS CHAIR OF INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Travis Kavulla has appointed NJ BPU President Richard Mroz as Chair of the National Association's Committee on Infrastructure.

"I'm honored to have been asked by President Kavulla to serve as chairman of the Committee on Critical Infrastructure," said President Mroz. "New Jersey is a leader in seeking and implementing measures and solutions to protect critical infrastructure and assets, and focusing on issues such as risk mitigation and cybersecurity. I hope to share my knowledge and experience of New Jersey's response to disastrous events, both man-made and natural, dating back to 9/11 and more recently with Superstorm Sandy with my fellow committee members as we work on issues of national security; protecting the nation's energy, water and telecommunications infrastructure." 


PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

  • Governor Christie announced that Amy Cradic will be his next Chief of Staff and Jacqueline Halldow will be the new Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications. 
  • Parsons Corporation announced that Charlie Manning has joined the firm as Senior Vice President, NY/NJ Infrastructure  and David Sikorski as Vice President. 
  • MWW's Executive Vice President Bill Murray was honored by the Meadowlands Chamber for outstanding leadership and community contributions. 
  • Andrew Schueller, PE, CFM has joined Naik Group as Director of Civil Engineering. 

GATEWAY RAIL TUNNEL TO RECEIVE $70 MILLION IN FUNDING 

Seventy million dollars in funding has been allocated for preliminary engineering work as an early step toward a new Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River.  The funding will be $35 million each from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Amtrak.

The announcement was made by the Port Authority, Amtrak, the US Department of Transportation and NJ Transit.  It was supported by Governors Christie and Cuomo, US Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Charles Schumer of New York.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said his Department will handle federal reviews and permits in an accelerated fashion. 

SIX FLAGS RECEIVES APPROVAL FOR 66-ACRE SOLAR FARM

After months of controversy from residents, Six Flags Great Adventure received unanimous 9-0 approval from the township planning board to construct a solar generation facility on 66 acres of woodlands.

The vote for the project strongly opposed by some residents and environmentalists took place after the applicants agreed to several stipulations requested by board members.  One was guaranteeing funding for the planting of trees and the upgrading of a culvert that carries a stream under Reed Road. 

ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC MERGER WITH EXELON IS COMPLETED

The merger has been completed between Exelon Corporation and Pepco Holdings --- which includes Atlantic City Electric.  The announcement followed approval by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

The merger creates the leading mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility company.  Together with Exelon's other utilities, the merger services approximately ten million customers across six jurisdictions.  Atlantic City Electric will remain a separate company and retain local headquarters in Mays Landing, New Jersey.

In addition to Pepco Holdings shareholders, the transaction received regulatory approvals by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Delaware and Maryland Public Service Commissions and the Virginia State Corporations Commission.

BUILDERS BREAK GROUND ON MONTCLAIR'S FIRST NEW HOTEL IN NEARLY 80 YEARS 

Ground was broken Tuesday morning on the MC Hotel, a luxury accommodation that officials said will be Montclair's first new hotel since 1938.

The hotel property is at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Orange Road, the site of a former car dealership within Montclair's central business district. The 120,000-square-foot hotel will have 151 rooms and suites, according to the developers, and is expected to be completed by early 2018.

Under an agreement based on state redevelopment law, the township will receive payments in lieu of taxes, since the property was considered blighted, officials said.

Montclair will keep 95 percent of the new hotel's tax revenue, as opposed to the 28 percent of the property taxes it would normally get, and there is a set 30-year payment schedule.
The $38 million project heralds the second phase of the 2011 Montclair Center Gateway Redevelopment Plan, designed to encourage sustainable mixed-use development at the western edge of downtown, developers said.

The plan includes the hotel, as well as the Valley and Bloom mixed-use residential project which is nearing completion and already has of 112 of 248 units leased, Jackson said.

In all, the Hampshire Companies hope to embark on four Montclair projects, which also encompass the redesign of Lackawanna Plaza, construction of a medical office building, and the potential reuse of the Leach Building on Bloomfield Avenue, said Jon Hanson, principal of the Hampshire Companies.

DEVELOPERS SHOW PLANS FOR CAMDEN WATERFRONT

Plans to transform the Camden waterfront into an urban center were envisioned by the developers to feature new offices and sidewalks, as well as green space where people can enjoy leisure time.  Liberty Property Trust reported that the $800 million project will include a new ferry stop, shuttle to the city's downtown and space for a hotel, homes, shops and restaurants.

To transform Camden's long dormant waterfront into an active neighborhood, the developers received approval by the State Economic Development Authority (EDA), for 1.5 million square-feet of commercial space, 200 residential units and a 130-room hotel over a 26-acre tract of land.  Architectural renderings call for two office buildings between the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Adventure Aquarium.  Liberty said it hopes to break ground this fall.