Online News - August 18, 2015

Sponsored by: For more information about our sponsors click the logos below .                F  Follow us on:                  BPU TO ACCEPT TESTIMONY ON PIPELINE PROJECT   A key hearing on construction of the 30 mile, $156 million Southern Reliability Link natural gas pipeline is being held on Wednesday August 26.  The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities hearing, hosted at Rowan University at Burlington County College, Enterprise Center, 3331 Route 38, Mount Laurel, will begin at 6pm.    New Jersey Natural Gas officials say construction will create more than 1,300 jobs and over $110 million in income. RUTGERS VP TO OUTLINE CAPITAL PROGRAM The largest capital construction program in Rutgers University's history will be detailed when the school's Vice President of Facilities and Capital Planning speaks to the Alliance for Action membership on August 26.  Tony Calcado will outline details of the new construction plans and updated infrastructure improvements.  Registration at the Alliance for Action office in Edison will begin at 9:00 a.m.  Click here to register.   BURLINGTON COUNTY BRIDGE COMMISSION APPROVES $110 MILLION FUNDING PROGRAM   The Burlington County Bridge Commission has given the go-ahead to fund its new $110 million capital program.  MEADOWLANDS AMERICAN DREAM PROJECT APPROVED FOR $390 MILLION IN TAX BREAKS  The long-stalled mall and amusement complex in the Meadowlands known as American Dream received approval for up to $390 million in tax breaks from the State Economic Development Authority.                  The incentive is part of the funding structure that developers are relying on to complete the 2.9 million-square-foot project.  The developer, Triple Five, said it hopes to close all financing this fall and open in the summer of 2017.                  The complex is expected to have retail and restaurant space as well as amusements, including an indoor water and amusement park.  Total costs are estimated at more than $3.18 billion.he long-stalled mall and amusement complex in the Meadowlands known as American Dream received approval for up to $390 million in tax breaks from the State Economic Development Authority.                  The incentive is part of the funding structure that developers are relying on to complete the 2.9 million-square-foot project.  The developer, Triple Five, said it hopes to close all financing this fall and open in the summer of 2017.                  The complex is expected to have retail and restaurant space as well as amusements, including an indoor water and amusement park.  Total costs are estimated at more than $3.18 billion. JP MORGAN TO GET $187 MILLION AWARD TO GROW IN JERSEY CITY The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved a ten-year $187.7 million Grow New Jersey Award to J.P. Morgan Chase to expand its technology and operations hub in Jersey City. The approval calls for J.P. Morgan to lease an additional 305,069 square feet in an adjacent building on Washington Boulevard.  It would relocate 2,150 employees currently based in New York.  The company said the alternative to expansion in Jersey City is to relocate those positions in Delaware and Ohio.  CONGRESS PASSES STOPGAP FEDERAL HIGHWAY BILL --- BUT NO LONG -RANGE RENEWAL Congress has passed another three month stop gap measure to fund the federal highway program.  The interim is intended to give lawmakers time to develop a multi-year package they have been unable to pass in years.  Contentious negotiations are expected to resume this fall when Congress returns from a recess.  House Republicans are pursuing an alternative six-year plan linked to an overhaul of the system taxing multi-national companies for a renewal which would utilize a one-time tax on overseas profits. In the Senate, GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proposes to pay for the first three years in part by selling oil from the nation's emergency stockpile and by cutting the dividend the Federal Reserve's regional banks pay on stock that private-sector banks hold.  BPU APPROVES AMENDMENT TO PROPOSED B. L. ENGLAND PIPELINE  The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved two amendments to the order which had authorized a Southern New Jersey natural gas pipeline. The proposed 22-mile pipeline would run from Maurice River Township to Upper Township. The effort by South Jersey Gas to move forward has been on hold because of environment concerns that the pipeline would cross part of the State Pineland reserve. One amendment provides that new customers could not be connected to any portion of the preserve.  The other amendment was to move a connecting station outside the preserve.  The BPU Board said the changes would not increase safety concerns.  NJDOT OFFICIAL REPORTS ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND FUTURE  Rick Hammer, the New Jersey Department of Transportation Assistant Commissioner of Capital Program Management, spoke before about 200 Alliance for Action members and outlined the current 2015-2016 Fiscal Year.  He said the department is working to streamline the planning process to get more work out of the pipeline and on to the street. LOSS OF ED CRUZ  The Alliance for Action expressed deep regret on the death of Ed Cruz, CEO of E.E. Cruz & Co., a strong supporter of the Alliance and its goals.  Ed was recipient of the Alliance Eagle for Engineering excellence in 2009.  ALLIANCE FOR ACTION ANNOUNCES 2015 EAGLE AWARD WINNERS Six leaders of New Jersey's economic life will receive prized Eagle Awards at the New Jersey Alliance for Action's 41st annual dinner on October 22.  The dinner will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick.               Alliance Chairman George Laufenberg and President Philip K. Beachem announced the members of Eagle Awards Class of 2015.  They are: Michael Capelli, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters, Sigurd Luccassen Labor Award. Veronique Hakim, Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT, Richard M. Hale Chairman's Award. Robert Fischer, Chief Engineer of the NJ Turnpike Authority, John L. Buzzi Engineering Excellence Award. Sister Rosemary Jeffries, Past President of Georgian Court University, President's Award. Frank F. Criscola, Chairman and CEO of Crisdel Group, Inc., Ellis S. Vieser Lifetime Achievement Award. Richard Alaimo, President of Alaimo Group. Walter Rand South Jersey Award. Click here to register.  PEOPLE ON THE MOVE  Tom Di Chiara, AICP, P.P. Director of Environmental Services at Arora and Associates, PC was recently approved by the New Jersey State Senate as a Member of the New Jersey State Board of Professional Planners.   Robert Grimm, P.E., has been promoted to Senior Project Manager at McCormick Taylor.  Tino Garcia, Executive Vice President of Ferreira Construction, was elected President of the Utility & Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA).

July 21, 2015 - On-Line News

Sponsored by: For more information about our sponsors click the logos below .                F   July 21, 2015 COMPROMISE AGREEMENT TO MOVE LG ELECTRONICS TOWER AHEAD  LG Electronics USA reached a compromise agreement with environment critics to go forward with a planned corporate tower in Englewood Cliffs. The new design is about half the original height of 143 feet. After 11 months of negotiations, the new design will protect scenic views of the Palisades along the Hudson River. William Cho, President and CEO of LG Electronics, said: "We have found a solution that satisfies LG's business needs and addresses concerns of our neighbors on both sides of the Hudson." The new campus will include a three-and-a-half story south wing and a five-story north wing.  The company said the redesign will reduce office space by 15 percent and allow it to double local employment to more than 1,000 by 2019. HOUSE PASSES HIGHWAY SPENDING BILL AND SENDS TO SENATE  The House easily approved, 312-119, the bill to extend until December federal highway spending and sent it to the Senate for an uncertain future.  The Senate bill could extend the highway program for two years or more. Officials said the highway fund is in trouble because the value of the 18.3 cent federal gasoline tax --- the major source of funding --- has been weakened by better fuel economy, inflation and other factors.  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Chairman of the House Ways and Means committee called on the upper house to pass the House measure without any unrelated measures such as reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank.   AMERICAN WATER WORKS GETS $164 MILLION GRANT FOR CAMDEN PROJECT  American Water Works received a 10-year $164 million Grow New Jersey award from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to build a new 250,000 square-foot headquarters in Camden.  The company is a Voorhees-based national water utility.  The facility would consolidate corporate staff currently housed at locations in Mount Laurel, Haddon Heights, Cherry Hill and Voorhees. The EDA said the projects located within the Campbell Gateway District, would retain 596 jobs in New Jersey and create an additional 100 new positions.  AVIATION RESEARCH PARK TO BE DEVELOPED AT STOCKTON Plans were announced for development of The Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park on sixty-five acres in Egg Harbor Township.  The park will be an auxiliary organization of Stockton University.                 Plans call for an initial 60,000-square-foot building with 49,000 square feet of research and office space adjacent to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center.  The FAA will receive 7,000 square feet of space.                  When all seven planned buildings are constructed, the facility could generate more than 2,000 jobs related to the FAA's Next Generation (NextGen) system. LEGISLATURE PASSES PUBLIC-PRIVATE BILL AND SENDS TO GOVERNOR Both houses of the Legislature passed and sent to Governor Christie for consideration a long-time goal of the Alliance for Action --- a bill to facilitate public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects.  The bill would authorize public entities to use private capital financing to fund viable projects.                  The Alliance has long advocated public-private partnerships and sponsored statewide conferences on their use to finance transportation and construction projects.  Alliance President Philip K. Beachem said the P3 legislation would create opportunities for local, county and state projects to benefit the community, construction and labor.                  The bill is structured as a five-year pilot that could be re-examined in 2020. GROUND BROKEN FOR HOLTEC CENTER IN CAMDEN Ground was broken for one of Southern New Jersey's most prominent development projects --- the 600,000-square-foot manufacturing and technology center in Camden by Holtec International. The project at the southern end of the Camden waterfront was approved last year for $260 million in incentives by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA). Holtec will make a $260 million capital investment, which was described as the largest single private investment in Camden's history.  NEW DUAL-BRAND HOTEL COMING TO TEANECK Alfred Sanzari Enterprises, announced plans to bring a new hotel to Teaneck. The 350-room dual branded hotel will be developed at the mixed-use Glenpointe complex.  The 13-story building will be branded as both a Hampton Inn & Suites and Homewood Suites by Hilton.  White Lodging, based in Indiana, will handle the hotel management.  The site is near the corner of Glenwood Avenue and the off-ramp from Interstate 95. ALLIANCE FOR ACTION ANNOUNCES 2015 EAGLE AWARD WINNERS Six leaders of New Jersey's economic life will receive prized Eagle Awards at the New Jersey Alliance for Action's 41st annual dinner on October 22.  The dinner will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick.               Alliance Chairman George Laufenberg and President Philip K. Beachem announced the members of Eagle Awards Class of 2015.  They are: Michael Capelli, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters, Sigurd Luccassen Labor Award. Veronique Hakim, Executive Director of NJ Transit, Richard M. Hale Chairman's Award. Robert Fischer, Chief Engineer of the NJ Turnpike Authority, John L. Buzzi Engineering Excellence Award. Sister Rosemary Jeffries, Past President of Georgian Court University, President's Award. Frank F. Criscola, Chairman and CEO of Crisdel Group, Inc., Ellis S. Vieser Lifetime Achievement Award. Richard Alaimo, President of Alaimo Group. Walter Rand South Jersey Award. Click here to register.  GROUND BROKEN FOR TRANSFORMATION OF HAHNE'S IN NEWARK  The long-anticipated transformation of one of downtown Newark's landmark properties began when ground was broken for the $174 million restoration of the old Hahne & Co. building on Broad Street. The plan calls for rehabilitating and converting the Hahne's department store into 160 mixed-income housing units, 75,000-square-feet of street-level retail space and a new arts and cultural center for Rutgers University. The retail will include a 30,000-square-foot Whole Foods. The building has been vacant since 1987 when Hahne's was sold to May Department Stores Co., owner of Lord & Taylor.  PEOPLE ON THE MOVE  Amy Mansue, CEO and President of Children's Specialized Hospital, was named the next chair of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  She succeeds Ralph Izzo, Chairman and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group.  Kenneth Lucianin was nominated for appointment to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. Amy Fitzgerald has been promoted to Manager, Government Affairs at New Jersey Natural Gas.