The two developers, Josh Mann of Seaview Capital Partners, LLC and David Kasdan of Kasdan Construction & Management, LLC, are in the process of purchasing parcels that make up 270 – 282 Irvington Avenue in South Orange, NJ.
On March 11 at 7:30 p.m., the Seton Village Committee will host a community meeting at Congregation Beth El with the developers —who have only recently embarked on the design process, according to a release from the Seton Village Committee. Both men are South Orange residents.
“The developers want to share their plans for the property with the community and solicit feedback,” wrote Doug Zacker, Chair of the Seton Village Committee.
The parcels are part of a redevelopment study that the township has undertaken of a number of parcels on Irvington Avenue. Since the study is not finished, the parcels have not yet been designated in need of redevelopment.
Along with the developers, there will be experts on hand to answer questions regarding this development and the development process. The Seton Village Committee will also provide an update on the redevelopment study that was discussed at its last forum.
The Seton Village Committee (formerly the Irvington Avenue Corridor Advisory Committee) was formed in January 2014 with the expectation that the improvements to Irvington Avenue in South Orange would attract developers. Once appointed, the Committee formed four working groups in beautification, events, marketing & branding, and a business alliance group. Beautification has included multiple clean-up and mulching events plus work with the village and Public Works on physical improvements like hanging baskets. Events have included “Light Up Irvington Avenue” and a hugely popular Food Truck & Craft Beer Fest last October.
A street view of 270-282 Irvington Avenue, South Orange, NJ
But the work of the Committee has also been strategic: “Through early surveys and then by digging into the issues that have hindered the business corridor,” wrote Zacker in a release, “it became clear that Seton Village could not truly thrive without some major improvements to existing buildings, new construction and additional residents.” Initiatives have included transportation planning with Maplewood and Newark on a Together North Jersey project and federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant, redevelopment studies, and rebranding the South Orange portion of Irvington Avenue as “Seton Village” last fall.
With Mann and Kasdan’s investment, the work is already yielding benefits. Said Zacker, “We did not think it would happen so quickly.
