Another case where the town lost revenue because one or two residents objected. Lowe's would have been an asset. Now another town collects the revenue as is the case with Home Depot on River View Drive.

Tearing down structure will result in a new property valuation reducing taxes. Should have approved the Lowes application. Traffic belongs on the highway, thats why the highway was built. Add this to the many homes purchased under "Blue Acres" buyback, the loss of office complex on Totowa Road that coiuldn't get approval for building by the town and you can see how years of hostile attitude towards business and rampant spending by tax and spend republican council cost the taxpayers millions in tax revenue and subsequent increase in tax bills.

A Loews right there would have been nice. We all know how terrible Home Depot in Totowa is. But a rumor I heard that they may build a Habbitat for Humanity there. Wonder what kind of crowd that would bring to town.

How could there be noise when it is on the highway ? People always are so negative.

I remember when this building was owned by Coca-Cola from the the 60's-80's and the conglomerate maintained the structure superbly (grounds/landscaping etc.). Not the case after State Farm took it over. Hopefully this property will be zoned properly and tax residuals will be received. Wayne has enough dormant commercial properties creating zero tax revenue/relief for us homeowners. A sign of the times unfortunately....

I agree with all the previous comments. Lowes should've been allowed to build. Decisions in Wayne should be permitted by other than the many politicians that live in Packanack Lake.

Well that tax assessment just got halved.

There have been references reported over the recent year or two regarding zoning changes that might effect this sight. Does anyone know what uses are currently permitted without a variance?

When you travel around and look at the commercial development you see off of route 3 in Clifton where there are good stores and restaurants well planned with a promenade and areas for people to gather, sit outside and walk it makes one wonder why we can't attract such development in Wayne. Our malls on hamburg turnpike most especially Wayne hills are tired and half abandoned. The toys r us is very unappealling and they call Wayne their headquarters. I enjoy the Preakness concert series but there is no natural place to hold but in the middle of the parking lot.

We don't have the downtown characteristics of a Montclair or ridge wood but one must wonder why some of these areas look the way they do. Missed opportunities the town and its residents could benefit from in many ways.

I'm sure there is history here others could offer to understand this better.

Hopefully this demolition site doesn't become another pile of rubble like the Wayne Towne Center became and later still is today 5 years later.

What an incredible state of affairs where such a building is ground in to rubble rather than the owner being able to place a tennant? Or in order to mitigate taxes a building is brought down instead?
And to think this is happening in a town where during Hurricane Irene the township had no shelter space available to those driven from their homes?
I would be fascinated to know who the owners are and who in local gvt knew this demolition permit had been applied for and did nothing to find some alternative to this waste.

Build another dog park! Thats something we all need!!!

Allwood Commons off of Allwood Road in Clifton is the perfect example of what a town mall should look like. Hopefully Wayne town fathers will try to guide some enterprising companies to do the same here in Wayne.

The site is rumored to be in line for the sports bubble that was planned for the Valley Road extension. Rt 23 is a a much better location for that kind of facility, hope it pans out.

I am all for trying to fill empty buildings that will add to the community and increase tax revenue - but the Lowe's proposal was not the answer. First, it was more than a "few" residents who protested the proposal. The municipal building was packed with concerned residents. Secondly, the majority of the residents protesting where not from Packanack Lake, but from the residential area that butts up against the back of this property. Lastly, the Lowe's proposal did not get approval because it required several variances. The project required a building that was much larger than the structure that currently sits on the site. I also believe they were asking for a variance for the number parking spaces that were required. Its a good thing that the Lowes was not built.

The property would be a suitable home for a new Wayne Municipal Complex. Construct a new pubic Library behind Preakness school, relocate the Board of Ed. offices to Valley Rd extention and bulldoze the property leaving Valley High-school.
On that build a new sports complex/bubble that's run by the Parks and Rec Department.
Hopefully the State Farm Wrecking Crew will head to the Wayne Hills Mall when they finish. That's the next one on the chopping block.

The farce of parking restrictions and parking variance requests ... when the lot is full, people come back later!

Why don't they put a wrecking ball to Wayne Hills Mall, to the Friendly's, to Preakness Chevrolet, to the restaurant across the street from the dealer, the Ihop building, Fortunoff's, Costcutter's, the Motor Vehicle building, Kmart the dump!...how many more am I missing! Can't believe this town of wealth is looking like a retail ghost town. Clifton is actually looking more desireable than us! Ridiculous - Mayor what are you going to do about it!

Oh and Wayne Dodge with its 3 cars in the lot - what a joke!

One has to wonder how much of this commentary is tongue in cheek but one thing is pretty obvious and that is our commercial areas are run down, dated and tired looking, abandoned, and not diverse or appealing for residents to want o visit and spend time there. I think the areas I saw named are certainly among the most glaring. What's amazing is that there does not seem to be an official recognition of this by our government leaders as being a problem or great public discussion about turning things around. It didn't happened over night either. It has been a slow but steady decline. I have not reviewed the town's master plan but we seem to only be in reactive mode here. Surrounding towns are taking actions (Clifton) was sited and we just preside over

Continued decline and accept it as something we can't influence.

Anyone who thinks Clifton is so wonderful, should mo
ve there and be happy. Why stay in a bad marriage,so to speak, when it is so easy to divorce?:

I think we need a Walmart in Wayne. The location would be perfect for it.

Thank you to the Wayne residents who did not want Lowe's. Your loss is a huge gain for the Borough of Butler (not Riverdale) which collects about $400,000 annually in property taxes and probably about the same in receipts to our Butler Municipal Power & Light. Lowe's is also extremely good to organizations of our area.

BTW, as I recall when it was built as State Farm's northeast regional office, it was one of the first corporate offices to locate in Wayne Township.

As for Walmart, since the Walmart store opened in Riverdale in 2006, a number of WM associates have told me that when the century old quarry is out of rock that there are plans to build a larger Walmart Supercenter at Hamburg Tpke & I-287 with the present store probably to become a Sam's.

Those stores in Riverdale and Butler routinely draw customers from near and far, including NY State because of the lower sales tax and none on clothing and most food.

Exactly Mr Dean. If our town took care of all these vacant retail spots the residents would stop complaining about their taxes.

Why would Oak Hill Residents approve a Walmart. They wouldn't approve a Lowe's. They would rather continue paying their high taxes. Thank you Richard Dean for your comment.

As Richard Dean stated, the Lowes store (located in Butler; NOT Riverdale) has brought MANY positive things to the town, things that Wayne residents lost out on. One thing that he did not metion as so many people do is that the valuations of the homes in the area did NOT go down due to the Lowes moving in. That is a scare tactic that some folks like to pass around to cause panic and mass hysteria so that they can get others to join them in their fight against their preconceived enemy.
As for the Alwood Mall in Clifton, that is indeed a great example for others to look at. It is architectually attractive and shopping friendly. Wayne needs a City manager or mayor who has the forsight and vision to build shopping centers like this so as to bring Wane back to the proud beautiful town it once was...

As far as I'm concern, I would love to the farms come back to Wayne. It's why I moved out of Paterson to Wayne in the first place.