Borough Moving Ahead with Qualified Bidders for Train Station Restoration Project; Council Awards Contracts for Road Projects

(Fanwood, NJ) –The Borough Council passed a resolution at Monday’s work session meeting confirming prequalified bidders and the issuance of bid specifications for the exterior restoration of the Fanwood Historic Train Station.

Paragon Restoration Construction, Kenilworth; Spartan Construction Inc., South Amboy, and Alden Bailey Restoration, Mahwah, have been deemed as qualified prospective bidders for the project, according to the resolution.

The Borough has received a $500,000 state grant and $15,000 from Union County for the project. The Train Station was built in 1874 in the Victorian Carpenter Gothic style and was part of the new rail line from Westfield to Plainfield. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The council also passed a resolutions awarding bids for the 2025 road program for Waldon Road and Kyte Place, and for the 2024 road program for Graybar Terrace and Watson Road. The Borough has received a state grant to offset the cost of these projects.

A resolution was passed calling for the state to restore the energy tax receipts on gas and electric utilities and increased municipal aid to provide property relief.

“Gas and electric utilities were originally collected by the host municipalities to be used for local purposes and to compensate the public for the use of their rights-of-way,” the resolution states. “By keeping flat funding of the appropriation for CMPTRA (Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid) year-over-year, state budget makers have been able to continue collecting energy taxes, while keeping additional revenue that should have been returned to provide property tax relief.”

During public comments, several Station Square residents spoke on downtown parking laws.

Station Square resident Dan Schildge expressed concerns regarding the two-hour limit during daytime. He said appreciated that there was a meeting recently with Liz Jeffery, Director of Economic Development, and Lt. Dan Kranz, Officer-in-Charge of the Fanwood Police Dept., to hear from residents who have seen the new signs and become aware of the imminent reinstitution of parking enforcement downtown.

Station Square resident Dan Schildge comments on downtown parking for residents.

At that meeting, it had been clarified that the regulations are NOT new. They are long standing but were relaxed during COVID and now enforcement will begin again. Schildge said the garage areas in the Station Square townhomes cannot accommodate two cars well if at all. He stated that he has a small pickup truck that doesn’t fit in his garage He mentioned that several residents rely on the municipal lot or adjacent street for parking during the day particularly when working from home. Moving the car every two hours or parking in other neighborhoods would be inconvenient. Schildge suggested an on-street parking decal for Station Square residents to exceed the two-hour limit during the day.

Mayor Colleen Mahr said there will be a follow-up discussion with Lt. Dan Kranz, Officer in Charge of the Fanwood Police Department, following a meeting with downtown residents earlier this year.