Orange's abandoned Stetson factory.
While men's hats have been out of style for decades, Stetson Hats may yet have a lesson for Plainfield.
The famous 'No Name Hat Factory' in Orange, actually one of many Stetson hat factories at the turn of the last century, has been sold by the city to developers as part of an arts district plan.
Making appeals to artists by way of revitalizing a neighborhood is old news, everywhere except in Plainfield.
With many unused and underused vintage manufacturing buildings along the Raritan Valley right-of-way, developing an arts district would be a natural option for those interested in 'transit-oriented development'.
The Stetson factory sits along the rail line
in Orange's 'Valley' neighborhood.
All Plainfield lacks is imagination and commitment -- both of which Orange has demonstrated.
Rendering of new artists' live-work lofts.
Now Orange is poised for a close-knit partnership of three developers to renovate the historic property into artists' live-work lofts (a special zoning designation) and build a new unit next door with 14 additional live-work lofts.
Point person for Orange has been city administrator Jewel Thompson-Chin, who many Plainfielders will remember from her years toiling in the Plainfield City Hall mix.
Oh, one more thing: Orange sold the vacant building for $300,000 -- after getting an independent appraisal.
How's that contrast with Plainfield giving its properties away for $1?
Read full details in stories below...
Stetson Factory, Orange --
- "Residential, work lofts planned in Orange" -- archived here.
- "Old Stetson site will become artists' housing" -- archived here.
-- Dan Damon
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ARCHIVED POSTS OF PLAINFIELD TODAY FROM 11/03/2005 THROUGH 12/31/2006 ARE AT
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1 comments:
Dan, You are the first - other than myself - to say this about Plainfield....the administration suffers from a failure of the imagination. I can think of no other way for Plainfield to revitalize itself than reaching out to the artistic community. It has been done - time and again - Hoboken, Jersey City, Montclair -- with great success. Why don't we is the question? Sadly, the answer appears to point to the hard truth that the administration does not really want to improve Plainfield. The 'status quo' is what keeps them in power and what keeps "state aid' flowing in. What are they afraid of?
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