PARSIPPANY — CBRE said it sold a 75,049-square-foot office property in Parsippany for $9 million. Located just off Parsippany Road on Interstate 80, the three-story office building was acquired by MSM Equities.
The CBRE Tri-State Investment Properties team of Charles Berger, Elli Klapper, and Mark Silverman, along with A&T Services’ Thomas Mallaney, represented the seller, Lincoln Property Company, in the sale negotiations.
Earlier this year, Mallaney secured a 31,442-square-foot office lease at the office property with Solix Inc., which paved the way for the eventual sale of the asset at premium pricing. Additionally, the CBRE New Jersey Project Management team was tapped to manage the build-out of Solix’s office space.
“During these historic, unprecedented economic times, there was a tremendous collaboration among ownership, the buyer, and all the sales professionals involved to ensure a timely and efficient closing,” said Berger. “In addition, MSM Equities exhibited tremendous fortitude and attention to detail in acquiring a multi-tenant property with a stable, long-term tenant base and with the opportunity to add value as the remaining space is leased.”
Located at 10 Lanidex Plaza West on 6.23-acres at the intersection of Interstates 80 and 287 in Morris County, the office property boasts extensive, highly-visible frontage on Interstate 80. The building features a dramatic three-story atrium with a waterfall, attractive new landscaping, and onsite parking. 10 Lanidex Plaza West is also in close proximity to a wide variety of top restaurants, hotels, and shopping destinations.
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement on the nomination of Fabiana Pierre-Louis to the New Jersey Supreme Court:
“I applaud Governor Murphy’s nomination of Fabiana Pierre-Louis to the New Jersey Supreme Court. I worked with Fabiana at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and she is very impressive. As Attorney-in-Charge of the Camden Branch Office, Fabiana broke barriers and worked tirelessly to serve our country and keep our communities safe. Her nomination as the first black woman to the court is a milestone for New Jersey, and much needed good news at this difficult time. I know Fabiana will serve on the Supreme Court with the values she has upheld throughout her entire career — with the dedication to justice and equal treatment under the law.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Jay Webber sent a letter (Click Here) to State Police Colonel Pat Callahan Monday requesting fair and consistent enforcement of the state’s executive orders enforcing social distancing.
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Colonel Callahan:
In the ongoing effort to clamp down on those who would commit acts that our Governor has lectured us would threaten the public health and safety of us all, I write to inform you of two separate violations of Executive Order 148 that occurred yesterday in Westfield and Hillside.
Photographic and written evidence on social media indicates that one Philip Dunton Murphy of Middletown openly and brazenly defied Executive Order 148 by purposely, repeatedly, and wantonly associating with others in groups of greater than 25 individuals, and aiding and abetting such behavior. Consistent with the treatment of other individuals who have committed similar acts, that behavior appears to merit a criminal citation for violations pursuant to N.J.S.A. App.A 9-49(h) and 9-50. A violator of those laws “shall be adjudged a disorderly person and shall be subject to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 6 months or shall pay a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 or to both a fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.”
As you yourself have warned, “Because lives are at stake, enforcement action will be taken without hesitation against those who are blatantly placing the lives of others at risk.” Attorney General Grewal also has emphasized, “I said we were done with warnings and would take strong law enforcement action against anyone who failed to heed the Governor’s COVID-19 related emergency orders. This crackdown will continue until everyone gets the message that they need to stop these violations.”
The whereabouts of Mr. Murphy are unknown to my office at this time, but I have reason to believe that he will be seated about 15 feet to your right at 2:30 p.m. today at the War Memorial in Trenton. I trust you will uphold your public duty to the fair and consistent enforcement of our laws at that time.
As a 38 year resident and supporter of local police, I was very dismayed that the Randolph Police got involved with politics. There were recent two rallies in Randolph, one for Black Lives Matters held at Freedom Park and one protesting for Reopening of Small Businesses at Mt Freedom Tennis Center.
I strongly believe that BOTH groups who both appeared to be obeying social distancing should have the right to conduct their peaceful protests. It appears that the Randolph Police had chosen which rallies they approved off by issuing tickets to the tennis club owners.
In my 38 years of living in Randolph, I have never seen the Randolph Police Department exercise selective enforcement apparently based upon political considerations. I ask that the police department reconsider their reaction and rescind these tickets. If they do not, I hope either the town prosecutor or county persecutor if necessary rescinds the tickets.
Peaceful protest and equal protection under the law should be the rights of all citizens.
MORRIS COUNTY — Tuesday, June 16 is the deadline to register to vote in the primary election Tuesday, July 7.
To be eligible to vote, residents:
• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Must be a Morris County resident 30 days before the election.
• Must be a resident of the election district in which you expect to vote on Election Day.
• Must be 18 years old on or before the next election. Residents may register at age 17 but cannot vote until they turn 18.
• Must not be serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of an indictable offense under federal or state laws.
People who have moved or changed their names need to fill out the correct form and submit it to the Morris County Board of Elections by June 16.
People who have moved to Morris County from another county in New Jersey need to complete a voter registration form. (Click here)
Forms are available at the Morris County Elections Center by clicking here. Completed forms must be mailed to the Morris County Board of Elections, 10 Court Street, Second Floor, Morristown, NJ 07960.
PARSIPPANY — The grassroots political group NJ 11th for Change has planned a “Dropbox Drive-In Demonstration for Racial Justice” on Monday, June 8, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s district office, 8 Wood Hollow Road, Parsippany.
Residents are invited to bring letters outlining their concerns about racial justice and about specific legislation they want Sherrill, D-11, to support.
PARSIPPANY — As New Jersey businesses continue to struggle to survive under the state’s strangling coronavirus restrictions, the Governor who has ignored their pleas to safely open their doors joined a large protest march this weekend.
“Murphy keeps telling us it’s too dangerous to conduct routine business,” said Senator Joe Pennacchio. “Schools can’t even hold graduations. The state’s economy is drowning under his arbitrary executive orders and edicts. His message to state residents comes through loud and clear. ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’”
Sunday, the Governor broke his own rule against large gatherings to participate in peaceful protests.
“While restaurants can’t serve dinners, and shopkeepers are banned from opening their doors in the name of public health, the Governor is ignoring his orders and marching shoulder-to-shoulder, face-to-face with thousands of protesters,” said Senator Pennacchio (R-26). “What happened to social distancing? I don’t begrudge him marching for a just cause, but the double-standard doesn’t sit right. He is the only one standing in the way of opening the businesses our society depends on for jobs, food, and personal services. There is no common sense or science behind his decision-making.”
Nearby states have taken steps to re-open their economies, while Murphy and New Jersey lag behind.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano assisted at Parsippany’s tenth Mobile Food Drop last Friday held at Liquid Church.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano carrying boxes of food from the “Table of Hope” bus
Soriano and Pastor Sidney Williams Jr., of Bethel AME Church in Morristown, started the “Mobile Food Drop” on April 3 at the Parsippany PAL. After two weeks, due to a large number of families in need of food, it was moved to the Liquid Church.
Williams was there representing his church’s charitable organization, Spring Street Community Development Corporation.
“Table of Hope” a food pantry and a bus he renovated, outfitted with shelves
Williams has “a food pantry and a bus he renovated, outfitted with shelves,” Mayor Michael Soriano stated. “They pick up [from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside] and drop it off for the past ten Fridays,” Soriano said. “I do the coordinating and Williams brings the food.”
Volunteers unloading food from the Table of Hope” bus
The parking lot is configured with signs and cones to form a winding line to the distribution point, where volunteers pack fresh meats, produce, dairy items, and other grocery essentials and places the food in the trunk of their vehicles. No one needs to get out of their vehicle during the process. Some weeks there have been over 500 families needing food.
Volunteers unloading food from the Table of Hope” bus
The Spring Street Community Development Corporation operates the Table of Hope Soup Kitchen, Morristown. Williams renovated a donated Table of Hope delivery bus when the pandemic struck. As the coronavirus gripped the nation and caused mass layoffs, Williams expedited getting his bus on the road. The Spring Street Community Development Corporation, founded in 2011, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for Morris County families by addressing economic, educational, and social needs while preserving the cultural and ethnic diversity of the area.
The distribution of food starts from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Friday at the Liquid Church, 299 Webro Road. Early arrivals are expected, as many vehicles have been parked ahead of the opening at past events.
Tables of food lined up waiting to serve the families in needTables of food lined up waiting to serve the families in need
For more information, call Table of Hope at (973) 998-9330 or the Parsippany Mayor’s Action Center at (973) 263-4262.
With the Community Food Bank of New Jersey as its primary food supplier, the Table of Hope serves more than 300 meals per week. Other providers of food and produce include ACME, Trader Joe’s, Grow it Green, and local farmers. Their constituency includes homeless individuals, single-family households, and senior residents.
If you want to get involved by donating food, money, or your time to volunteer for this program, please contact the Spring Street CDC at (973) 998-9330 or email info@springstreetcdc.org.
As a reminder, Parsippany Food Pantry is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, where you can also receive food essentials. The Parsippany Food Pantry is located at the Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road. For more information, call (973) 263-7160. “Parsippany supporting Our Town” spearheaded by organizer Rich Leitner hosts a weekly food drive at Parsippany PAL, 33 Baldwin Road on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All non-perishable items are requested. Currently, the Staff at the Community Center Food Pantry serve over 200 families a week in need.
PARSIPPANY — Gerald ‘Jerry’ Behnke, 53, passed away peacefully on June 4, at his home, surrounded by his family.
Jerry was born in Paterson and moved to Parsippany early in his life. He began his career as a paramedic in 1988, before becoming a Police Officer for the City of Paterson in 1996. He ultimately transferred to the Fire Department in 1998, where he proudly served for almost 25 years.
Jerry served as a devoted President of the Paterson Firefighters Association Local 2, Vice President of the Paterson Firefighters Relief Association, a Board Member of the Paterson Boys and Girls Club, and a Member of the Critical Incident Stress Management Response Team of New Jersey.
In 2015, Jerry received the Life Saving Award from the New Jersey State FMBA. Additionally, throughout the course of his career, Jerry was an 11-time recipient of Valor Awards from various organizations including the NJ State FMBA, FMBA Local 2, the Passaic County 200 Club.
In his spare time, there was nothing more rewarding to him than coaching for the Parsippany PAL Redhawk football program, as well as a manager/coach of the Par-Troy East Little League baseball program. When he wasn’t coaching, he could be found riling up the crowd and cheering on the kids in the stands. Not only was he a coach, and devoted father, but he touched many lives, and would help at a moment’s notice if anyone needed him. There was nothing more important to him than family, friends, and serving the community for his entire life. His boys will always remember Jerry as their hero.
Jerry is survived by his beloved wife, Suzanne (nee-Cooper), their three children: Gerald Behnke III, 21, Jarrett Behnke, 13, and Jake Behnke, 11 and his God Children Chloe Kelly and Najee Smith. Devoted son of Gerald Behnke “Bebop” and the late Patricia Behnke “Mema”. Jerry is also survived by his sister, Patricia Brinck and her husband, Bennet, as well as their children, Scott, Brett, and Jenna; his mother-in-law, Margery Cooper “Nan”; his brother-in-law, Michael Cooper and his wife, Sharon, their son Eric; as well as his brother-in-law, James Cooper, and his children, Ryan and Julia.
Due to the unprecedented times, there will be a limited Funeral Service on Thursday, June 11. Following the service, a funeral procession will be led by the Paterson Fire Department from Par-Troy Funeral Home to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa where Jerry will be laid to rest. If you are interested in joining in the procession to honor Jerry escorting him to his final resting place. Please know when arriving at the graveside, you will need to remain in your vehicles.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Paterson Firefighters Foundation (Toy Drive) 300 McBride Avenue, Paterson, NJ 07501, or to the Parsippany PAL (in the memo section note Football – Jerry Behnke) 33 Baldwin Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054 would be greatly appreciated.
We are now in a state of suspended animation concerning the GTP Acquisitions, LLC proposal, for the Saint Christopher Landscape, for a senior care home which will change the character of the immediate neighborhood forever. The fact that the past administration took no action to save this landscape or neighborhood smells of influence in favor of outside corporate developers. The Parsippany Board of Education, not the Township itself made a substandard offer to the Church. Their plan was some ball field, rather than simply land preservation itself.
Loss of More Trees in Tree City?
The present plan calls for the removal of 13+ acres of trees for a 150 unit senior assistant living arrangement; none of which counts against our affordable housing obligation. The Church itself in allowing this is violating Pope Francis Laudato Si; Care For Our Common Home, human roots of the ecological crisis, and the earth as our home; ecology as a common good. Therefore if Parsippany Board of Adjustment rejects the rezone, it is possible to acquire this landscape and save it from destruction. Our new status of Highlands Conformance as part of the 2004 Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act surely warrens our support and potential in defending our home, in this case, the Saint Christopher’s immediate neighborhood.
Supporting Factors to Reject GTP proposal
These supporting factors can be in any argument. 1. Neighborhood Character is a factor in determining permanency any development proposal would need to show the character of the neighborhood has changed to such an extent as to justify rezoning and a public need exist for rezoning. A for-profit senior living facility is not as the GTP developers would allege the same, as a public need for a school or hospital. In this age of privatization, these may also not be what they seem serving not the public but the interest of private for profit. The fact that the Property in question Block 166 Lot 96 is for sale does not amount to a change in the character of the neighborhood.2. The landscape is a groundwater recharge area 13.2 acres of its 21.9 acres, including all three tiers of a Wellhead Protection Area. Parsippany has not in the past protected or considered it’s Ground Water Recharge Areas, although 65% of our potable water comes from the aquifer, which is in a permanent deficit due to depletion and consumption; requiring Parsippany to have contracts with other water supplies.
3. Trees are now realized more than ever for their “ecological services” free of charge in water retention, pollution control, noise abatement, and carbon sequestration. Removal of the 13+ acres of unknown trees will surely make a dramatic change and add to the already numerous trees lost in recent developments.
4. With the coming Affordable Housing onslaught, Parsippany owes it to itself to preserve as much sensitive land as possible, and this should have begun years ago. The loss of Waterview remains an example of unnecessary and deceitful practices by the Town in cahoots with corporate developers, rather than save this natural resource, it was given over for more senseless speculation overdevelopment, where no need existed and fear of housing was used, falsely.
Home Rule is a Farce under the present master plan
Resident Homeowners and taxpayers must decide their neighborhood destiny, not outside forces; what good is Home Rule; when your master plan is determined by corporate outside interest?
With the COVID-19 how will Parsippany fill the Halls as before to show their opposition to the destruction of another landscape for no just cause? Read the recent articles on what these senior care homes are actually like, and how they make their money. They are not in the Public Interest.
Obsolete thinking Long Term Impacts
Linear versus Complex systems, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts, and behave differently at different times. Parsippany Zoning Board of Adjustment see the part as separate from the whole and this is not good science good land use; it’s obsolete and imagination rather than seeing actual empirical evidence in favor of developers who cut corners at our and natures expense and demise; these the planning board calls economic decisions left up to the developer. We are stuck in the fantasy of linear rather than the truth of complex systems. When science changes or rediscovers lost knowledge, why do we not change or progress; is change only new Technology and its marketing? Complex and not linear thinking is required as that is how things actually function in nature; the background of all life and economy. Nature is not a machine or a linear system working in a lockstep pattern. Engineering is no substitute for nature and its free ecological services.
Homeland Defense Starts at the Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments; No Rezone!
Dear Editor:
