Aberdeen to Discuss Transit Village at Council Meeting

The Aberdeen Township Council plans to discuss the Aberdeen Commerce and Transportation Center Redevelopment Area, better known as the transit village, during the workshop portion of the council's .

According to the meeting agenda, the council will hear a presentation from Silver Oak Properties, Inc. Aberdeen originally named Silver Oak as the redeveloper in November of 2002 and has repeatedly reaffirmed their appointment, most recently with Resolution No. 2011-97 at the council's Aug. 15, 2011 regular action meeting.

According to Resolution No. 2011-97, the initial designation to Silver Oak was in part upon the recommendation of an inter-local committee comprised of members from both Aberdeen and Matawan. Matawan chose not to follow the recommendation of the committee, according to the resolution.

Instead, according to an article printed in the Bayshore Courier in July of 2005, Matawan appointed the Columbia Group.

The that the selection of a different developer by Matawan led to litigation that has since been resolved. Aberdeen continued to move forward with the project despite the litigation, and the contract for Silver Oak was extended on Dec. 9, 2004.

On March 9, 2009 Silver Oak was awarded the exclusive option to negotiate a redevelopment agreement with Aberdeen with a provision that said designation could be extended if substantive progress had occurred.

As per the resolution, Aberdeen and Silver Oak had 180 days as of Aug. 15 to negotiate, approve and execute a redevelopment agreement, which includes terms relating to the purchase of property and redeveloper contributions.

Additionally, the $100,000 deposited by Silver Oak remains in an escrow account with the Township for payment of reasonable costs and consultant fees. Silver Oak is responsible for replenishing that account, providing a detailed site plan along with a phasing plan for the site and providing a fiscal impact analysis of municipal services required for the project.

The redevelopment of the property surrounding the NJ Transit Aberdeen-Matawan Train Station is nothing new to the residents of both municipalities.

According to an article in The Independent from early last year, the respective councils in both Matawan and Aberdeen began revising their separate plans for a transit village in January 2010, eleven years after Aberdeen officially designated 59.5-acres of land as a redevelopment area.