Lienholders offer free facade repairs at 200 High Street; commission to consider 30-day extension

Owners who identified themselves as Javier Moreno and Laura Corrales told the Millville City commission they purchased liens on 200 High Street and offered to repair the building’s failing facade to reopen the sidewalk and remove barricades. Moreno said the owners provided a city-estimated repair cost of about $5,000 but offered to perform the immediate safety repairs at no charge to the municipality.

Construction Official Lane Shelton told the commission a prior resolution had set a deadline for the owner to remediate or face demolition and that the deadline has expired. Shelton said the city has authority under the cited provision (UCCNJ 2.3252 b 2, as quoted in the transcript) to act where imminent hazards threaten public safety; he indicated he would issue an order authorizing only the immediate repair to address the unsafe condition so the lienholders could secure the facade.

Shelton and an attorney who spoke (referred to in the transcript as “Mister Sutton”) told the board the commission could extend the prior deadline by 30 days, conditioned on completion of the emergent repairs, and that a resolution to amend the earlier resolution could be drafted and placed on the regular session agenda as an add-on for formal action. If the repairs are completed within that extension, Shelton said demolition would not proceed; if not completed within the period, the city would retain authority to carry out demolition.

Javier Moreno described capacity and timing: he said he runs a construction company and Moreco Properties/Moreco Investments, and he estimated title clearance would take about 5–8 months; he also said his crew could begin securing the facade as soon as next week. At least one public speaker, Tamara Davis of Millville, urged caution and said the building is sinking and had been strictly commercial in prior use, asserting there had never been apartments in the structure.

No final extension resolution was adopted in the work session. The city attorney said he would draft the amendment to the prior resolution and the item would be presented for formal approval at the regular session beginning at 7:00 p.m.; if adopted then, Shelton indicated repairs could begin immediately under the imminent-hazard authorization.

Practical details cited in the discussion: the lien transfer was recorded in Cumberland County on October 4 at 11 a.m. (as described by the owners); the owners provided a $5,000 estimate and offered to perform the immediate safety work for free; Moreno estimated 5–8 months to clear title; Shelton said the repair would be limited to correcting the imminent hazard and that further interior work or change-of-use (for example to apartments) would require subsequent applications and zoning review.

Next steps: the attorney will draft an amendment/resolution for the regular session; if that resolution is approved, the construction official will issue authority for immediate repairs to proceed.