Sayreville planning board recommends redevelopment study for Main/Crossman corridor

The Sayreville Planning Board on Dec. 3 recommended that the Borough Council designate a 16‑parcel area around the intersection of Main Street and North Crossman Street as an area in need of redevelopment, following a presentation by planner Veena Sawant.

Veena Sawant, planning director (testifying as a professional planner), told the board the study area includes parcels on both the north and south sides of Crossman Street with a mix of underutilized industrial lots, a strip mall with vacancies and some sites that have minor code or fire incidents. She said utilities and roadway improvements are already in place at the intersection and that four parcels are operated by CMC Steel while other parcels are occupied by a mixture of commercial and light industrial users. "This area is actually begging for attention," Sawant said, arguing that the master plan recommends revisiting industrial zoning to allow additional, compatible uses.

Lionel Pena, representing Sabre Corporation (a business at Main and North Crossman), urged clarity on how the designation would affect deliveries and employee access, noting the company has about 150 employees who use nearby stores and services. "We just like to know what the impact is gonna be for us because we didn't really get that clearly," Pena said. Sawant responded that the designation is explicitly non‑condemnation and is intended to encourage investments and off‑site roadway/sidewalk improvements under redevelopment agreements, not to remove existing commercial access.

Board members pressed on notice and examples of what redevelopments might require. Sawant said redevelopment plans commonly include off‑site improvements (traffic and circulation upgrades) and developer obligations to construct or fund those improvements as part of a redevelopment agreement.

Following discussion, the board moved and voted unanimously to recommend that the governing body deem the study area an area in need of redevelopment and rehabilitation; the board’s recommendation will be submitted to the Borough Council for final action.

Next steps: the Borough Council must consider the board’s recommendation and, if it designates the parcels, the designation would enable the borough to proceed with more detailed redevelopment planning and potential redevelopment‑area negotiations with property owners.