Ashe Nadrowski to Introduce Measures Reopening Negotiations on MOTBY Land Sale
Seeks to Secure $60 Million More for Bayonne: “The Question is Simple: What does Bayonne deserve? $35 million, or $95 million?”
On the heels of her recent interview with POLITICO, Bayonne City Council President and Mayoral Candidate Sharon Ashe Nadrowski today announced her intent to introduce a legislative package reopening negotiations with “Bayonne Partners Urban Renewal” – a subsidiary of Boraie Development, and a major campaign donor to incumbent Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis – to secure a more lucrative deal for the City.
“Today I’m formally announcing my intent to introduce the necessary City Council Resolutions and Ordinances to reopen negotiations with Bayonne Partners Urban Renewal for the redevelopment of a portion of the Military Ocean Terminal,” stated Mayoral Candidate Sharon Ashe Nadrowski. “The deal that was struck in 2015 makes no sense in 2022. After 7 years of stagnation, this developer wants to complete the transaction and buy city property for $60 millions less than what it’s worth. Worse yet, Mayor Davis is advocating for it. We can’t allow that to happen.That $60 million could help stabilize taxes, reinvest in our businesses, fix our streets, and even go toward building new schools – the possibilities are endless.”
In 2015 Bayonne Partners Urban Renewal entered into an agreement with the City of Bayonne to purchase a portion of city-owned property at the former Military Ocean Terminal (“MOT”) and build a three-phase project consisting of 1,250 multifamily residential units, a retail component, and a parking component. The agreement struck 7 years ago set a sale price of approximately $35 million on the property – However, from 2015 to date, the sale was never executed, the land remained owned and maintained by the City, and brought no revenue or economic benefit to the municipality. The same land is now valued near $95 million, a $60 million difference. However, the Davis Administration continues to defend the lower, 2015 value for property, citing that doing otherwise would sabotage the development of the MOT.
“For anyone that suggests asking for the fair market value of this property would sabotage the development of the Military Ocean Terminal, I would recommend that they take a ride down Goldsborough Drive – and don’t forget to stop at the Starbucks on the right,” stated Ashe Nadrowski. “The redevelopment and revitalization of MOTBY is already happening. Asking for Bayonne’s fair share of the land value is about standing up for residents and taxpayers. They don’t deserve to be short-changed by a big developer, and they certainly don’t deserve the Davis Administration’s City Hall that refuses to fight for them.”
Mayor Davis’ campaign spokesman Phil Swibinski responded to Ashe Nadrowski’s press release this afternoon, saying, “Sharon Nadrowski’s insane plan to break an ironclad contract that she herself supported and her campaign manager Joe DeMarco personally negotiated for the city would be one of the most irresponsible, nonsensical actions Bayonne could ever take. If Nadrowski succeeds the developer would sue, Bayonne taxpayers would be forced to pay millions of dollars in legal fees and the city would lose in court, plain and simple. This would set an incredibly dangerous precedent that could open the city up to significant legal liability in other development projects, potentially costing taxpayers millions. Meanwhile, this critical MOTBY property would be tied up in a legal battle caused by Nadrowski instead of contributing to Bayonne’s rebirth by creating new tax revenue and jobs. Nadrowski would be a taxpayer nightmare who would cost every Bayonne resident thousands of dollars in higher taxes to pay for her mistakes, at a time when residents can least afford that kind of mismanagement with rising gas prices and inflation. The last thing Bayonne needs is a candidate being propped up by two dark money Super PACs who refuses to disclose her donors and who would cost taxpayers millions of dollars just to make a political point.”
The next Regular Meeting of the Bayonne City Council is scheduled for Wednesday, April 20th at 7:00 p.m.