There is movement, but still no “done deal,” toward finding a supermarket that can fill the void caused by the departure of SuperFresh from the Plainsboro Plaza shopping center.
Township officials have had several meetings with the new owners of the center, Onyx Equities, who plan to move quickly to make needed improvements to the property. According to a press statement from Mayor Peter Cantu, the owners will work in conjunction with township staff to secure the necessary permits to begin making changes to the exterior, including parking and signage improvements. They plan to appear before the Planning Board as soon as possible. Onyx Equities is optimistic that these improvement, combined with aggressive marketing, will yield new tenants, including a new grocery store, according to the mayor.
“The revitalization of the Plainsboro Plaza and the return of a grocery store remain our highest priorities,” said Cantu. “We will aggressively advocate on behalf of Plainsboro and its residents.”
At its June 12 meeting the Township Committee passed the bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements, appropriating the aggregate amount of $3,542,000, and authorizing the issuance of $3,127,400 in bonds. In addition, the committee approved the reduction of the speed limit for Plainsboro Road between Walker Gordon Pond and Enterprise Drive to 25 miles per hour.
David Bander was appointed to fill the vacancy created on the Township Committee when longtime member Michael Weaver resigned. Bander, who moved to Plainsboro in 2010, currently works as an attorney for the SEIU labor union, and served as the former chief of staff for State Senator Linda Greenstein. He is one of the two Democratic candidates running for Township Committee in November (WW-P News, April 12). The other is current Committee member Ed Yates, who is seeking reelection.
In addition, Leonard Celluro was named as the new director of Recreation and Community Services. Celluro, chosen from a pool of more than 100 candidates, has 25 years of experience in providing municipal recreation services. Most recently, Celluro served as superintendent of the Great Neck park district in Great Neck, New York. He previously worked in similar positions in Hanover Township, Bloomfield, and Montclair.
Celluro earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is a certified recreation administrator.
