What Would You Put There?

Driving through downtown Fanwood, cruising over the bridge and past the train station is has become much more exciting. Beautifully constructed apartments with majestically rounded corners and pointed peaks are beginning to take shape at Fanwood Crossing.

In her following her swearing in on New Year’s Day, Mayor Mahr cited Fanwood’s downtown redevelopment as a golden ticket to the success of the town, and Fanwood Crossing is an integral part of that mission. However, while above continues to progress, the gaping space below has yet to be filled, something that has not gone unnoticed by local business owners.

Shortly before the New Year, Jeannie DeJesso, owner of that despite Fanwood’s downtown revival, she is not happy with the lack of foot traffic in the area.

“There is not enough reason for people to stop here. We are just a destination without any walkup traffic. There is an abundance of hair and nail salons but other than that, there are few businesses that can survive here,” said DeJesso.

Last December, Patch set out to about what would fill the spaces below. Developer and property owner, David Checchio of Elite Properties stated that while he has received interest from national restaurant chains as well as smaller restaurateurs hoping, Elite Properties is still waiting for the right retail buyer to come along.

“Our intent is to hold out for the right tenants and not just lease it to fill space,” Checchio said in December. “We don’t want to put in someone who won’t respect the tenants above.”

The retail space below is approximately 8,000 square feet and will be ready for retail tenants in this summer. This property could be split up into as many as three or four properties for new businesses.

We want to know what you, our readers think. What should fill those spaces? Do you think there are too many pizzerias and Italian restaurants in SPF? What sort of culinary diversity would you like to see in Fanwood instead?

has certainly contributed to the downtown atmosphere in Fanwood. With two bars on Park Avenue in Scotch Plains, and an Irish bar in the works to, should Fanwood use the new space to develop it's own bar and nightlife scene?

Is there another type of business that you would like to see, such as boutique or pharmacy? Do you have concerns about a national chain coming into Fanwood or added traffic from the new buildings? Let us know!