General Category > Hackensack Discussion
Summit and Central
Anderson:
What's the story with that house on the NW corner of Summit and Central? It's a total mess and the last time I walked by, I thought a dog was going to kill me. ??? ???
Steve:
That house has been in a declining state of disrepair for years. The dog is probably the best feature. But be careful, this could be the new site for the Excelsior IV. ;D
Anderson:
Do you think they would keep the dog though?
Eric Martindale:
I believe you are referring to the house at the southwest corner of Summit & Central. In 2000 or early 2001, the owner proposed converting it into a combination mosque and retail store. A lot of people came down to the Zoning Board hearing and spoke against it. A house converted into a mosque would be a really junky mosque. If they wanted to make a nice mosque, with distinguished Arabic architecture, from the ground up, at least they could make the claim that it would be some sort of architectural enhancement to the area. But no, they came down to the hearing and said they would preserve the house "as is", and not even make any exterior improvements. The board shot them down on the grounds that retail is not a permitted use on Summit Avenue.
I wonder if the whole application was just an excuse to make a tax-exempt retail store. He refused the board's suggestion to come back with a modified plan that does not contain a retail store.
The same owner still owns the house, and he's evidently letting it fall into disrepair. This is a well-known strategy. So the next time they revive the plan and go before a city board to build a mosque with a retail store, they can say they are cleaning up a blighted property.
I have a better idea. LET'S SEND THE CITY INSPECTORS after them. Will somebody please do this.
Anderson:
I think you're right, sorry about the mistake, I need to check my compass. As for your suggestion about the city inspector, why hasn't this happened already?
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