Long Legal Battle Ends and Bloomfield Redevelopment Can Begin

Anthony Ellenbogen, the Bloomfield property owner who held up Bloomfield’s ambitious plans for redeveloping its downtown because he said the town hadn’t offered him a fair price, has finally sold his property to the Bloomfield Parking Authority for $2.75 million. That paves the way for Bloomfield’s downtown redevelopment to begin.

Ellenbogen, who spent about $100,000 on legal fees, won battle after battle with the town over its use of eminent domain. Bloomfield’s legal problems cascaded when it was forced to pay $5 million to the original developer, Forest City Daily, when the project went off the rails.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Mayor Raymond McCarthy, reached tonight by telephone. “We finally got him to the table. We’re moving on.”

Ellenbogen, also reached by phone, saw it differently. “He could have been dancing the jig years ago. They lost every legal battle. Their only choice was to be fair. I hope this shows other towns eminent domain isn’t the way to go.”

Ellenbogen began buying property on Lackawanna Place, across from the Bloomfield train station, in 1993, and opened a store called Animal Instincts, where he sold pet supplies. Eventually he bought more buildings, including 31 Lackawanna Place, where Garden State Yoga is located.

He says he bought his properties for about $450,000. Bloomfield’s first offer to Ellenbogen, five years ago, was $715,000. He says he would have settled for half of what he eventually got if Bloomfield had made that offer originally.

“I kind of feel bad for the tax payers of Bloomfield,” he says.

Ellenbogen says that credit for the settlement should go to John Generazio, chairman of the Bloomfield Parking Authority. Ellenbogen was attending an August meeting of the authority, with only two other people in the audience, when he learned then that every other property on his block — Block 228 in planner’s terms — had been sold. “I was the last man standing.”

After the meeting, Ellenbogen says that Generazio walked over and asked to speak to him privately. “He said, ‘What would it take to get this job done?’ If it wasn’t for John Generazio, there wouldn’t be a deal.”

Ellenbogen said he negotiated a six-months extension on his tenants’ leases, and hopes to buy new properties before then and relocate his tenants there. “I’m putting all my efforts into finding places for my tenants.” His other tenant is the beauty salon Ultimate Visions.

“I’m a little sad,” said Ellenbogen. “I’ve been here since ’93. They’re beautiful old buildings.”

Garden State Yoga sent an email to its customers shortly before midnight on Thursday:

Dear GSY Students,

AT GSY we speak often about going with the flow. Not resisting growth, but not forcing it either. Approaching yoga, and life, with equanimity.
As GSY continues to grow and flourish, change is simply inevitable. A huge step is just around the corner for all of us as GSY makes plans to move to a bigger location in 2011.
We too have grown very fond of the beautiful little building in Bloomfield we have called home for 2 years. But now it is our turn to go with the flow. To not resist growth and to practice equanimity.
As we begin our search for our new home (as close to our current location as possible!) we welcome any thoughts or suggestions you may have.
We will be in our new home by March 2011. All packages will easily transfer to our new space and there will be no gap in the class schedules.

We are truly excited to go down this new journey with you.

Cheers,
Seth & Ali