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Health & Fitness

The War of Words Over Greystone

The battle is joined between those who want open space and those who want to have their say. But this battle, as usual, is going nowhere.

Two weeks ago, the Borough of Morris Plains took the extraordinary step - at least to me - of announcing via its automated message system that on Dec. 30 it had voted to support two state senators who want to limit what the state of New Jersey does with its portion of the old Greystone hospital property.

It took this so seriously that it repeated the message on the system a week later, at which time it was picked up by the Morris Plains Patch and reported.

In that Monday report, Morris Plains Mayor Frank Dreutzler and the rest of the council said they support a bill that would block "development" of the property.

“...[W]e hear rumblings from developers. We strongly oppose development and support open space,” Dreutzler said.

As a long-time resident of the borough I, like the mayor, know all too well that when there is more "development" up the road, Morris Plains gets more traffic headaches

In the case of Greystone, the bill the mayor supports -- introduced by area senators Anthony Bucco and Joe Pennacchio -- would force the state to sell the remaining 180 acres of state-owned land only to Morris County, and require the land be maintained as open space.

This puts Morris Plains squarely in opposition to Parsippany. 

The state land not part of the Central Park of Morris County or the newer, smaller Greystone hospital would be in Parsippany. Parsippany passed its own resolution last month against the bill. At the same time, Parsippany urged the state to designate the old administration building, Kirkbride, as "historic," which would keep it from being demolished - something strongly supported by the private group Preserve Greystone. 

The words "home rule" were not mentioned but it's obvious Parsippany wants its say.

I can understand this, but I fear what Parsippany would do with the land. 

Saying it wants to protect Kirkbride is very nice but, as reported in the Parsippany Patch last month, there are developers who want to make money doing something with that building, just like the developers whose own plans would've included tearing down the building and putting up high-priced housing and businesses.

As the Parsippany Patch reported:

Jonathan Cloud, from the community engagement branch of the Greystone Community Innovation Team, told the [Parsippany] council there was potential for the property to be developed into a 21st century community with ecological and other benefits to it and not to be convinced by the state of New Jersey that there is no other option for this property.

“We’re much better giving the building new purpose than giving county parks more land,” said John Huebner, President of Preserve Greystone.

Find out what's happening in Morris Township-Morris Plainswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mr. Huebner also says people don't want to see "waste" - as in, a building just sitting there empty.

"A 21st century community" means pricey apartments. They may be ecologically correct apartments, but the residents will still need cars to get them anywhere. They will still have to send their children to school. They will not want ballfields lit in their windows after a certain hour at night.

As for Mr. Huebner's argument:

1. The county needs as much open space as it can get.

2. I don't trust what Parsippany would do with the land. Just go up Grannis Ave. to the Parsippany border. You have your choice - your first right brings you up the hill to a recent development of McMansions. Or continue up the road (it becomes Old Dover Road) and you find Glenmont Commons, a huge development" chock-full of homes and condos. 

3. If it's such a "waste" to see the hulk standing it should be pulled down, as were all the stone wards of the patients to create the county park, its playgrounds, ballfields and, finally, a hiking trail

But in the end, this is all a war of words. This battle will go nowhere because the bill will go nowhere.

When you have a legislature where both houses have created dueling committees headed by Democrats to investigate "Bridgegate" and Gov. Chris  Christie, a bill that forces the state to turn over its land to a Republican-run county over the objections of the "home" Democrat-run township just ain't gonna fly.

Home rule will win out. The battle will continue. The remaining stone buildings will stand and deteriorate. 

Find out what's happening in Morris Township-Morris Plainswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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