July 7
...serving up your daily dish.
Or maybe you will.
You know, we were driving by the site just last night, watching all that brown mud draining off onto Grove Street during the rain, and thinking how much we missed the days when we all we had to do for a story was write something about the Marlboro Inn. And then, like a gift, in today's Ledger...
Hempstead at Montclair? That's what Phil Read says Steve Plofker is thinking about naming the housing development he's building there. Surely, Steve, you can do better than that.
July 7, 2005 in Marlboro Inn, Scooped by Phil Read, Again | Permalink | Comments (13)
May 2
...serving up your daily dish.
Or merely a flop? A flurry of e-mails we've received today about the Marlboro Inn suggested that Steve Plofker had flipped the property, selling it to another developer. We did a little investigating and a source -- who wishes to remain off the record -- insists the rumors are hogwash and plans for the property remain the same. What may be causing some of the confusion/speculation about ownership sounds more like a change in the players involved in Marlboro Inn development. Regardless of who else is in on the project, we hear Plofker is still in the game and remains very much involved.
May 2, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (5)
April 18
...serving up your daily dish.
News about the Marlboro Inn, from one of our "tipsters" ...
Come take a look.... The model house is up!
So we did, and here's what we saw...
Guess our tipster was envisioning a "Marlboro Inn trailer park." At least we got to see some gorgeous forsythia -- wonder how much longer these bushes will be standing...
April 18, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (7)
January 20
...serving up your daily dish.
Or much else for that matter. Demolition was stepped up considerably in the last hour and there's barely anything left of the Marlboro Inn. Lots of rubbernecking at Grove St. & Watchung Ave. Here's the inn's last stand...
January 20, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (1)
January 7
...serving up your daily dish.
As the sun glistens through the trees in front of the desecrated Marboro Inn this morning, we just have to wonder: what's up with the sign?
When Plofker was given the go-ahead to demolish the inn, was the sign somehow exempt? Is there a reason it has endured all this time, long after the inn ceased operation? Does someone enjoy getting crank phone calls (sorry, no room at the inn) or is it merely destined for auction on ebay. Also out this morning, a bereft looking man taking pictures of the forlorn structure.
January 7, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (6)
January 5
...serving up your daily dish.
Here goes the first part of the Marlboro Inn, tumbling down. From the camera of Liz George, about 9:30 am.
Unlike the demo of the Hahne's building on November 19, which proceeded with pomp and ceremony -- three Montclairs mayors (two past, one present), speeches, a viewing stand and seats for spectators -- this one goes down with a whimper. Could it be that Mr. Plofker didn't expect the kind of applause that the first swing of the wrecking ball elicited over on Church Street?
Neighbors are watching the demolition from their windows. No protests reported.
January 5, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (30)
The scarecrow sees all. The Marlboro Inn is coming down. Liz George is at the scene and will send us pictures shortly.
January 5, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 4
...serving up your daily dish.
Residents of the Marlboro Inn neighborhood spotted some large construction equipment on the property today, possibly signalling the beginning of demolition. Developer Steven Plofker, who plans to build 10 houses on the property, declined to comment.
January 4, 2005 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (1)
December 7
...serving up your daily dish.
Pink spray paint marks off proposed roads and lots throughout the Marlboro Inn property today. Steve Plofker allowed us to take pictures throughout the inn, but declined comment and refused to have his picture taken. While we snapped, he met with business associates, huddled under umbrellas, and walked the property.
Plofker cleared the latest hurdle in his plan to build 10 houses on the site yesterday, when a court ruled against preservationists who had sued him and the town of Montclair. More on that decision here.
More pictures on the jump. Click any image for a larger picture.
December 7, 2004 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (21)
December 6
...serving up your daily dish.
A Superior court judge in Newark today verbally dismissed efforts by a preservationist group to save the Marlboro Inn from demolition.
Last month, the Marlboro Inn Preservation Association had won a temporary restraining order preventing developer Steve Plofker from demolishing the inn. MIPA had also named the Township of Montclair in its lawsuit, charging the town council with being arbitrary and capricious in its decision not to landmark the building. Today, the group lost its case.
"MIPA is of course disappointed that we were not able to overcome the necessary technical legal burdens in order to prove our case," said Martin Schwartz, an organizer of MIPA. "Every rational person in town knows that the Marlboro Inn is a historic building which should have been landmarked and that a 10 home sub-division is not in Montclair's best interests."
Plofker, who attended the court hearing, wouldn't comment about specific plans for taking down the inn.
"I applaud the passion and resourcefulness of Mr. Schwartz and his associates," he said afteward. "I hope they didn't spend a lot of money. And I'm sorry for their sake they didn't prevail."
December 6, 2004 in Marlboro Inn | Permalink | Comments (12)
