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Visions For Vacancies: What Should Move to 291 Mt. Pleasant Ave.?

The West Orange Patch asks: What do you think should be placed at the corner of Mount Pleasant and Prospect avenues?

 

Visions for Vacancies is back for another installment. 

Let's call this a digital spin on community planning -- Patch's version of a charette, a digital drawing board where all ideas are on the table.

In an occasional column, we present a vacant space and ask you to tell us what you think would be the best use. Forget what zone it is in, ignore setback regulations, dump lot coverage rules, and all the other zoning jargon that puts most people to sleep. If you had your way, what would you like to see there? What would be the best use for the community?

This week, Patch is asking: What kind of business would you like to see pop up in the vacant building at 291 Mount Pleasant Ave.?

The Japanese-style, two-story building is located on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Prospect avenues, and has been uninhabited for years. It has a decent amount of parking, but it is also situated on a busy and well traveled intersection of town. Then again, you can think of it as being very visible and easily accessible!

So what do you think should go there? A restaurant? A bar? A Dave & Busters?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! Know of a vacant space/building we should highlight? Email mike.donofrio@patch.com.

Related Topics: Businesses and West Orange

Portmanteau

6:27 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

A wrecking ball. The property is way too close to the street. Then a new building.

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Debra Gubernat

6:53 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

Tear the building down and put in a Starbucks.

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Steven Serebrenik

8:09 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

Something like a jewelry exchange for different businesses to rent the space..Good for small business growth.

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Kim M

8:41 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

A Wawa would be nice. We could stop there before getting on 280.

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Mike D'Onofrio

10:21 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

@ Kim M
I like the Wawa idea! I never thought of something like that there, but it is really accessible and in the heart of town. A convenience store could really work there.

-- MCD

Carmen S. Szpiech

9:15 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

I agree with the other comments. WE NEED GOOD Businesses in WO.. What about a nice restaurant that the residents of West Orange doesn't have to go out to another towns and spend the money that can be spend in here.

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Michelle R.

9:46 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

A Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts would be good, although parking appears to be limited. It needs to be a thriving business that will produce revenue for WO.

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s

11:14 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012

I think it would have to be a restaurant. Putting a place like a Dunkin Donuts, Wawa or anything similar will attract TOO much traffic. The corner can't accomidate that. A restaurant would have more limited hours and not have cars constantly pulling in and out of it causing traffic jams. Although a Dunkin Donuts does sound nice.

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Gunny

2:09 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012

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Gunny
2:06 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
How about a nice Portuguese Restraunt like they have in the iron bound area of Newark? Something different than a TGIF's, Paneras, or a bar that can't get a burger done rite. And PLEASE don't say we have that on Main Street because we don't.

Louis Caprario

1:15 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012

I don't know what type of business, but I do have an idea for the building structure. Take the current one down and put up a new building at the back of the property so that one of the floors would align with, and have direct access to, the upper parking lot. It would be a far more efficient and attractive use of the property.

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Augie Ricciardi

9:54 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012

My wife and I agree with you, some kind of seafood house would be nice.

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Linda Oconnell

10:13 am on Monday, October 8, 2012

Excellent choice. The closest one is Rt. 17

Jenna31

9:15 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012

Minado - it's a great family friend sushi buffet. There is one in Morris Plains and it's great.

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Helaine Spitzer

12:10 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012

I like the Wawa idea too, to get rid of those two expensive gas stations. But that would be a lot of traffic on that small corner. I think a nice restaurant would be nice, I really miss the old one, the food was really good!

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wohopeful

2:22 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012

How about high end luxury rental apartments?

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Brett Kaiser

3:42 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012

Traffic coming up Mt. Pleasant is a nightmare now....and the Sunoco and Exxon Gas Prices are pretty reasonable for the post that thinks they are over priced...a Wawa would make no sense logistically....how about a night club..maybe the could call it Mushroom Farms...OR Move to WOBOE out of the HUGE Building they call home, make it a school and put them there

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SaintCloud

5:50 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2013

Hmmm ... "The Mushroom Farm"? That has a nice, nostalgic ring to it! :)

badbul

7:56 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012

That corner lot is way to small for a Wawa. There making a Wawa on the grounds of the Walmart in Kearny.

Maybe they could do a little excavating at the old Amaco Gas Station on PVW between I-280 and Starlight in order to fit a Wawa in West Orange.

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Gunny

2:11 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012

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Gunny
2:06 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
How about a nice Portuguese Restraunt like they have in the iron bound area of Newark? Something different than a TGIF's, Paneras, or a bar that can't get a burger done rite. And PLEASE say we have that on Main Street because we don't.

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Rich C

5:19 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2013

It's a big problem actually. West Orange is great BUT we have the Worst stock of good restaurants in Essex County. We don't even have a decent Bagel place. Tired of driving to Montclair or South Orange to get a meal.

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