The views expressed here are the author's own The 6th Annual VetFest Food Truck and Music Festival will be held at Dave Waks Memorial Park on Sunday All proceeds will benefit Community Hope's Veterans Programs providing housing and support services to homeless veterans Bring a chair and join us for this great day of fun Saturday, 9:00 amNewark, NJ .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Will Harrigan | For NJ Advance MediaMikayla Eutermarks had a huge day at the dish homering and driving in three runs to lift Butler to a 8-2 victory over Parsippany in Butler Eutermarks was also terrific in the circle as she tossed a five-hitter with no earned runs Anabella Cole also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Butler The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Dash — now known just as "Dash" — are staying put in Par-Troy along with dozens of other favorite brand-name foods collected under one corporate banner B&G Foods Inc. currently headquartered at Gatehall Drive in Parsippany announced on Monday that it had signed a nearly 16-year lease to relocate to another township office property at 8 Sylvan Way Commercial real estate company JLL said it brokered the deal on behalf of site owner Orion Properties to lease 46,000 square feet on the second and third floors of the site to B&G The Sylvan Way property is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation that will include adding a test kitchen and product development space for B&G Orion has already leased 56,000 square feet of the site to law firm Day Pitney LLP B&G plans to make the move before the end of the year Representatives of the food company did not respond on Wednesday to a request for comment progressB&G's name originated with one of its signature products first sold by the Bloch and Guggenheimer families on the streets of New York in 1889 It is just one of many popular grocery store staples now under the B&G corporate banner includes some products that date back to 1822 acquisitions and mergers molded the current corporation which had net sales of $1.9 billion in 2024 The business grew rapidly over the past 29 years aggressively acquiring what are known as legacy or "orphaned" brands whose former companies had ceased production such as Vermont Maid syrup and Brer Rabbit molasses The company seeks to leverage the name recognition of such products to reposition them for the modern market B&G has also made larger acquisitions over the years including the $765 million purchase of Green Giant brand vegetables from General Mills in 2015 and a $365 million acquisition of a British spice and seasonings company in 2016 including the 2023 unloading of a "shelf-stable" line of Green Giant Products to Seneca Foods in which B&G retained the Green Giant trademark and frozen food products the B&G product line includes such grocery mainstays as B&M baked beans Underwood canned meats and Polander fruit spreads Renovations lure new tenantsB&G plans to consolidate its North American operations on the second and third floors at 8 Sylvan Way which is comprised of two three-story buildings connected by a glass atrium “Orion is pleased to welcome another distinguished tenant to 8 Sylvan Way as we advance our property’s comprehensive redevelopment plan and continue to find innovative ways to meet the demands of today’s tenants seeking office research or laboratory space,” Orion Investment Manager Steve Palmesi stated in the announcment The space was previously home to the Medicines Co. a drugmaker that moved its executive offices into the Parsippany location in 2009. The Medicines Co. left at the end of its lease in 2023 after it was acquired by pharmaceutical giant Novartis More: Parsippany's rival Republican mayoral candidates agree to debate in online forum Another 26,000-square-foot space in the building remains open for leasing "Orion envisioned 8 Sylvan Way as a space where top-tier tenants would want to plant their flag," JLL's David Stifelman said in the announcement "In a market flooded with outdated products the property has been reimagined from a one-tenant asset into a superior multi-tenant destination momentum is building for the remainder of the space and we anticipate further announcements soon.” Parsippany's rival Republican mayoral candidates — incumbent James Barberio and Councilman Justin Musella — will take their bitter primary fight to a debate next month Barberio and Musella have clashed in public practically since they took office after running together four years ago and will face off in the June GOP primary for the right to lead the town of 56,000 people But first, they'll meet in a virtual debate to be conducted May 15 by the League of Women Voters' Morris Area chapter and cosponsored by the Daily Record. The candidates will meet on Zoom starting at 7 p.m. on the LWV Morris YouTube channel The debate will also be sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Morristown Alumnae Chapter "League-sponsored events are strictly nonpartisan," the debate announcement states "The League does not support or oppose any political candidate or party." The Daily Record is covering the election but will not make any municipal or county candidate endorsements losing in 2017 and then reclaiming the post in 2021 He is running on a ticket with two town council candidates: current Council Vice President Frank Neglia and Jigar Shah who the mayor appointed during his first term as his liaison to the large Indian American community in town The latest GOP conflict, in March, involved a failed attempt by Barberio and his council allies to censure Musella for presenting his council credentials to a township police officer during a 2023 traffic stop for speeding Following a public outcry at a council meeting — which had to be rescheduled due to an overflow crowd — the censure resolution was voted down Barberio picked up a surprise supporter earlier this year in Morris County Republican Chair Laura Ali She dismissed Barberio last year as "the highest-paid and least-qualified mayor in Morris County." Ali called for Musella to abandon his run for mayor and accept a council nomination "The 2025 election cycle poses significant challenges and I strongly believe a united front is essential for ensuring Republican success in the general election," Ali wrote in a letter to the candidates at the time "Our campaign to end the cycle of corruption over-taxation and taxpayer-funded overdevelopment in Parsippany Musella went on to name two council candidates as part of his own ticket The GOP council candidates currently have no plans to debate Parikh and Bielen agreed to take part in a League of Women Voters forum but Neglia and Shah declined and myself work together as a team and we all share the same vision for our great town," Neglia said we agreed it would be best to have Mayor Barberio represent all of us and believe that my record and Jigar's business acumen will inspire Parsippany residents to support our ticket." More: Parsippany Democrats promise less drama, more focus on governing in mayor, council races Democrats have endorsed Pulkit Desai president of the Lake Parsippany Property Owner's Association for mayor and Matt Kavanagh and Diya Patel for council they will meet the winners of the Republican race in the November general election The Puddingstone Community Club also announced it has invited Barberio Musella and Desai to a debate on May 21 and that Musella and Desai have agreed to participate The debate would be livestreamed but limited to an in-person audience of 80 people Barberio told the Daily Record his campaign coordinator is discussing the format and other details with the Puddingstone event coordinator "I'm sure we'll have some sort of solution," he said Musella is a resident of the Puddingstone section of Parsippany. The club has hosted candidate forums in the past, including one in 2017 Barberio lives in the Lake Hiawatha section of town Democrats have historically struggled to win and hold council seats in the county's largest municipality But Barberio is the only Parsippany Republican to win the mayor's office in more than 30 years and only one of two GOP candidates elected to the office in nearly half a century Republican Frank Priore was removed from office after 12 years following his conviction on mail fraud Democrat Mimi Letts then served from 1994 to 2005 Priore was preceded by Democrat Jack Fahy, who served from 1974 to 1982, when Priore unseated him. Fahy succeeded Democrat Henry Luther Luther declined to run for re-election in 1973 food tech startup founded by serial entrepreneur Marc Lore is finally opening its newest brick-and-mortar location in Morris County After launching its second Morris County location in Randolph earlier this year the food hall concept has announced the opening date for its newest venture in Parsippany at 1295 U.S will feature nine diverse restaurant brands all under one roof The grand opening celebration will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m the first 100 guests will receive an exclusive Wonder gift starting at 5 p.m. Wonder is a meal-delivery app that offers made-to-order dishes for dinner or any mealtime All meals are prepared at a Wonder storefront and delivered to your door in under 30 minutes For those who prefer to pick up their meals or enjoy limited dine-in options The concept features world-renowned chefs like Bobby Flay as well as award-winning eateries such as Tejas Barbecue and Di Fara Pizza from across the country Customers can place a single order from a variety of chefs and restaurants ensuring a curated and elevated dining experience every time "Customers can experience any combination of these chefs and restaurants all together in one order for the first time," says the company Wonder currently operates approximately 40 locations across New York City with a new location opening this month in Connecticut the company operated as a food truck service in Westfield Wonder announced it would shift its approach to focus on its current meal-delivery concept Read More: Wonder Company To Remove Food Trucks, Add 10 Kitchens In 3 NJ Counties Wonder also previously announced it completed its acquisition of meal kit delivery service to enhance the Wonder platform and continue expanding You can find out more about Wonder on its website. Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. PARSIPPANY − Even while thousands of new residential units are under construction in Morris County's largest municipality an application to build 29 more at the Islamic Community Cultural Center is stirring up a development-weary population About 500 residents nearly filled the Parsippany High School auditorium Wednesday night for a zoning board meeting with the mosque's application to build age-restricted housing on their three-acre property off South Beverwyck Road on the agenda Social media protests led to an overflow audience for the board's Feb 5 meeting at Town Hall that forced a postponement to reschedule the meeting at a larger venue could only call one witness - engineer Mark Walker - to present initial details of the proposed project The Islamic Community Cultural Center, which opened in a building previously occupied by Temple Beth-Am in 2023 wants to build 29 age-restricted units in its current parking lot which backs up to woodlands bordering the Troy Meadows nature preserve Walker said previous plans to build a four-story building have been reduced to three stories with ground parking and two floors of one-bedroom units above Those units would be restricted to one primary occupant age 62 or older Six of the units - or 20% - would be reserved as affordable housing and those units would be awarded to qualified applicants subject to town-approved random selection The center would remain a nonprofit entity but the new residential building would be for-profit and a tax ratable for the town the removal of about 3,000 square feet of paved property and fire department access All required permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection have been obtained Schepis explained he would present other experts at future meetings But frequent outbursts from the audience interrupted the meeting Many of those who spoke during the public session were frustrated that they were not allowed to make statements or get answers from Walker on non-engineering questions "You should be better-prepared!" one man said Other speakers complained about traffic during Friday services when the parking lot fills up and worshipers end up parking on local streets Traffic and parking concerns"Are you aware of any parking issues in the neighborhood on occasions when the Islamic center is holding services?" attorney John Mills representing two families living near the center "Just from hearing it through our group discussions adding that a traffic engineer would testify to traffic issues Walker said there were 11 parking spaces available at present and that the project would reduce it to 99 or 98 Occupants of the residential units would take up some of that space "There were 120 cars on parked on Preston Road the other day," one man shouted referring to the dead-end residential street that begins across from the center's entrance on South Beverwyck Road What's next for housing proposal?Board Chair Loretta Gragnani explained that after the professionals finished their testimony the public would have an opportunity to "state your support or objections" before the board votes on what at present appears to be at least a dozen variances sought by the applicant to make their project work The application was moved to the board's next meeting on April 23 but only for the purpose of carrying it over to another future date "I think that it's a heavy lift for the applicant here in terms of what they are asking this board to do." "They're asking for two of the most difficult variances to obtain: two use variances," Mills said because the residential use is not permitted on the site because they now have two principal uses on the site After the loss of three anchor businesses in 2024, one of Parsippany's oldest and largest shopping centers is under scrutiny by town officials who want to see if it should be designated as an area in need of redevelopment Acting on a request from the Township Council in December, the Parsippany Planning Board voted in January to authorize a preliminary study of the Morris Hills Shopping Center Opened in 1957 at the intersection of routes 46 and 202 the Morris Hills Shopping Center debuted with an Acme supermarket and the W.T Grant department store as its main tenants has seen vacancies pile up in recent years Last summer, Blink Fitness closed an outpost that had taken over the old Acme space. Home Goods and Marshalls also exited last year taking up new locations a few miles east at the Arlington Plaza mall on Route 46 What's next for Morris Hills Shopping Center?The study will investigate potential alternatives for the 18.5-acre Morris Hills property which currently includes a standalone Bank of America and a multiplex movie theater that has been vacant since 2020 Existing tenants include the Great Wazu sandwich shop America's Best Eyeglasses and Cheap Maggies A standalone McDonald's that fronts a portion of the shopping center the planning board will vote on a recommendation to send back to the council Property and tax records show the shopping center is assessed at $22.4 million the center offers a total of 159,000 square feet of rentable space we are awaiting this study and would be happy to share more information once this process has progressed," Maria Pace a spokesperson for Morris Hills owners Brixmor Property Group said on Thursday The property lies in a B-1 zone permitting a variety of retail and commercial uses A new bill in the state Senate would authorize the conversion of certain office parks and retail centers to mixed-use developments Municipal governing bodies in New Jersey can designate a property as an "area in need of redevelopment" if it qualifies based on certain criteria They include a determination that buildings are dilapidated faulty in design or in some other way "detrimental to the safety The shopping center has struggled to maintain tenants over the years since Acme closed in 1992 Expansion and renovation plans approved in 1989 led to the demolition of a freestanding bowling alley on the property in favor of more retail space The center's other anchor space was formerly occupied by the W.T. Grant A two-screen General Cinema movie theater took that over in 1967 but closed in 1987 The space was then renovated a second time to accommodate Home Goods and Marshalls A standalone Clearview Cinema opened in 1994 but it finally closed during the COVD-19 pandemic in 2020 Morris Hills also faced increased competition in 2019 when the Waterview Marketplace debuted just to the west on Route 46 Flurry of projects along Route 46To the east Parsippany's Route 46 corridor has seen a flurry of property sales and redevelopment projects in recent years More: NJ towns face affordable housing deadline this week after judge rejects second challenge To the east, the Cerbo family closed their 76-year-old lumberyard and sold the 4-acre property to an owner who the family described as "a local developer." Several of those properties and more along the commercial corridor have been purchased by a local investor PARSIPPANY — While the controversy − and legal battles − heat up over New Jersey's affordable housing mandate an explosion of construction work is already transforming the landscape of Morris County's largest municipality A tour of township sites in early February found demolition and site clearings underway at several vacant office properties while new buildings rise on land already razed no less than a dozen developments are proceeding including several at the former Mack-Cali campus off routes 10 and 202 More than 2 million square feet of office space in the township has fallen to the wrecking ball over the last two years almost 2,300 housing units have either been planned or added with several warehouses and other commercial properties under construction as well The five largest residential redevelopments already under construction in town total 1,799 new units with two more approved projects representing 489 units The town also has approved warehouses at six other sites Town officials note that type of redevelopment should generate more tax ratables without adding more students though some caution about potential impacts on traffic and pollution to pause implementation of legislation passed last year to speed enforcement of the mandate The plaintiff towns vowed to continue their appeals the knocking down and building up is in full gear Here's a look at major projects in town nearly completed This mixed-use housing and shopping development replacing two buildings along Route 10 South recently erected an electronic sign on the highway announcing leasing is underway and the first occupants will be "arriving early 2025." The sign also advertises retail opportunities Expect the first residents to move in later this year while construction on future phases continues Monthly rental rates listed on the project website for units available next month range from $2,552 for a one-bedroom studio apartment to $4,143 for a 2-bedroom Both of the two four-story buildings off Upper Pond Road in the Morris Corporate Center were slated to open last year But the property remains under construction Developer Accurate Builders did not return messages seeking updates Mack-Cali CampusConstruction is underway for two residential developments just off Route 202 in the former Mack-Cali corporate campus Both are replacing demolished office buildings The project at 2 Campus Drive will have 138 units A larger building at 3 Campus Drive will have 238 More: North Jersey's development boom is expected to continue into 2025. What's in store While a national warehouse boom fueled by the rise of e-commerce appears to have plateaued A January report from the real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield put the warehouse vacancy rate in northern and central New Jersey for the end of 2024 at 9%, the highest since the first quarter of 2013. The report cited the surge of new building combined with economic uncertainty over the impact of President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on Canada 2 Hilton Court: A 113,000-square foot office building last occupied by Daiichi Sankyo in 2016 was demolished last year to make way for a new 103,000-square-foot warehouse Site clearing continues to progress at the 10.1-acre property ahead of construction Lanidex LLC warehouse: The town council last year approved a project to replace a long-vacant building in the Lanidex West office park off Parsippany Road despite vocal objections from neighboring residents worried about truck traffic and the warehouse's proximity to an elementary school Pomeroy Road: The town approved a developer deal in 2023 to replace vacant office space on this 9.1-acre site abutting Route 287 The planning board in December unanimously approved a preliminary and final major site plan 299 Jefferson Road: Another redevelopment project was approved in 2023 for the office building corridor along Jefferson Road which is slated for a 106,00-square-foot warehouse A website for the project states occupancy will begin in the fall Additional Parsippany redevelopments awaiting or recently approved include 489 more residential units 6 Sylvan Way-7 Campus Drive: A redevelopment plan for these abutting properties covering 19 acres in the Mack-Cali campus was approved in late 2023 Initial demolition work recently began for the mixed-use project 114,000 square feet of warehouse space and about 6,000 square feet of offices 1500 Littleton Road: The former headquarters of pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline Work to build 250 age-restricted units there is in progress The development and redevelopment wave in New Jersey is driven largely by the state housing mandate which dates back to the original Mount Laurel ruling in 1975 and has been upheld by the state Supreme Court in subsequent legal battles over the years The latest calculations by the state Department of Community Affairs estimate that municipalities need to allow for the construction of 85,000 more units over the next decade along with the renovation of 65,000 existing residences Parsippany's "present need" commitment calls for refurbishing 138 affordable homes Its "prospective need" requires the construction of 553 additional units Failure to accommodate developers willing to commit 15% to 20% of their proposed new units to low- and moderate-income tenants can expose a municipality to a "builder's remedy" lawsuit in which the courts could permit the developer to build as they wish A new bill in the state Senate One issue that has yet to generate controversy is the proposed municipal budget for 2025 the plan calls for the lowest increase in the township tax rate in three years while more than doubling the municipal surplus to a healthy $11.8 million a slight increase over last year's actual budget of $92.4 million calls for an overall property tax rate hike of 2.13% with the municipal rate increasing by 2.22% That breaks down to an increase of $59.41 per household based on the township's median assessed home value of $314,365 Barberio said the proposed budget will leave the town with the financial flexibility "to not only make significant and strategic investments in the areas most requested by residents: public safety It also provides funding to fill vacant positions in town The budget includes money for 10 new officers Parsippany is losing nearly $500,000 in New Jersey Municipal Relief Fund aid from the state and faces increased costs for health premiums recycling and other expenditures − amounting to an additional $1.7 million hole officials had to fill this year But the value of tax ratables in town continues to climb. Overall, ratables have increased by $75 million since 2021, and $27.5 million since last year, according to a 2025 budget presentation seen at the meeting and available on the town's website More: Who's running for NJ Assembly in Morris County? GOP looks to maintain edge over Democrats Baberio credited "the strategic planning" of his administration over the last three years "the benefits of which are now being fully realized." Musella thanked the mayor and council for the budget at Tuesday's meeting saying he "only got it 30 minutes ago" and would study it in preparation for a hearing scheduled for April 29 The municipal portion of a Parsippany property owner's tax bill accounts for only 24.6% of the total The largest share funds the public school system (61.9%) followed by Morris County taxes (9.4%) and levies for the fire district (2.2%) library (1.3%) and an open space preservation tax (.58%) A gathering of about 75 supporters filled the Lake Parsippany Clubhouse where Musella introduced former Planning Board Chairman Casey Parikh and John Bielen as the candidates on his ticket for two open seats on the council "Our campaign is dedicated to finally ending the cycle of over-taxation taxpayer-funded overdevelopment and to end local mismanagement once and for all," Musella said Barberio, Musella and the council candidates will face off in the June 10 Republican primary Democrats have yet to announce their candidates for this year's election Barberio and his council allies say the deals give builders incentives to knock down vacant office buildings in town and replace them with revenue-generating properties a business development professional involved in coaching local youth sports teams said the 2023 session was the "final straw" motivating him to get involved in local government spending get out of control and our voices get ignored as you guys saw last December." Barberio announced he would run with incumbent Frank Neglia and Jigar Shah the mayor's longtime appointed liaison to Parsippany's large Indian community Parikh also enjoys a high profile in the community which comprised 38% of Parsippany's 56,000 residents in the 2023 Census a retired engineer and former county planning board member said he lost his municipal planning board seat after unsuccessfully running for council with then-Councilman Robert Peluso against Barberio's primary ticket in 2017 "Parsippany used to be a town where residents always came first," Parikh said. "Now it's all about what is in the newspaper: ribbon-cutting backroom deals and pushing development that none of us want "The council approves everything he wants," Parikh said our taxes and utility charges are going up dismissing him as Barberio's "political pawn." "Can anyone tell me what [Shah] has done for our Indian community?" he said By far the largest municipality in Morris County by population Parsippany is also the only Morris town to employ a full-time mayor Barberio currently enjoys a 3-2 majority support on the council where Musella and Democrat Judy Hernandez frequently push back on his initiatives Barberio served two terms as mayor before losing to Democrat Michael Soriano in 2017, but he regained the office by beating Soriano in the 2021 election Musella was his running mate at that point Neglia a former Parsippany Board of Education president elected with Barberio and Musella in 2021 the two council elections will determine whether Barberio can keep his control of the council as well as his own office "I ran with Councilman Neglia and Mayor Barberio and we took out the previous Democratic administration on some simple promises Barberio responded to the challenger's remarks Tuesday morning "is unfit to be mayor because he abuses his power for his own personal benefit and offers no solution for Parsippany's future." as is the Morris County Republican Committee which denied Barberio an endorsement in 2021 The committee, led by county GOP Chairwoman Laura Ali, initially supported Musella's mayoral campaign when he announced last June. But Ali recently switched to Barberio's side and tried to broker a compromise between the two bitter rivals. Musella refused and pressed on with his bid to remove the incumbent from office for a second time "We are up against the machine," Musella said on Monday And I believe that our movement has found two other champions who are going to step forward." Board of Education member Andrew Choffo, a former critic of Barberio who introduced Musella at the councilman's mayoral campaign kickoff also recently abandoned Musella to back Barberio More: Parsippany demolished 2 million square feet of office space. Here's what will replace it along with board members Suzy Golderer and Tim Berrios were frequent speakers at council meetings over the past two years objecting to how revenues from the PILOT deals were paid directly to the town That's in contrast to the way traditional property tax payments are designated for the school system and Golderer voted off the board last year Berrios found himself a lone wolf at Musella's campaign event "Unfortunately I'm old enough to know how politics works He plans to help the Musella campaign as it progresses to the primary on June 10 "I like his message and I'm concerned about the overdevelopment," Berrios said "Right now the current administration is not willing to negotiate with the school board." Choffo defended his change of heart at Barberio's campaign kickoff in February "You may recognize me because in June of last year Choffo and Berrios have both stressed their comments on the campaign were made as private citizens Other Parsippany residents also stepped up at Monday's event to endorse the Musella ticket "I think we have had a number of issues come up in Parsippany," he said, citing the union-friendly "project labor agreements" and developer tax breaks approved under Barberio Those debates "have not been resolved to most of the residents' satisfaction but were in fact resolved to political satisfaction," Heller said "We need somebody who can see the other side of what's going on and care for the people first instead of big corporations," he told Musella's supporters and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department Chief Richard Pantina announce that James Wiegand has been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child in connection with alleged inappropriate online conversations with a 14-year-old student an administrator at Parsippany High School notified the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office of alleged inappropriate behavior by one of the school’s teachers is alleged to have sent sexual and suggestive messages to a student using Instagram during September 2024 through November 2024 Weigand has been subsequently suspended from his teaching position with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child Wiegand has been released under pre-trial supervision with the following conditions: pre-trial monitoring level 2 and no unsupervised contact with minor children He has a court date scheduled for April 21 Members of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit participated in this investigation If anyone has any information related to this investigation they are encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200 or the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department at 973-263-4300 A criminal complaint is merely an accusation this defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law Media inquiries concerning this press release should be directed to mknab@co.morris.nj.us Newsletter sign-up and archive An office building in Parsippany near the busy corridor along interstates 287 and 80 has been sold for $10.2 million said a Thursday announcement from real estate services firm CBRE BSD Investment Properties LLC in Lakewood is buying the site managing director of Red River Asset Management Parsippany is part of a larger central Morris County market known for its abundance of offices many of which sprang up in the suburbs during the 1980s a professor of urban planning and policy development at Rutgers in New Brunswick Much of that office space fell out of vogue even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hughes said, as younger talent flocked to urban centers. The pandemic only hastened that trend, and some suburban office space has been demolished to make way for other developments such as apartments or warehouses Another property, the third building in an office complex also near the intersection of 287 and 80 recently sold for an undisclosed amount to Cranford-based Signature Acquisitions BSD did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Its new site is a “Class B" office property typically older but functional and well-maintained The suburban offices most in demand are “Class A" offerings which would attract high-quality tenants,” said Jeffrey Otteau an Old Bridge-based real estate consultant “Class B and C are older suburban office buildings which are of the lowest quality and often not in very good condition,” he said Stern called Class B properties like the Cherry Hill Road site a “dying breed," given the rise of remote work options But the "plan was to make it the best B building in the submarket,” he said “We’re not getting Fortune 500 companies," Stern said "but if you’re a local business manager watching your pennies … you can get a really good product for a really good price.”  will continue to lease and manage the property Both Lincoln Property and Red River have “made a significant investment in upgrading the property” since the 2021 purchase The 80,000-square-foot building received several improvements recently and amenities including a “grab-n-go food service conference/training room and a smaller huddle room,” the CBRE statement said 60% of the space was recently converted to medical tenants In January, Lincoln Property announced that 299 Cherry Hill Road was 98% leased labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates So much for the age-old proverb “April showers bring May flowers.” with stronger storms expected in the evening in the locations shown in yellow.      After severe thunderstorms battered the East Coast the first half of the weekend separate rounds of rain are in store for the next few days Rain chances will increase in the afternoon on Sunday as showers work back into the region from the west with stronger storms expected in the evening in the locations shown in yellow in the image above Widespread periods of rain are predicted for Sunday night There could be more scattered storms in the afternoon and evening on both Monday and Tuesday While pop-up showers cannot be ruled out on Wednesday it should be mainly dry with a mix of clouds and sun Morris County's biggest school district will be looking for its second new leader in as many years in 2025 Parsippany-Troy Hills Superintendent Robert Sutter plans to retire on July 1 The former assistant superintendent was elevated to the top spot in 2023 to replace departing Superintendent Barbara Sargent "It has been a privilege to be a part of this educational community and to work alongside such a talented team of professionals throughout the district," Sutter I believe the district has flourished," he wrote and I know the district will continue to thrive for many years to come." School board President Andrew Choffo said a process to find a new superintendent would begin in January. Parsippany currently serves about 7,200 students, on a district budget of $182 million Sutter began his career as an elementary teacher in Paterson before arriving in Boonton where he served as an assistant high school principal and elementary and middle school principal He later worked as the chief school administrator of the Lebanon Borough School District before coming to Parsippany in 2016 The announcement comes as updated results from the Nov 5 election show a shift in the contest for three seats on the Parsippany Board of Education incumbent Sheethal Abraham has pulled ahead in the race for the final spot putting her 22 votes ahead of fellow incumbent Susy Golderer a former board member who lost his seat in 2023 Mayor James Barberio officially kicked off his bid for re-election at a campaign event Wednesday night at the Knoll East What remains to be seen is the outcome of what appears to be a battle royale between the incumbent and his frequent foil over the past three years − first-term Councilman Justin Musella − leading into the June Republican primary Speaking before a standing-room-only crowd of supporters and Morris County Republican leaders at the municipally-owned Knoll East Golf Club Bar and Grill I'm overwhelmed in my heart right now with everybody that is here," Barberio said I have a pretty long speech that I'm going to cut short because I don't know if I can get through it." He also announced his ticket on a ballot that includes two council seats: Frank Neglia who Barberio appointed during his first term as the mayor's liaison to the large Indian community in town The mayor touted his roots − he grew up in town − and his experience as reasons why he deserves another four years "[Voters in 2017] took a chance electing someone with no experience who was incompetent and couldn't run the town," said Barberio of Michael Soriano because I'm running against somebody very similar right now." Musella reacted to Barberio's announcement saying he had expected it would be "just Mayor Baberio screwing the taxpayers once again with more Inglesino-led PILOTs at the expense of our residents and schools." Musella was referring to the controversial former township attorney John Inglesino whose perceived influence during Barberio's first two terms in office became a campaign issue that followed the mayor in 2017 a former Rockaway Township mayor and Morris County Freeholder (now Commissioner) is also a prominent land-use attorney who represents several of the developers who obtained PILOTs from Barberio and a supportive council majority that includes Neglia and Matt McGrath Inglesino was among the GOP VIPs in an audience that included Assemblymen Jay Webber and Brian Bergen who represent Parsippany in the 26th District Sheriff James Gannon and the entire county Commisioner Board "You have seven commissioners here," Commissioner Director Tyfun Selen said "You don't get seven commissioners at commissioner meetings!" Perhaps the most surprising guest speaker was Parsippany Board of Education Vice President Andrew Choffo, who previously clashed with Barberio at public meetings while serving as board president. Choffo also introduced Musella, 33, when the councilman held his own campaign kickoff in June "The one thing I can say about Mayor Barberio He will solve the problems that confront Parsippany." Barberio has also found a new supporter in Morris County Republican Chair Laura Ali dismissing Barberio as "the highest-paid and least-qualified mayor in Morris County." and I strongly believe a united front is essential for ensuring Republican success in the general election," Ali wrote in a letter to the candidates Musella responded to Ali's offer by saying: "Our campaign to end the cycle of corruption No other candidates have filed for mayor or the two open council positions on the ballot this year said to expect her party to announce an election slate soon and only one of two GOP elected to the office in nearly half a century Republican Frank Priore was removed from office after 12 years following his conviction on mail fraud Priore was preceded by Democrat Jack Fahy, who served from 1974 to 1982, when Priore unseated him. Fahy succeeded Democrat Henry Luther 2025 at 11:00 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}This June the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will welcome back its annual farmers market and so is the reopening of the annual Parsippany Farmers Market—though this year The township revived the farmers market concept in 2023 after several attempts over the years to establish a weekly market for residents to purchase locally grown and raised products from New Jersey farms and specialty vendors The latest iteration of the weekly market has quickly gained popularity among residents and is returning for its third year in partnership with the Township of Parsippany revealed that the Parsippany Farmers Market will kick off in June providing an exciting weekend destination for families “We are thrilled to bring this amazing new market to Parsippany,” said Jenn Perkel “This is more than a place to shop—it’s a space to celebrate community and create a community hub to meet with friends and family.” The last two versions of the farmers market were organized by Megabyte Events the revamped market will feature a curated selection of farm-fresh produce Shoppers can look forward to everything from fresh fruits and vegetables and small-batch baked goods to handcrafted soaps seasonal activities and occasional themed events all designed to foster a fun and welcoming atmosphere Local nonprofit organizations and community groups will also be invited to participate making the market a true reflection of Parsippany’s vibrant and diverse community spirit Vendors interested in participating are encouraged to visit www.hearhereevents.com to learn more and apply Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses looking to support the market and connect with the local community 2025 at 2:06 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Parsippany community members are encouraged to attend and offer feedback on the budget at the next budget meeting NJ — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education approved a tentative budget proposing 14 cuts to staff positions for the 2025-2026 school year on Thursday Board members and attendees discussed the impact of staffing decisions and budget constraints on educational programming and staff positions a 21 percent increase is attributed to charter schools which are not bound by the same funding caps as traditional schools "We've heard from the township during all these PILOT agreements [that] the school district gets every penny that we ask for," a board member said in the meeting we are obviously very limited in the dollars we can ask for and those dollars do not cover - they cover just barely the health increase let alone the increase in everything else." "Nobody wants increased taxes," the board member added The administration proposed using the below sources of revenue to help balance the budget: The budget includes an anticipated revenue for the upcoming school year of $25,644,350 which will come from state aid and local revenues The amount estimated to be raised through taxes is $161,985,350 The average home property in Parsippany valued at $314,365 will pay $6,859.42 in 2025 The board is proposing budget cuts by eliminating the following positions: "We made what we think it is the best of the worst decisions that we could make," said Superintendent Robert Sutter "And it's just unfortunate but we cannot continue down this path with a 2 percent tax levy The next step before the budget hearing scheduled for April 24 will be to submit the proposed budget to the Executive County Superintendent for approval The April 24 budget meeting will be held at Parsippany Hills High School