The National Hotel

[frenchtowner]

Szot,

I think you misunderstood me on the SID or special tax zone. The only people that pay the higher taxes for the betterment of the zone are the property owners of buildings and land in the zone. I think also it is important to note that this is a type of taxation that allows the taxpayer to see very clearly what his or her taxes are paying for.

FT

[szot]

Hi Frenchtowner, I am sorry I misunderstood you about the tax zone. I still think that is a really hard-sell. I am flabbergasted that none of the business owners seem to care about this. Doesn't this type of thing hurt their business? It seems to me that they just don't care. This kind of thing would never be tolerated in a mall or shopping center. Ranee is also right about this as far as the town goes. What are they doing to make things better. Do they not care either?

In terms of the need to push for solutions in this forum, maybe the best thing to do is to start a petition to send to the owner of the building, the businesses, to Mayor Sworen, the town council and the Zoning Board. Would anybody be willing to sign it? Does Anybody Care?

[Wilma]

The hotel closing is one of the worst things that has ever happened to this town. I pray that someone can round up enough money to put this place back in business. It is a disgrace. Frenchtown needs some new blood and new energy to bring it back to life.

Wilma

[frenchtowner]

Wilma,

When we first moved here more than a decade ago, the town was full of empty storefronts and it felt like town could only go up from there, well it did, but now it seems that it has fallen back further than it has ever been. On the brighter side of things, I know that there are people who desperately want to buy the place and return it to life. I have heard that there are investors that are looking at buying it as a centerpiece of a larger plan for town too.

With this eyesore in town it was good to see some business owners, tenants and residents sprucing up their storefronts and buildings and gardens this week to make things look better downtown.

Frenchtowner

[szot]

Frenchtowner, I wish these people that are interested in buying the hotel would just go ahead and do it. I can't believe it is just sitting there and that nobody cares. If I had the money, I would buy it myself.

[LanasCountry]

I don't live in NJ but I am very sad that this lovely place, and piece of history
to your lovely town is being allowed 'to go back to the dust'. I hope that someone
with a bit of money and a huge dream will buy and restore it to what it should be.

[Wilma]

LanasCountry, you said,

bit of money and a huge dream

At this point, I think we will settle for someone with huge money and a bit of a dream.

[LanasCountry]

I agree Wilma..It will take BIG bucks to do it then?
I am sure you folks have some sort of preservation or historical
group there? That is all that saved a few of the beautiful old
store fronts and houses in our very tiny (and rather poor)
mountain town.

[frenchtowner]

Lana,

Unfortunately, we do not have a historical society in Frenchtown. There is a local woman that wrote a book on the history of our town that showed no interest a few years ago when she was asked if she wanted to help with the formation of a such a group. It seems that nobody really cares about what's going on right now. It is really very, very sad.

SB

[LanasCountry]

Just a idea..(I am sure you may have covered, and if so sawwy) You folks here
could get the idea started..How does your town do with fund-raisers? That is the
only thing that saved us in our town..Seems everyone loves fund-raisers, from girl
scouts, to band staff, to the little family down the road who's home burned..People
here REALLY get in to it! They will always give something, even if they do not have
much.