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206,000 sq. ft. industrial building to be developed at South Lot property along Market Street

The Marcal Property along Market Street in Elmwood Park, a fixture in the community for nearly a century, will soon be transformed.

The 11.87-acre property along Market Street was acquired from Marcal and a site plan has been approved by the borough, according to a Monday announcement from Crow Holdings Development, which plans to break ground this summer.

The Marcal property is home to an iconic business that has created careers for thousands for many years. In 2019, a fire devastated a part of the site, and this redevelopment is expected to benefit the area in significant ways.

The redevelopment project is expected to generate a significant economic stimulus to the local and state economies. The impacts of the redevelopment project in the construction phase include a $34 million impact for Bergen County and $38 million economic impact for the state of New Jersey, along with 140 direct temporary jobs.

Ongoing operations of the facility following construction are expected to produce an estimated $28 million annually in economic impact in New Jersey and support 240 full-time equivalent jobs, and approximately $630,000 in new property taxes to the borough of Elmwood Park, Elmwood Park School District and Bergen County.

Crow Holdings worked together with the borough on the proposed project and incorporated significant design input for a proposed 206,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art industrial building.

An affiliate of Atlas Holdings, the majority shareholder of Marcal, will also be investing in the project, alongside Crow Holdings Development. The investment demonstrates Atlas’ continued commitment to the region and enthusiasm for the planned revitalization of this iconic location.

“Marcal is thrilled that Crow Holdings Development will be transforming this parcel of land into a new gem for our borough, our county and our state. The property to be revitalized sits vacant today, and thus is not benefitting Elmwood Park or Bergen County in any way. Via this partnership with the borough and Crow Holdings Development, we have taken the necessary step to change that,” Rob Baron, CEO and president of Marcal Paper, said.

“Crow Holdings Development is rooted in the spirit of partnership, and we have been proud to work closely with Marcal, the community, and so many stakeholders to help redevelop this iconic site,” Clark Machemer, Crow Holdings Development’s senior managing director for the Northeast Region, said. “We recognize and appreciate the history of this site, and we look forward to bringing new economic activity to such a highly visible, prime location.”

“The planned development for the unused Marcal parcel should be a win across the board. The greater Elmwood Park community could see economic growth, the protection of existing jobs, and the creation of new jobs,” U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-9th Dist.) said. “We were all shaken by the tragic fire at Marcal and the fact that the company has been able to reopen at all is so welcomed. I am pleased to have engaged closely with the borough, Marcal and our neighbors and workers to make sure that we delivered another positive result for our entire community.”

Crow Holdings Development has tapped Rob Kossar, David Knee, Chris Hile, Ignatius Armenia, and Ryan Milanaik of Jones Lang LaSalle to lease the space.

Marcal Paper and a real estate developer said Tuesday they plan to build a multimillion dollar industrial building on the Bergen County site where the paper factory was destroyed in a massive fire three years ago.

The paper company and Crow Holdings Development announced plans to construct a 206,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art distribution facility on a portion of the Marcal property along Market Street in Elmwood Park. The site is located off Route 80, near Exit 61.

The construction phase of the project is expected to generate $34 million in revenue for the county and another $38 million for New Jersey, along with 140 temporary jobs, Crow said in a statement.

Following construction, operations at the new facility will result in an economic impact of about $28 million a year in the state, generate 240 full-time jobs, and result in about $630,000 in new property taxes to the borough, its school district and the county, the statements said.

The historic paper factory went up in flames about 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2019. Fueled by whipping winds, the plant quickly turned into an inferno – even as firefighters from 50 companies worked to extinguish the blaze.

The blaze, which began in the northeastern-most building on the property where large rolls of paper were stored, destroyed 31 of 36 buildings.

The plant employed about 500 workers. About 200 people were on the premises when the blaze began and everyone got out safely, officials said.

Hundreds of people were out of work following the fire, and a job fair was held at Bergen County Community College to help workers find new employment.

NorthJersey.com reported the new facility will cost $90 million to $100 million and take up to 18 months to build. Crow Holdings said it had acquired the 11.87-acre site from Marcal and received site plan approval from Elmwood Park.

An affiliate of Atlas Holdings, the majority shareholder of Marcal, will invest in the project with Crow Holdings, the real estate developer said.

“We recognize and appreciate the history of this site, and we look forward to bringing new economic activity to such a highly visible, prime location,” Clark Machemer, Crow Holdings Development’s senior managing director for the Northeast, said in a statement.

Elmwood Park Mayor Robert Colletti called Marcal “a fixture in our community for nearly a century.”

“(The property) was home to an iconic business that has created careers for thousands and economic impact that is widely felt,” Colletti said in a statement.

Colletti said the borough has been working closely with Crow Holdings with its development plans. The ground breaking for the project is scheduled for this summer.

Happy first day of summer! The solstice officially occurred at 5:13 a.m. Tuesday morning, the moment when Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun. It is the "longest day of the year," with over 15 hours of daylight. And, of course, it's all downhill from here until the Winter Solstice in December.

There are two big weather headlines to discuss.

First, a serious wildfire continues to burn in the Wharton State Forest of Burlington County. A wind shift will blow smoke toward more of New Jersey.

Second, a slow-moving storm system means a return to unsettled weather is expected for the next two to three days. That means raindrops, clouds, humidity, and cooler temperatures.

I will say that the forecast for the weekend is looking better, brighter, drier, warmer, and more summer-ish.

You may be able to dodge raindrops for most of the day. And if that's the case, it won't be a bad start to summer at all.

Skies will be mostly cloudy throughout Tuesday. And a few passing showers will travel through the state starting from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. That rain then looks to become steadier and more widespread from mid-afternoon through Tuesday evening.

High temperatures should reach about 75 to 80 degrees. Sure it's below-normal and cooler than the last few days. But it should be a comfortably warm day. (I love me some 70s.)

With pockets of rain likely Tuesday evening and overnight. I think the majority of New Jersey will get wet.

Humidity levels will also be on the rise Tuesday, as a southerly breeze transports moisture and pushes dew points into the 60s.

Of course, rain and higher humidity are pieces of good news for firefighters in the Wharton State Forest in Burlington County. The shift in wind direction from northerly to southerly is not though, blowing smoke in the opposite direction. That means South Jersey gets a fresh of fresh air, while most of New Jersey may now experience a smoky smell, hazy sky, poor air quality, and colorful sunrises/sunsets.

Overall, not a great day. Pretty "blah" really. With that storm system still crawling through the area, New Jersey will fall under the influence of a marine air mass. That will keep our weather cloudy, drizzling, and cool. I expect most high temperatures will be stuck at or below 70 degrees.

However, along the western edge of the state, there is a chance for some sun. That would have the effect of 1.) bumping temperatures closer to 80 degrees, and 2.) cooking the atmosphere, raising concerns for severe weather.

Eventually, a front will roll in from the west, sweeping in a band of steady to heavy rain and potential thunderstorms. Wednesday night is probably going to be the wettest period of the week. And there could be some gusty thunderstorms and flooding downpours to watch out for. Some rainfall totals may exceed an inch. (The Euro model actually pumps out 2 to 3+ inches of rain through Wednesday night, which seems unreasonable.)

Thursday will start with rain, probably through about mid-morning. Then, as that pesky storm system finally departs, hopefully we'll see partial clearing through the afternoon. It's not a guarantee, but I'm optimistic about the brighter, drier skies.

High temperatures will depend largely on how much clearing we see. Breaks of sun? Upper 70s. Socked in by clouds and showers? Lower 70s.

If all goes well, we'll begin a pattern of warm, summer-ish days on Friday. Under partly sunny skies, high temperatures should spike toward 80 degrees. I can't completely rule out a shower at some point, but Friday's forecast does look primarily dry.

In Monday's weather blog, I raised concerns about the aforementioned storm system getting "stuck" and spitting clouds, showers, and on-shore breezes toward New Jersey through the weekend. But the latest guidance suggests that disturbance will be far enough away to be a non-issue.

Our latest forecast shows mixed periods of sun and clouds for both Saturday and Sunday, with seasonable, summer-ish high temperatures in the 80s. Humidity levels will be moderate — noticeable, but not tropical.

Next cold front is progged for Monday the 27th, ushering in rain and then somewhat cooler, drier air for the final few days of June.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.

FAIR LAWN, NJ - VFW Post 281 and neighboring Elmwood Park's VFW have merged, renaming the new post after their longtime commander William J. Mulligan, who passed away after serving as commander for more than 30 years.

"Two great VFW posts become one," David G. Boone, Commander of the William J. Mulligan VFW Post 281, said.

Fair Lawn Memorial VFW Post 281 was formed in March of 1940, Boone said of the post's long history. "This was an important time in U.S. and world history."

East Paterson VFW Post 5084 was formed five years later at the end of WW II.

"Both of these Veterans of Foreign Wars posts have had countless numbers of men and women pass through their doors throughout the years and have both selflessly served the communities they represented," Boone said.

East Paterson VFW Post 5084 changed its name a couple of times as East Paterson became Elmwood Park and later as they decided to rename the post after their longtime commander, William J. Mulligan, passed.

Covid has presented challenges to every part of our society and our veterans organizations are no different, Boone said. The Fair Lawn post was closed, but still serving, for a little over a year and the Elmwood Park post struggled to reopen and then closed once again because Veterans were needed in order to keep it going.

Fair Lawn and Elmwood Park leaders feared the worst with declining and aging memberships, but hope was on the horizon. Fair Lawn VFW Post 281 had been meeting in the building they sold to the Cosmos Club years ago, but decided to move to the American Legion building in Fair Lawn this past year.

"Consolidating the veterans organizations together in the same building seemed like a great idea," Boone said. "And it was."

Boone, the Commander of Fair Lawn VFW Post 281, was at a district meeting when he was approached by District VFW leaders who floated the idea of merging with the Elmwood Park post. After discussions with district leaders, the commander of Elmwood Park's post and votes at both posts, a new Post was created.

The new Veterans of Foreign Wars post would become the William J. Mulligan VFW Post 281. The name reflects the history of both VFW Posts and the membership is re-energized about the prospects of serving two towns, Fair Lawn and Elmwood Park.

The VFW post has already announced senior scholarships in both boroughs, has made a sizable donation to the Fair Lawn High School Veterans memorial, being built, and also to the Elmwood Park Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is in the planning stages right now.

"Breathing new life into our two veterans organizations and gaining a new vision for service to veterans and our communities has certainly brought us back to where we always want to be," Boone said.

Remember The Twisted Elm in Elmwood Park, one of New Jersey's first gastropubs that abruptly shuttered in 2019?

You won't recognize the restaurant that is set to take its place next month.

So said Ray Tarantula, one of the owners and chefs of Three Chefs Steakhouse, a family-friendly steakhouse that will replace the beloved gastropub, famous for its craft beer, cocktails and pub grub, sometime this November. It is BYOB.

Yes, BYOB.

"I didn't feel we had to have a liquor license to be successful," said Tarantula .

Tarantula said he knows that from experience. For four years, Tarantula, who had worked for years in his family's wholesale meat company in Union City, had owned Zolia's Kitchen, a BYOB pizzeria and Italian Kitchen in Garfield, before COVID-19 "changed history" and caused its demise nearly a year ago. Zolia's customers, he said, "enjoyed bringing a bottle of wine with them. I wanted to focus on the food and service."

The bar has been ripped out of the space. In its place are banquettes. The floors have been scraped and freshly stained. Walls have been painted. The roof repaired. And the tables will wear tablecloths underneath glass covers.

"It's a beautiful restaurant," Tarantula said.

The restaurant will serve wet-aged steaks (the meat is tenderized by vacuum sealing) as opposed to dry-aged steaks (meat is hung in open air that is near freezing). Tarantula insists that neither method is superior. "It's a matter of taste," he said. "I happen to prefer wet ageing."

The restaurant however will not be a strict steakhouse but "definitely a hybrid," Tarantula said. "It's a steakhouse that's also Italian and Latin. We want to provide choices for everyone."

In addition to a wide selection of steaks from filet mignon to prime beef to Kobe hamburger, the restaurant will offer pasta, classic Italian veal and chicken dishes and Latin dishes including ropa vieja, mofongo and churrasco.

Tarantula will be joined in the kitchen by chef Amado Guzman and Zoila Almonte, ergo the name Three Chefs Steakhouse.

Tarantula said he hasn't ruled out having a liquor license down the road. "No one knows what the future holds," he said.

The Twisted Elm, which opened in 2011, closed abruptly in June 2019 reportedly because of issues with the landlord. Its executive chef David "Davey" Morales along with one of its bartenders, Vincent "Vinny" Botti, recently began selling DM Sauces, barbecue sauces Morales used at the pub. They are available online and at several stores including Whole Foods Market in Paramus and Closer.

Three Chefs Steakhouse is at 435 River Drive, Elmwood Park.

Esther Davidowitz is the food editor for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.