Keyport looking for a few good developers Boro to accept requests for qualifications for Aeromarine site BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer FILE PHOTO The Aeromarine property, located on the Raritan Bay in Keyport, the subject of several lawsuits and the focus of redevelopment plans in the borough. KEYPORT - Anyone interested in developing Aeromarine? On Sept. 18 the borough authorized an advertisement for the acceptance of requests for qualifications to develop the 62- acre parcel. A former dump that now leaches into Raritan Bay, the property was once home to the Aeromarine Plane & Motor Co. during World War I. So how does a request for qualifications (RFQ) differ from a request for proposals (RFP)? "They're looking for qualified developers who would be interested in proposals," said Gordon Litwin, the borough's special litigation attorney. "After they sort that out - hopefully they'll get a few people - then they define the proposal, keeping in mind the redevelopment plan." The borough's redevelopment plan for Aeromarine, completed in 2005, calls for up to 310 housing units to be built on the site, as well as restaurants and other commercial space. The landfill would be condensed from a reported 50 acres to approximately 16 acres, capped and later used as recreational fields. Along with the special plan, Aeromarine is now considered an "area in need of redevelopment," a special title that allows the borough to handpick a developer. But considering Aeromarine is private property, what say does its owner have in the process? Recently, rumors have circulated that Century Land Group LLC, the contract owner of the property for several years, is no longer interested in the property. According to Mayor Robert Bergen, the borough's tax records still show Bushwick Reality Corp. and Bayridge Reality Corp. as owners of the property. On Monday, Mark S. Bellin, the main principal of Century Land Group, had no comment on the topic, saying he was not authorized to speak on the matter. Bergen was also mum on the topic. "Because of still-pending litigation, I won't comment on Mark Bellin's interest in the property," Bergen said. Bellin, who proposed building approximately 500 units on the site in 2005, also filed three lawsuits against the borough that same year. In general, the first suit alleges the borough made inappropriate zoning changes to the site, impeding Century Land Group's right to build multifamily housing. The second lawsuit states the company's civil rights were violated when the borough barred the company from speaking in a public building. The third suit alleges the borough acted inappropriately when it refused to hear the company's request for a use variance to build the multifamily housing. "But the request for qualifications doesn't mean he can't participate in the process," Bergen said. According to Litwin, the borough has won at least one of the suits. "The borough was successful in having [Superior Court Judge Alexander Lehrer] determine it was properly declared an area in need of redevelopment," Litwin said. Litwin noted that the second and third lawsuits, cases that challenge the borough's redevelopment plan and allege civil rights violations, have not moved in some time. "The other two parts are pending," Litwin said. "The other side has taken no steps." As mayor, Bergen envisions the future of Aeromarine as a place that can be enjoyed by the entire town. The town's redevelopment plan calls for a large amount of open space, Bergen said, and easy public access to the waterfront. In addition to housing and commercial components, the mayor said he is excited about the idea of building an artisan colony on the site, a place where craftsmen such as woodworkers and boat builders will be able to live and work. "There's a lot of unique opportunities," Bergen said. He added, "It's really an interesting component for that plan."