For 18 years, the old A&P/Foodtown building on Westfield Avenue has been abandoned, rotting away and hurting our town. In 2019, Mayor Sal Bonaccorso assured the people of Clark that this eyesore would be developed, yet here we are in 2024, and absolutely nothing has happened. Not only does this empty building make our downtown area look awful, but it’s also dangerous. The mayor and town council have failed us, and it’s time we held them accountable.
A Long History of Empty Promises
The A&P/Foodtown has been sitting vacant since 2005. That’s 18 years of missed opportunities. Eighteen years of looking at a crumbling building instead of new businesses that could have brought jobs and money into Clark. This abandoned building could have been turned into shops, restaurants, or offices. Instead, it’s been left to decay while the town council and mayor keep making empty promises. In 2019, Mayor Bonaccorso sat in Clark Town Council Meeting and declared that “the old A&P site is a go”. Well, what happened? Absolutely nothing. It’s 2024, and that same building is still sitting there, empty and falling apart.
A mayor has the power to take action on abandoned buildings like this one. Instead of using his power to make sure the A&P/Foodtown site was cleaned up and redeveloped, the mayor has let it sit there and become a bigger problem every year. The town council is just as guilty. They’ve sat by and watched, doing nothing to fix the situation.
What kind of leadership is that?
A Missed Opportunity for Clark
This isn’t just about an ugly building. It’s about what could have been. Imagine if that site had been turned into new stores or restaurants. Imagine the jobs it could have created for local people. Imagine the money that could have flowed into our community. Instead, we’re stuck with a dangerous, decaying building that brings down the value of the entire area.
When businesses look at Clark and see this mess, they don’t want to invest in our town. This is what happens when leaders don’t do their jobs.
Our town deserves better. We need leaders who will keep their promises and act when they say they will. The people of Clark have waited long enough. It’s time to demand accountability from the mayor and town council. If they can’t get the job done, then we need to find leaders who can. The abandoned A&P/Foodtown isn’t just a symbol of bad leadership; it’s a danger to our community. It’s an eyesore that’s been hurting Clark for 18 years. And it’s time for the people in charge to fix it—or get out of the way.
Read more at:
