Newark Residents Upset Over Fast Food Restaurants Coming To New Development
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents who live near a major development set to open this fall in Newark are up in arms over plans to include fast food restaurants.
Residents were originally told that family-friendly sit-down restaurants would be part of the Springfield Avenue Marketplace, according to Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins.
It turns out Popeye's, Taco Bell and McDonald's will be setting up shop instead at the developing apartment and retail space in the city's Central Ward.
Controversy Over Plan To Include Fast Food Restaurants At New Newark Development
"They were absolutely blindsided," Jenkins said.
The community is fighting to make sure the fast food restaurants are not allowed to be open 24 hours a day over health and congestion concerns.
"Not one french fry will be sold in any of those establishments if they open it for 24 hours. We have a contingency plan. We have the community already engaged," Jenkins said. "This can be amicable or it can be a long-term relationship of mistrust."
Jenkins said they're not opposed to fast food restaurants; they just want the community to have more options.
She suggested a bookstore or coffee shop for the remaining retail space.
