BRIDGETON — City leaders are debating how to go about bringing someone in to take over Angie’s Diner, which has sat vacant since it was set on fire by its owners for insurance money in 2012.
During Bridgeton City Council’s work session meeting on Feb. 7, councilmembers debated including a resolution on its meeting agenda that would put out a request for proposals for some someone to take over the establishment — located on Broad Street along the Cohansey River. The resolution was taken off the agenda before the meeting.
According to two councilmen — Mike Zapolski and Bill Spence — the request for proposals was too vague and did not specify that they want the new owners to make it a diner again.
“A diner is a diner is a diner,” Spence said. “If it’s to be made whole again make it a diner.”
According to Zapolski, his concern was that, once someone moves in, they wouldn’t be able to make any changes because the building is on the national and state Register of Historic Places. Because of its historic designation, any changes to the diner would have to be approved by the city’s Historic Commission — which is missing a member to be at full strength.
“I felt it was inappropriate to lead someone into the possibility to think they can do something with the building only to have someone come to the barrier that they can’t move forward because there isn’t a Historic Commission to take the application to,” Zapolski said.
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According to Mayor Albert Kelly, the resolution could have gone forward while the city searched for Historical Commission members.
“We are willing to work with anybody who wants to develop the property so we can have it back for some kind of official use,” Kelly said.
According to Business Administrator Stephanie Bush-Baskette, the resolution is expected to return to the agenda during an upcoming meeting and the mayor is actively searching for commission members.
Bridgeton owns Angie’s Bridgeton Grill, which is a Silk City-style diner that was built in 1939. Angelina “Angie” Perry was the longtime owner of the diner until Cedarville couple Andrew and Brenda Webster bought the diner in March 2012. On Oct. 24, 2012, the couple used newspapers, paper menus and and gasoline to set the diner on fire hoping to collect insurance money. Brenda Webster burned herself during the incident.
The Websters pleaded guilty to the arson in 2015. Andrew Webster was sentenced to 20 months in prison and Brenda Webster was sentenced to three years of probation on Oct. 24, 2016.
Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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