Is locating Merill Lynch's office complex in sleepy Hopewell Township, N.J. smart growth or has it irreversibly damaged the town's rural character?
"It's easy to picture how the Merrill Lynch project redefined the debate about sprawl in New Jersey, spurring former Gov. Christie Whitman -- whose administration provided millions in incentives to entice Merrill Lynch to Hopewell Township -- to reverse course, making the complex the rallying point for efforts to control development.But when the Hopewell Township Planning Board unanimously approved the project in 1998, its members were reflecting a sentiment that had prevailed during the recent lean economic times. Large corporate neighbors were considered the salvation of residents suffocating under high property taxes."
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: Merrill Lynch: Smart growth vs. sprawl
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