W. RAYMOND OLLWERTHER
Executive Editor

CHARLES PAOLINO
Managing Editor

KATHLEEN C. SHINE
Advertising Director

STEVE TODD
Circulation Director

PHILIP HARTMAN
Editorial Page Editor

Milltown developer
has his heart in project

Location, location, location. In real estate that oft-repeated rule of thumb refers to a property's proximity to other objects that make it more valuble, be it a great neighborhood, a charming downtown, or perhaps a stunning view. Milltown's 20-acre Ford Avenue industrial site can boast of all those advantages, but its location is blessed in another sense as well: it is close to the heart of Omar Boraie, the man who will redevelop the site. That, on it's own, seems a bonus.

Boraie's name is well-known in nearby New Brunswick, where it is attached to redevelopment sites sprinkled about the center of the city. But in Milltown, he is simply Omar Boraie, resident. Sure, he's recognized as one of the borough's most accomplished businessman, but his work and home have never mixed. Until now. The results could be something special.

Boraie was chosen this month by the Ford Avenue Redevelopment Agency to transform the borough's former Michelin tire plant into a commercial plaza worthy of being the tiny community's economic and maybe even social hub.

Boraie's fondness for his neighborhood and the project is evident: "I will bring the personal touch and the care because it's my town. We won't build it and then walk away from it. It's something my kids and my grandchildren will be proud of. It's something I want all 7,000 residents of Milltown to be proud of."

Judging by the blueprints, they will be.

Boraie's plan is a cozy mix of age-restricted and single family housing, retail shops, offices, a pedestrainian square, a restaurant near the corner of Ford Avenue and Main Street, and plant buildings preserved for their historic significance -- all overlooking the splendorous Mill Pond -- a walker's and shopper's paradise.

But hurdles remain. The land is owned by Lawrence Berger, whom borough officials say has been reluctant to sell. If Berger won't change his mind, a lengthy and expensive condemnation of the property may be the only resort. If it is, so be it.

Milltown needs to replace the eyesore of the crumbling plant, energize its downtown and give residents -- as well as visitors -- a place to be drawn to and gather. Boraie's plan accomplishes all that.

The borough couldn't have picked a better man for the job.