Business

Mike Virdi hated his commute into New York City, so he decided to do something about it. For decades, Virdi said, he either had to take a “long, slow bus ride” to his job in New York City, or else “drive 20 minutes to the train station, pay for parking and then get on the train for an hour.” Moving …

A plan that would replace nearly 200 trees along the Hamilton Street Business District corridor is under review by the township Shade Tree Commission. One aspect of the plan did cause some concern among members at their July 28 meeting: Planting the same species of tree in one of the several sectors along Hamilton Street. The plan divides the corridor into …

A proposed mixed-use building on Hamilton Street was rejected by the Planning Board at its July meeting, prompting a thinly veiled threat of a lawsuit by the project’s attorney. Board members were upset that the developer, 745 Hamilton Street LLC, did not provide members with a report on how the site’s stormwater would be managed. That was the only piece of …

The New Jersey Bankers Association’s Public Relations and Marketing Committee has selected Regal Bank to receive a Silver Award in the NJBankers 2015 Community Service Award Program. Regal Bank has a branch in Franklin on Elizabeth Avenue. NJBankers members submitted entries based on projects and activities provided to communities throughout the state in 2015. The committee asked several members of …

Township residents now don’t have to leave Franklin to get their party supplies. A Piscataway family has opened Party On in Cedar Grove Plaza on Cedar Grove Lane. Owned by members of the Sharp family, the store – dedicated solely to party supplies – is the result of a long-held dream of Kelly Sharp and her father, Stephen. “My father …

Somerset Woods Rehabilitation and Nursing Center celebrated its grand opening June 29 with food, music and the traditional ribbon cutting. The center, located at 780 Old New Brunswick Rd., offers three floors of private and semiprivate rooms, skilled nursing care and a full range of rehab services provided by Kessler Rehabilitation. The grand opening was a way to “show our nursing …

Boosting the township as a tourist destination was on the minds of township officials June 17 as they took a group of hoteliers on a tour of Franklin. The group – comprised of representatives from hotels within and without the township – was taken to spots that could be attractive to hotel guests, such as the Rudolf W. van der Goot …

The Franklin Youth Initiative program has received a $10,000 grant from Investors Bank. The grant was acknowledged at the June 14 Township Council meeting with a commendation to Investors’ vice president and Somerset branch manager Michael Harris, and a presentation by Harris of a ceremonial check. The bank has given the program $70,000 in the last seven years, said Township …

A pair of Florida-based doctors traveling cross-country with a health message for men stopped off June 12 at the newest Anytime Fitness location on Elizabeth Avenue. The message they brought was for men to “drop their excuses,” see their doctors and follow healthy lifestyles. That message resonated personally with Daniella Harris, the owner of the Anytime Fitness franchise, who made ensuring …

Hundreds of trees along Hamilton Street would be uprooted and replaced under a preliminary plan endorsed June 6 by the Hamilton Street Advisory Board. Under the plan, trees currently lining the street would be removed and replaced with one of four suggested species. This would allow for “uniformity” of trees along the corridor, and would also reduce the risk of a mass …