Vic DeLuca, center, stands with members of the township committee and movie theater owners, Tony and Vincent Loffredo. The group had gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the theater, which will be undergoing renovations before reopening. Photo by Rocco Ungaro
Victor DeLuca was elected mayor at the township reorganization meeting on New Year’s Day.
The mayor is chosen by a vote of the township committee and this will be DeLuca’s third time serving as mayor. He takes over from Nancy Adams, who has served in that position for the last two years.
Jane Collins-Colding was sworn into a seat on the committee, replacing Deborah Engel, who did not seek reelection and whose term expired Dec. 31.
DeLuca gave a state of the township address during the meeting, citing statistics from the past year and pointing to goals for the future.
He made note of the recently announced plan to renovate and reopen the movie theater and said the bank building on Maplewood Avenue is the next target.
“Now the focus shifts to the former bank property. In the next months, we will finalize the redevelopment plan, which will clearly state that the original bank building cannot be demolished,” DeLuca said. “New housing development will occur behind the front building and 20% of the apartments built will meet state affordability standards.”
Following are other noteworthy details from the speech.
• There were nearly 250 single-family homes sold last year and the average days on the market was 18. This compares to 32 days on the market for all of Essex County.
• In 2025, the township issued 1,800 building permits, representing more than $31 million in construction costs.
• The Ingerman Company, a multi-family housing developer, plans to build 48 affordable apartments off Boyden Avenue.
• Over the first 10 months of 2025, overall crime fell by 33% in Maplewood. Aggravated assaults were down 80%; burglary down 71%; theft down 26% and auto theft down 33%.
• The township issued 4,600 overnight parking tickets and 3,200 other parking tickets in 2025.
• The Health Department is moving to 129 Boyden Ave. in 2026.
• The Engineering Department paved 1.3 miles of Springfield Avenue and another 1.6 miles of township roads.
• The Department of Public Works repaired more than 750 potholes.
• This year, the Township Committee will consider installing dedicated bike lanes on Dunnell Road between Parker Avenue and the Maplewood Train Station.
• The township planted 240 trees on streets and in parks in 2025 and expects to do the same this year.
• The ball field in DeHart Park will be rebuilt into a multi-use, grass field with a sand base and new underdrain system to prevent standing water. Work on the field is expected to start in late June. In a second phase of development, a shade structure will be added and the Newark Way entrance will be upgraded. A community meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27 to discuss the Phase 2 improvements.
• In Maplecrest Park, an inclusive playground will be built with most of the funding coming from a $750,000 grant from NJ’s Green Acres Program for Jake’s Law Playgrounds.
• A grant of $700,000 from the state will be used for improvements to The Woodland. Structural upgrades will be made to the roof and aluminum siding will be removed from the building.
Vic DeLuca, center, stands with members of the township committee and movie theater owners, Tony and Vincent Loffredo. The group had gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the theater, which will be undergoing renovations before reopening.
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