One day.

That’s how long the plan lasted – and enthusiasm to go with it - for a company that wanted to buy a historic, dilapidated building in Trenton with plans to move hundreds of jobs to the city and pledge an investment of $4 million to the project.

Mayor Reed Gusciora and Princetel CEO Barry Zhang called the press to the building Monday to announce it, and then toured the old brick structure along Hudson Street. The building was once part of the vaunted Roebling company. They said they hoped it would be where Princetel would make their fiber inter-connect products after moving from its facility in New York.

The city even had a historian discuss it. Zhang and the mayor hailed it as an important seed that could bring other growth to the area. The city’s had no other offers in place for the building and it has been vacant for decades.

On Tuesday evening, the City Council killed it, voting 5-2 against a resolution that would move the project forward.

The Roebling II building Princetel was interested in buying, left in a NJ.com photo, and right in a rendering of how the company visioned it looking after refurbishment.

On Wednesday, an angry mayor and “really angry” Zhang said the council blew a great opportunity for the city. At-Large Councilman Jerell Blakeley, who voted for it along with East Ward Councilman Joseph Harris, called the vote “baffling and bizarre.”

Zhang also said Wednesday he’s got offers to move the production facility and jobs from White Plains, New York to neighboring Hamilton, where Princetel is headquartered.

“I’m greatly disappointed that the City Council turned down this opportunity to bring redevelopment to the Roebling Block II site that has been vacant for 40 years," Gusciora said. “While other towns seem to roll out the carpet for bringing business and jobs to the region, this was a missed opportunity. Not only did Council pull the proposal from their agenda on three prior Council sessions, they gave a last minute demand for an additional appraisal and a disclosure document that was not required by this developer.”

Zhang and the mayor said the plan actually dates to late last year and they’ve done a lot of work prepping it.

“Most disappointing is that there were no alternative proposals put forth and that Princetel had upped their offer to $182,000 ($100,000 more than the appraised value of the property)," Gusciora said. Princetel had originally offered $85,000 for the building.

“An opportunity to show the world that Trenton was ready to turn the corner to attract industry and development has turned into a debacle that highlights how some of my council colleagues are more interested in obstructionism and regression,” Blakeley said. “In a city that has hundreds of abandoned buildings and a critical need for jobs, I’m just cofounded to rationalize how my colleagues can cavalierly reject this amazing opportunity to attract a job creator."

The council issued a statement Wednesday night in response to “misinformation being put out to the public by the mayor’s office.” North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson authored the statement.

“The council is the redevelopment authority for the city and they are also the checks and balances for the mayor’s administration, the statement said. “We do not work for the Mayor but have tried many times to work with him. When he first presented this property to be sold to Princetel, he (Gusciora) was advised by Council that any sale of any land or property in a redevelopment area has to come before the City Council...and redevelopment attorney prior to being included on the Council’s docket. The Council was advised by their legal Counsel, the actions of the Administration were improper and were further advised of how they (City Council) should proceed."

Gusciora and Zhang said the council knew this was coming, and canceled it before.

Blakeley, too, said the council was the culprit here.

“Every time a Trentonian rides by that hulking abandoned building, it should remind you that it’s that way because of the five who decided to put petty politics above developing a piece of land that has laid dormant since Kennedy was President,” Blakeley said.

Zhang took major issue with how some council members treated him at what he described as an unnecessarily contentious council meeting. He called out At-large Councilwoman Kathy McBride, who is council president, and West Ward Councilwoman Robin Vaughn for being hostile, disrespectful and unprofessional.

"I am absolutely angry. There’s no place for the hostility for someone who wanted to contribute to Trenton,” Zhang said. “They are perfectly capable of being polite.”

Zhang said the emotion from McBride, especially, was strange, since she toured Princetel months ago. McBride did not immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday.

“I am sick and tired of looking at some of the council members faces,” Zhang said. “I’m just really tired. But I’m not giving up on Trenton."

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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