Controversial West Orange Development Plan Reborn, Moves Forward

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Its fate isn’t written in stone yet. But a controversial redevelopment project in West Orange has been reborn and is inching closer to the finish line.

On Monday, the West Orange Town Council held a meeting to discuss a major, ongoing plan to redevelop several properties: 100 and 200 Executive Drive, and 10 Rooney Circle. (Watch the video below)

The township has since posted an online presentation about the latest version of the plan, which can be seen here, as well as a list of “frequently asked questions,” which can be seen here.

Here are the basics of the current proposal:

• 100 and 200 Executive Drive – Would be demolished to make way for 425 residential apartments, including 361 market rate units and 64 affordable rental units
• 300 Executive Drive – Would remain an office building and see “renovations,” but no “redevelopment”
• 10 Rooney Circle – Would be deeded to the township at no cost. A new public library would be constructed, along with an on-site, two-acre dog park. There would be additional space that could possibly serve as a municipal animal shelter.
• Additional Benefits – As part of the plan, a library annex would be constructed at its existing location, with 7,500 square feet of community space and 61 “affordable senior housing units”

When first proposed, the redevelopment plan also included the nearby Essex Green Shopping Center. That component has since been dropped from the current discussion, West Orange officials said.

Supporters of the redevelopment project say it would create about $1.3 million in new municipal revenue annually – a win for the township. But the plan has also seen ongoing opposition from some West Orange residents and community activists, who say a proposed payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement is a bad deal for the township.

The project has been in the works since September 2017, when the West Orange Town Council directed the planning board to launch a study into its feasibility. It has seen repeated roadblocks and delays along the way, including a ruling from a New Jersey Appellate Court that sent the plan back to the drawing board in September 2020.

• See related article: NJ Court Throws Monkey Wrench Into West Orange Redevelopment Plan

An ordinance and resolution greenlighting the plan are on the agenda for a second reading at the council meeting on March 9. If the council approves, the project will still require a full planning board review of site plan and approval.

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