The long-awaited redevelopment of downtown Scotch Plains has remained a pending project for decades. Planning documents, created as early as 1976, have since slowly progressed. That is, until now.
“This township council has been laser focused on making redevelopment a reality, finally, for our downtown,” Scotch Plains Mayor Joshua Losardo said. “This is no longer just the same talk that we’ve heard for years. Together, working collaboratively with the community, we have pushed the ball across the goal.”
The project will use 9.5 acres of public downtown land for private and public development. In 2017, a survey concluded that 86% of Scotch Plains residents supported a downtown redevelopment.
“Tier 1, Phase 1” of the redevelopment plan was released on Nov. 8, 2021. The township then issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to assess the proposals of interested redeveloping agencies. Woodmont Properties, LLC was the chosen redevelopment agency for this project.
Woodmont was required, however, to meet certain parameters to maintain the history and exhaustive persona of Scotch Plains. Some of these included: no building could be over four stories tall and adequate parking and plenty of space for community-centered activities like farmers’ markets and art fairs.
“Woodmont is fortunate to have been part of many downtown renaissance efforts around New Jersey, including in municipalities such as Morristown, Crawford, Red Bank and Metuchen,” Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Woodmont Properties Stephen Santola said.
Maintaining the character of Scotch Plains was an integral part of the downtown refurbishment process. The township also placed an emphasis on the availability of affordable housing in the downtown area.
Safety was also a major proponent.
Following a change of stormwater management rules by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in July 2023, Woodmont curated a plan that respects the NJDEP’s rules. These new regulations will allow buildings to better resist the effects of flooding.
Construction began on a three-story, 40-unit apartment building on 1776 East Second Street in August 2024. In the former Snuffy’s Restaurant, a Lidl grocery store will also be built. A 51-space parking lot completes the property.
Just around the corner from the Scotch Plains Municipal Building, Front Street will gain a residential building complete with nine affordable units of 42 total. Assembly started in October of 2024. More housing on 350 Forest Road will also be available, containing 30 units. The project has not yet commenced.
As of the published date of this article, these are the proposed plans for the downtown area. More ideas for this area are still being formed, and this project will likely take many more years to complete.
