I like how transit villages are all the rage in Ridgewood. You have great mass transit in bus/rail. You have your choice of grocery stores. You have many restaurants from which to choose. It could be a win-win project.
Drivers on North broad would have to pay attention to people coming onto Franklin from the Ken Smith direction. I look forward to seeing how things shake out. Ridgewood could be transformed. Now what to do with the old bank on E Ridgewood & prospect.

I'd love to be woken up every morning, including weekends, by the 5:03AM right outside my window.

I dont have a problem with more housing if the current infrastructure and school systems can handle the increases, but 11,000sf of new retail space?!?! with all of the current vacant storefronts and some that do not seem likely to last(empty all the time) it seems that any of the plans counting on rental income need to be looked at very carefully; including plans for rental income to fund parking structures.

Want a win-win? Turn it into an indoor turf facility. The sports programs would love it and the various field neighbors could stop complaining.

Talk about a pig in the python -- that's over 300 new units that developers want to add to Ridgewood's housing stock. If for any reason -- a second financial crisis, continued economic weakness, demographic demise, etc -- these apartments cannot be rented at "luxury" levels, then what? So many questions. High density housing is a potential community killer -- good luck to the residents of Ridgewood fending off this development menace. -GXR

If the proposed retail space includes a frozen yogurt franchise, then I'm on board

Here's a prompt for you guys: The proposed project still doesn't have a name. The Dayton, The Enclave and Chestnut Village are all taken. You think you have a good one to pitch? Let's hear it.

Total nonsense. We don't need more housing, density, congestion and population.

Parking garage or a park would be logical.

Now there are four large housing proposals that require variances because they do not conform with the zoning laws. I do not understand the enthusiasm for making the center of Ridgewood into a congested and unsafe place to walk or drive. Public safety is already an issue.

Ah hello.. Why not a multi-level parking garage??? Commuter parking during the weekdays and shopper parking during the evenings and weekends. It's tucked in over along the tracks (see Mr. Davit's comment above in re: 5:03 AM outside the window) where it's not going to be an eyesore and if done right it will block out some of the train noise. Listen friends and neighbors, there is NO benefit to our dear village by over populating the CBD with residential space.
The village needs the parking, the retailers want the parking, the commuters are willing to pay for parking, the village could use the additional income from parking meters/fees. Hell, the village can contract out the management to limit the op costs and increase profitability.
Now THAT'S a win/win!
This town can not handle the traffic load, schooling demands, parking demands and only God knows if the infrastructure can handle that.
Oh BTW.. I "call dibs" on the Buddy the Bear statue!!

Make it a park or make it a parking lot, but unless the developers of all three proposed housing developments in town are going to pay for the space that would be required and reasonable to handle the demands of adding more students to already strained schools, there is no way that such a plan comes across as anything other than ridiculous and unnecessary. Wouldn't it be nice if our community leaders all grew a pair and actually made some decisions that will sustain the quality of this town by creating a plan for the future that continues to make this a place worth paying to live in...?

I am glad to see that all four housing projects are represented as "luxury" apartments. We don't want NO common folk here in Ridgewood, the bastion of aristocracy. Only kidding or am I ? Don't criticize my English. ANY just doesn't go as well. And don't worry, the economy will take care of the word "luxury." Just look at places like Dubai or empty millon house cities in China because the common folk just can't afford them. Build them and they will come? If any of these contractors are smart enough to make a mixed use apartment facility, they will be the winners. Luxury is passe'.

How about the Bristol?

So now...what are the tax $ benefits for the present homeowners/taxpayers if this comes to reality ? No-one in Ridgewood cares about this issue as a factor in their decision or comments ? AMAZING !!!

James,
I'd like them to make a real plan that conveys a vision and a plan for the growth, development, and maintenance of this community, whatever it might be. Our elected leaders never seem willing to take a public stand about the important issues that can have a lasting impact on this village. Westwood, for instance, as your own report recently indicated, took a stand and made a decision about where certain types of businesses could be located; it didn't prevent growth, it just controlled it. The Ridgewood response to the explosion of restaurants and nail salons was to claim that there was nothing they could do about the shift to these places. We have a historic landmark group that exists but has no ability to control the destruction of historic properties. We have a Master Plan that is often challenged, rather than being honored and respected. I have sat on too many committees where a decision is made one month, only to be changed the next because non-attendees when the first decision was made protested that their voices were not heard - the result was that little of substance got done. Whatever the final decisions, we just need leaders willing to voice their opinion, express their view of Ridgewood's future, and then enforce their decision. I don't see it happening, and these proposed developments are just one more opportunity for the Ridgewood that attracts so many quality people to be changed into a place that doesn't continue to attract the same types of people.

What Craig said; parking, parking, parking!

There are plenty of CBD residential projects already on the boards with little discussion as to the ability to support same with the existing municipal infrastructure. The Smith property is deep enough to accommodate a substantial amount of commuter and shopper parking, and the associated parking revenue could support revenue bonds issued to finance the construction of a multi-level parking garage. Throw in some ground level retail that can accommodate larger retail tenants [users that cannot find sufficient space within the small retail footprints that characterizes most of the Village's existing retail inventory] and the project might even generate a surplus. Council will need to develop a creative approach, since it would take years and a "pair" to condemn the site. But given the scarcity of such a large site with ideal proximity to both downtown and the RR station, it would be shame to let this opportunity slip away.

I think this property would be a better location for a mixed use building than any of the other three massive projects proposed for CBD. I think this is about something else though. I think that this is likely an attempt to get the Village to overpay for the site as it is the ideal location for a parking facility. Having seen this movie before, and still paying the taxes to pay for the last time we bonded money for a sure-fire location for a parking garage, call me skeptical. The Village needs a comprehensive plan for the CBD that considers parking, retail, housing and the open-ended current and future liability that is affordable housing. I like the idea of adding ratables, but nothing I've heard so far is anything but an urbanization of Ridgewood with the taxpayers bearing the risks.

I'm not sure what would be a good to go into the Ken Smith property.

I just don't think a shopper parking lot will do all that much. It could help with commuter parking, but I don't have much information on that situation.

I think there are plenty of spaces to park in town it's just a matter of exercising and walking to your destination. If people complain now about walking, do you really think they'll park at the train station and walk the mile (there and back) to the Gap, Bookends, the Ridgewood Running Company, Arthur Groom?

Lets get Ole Mikey Smith, the developers/The Planning Board and The Kleinman to camp out overnight in the Parking Lot. Your Life is now Hell. Do they really want to invest the time and money into a Lose/Lose Mixed Use Building? What do Tenants complain about the most?-Noisy Neighbors. Now your Neighbor is the Train Station-those trains are Unbearably loud. How can a person justify doing this project? It is crazy having people live + shop so close to the train station. Goodbye Ears-Hello Ear Damage.

Parking is a great idea retail i do not believe will work there.

Completely agree that a compprehensive plan for the CBD is required, that includes a residential housing, commuter and shopper parking and retail use plan. The past parking schemes failed in large part to a lack of will, which in no small part was influenced by a lack of a comprehensive plan. Frankly I'm surprised that the CRR is not making more of an issue over the multiple mixed use developments on the boards that cannot be suitably supported by our current infrastructure. There will be an impact on schools / school budget; not all the new residents will be "empty nesters" or "young professionals" - try small families who want to access our school system without paying ridiculous taxes or home prices.

This is the worst idea I've heard in a while! I agree completely with Graydon4ever. How would this make money for the village or solve any of our current problems? The people living in these apartments would be living right next to the way OUT of town, where they could spend their money elsewhere while sending their kids to our school that the rest of of us pay for with our taxes. In addition, there goes prime space for parking that everyone has been crying out for, and sure, let's put a whole bunch of residents in an area that is known for pedestrian accidents. What are you people thinking???

No Offense intended James-I don't think you need to camp out to know that it would be hell to live there.

A park is the worst idea I have heard yet.

This project has Greedy written all over it.

I'm telling you -- indoor turf facility.

This is the perfect spot for a commuter oriented mixed use facility. The Franklin side of the CBD is chronically under-developed, and having a nice luxury building will not only bring more business to the Franklin stores, it'll be a major upgrade aesthetically speaking.

To address the concerns over building luxury units in the CBD
1) Most of the units are 1 bds and they will be expensive, not likely to attract families with children.
2) Ridgewood taxes are very high, I'm amazed at the people complaining about massive rateables that won't demand a lot of services (schooling), this will bring everyon'es taxes down.
3) Having a balanced housing stock will allow more people to stay in Ridgewood during the course of their life, instead of moving away when the kids are out of school due to the tax burden of the single family housing.

Residential - next to the train station. In 2 years after the tenants have moved in, this blog will be discussing the "NO BLOW" class action lawsuit the tenants filed against NJT and the Village to stop the train whistles!

It should be made entirely into a multistory parking structure. Perfect for commuters. Housing right next to the tracks? WTF

They build hotels at airports that are sound proof. There is no crossing anywhere in Ridgewood. So the train whistle should not be blown ANYWHERE in Ridgewood. Yes trains make noise. But my sister lived next to a fright line (like Mr. Davitt). She said after a while she did not hear the train. Commuter/shopper parking with a transit village could be the ticket. with ZIP Cars available to the residents who want a use a car occasionally. Win for RWD commuters, Win for RWD Shoppers & Diners, Win for people who want to live in RWD, who commute, who want give up their car. Win for RWD taxpayers - more Ratables.

No one is going to give up their car just because they are living in an apartment unless they have to for some other reason like a DWI or medical impairment.

These new residents WILL have kids, they WILL have 2 cars per family, they most likely WILL commute by car and they WILL shop elsewhere except for a few dinners and maybe groceries.

The new residents will be new, they won't be aliens, they will be just like the rest of us who already live here. Why are we expecting that suddenly the Ridgewood culture will change because a bunch of marketing/sales people say it is so?

Greed , ignorance and arrogance .. a trifecta of disaster

How about a luxury senior citizens home similar to the one in Saddle River on Boroline Road (I believe it's called Brighton Gardens) where the residents do not drive any longer and a parking facility for the town. Just a thought....