Downtown Housing Developments Could Finish by 2014

Pressed by a resident over believed lack of progress on large multi-family housing proposals in the downtown, Village Planner Blais Brancheau said bricks might be laid in spring of 2013 and finished by summer of 2014 if things go exceedingly well.

Developers for a and a appealed to the planning board in 2011 to request a zone change to the Master Plan. The process funneled into a of housing stock and the overall approprirateness of multi-family housing downtown.

But Paul Levin, of Graydon Terrace, was anxious to find out when ground could break. It would largely determine whether he stayed in Ridgewood or not, he said.

"My frustration is this has gone on for 6-8 months and we're at zero. We've made no progress," he said.

Per Brancheau, should the study conclude in late summer, the application be approved by the planning board in the fall, kicked up to the council and green lighted, it would trigger a site plan developed to work out more nuanced aspects of the plan. If that moves quickly, construction could finish in summer of 2014, Brancheau said.

"It would be really hard to predict at this time," the planner said. Any number of variables or opposition to the applications could cause delays, he added.

One developer – John Saraceno – opted for a faster track on his large downtown housing proposal. Though likely to be determined quicker, his application in front of the zoning board could prove more challenging.

A hybrid retail-residential project, calls for a partial tear-down of the Sealfons Building, wrapping 100 housing units above a large section of retail. It's been somewhat scaled down since first appearing before the planning board as a courtesy look in late 2010.

Those hearings are expected to begin in August, and could last a few months. Should the developers on Broad St. and Chestnut St. not want to wait for the lengthy planning board process, they can withdraw their zone change request and submit an application to the zoning board.