WAYNE — Construction at Preakness Shopping Center has been delayed yet again after officials granted an extension of time for the property owner to act on its plan to revamp the once-booming strip mall.
The latest extension by the Planning Board conserves a January 2020 approval of the redevelopment plan — including all variance relief — for the next year.
The real-world ramifications? No one will see a shovel in the ground for at least that long.
The strip mall, at the intersection of Alps Road and Hamburg Turnpike, is owned by Hackensack-based Hekemian & Co. Inc. It has a solid anchor due to the longtime occupancy of the Stop & Shop supermarket, but smaller tenants, such as Dressbarn, Manny’s Preakness Diner and the four-screen movie theater, are gone.
Mayor Christopher Vergano addressed the appearance of the 39.3-acre shopping center last week, saying at a public meeting of the Township Council that it looks “terrible.”
“Do I wish the Hekemians would come in tomorrow to file a building permit, which they could?” the mayor said, stretching out his last word. “The answer to that question is ‘yes.’”
Under state law, the board can give three one-year extensions after an initial two years that the approved plan remains in full force and effect.
That means there will be no further extensions.
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The project includes the construction of a 5,030-square-foot restaurant, with a drive-thru lane, just west of the Hamburg Turnpike driveway, as well as the demolition of the former IHOP restaurant and the former Macy’s department store. New buildings would go on those footprints, and the south side of the building, occupied by CVS Pharmacy and the adjacent hair salon, would be reconstructed.
The approved plan is unrelated to a housing settlement between Hekemian and the township that the council endorsed less than a year later. It calls for 244 apartments to be built on the north side of the property. Thirty-seven units would be for low-income households.
Councilman Joseph Scuralli said at the meeting that he believes Hekemian is likely waiting for the most opportune moment to proceed with the project. He cited the fact that nearby retail sites are thriving.
“Things aren’t what they appear all of the time,” said Scuralli, who serves the 4th Ward. “These people made a lot of money in real estate because they’re smart, and timing is everything.”
Councilwoman Francine Ritter, who serves the 5th Ward, which includes the strip mall, said Wednesday that although the property is an “eyesore,” its present condition is “not a sign of a bad economy in Wayne.” She based that opinion on conversations she said she had with tenants of the shopping center.
Some merchants were not courted to renew their leases, the councilwoman said.
“It’s more of a sign of a developer that’s trying to come up with a plan,” Ritter said. “It’s good business to plan appropriately, and my hope is that he’s going to start from scratch.”
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news in your community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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