Zoning board puts down Cleveland Ave. plan

Shayne Rodriguez Thompson
H.P. Mirror staff

After eight long months of meetings, debates, demands, concessions, and ultimately delays, the zoning board has finally made a decision on the status of the former Illuminating Experiences site, on Cleveland Avenue in Highland Park.

Late in 2007, Avalon Bay Communities, a company that develops residential rentals, was appointed by borough council to redevelop the site at 233 Cleveland Avenue. In November, Avalon Bay applied to the zoning board for a use variance, in order to change the zoning from light industrial to residential. Their intention was to build a mid-rise complex of luxury, townhome rentals, the target market being “yuppies, Gen-Xers, and Gen-Yers,” said vice president Ron Ladell.

Since that time, the issue has erupted within the community. Many demands have been made and met, including lessening the number of proposed units from 178 to 119 (and from 20 affordable-housing units to 14), as well as lowering the building height from four stories to two and a half. Both environmental studies and traffic studies have been conducted which, according to Ladell, proved that the lot is environmentally sound and that the building would not result in a significant traffic delay within the neighborhood.

Still, citizens remain concerned about what is to come on Cleveland Ave.

“It’s a bit much,” said Marc Laurano, of South 2nd Avenue.

Although Laurano doesn’t live on the north side, he is worried about Highland Park maintaining its green reputation, about traffic and tax issues, and about whether the proposal will provide enough affordable housing within the building.

Throughout the many meetings that have been held on the issue, Ladell has maintained that Avalon Bay’s proposal would only serve to increase green space, that it would beautify the lot, and provide a type of residence unknown to the regional area.

Nevertheless, on Monday, June 23, the zoning board reached the decision to deny the company’s use variance application.

“We are shocked and dismayed that a run-down industrial building is preferred [and] a luxury, residential, townhome community, that would satisfy a housing need, was put down,” said Ladell.

Calls to zoning board chair Judith Richman for comment were not returned .

Avalon Bay Communities has not yet decided on a future course of action, Ladell said. They do have several options that would allow them to proceed with their plans.

The company could go to either the borough redevelopment agency or planning board, either of whom could rezone the property without a use variance. The company could also change their proposal altogether, and return to the zoning board.

For now, the lot will remain unaltered, but Ladell urges Highland Parkers to visit the Florham Park community on www.avalonbay.com, to get a feel for what his company has in mind for Cleveland Ave.