Category: Franklin Lakes NJ

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Franklin Lakes Resumes Asbestos Removal from Former Cigna Site

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Franklin Lakes Asbestos Update: Why Work Paused at the Former Cigna Site—and What Happens Next

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, The massive 89-acre property at 400 Parsons Pond Road, formerly home to Cigna/Express Scripts, is back in the spotlight. After a tense standoff between the Borough of Franklin Lakes and the developer, a critical stop-work order has been lifted, allowing asbestos removal to resume.

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Franklin Lakes “Affordable Housing”: 1,300+ New Units Proposed for Becton Dickinson and Cigna Sites

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Franklin Lakes Expansion: 1,300+ New Homes Proposed in Major “Affordable Housing” Shake-up

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, The landscape of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is on the verge of a historic transformation. Following a recommendation from the state’s Affordable Dispute Resolution Program, borough officials have fast-tracked a series of critical hearings this March to solidify the town’s Fourth Round “Affordable Housing” strategy.

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Major Public Hearing Set for Massive Cigna Property Redevelopment in Franklin Lakes

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Franklin Lakes to Decide: Massive 495-Unit Cigna Property Development Heads to Public Hearing

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — A major turning point is arriving for one of the most significant pieces of real estate in Bergen County. The long-anticipated development proposal for the 89-acre former Cigna corporate campus has officially been submitted, with the first public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m.

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Franklin Lakes Mourns DPW Veteran Mike DeGall Following Historic Snowstorm

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Mike DeGall, a 15-year veteran of the Franklin Lakes Department of Public Works (DPW), passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — The Borough of Franklin Lakes is in mourning following the sudden passing of a man who spent his final hours serving the community he loved. Mike DeGall, a 15-year veteran of the Franklin Lakes Department of Public Works (DPW), passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026, shortly after completing an exhausting shift during a major winter storm.

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Mysterious Absence: Ramapo High School Principal Travis Smith Missing from Latest District Update

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Leadership Shakeup at Ramapo High School: Principal Travis Smith “Missing” from School Announcement

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — Parents and students at Ramapo High School (RHS) were left with more questions than answers this week following a cryptic message from the district office.

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, a text notification informed the community that Assistant Principal Claudia Dargento is “presently in charge” of the high school. However, the message notably failed to mention the school’s long-standing leader, Principal Travis Smith, or explain his sudden absence.

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Franklin Lakes Braces for 800-Unit “Inclusionary” Nightmare as Council Bows to State Mandates

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What was once a corporate “green” campus will likely become a dense “mixed-use destination” featuring retail, residential blocks, and significant infrastructure strain

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, the sprawling, quiet landscape of Franklin Lakes is about to undergo a radical and permanent transformation. In a move that has left many residents reeling, the Borough Council recently greenlit a massive redevelopment project that will cram 800 townhouses onto the iconic Becton Dickinson property.

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Demolition Halted at Former Cigna Site in Franklin Lakes Over Permit Issues

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Borough Issues Stop-Work Order on Cigna Property, But Asbestos Cleanup Continues Under Agency Watch

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

The controversial demolition and redevelopment of the former Cigna corporate campus off Parsons Pond Road in Franklin Lakes has hit a major roadblock. The borough has issued a stop-work order to the developer, SHG LLC, alleging that the demolition work exceeded the scope of the permits granted.

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Fast Action Saves Franklin Lakes Home from Spreading Attic Fire

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Resident Rescued! Bergen County Firefighters Battle Two-Alarm Blaze Reaching Attic on Briarly Drive

photos courtesy of Franklin Lakes and Waldwick Fire departments

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ – A quick response from the Franklin Lakes Volunteer Fire Department, aided by essential mutual aid partners, contained a dangerous fire that had begun to extend through the roofline of a large residential home on Briarly Drive. The swift coordination not only knocked down the flames but also ensured the safe evacuation of a resident who was initially unaware of the danger.

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Showdown in Bergen County: Franklin Lakes Faces December Deadline to Settle Affordable Housing Dispute or Risk Builder’s Remedy Lawsuits!

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Zero Affordable Homes?! Franklin Lakes Slammed by Fair Housing Group Over Lowball Quota—A Decisive Legal Battle is Brewing

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, Franklin Lakes, a high-income borough in Bergen County, is in a high-stakes negotiation battle to avoid losing its immunity against devastating builder’s remedy lawsuits.

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Asbestos Alarm Near School: Why Franklin Lakes is Demanding Answers on the Former Cigna Site Remediation

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Public Health Fear Grips Franklin Lakes as Asbestos Removal Moves Near Elementary School

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, Officials in Franklin Lakes, NJ are scrambling to secure state guarantees that a major asbestos remediation project near a local elementary school is 100% compliant with all public health guidelines. The project at the 89-acre former Cigna property on Parsons Pond Road has sparked deep concern among residents, especially since the work is happening just 600 feet from Woodside Avenue School (K-5) and adjacent to local athletic fields.

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Ferrari Fatal Crash: Bergen County Man Spared Jail Time in Death of 92-Year-Old Man

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No Prison Time: Judge Spares Ferrari Driver in Teaneck Crash That Killed Beloved 92-Year-Old Man

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes  NJ, A controversial sentencing in Bergen County, New Jersey, has ignited a fierce debate over justice and accountability after a Franklin Lakes man was granted probation instead of prison time for a deadly vehicular crash.

Scott Lieberman, the driver of a high-performance Ferrari Competizione, was sentenced to five years of probation for the June 2022 crash in Teaneck that resulted in the death of 92-year-old Albert Schnellbacher. This decision came despite the prosecution’s impassioned request for a three-year prison term.

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Franklin Lakes Real Estate Influencer Indicted in Massive Ponzi like Investment Fraud Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a New Jersey real estate investor and influencer with committing a multi-million-dollar Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme, conspiring to launder drug proceeds, laundering money represented to be drug proceeds as part of a sting operation, and bribing a New Jersey politician, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.

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Franklin Lakes Man Struck by Lightning While Golfing at Ballyowen in Sussex County

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A 28-year-old man from Franklin Lakes was hospitalized after being struck by lightning while golfing at Ballyowen Golf Club on July 8, according to the Hardyston Police Department.

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Franklin Lakes Planning Board to Review Affordable Housing Subdivision Plan for Cigna Property on July 16

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — The Franklin Lakes Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, July 16, to review a subdivision proposal tied to the future development of a 100% affordable housing project on the former Cigna property.

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Franklin Lakes Man Accused of Killing Father May Seek Plea Deal Amid Mental Health Review

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — A possible plea deal is being negotiated in the case of David Allen Hagal, a Franklin Lakes man accused of brutally killing his 87-year-old father in December 2023.

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