Enclave to Host On-Site Open House at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue

Enclave to Host On-Site Open House at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue

Enclave to Host On-Site Open House December 9th

RIDGEWOOD, NJ, December 9, 2014 – The developers of Enclave, a proposed 52-unit luxury apartment building on Maple Avenue between East Ridgewood and Franklin, will host an open house to present new data that answers lingering questions about prospective resident populations and other issues that have arisen during recent Planning Board hearings.

The meeting will be held at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue – the property that has applied to be considered to a Master Plan Amendment that would allow upscale apartments in Downtown Ridgewood – at 7:30 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 9th.

“Ridgewood’s planner has done a thorough job in modeling impacts and assessing benefits from prospective luxury apartment development in Downtown Ridgewood, but the legally required format to convey information has frustrated the public,” says John Saraceno, developer of the Enclave and himself a Ridgewood resident.

“Ridgewood residents have asserted a nearly unprecedented challenge to their planning professionals and planning board members to assure rents and household sizes,” says Mr. Saraceno.  “Some cynics believe those demands are a ploy to confound the process; but we took our neighbors at their word and we have developed data that supports the previous submissions of professionals – including those employed by the Village.  The numbers are undeniably persuasive and to sincerely interested people, the resulting data set that should allay their concerns.”

Of the four properties that have applied for consideration as luxury apartment locations, two are on the sites of former car dealerships; one is the site of the former DMV inspection location; and the final is the Enclave.  Each of the sites is zoned for office and/or other commercial uses whose traffic and quality of life impacts will be greater than the proposed residential development, but whose property tax contributions will be lower.  Each site essentially allows the same scope of development for other uses and each allows residential development.   The proposed amendment increases allowable heights modestly (by less than 4 feet) and would allow the developers to use their current buildable area (square footage) for residential rather than the currently permitted commercial or residential-above-retail.

“We have held five previous sessions in discussion formats where we can explore the data and explain things in a friendlier environment, and it is very helpful for people who are truly interested in obtaining information.  We also think that actually having people on the site will bring the project to life and demonstrate the advantageous of allowing retail rather than currently permitted uses.

“With the testimony of the Planner behind us and the final public comment period in front of us – plus now knowing the prospective resident profile – we felt it was a good time to have one last session to clear up any remaining doubts about the appeal of adding luxury residences downtown to sites where they are clearly the most beneficial, least impactful future use.”

www.downtownridgewood.com hosts a variety of documents related to the submissions to the Planning Board from the four developers applying for status under the proposed amendment.