the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Saddle River NJ, on September 9, 2025, Saddle River, NJ, will reignite a heated debate over affordable housing as public hearings begin for the East Allendale Road plan, previously known as the Rosie O’Donnell estate. Now led by developer Toll Brothers, the revised proposal for 115 E. Allendale Road aims to build 54 townhouses, including eight affordable units, but faces lingering opposition from residents over traffic, safety, and design concerns. Here’s the full story behind this contentious project, its history, and what’s at stake for this affluent Bergen County borough.
The East Allendale Road Plan: A New Chapter for Rosie O’Donnell’s Former Estate
The 10.25-acre site at 115 E. Allendale Road, once home to Rosie O’Donnell, is at the center of Saddle River’s affordable housing saga. Originally proposed in 2021 by Saddle River Investors, the plan called for 60 townhouses, with eight designated as affordable to meet New Jersey’s Mount Laurel mandates. After fierce resistance and a Planning Board rejection, Toll Brothers took over, renaming it the East Allendale Road plan and scaling it down to 54 units—46 market-rate and eight affordable.
The property, located just east of Wandell School and across from Borough Hall, is one of two affordable housing sites in Saddle River, alongside Algonquin Trail, which began hearings in June 2025. The revised plan aims to address past criticisms, but with hearings set for September 9 at 6 p.m. at Borough Hall, residents are gearing up for another round of debate.
A Rocky History: Why the First Plan Failed
The original 2021 proposal faced intense pushback from Saddle River residents, who voiced concerns over six contentious hearings. Key issues included:
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Traffic Concerns: Despite two studies by the borough’s traffic expert concluding the project would have a “slight” impact on the rush-hour-heavy East Allendale Road, Mayor Albert Kurpis dismissed the findings, siding with residents who claimed local knowledge trumped expert analysis.
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Design Flaws: The initial plan clustered affordable units in one corner, later redistributing them among market-rate homes. Two entrance points were reduced to one, and a 17-foot retaining wall to manage the site’s elevation drew scrutiny for safety and aesthetics.
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Snow Removal: The Planning Board cited an “inadequate” snow storage and removal plan as a reason for rejecting the application in April 2021.
After the rejection, developer Saddle River Investors sued, but the courts upheld the Planning Board’s decision, paving the way for Toll Brothers to take over with a revised proposal.
Keywords: Saddle River traffic concerns, 2021 housing plan rejection, retaining wall issues, snow removal plan, NJ court ruling
What’s Changed in the 2025 Proposal?
Toll Brothers’ updated plan reduces the total units from 60 to 54, maintaining the eight affordable homes required under Saddle River’s 2020 Fair Share Housing settlement. While specific details of the revisions remain limited, the developer aims to address past objections, potentially refining traffic management, site design, and snow removal strategies. The project’s location—near Wandell School and Borough Hall—continues to fuel resident concerns about congestion and safety in the borough’s center.
The hearings, set to be in-person only at Borough Hall, will allow residents to weigh in on whether Toll Brothers has resolved these issues or if the project still threatens Saddle River’s suburban character.
Why It Matters: Saddle River’s Affordable Housing Battle
Saddle River’s struggle reflects broader tensions in New Jersey’s wealthy suburbs, where state mandates require towns to provide affordable housing despite resistance from residents fearing overdevelopment. The 2020 settlement with the Fair Share Housing Center obligated Saddle River to deliver 147 affordable units across multiple sites, including East Allendale Road and Algonquin Trail. Failure to comply could strip the borough of immunity from “builder’s remedy” lawsuits, potentially leading to denser development.
Residents worry about traffic on East Allendale Road, already a busy county thoroughfare, and the impact of new housing near key community landmarks. Mayor Kurpis and the Planning Board face pressure to balance state requirements with local priorities, making the September 9 hearings a critical moment.
Keywords: NJ affordable housing mandate, Saddle River Fair Share agreement, builder’s remedy lawsuits, traffic impact concerns, community opposition
What to Expect at the September 9 Hearings
The in-person hearings at Borough Hall (100 E. Allendale Road) on September 9, 2025, at 6 p.m. will be a pivotal opportunity for residents to voice support or objections. Expect discussions on:
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Traffic mitigation plans for East Allendale Road.
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Safety and design concerns, including the controversial retaining wall.
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Snow management strategies to address past criticisms.
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The balance between affordable housing obligations and preserving Saddle River’s low-density aesthetic.
Residents can attend to hear Toll Brothers’ presentation and share their views, though the Planning Board’s history of allowing unlimited public comment suggests a lively session. For updates, check northjersey.com or Saddle River’s official website.
Keywords: Saddle River hearings 2025, East Allendale Road hearings, Toll Brothers presentation, public comment NJ, affordable housing debate
The Bigger Picture: Affordable Housing in NJ’s Wealthy Suburbs
Saddle River’s saga is part of New Jersey’s ongoing affordable housing battle, rooted in the 1975 Mount Laurel Doctrine, which mandates fair-share housing for low- and moderate-income families. With the state requiring 65,000 “present need” and 85,000 “prospective need” units by 2035, towns like Saddle River face mounting pressure. Wealthy communities often resist, citing traffic, infrastructure strain, and community character, but non-compliance risks court-ordered development.
As Saddle River navigates this debate, the East Allendale Road plan could set a precedent for how affluent towns balance state mandates with local concerns. Will Toll Brothers’ revisions satisfy residents, or will opposition derail another attempt at affordable housing?
Source: Adapted from NorthJersey.com reports on Saddle River’s affordable housing plans and community responses.
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The wealthy areas are also the oldest areas. The country roads and bridges are not set up for all of this unnecessary development. I for one like to come home and see deer,chipmunks, squirrels and a bunch of birds in my backyard
You work long hours to pay for a nice home and good schools for the children.
Then these builders want to crap it all up squeezing in all this infrastructure.
You used to drive on route 17 and get somewhere. Now it’s a damn parking lot!
Sorry for the rant, but there needs to be some balance between city environments and suburban spaces.
Most of the towns /roads in Bergen county were not built for all the construction going on
That is the wrong place for any kind of housing, I’m sure there doesn’t land somewhere on
There’s definitely room out of 17
That place will require extensive fumigation.