Developer wants to add hundreds of apartments, office space next to Paramus Park mall
PARAMUS — Another shopping center in town is about to find itself a neighbor with a major new housing development.
The borough Planning Board on Thursday approved a proposal by R&O Paramus to build about 360 apartments next to the Paramus Park mall, west of the Garden State Parkway. The two-building complex would be built on land north of the mall and on parts of its parking lot, taking over about 60,000 square feet outside the Macy's department store.
The plan by Philadelphia-based developer Russo Acquisitions, an affiliate of R&O Paramus, envisions more construction in a later phase. The second stage, if approved by the Planning Board, would add an additional 159 apartments, more ground-floor retail and an office building on the northeastern corner of the Macy's lot.
Though Paramus Park is not developing the project, it's part of a trend of efforts to build housing around local malls. Elsewhere in Paramus, Garden State Plaza has proposed a redevelopment that could add as many as 1,400 apartments along with additional shops, park space and a hotel. At Bergen Town Center, borough officials have already signed off on plans to add 465 housing units.
The Planning Board approved the first phase of the Paramus Park project unanimously on Thursday. It was an extension of an R&O proposal, approved last year, that called for about 100 fewer housing units and half as much retail space in one of the two apartment buildings.
But after the developer purchased a section of the Macy's parking lot, it returned to the board this year seeking to expand.
A representative from Brookfield Properties Retail Inc., the New York-based owner of Paramus Park, referred questions to Macy's when reached on Friday.
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The project will create “connectivity” between The Valley Hospital, which is nearby, an existing office complex on From Road, pocket parks in the area and the four retail plazas that the developer plans to create, said Diogo Santos, senior vice president of development for R&O Paramus. He testified before the Planning Board in October.
The portion of the north end of the parking lot that would be used for the second phase of the development is currently used as off-street parking for the Macy's store, according to an application filed with the board. The Macy's will remain but it would have 141 fewer parking spaces, leaving about 1,000 for shoppers, the application said.
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: noda@northjersey.com
Twitter: @snoda11
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Developer plans apartments, office space by Paramus Park mall
