Nabisco developer says implosion postponed due to permit delays, no new date yet
The developer seeking to tear down the former Nabisco factory in Fair Lawn said a planned implosion was postponed due to a delay in acquiring the necessary permits.
Sessler Wrecking, the demolition contractor for the project, is working with local and state agencies to fulfill all regulatory requirements and make all necessary pre-implosion arrangements, according to Greek Development of East Brunswick, which now owns the site.
“We felt it was best to postpone, not rush it and let everything get finalized,” Matt Schlindwein, a managing partner for Greek Development, said by telephone on Thursday.
The implosion was originally scheduled for April 15 but Fair Lawn borough announced the postponement in a two-sentence update to its website Wednesday. The borough said a new date and time have not yet been scheduled.
Schlindwein said once all the approvals are finalized, a new date will be chosen. He said there will be a two-week notice given once a new date is confirmed so that everyone has time to make appropriate preparations.
Schlindwein did not know which local and state agencies the permits were being filed to and referred further questions on the matter to Sessler Wrecking, which is based in Waterloo, New York. A woman who answered the phone at Sessler's offices, however, referred questions back to Greek Development.
Fair Lawn didn't give a reason for the postponement on its website or in a recorded announcement posted on a borough call-in line. Asked on Thursday what permits were holding up the project, Mayor Kurt Peluso referred questions to Greek Development. Peluso said he's asked the Building Department on the borough's website to direct people to the company since "the process right now is between the developer and the state."
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Mondelēz International Inc., the Chicago-based parent company of Nabisco, sold the 40-acre site for $146.5 million in 2021 to a limited liability company tied to Greek Development. The company filed a proposal in February to replace the 65-year-old factory with a warehouse.
Some neighbors have raised concerns that the razing of the tower could release hazardous materials into the environment. Fair Lawn officials have said all state and federal requirements will be followed, including the removal of asbestos from the building before it's torn down.
Nonetheless, the school district in neighboring Glen Rock announced last week that it planned to close all its schools for at least a day after the implosion, out of an "abundance of caution." The postponement also comes just days after some residents started a petition calling for expanded environmental testing before, during and after the event.
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: Nabisco factory implosion in Fair Lawn postponed from permit delays
