276-Unit Mall Redevelopment In Flood-Prone Area Approved In Raritan

RARITAN, NJ — A five-story, 276-unit multifamily rental and retail space building was approved to replace the dilapidated Raritan Mall off Route 206 and Orlando Drive.

The Raritan Borough Planning Board voted 6-2 on March 25 to approve the application by Raritan Mall Urban Renewal LLC on a flood-prone site built on a former landfill.

The project would be built on a 10.88-acre property and include about 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, a garage, surface parking, indoor and outdoor amenities, and landscaping.

A separate one-story building on the property, which formerly housed Batteries and Bulbs, will remain as retail use.

The housing mix in the application includes 234 market-rate units and 42 affordable housing units.

The market-rate units would include 148 one-bedroom units and 86 two-bedroom units. The affordable units would include eight studio units, 24 two-bedroom units, and 10 three-bedroom units.

This project would help the Borough address its affordable housing requirements.

The site drew concern from residents and project opponents because it is a capped landfill in a floodplain and has flooded in the past, including during Hurricane Ida.

During public comment, one resident told the board, "You have a moral obligation. To put 450 people there that you know is going to flood, and you know there are going to be people who get injured, and you are going to put our firefighters, our rescue squad, our public works people, and the police department in harm's way while they are all moving out - all over money."

Resident Benjamin Harris also raised concerns about the location during the meeting.

"This site is not a typical redevelopment. It is a capped landfill in a floodplain with known contamination and directly upstream of a major drinking water intake. Our drinking water intake," Harris said.

Harris also said, "Extreme flooding is a reality of this location."

Applicant attorney Derek Forth addressed those concerns before the vote.

"We appreciate the concerns; we certainly understand the anxiety. This is just the first start, there is much more to come after this, and we have done everything in accordance with the standards that the municipality has established and frankly, for that, I would submit it is not only appropriate, it is required for the board to approve this application as presented," Forth said.

The property has fallen into disarray since Stop & Shop closed in 2017. In 2024, the applicant, Raritan Mall LLC, proposed a similar redevelopment plan for the property. However, the Borough Council rejected it.

Raritan Mall LLC then filed a $100 million lawsuit over the rejection. The lawsuit was later withdrawn in 2025.

The planning board ultimately approved the application on a 6-2 vote.

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