Advance Realty Appeals Center Of Excellence Court Ruling

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Advance Realty is appealing the court's ruling in favor of Bridgewater in the Center of Excellence battle.

Somerset County Superior Court Judge Thomas Miller had ruled in November in favor of Bridgewater Township in Advance’s lawsuit. The suit, filed in January, claimed that the Planning Board had unjustly withheld final site plan approval for the grocery store and hotel at their site on the former Sanofi-Aventis property on Route 202/206. Read More: Judge Rules In Bridgewater's Favor In Center Of Excellence Suit

Miller stated that it was within the Bridgewater Planning Board's rights to request more information from Advance Realty on the project. Advance Realty, the owner of the controversial project, is now appealing this decision.

"It is disappointing to see that Advance Realty has not taken the initial decision as an opportunity to thoughtfully reengage in the proper Township land use process by reappearing before the Planning Board," said Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench. "Instead they are, again, attempting to end-run the process and ignore this clear and concise ruling by Judge Miller. We remain confident that the Appellate Court will uphold the Township’s defense of its land-use ordinances and our residents' quality of life."

The Township will now file an appellate case information statement in order for the Court to assign a briefing schedule.

The entire project has been controversial since the start in the township with many residents opposed to it. The project was approved by the planning board on Dec. 10, 2019 despite residents' pleas and was slated to be memorialized at the Jan. 28 meeting. It was instead removed from the agenda at the last minute because the new planning board attorney, Mark Peck, and new board members did not have enough time to review the transcripts. That is when the developer filed this suit.

The project calls for building a hotel, supermarket, fitness/wellness center, restaurants with outdoor dining, around 400 luxury apartment units and boutiques. This has been called one of the largest developments in township's history since the Bridgewater Commons mall.

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