Bridgewater Passes Center Of Excellence Project: UPDATE

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Tears flowed as residents poured their hearts out and pleaded with the board not to pass this project. Their pleas fell on deaf ears Tuesday night as the Bridgewater Planning Board approved the controversial Center of Excellence project application.

Residents were emotional as they yelled out in disdain after hearing the verdict. Some yelling "Shame on you!" and "Booooo!" Others wishing the board a "Merry Christmas" in a sarcastic tone.

The scene outside of the courtroom when the applicant's team walked out was reminiscent to a scene from HBO's Game of Thrones when Cersei Lannister walked through the town as villagers chanted "Shame! Shame!"

Councilman Howard Norgalis was the only one on the board to vote against the project. As the board voted, not one of the members who voted yes offered any explanation as to why they were supporting the project.

The meeting took about four and a half hours, coming to an end at 11:30 p.m. with residents speaking and sharing their disgust for the project for four hours of that time. Not one resident spoke in favor of the project.

John a former North Plainfield resident pointed to his former hometown and how it has been destroyed because of poor development.

"This project will become the kiss of death for residential life for the western half of Bridgewater and its enablers names will be etched on its tomb stone," John said.

Andy Fresco gave 10 reasons why the board should reject the application including benzine, major DOT approvals are not done, pollution, traffic and even how the developer shamed residents into thinking they didn't care about the project.

"It's too damn big. Every phase of this is too damn big," Fresco said. "Too many apartments, too big of a grocery store, too many parking spaces, too much retail in an already weak market. I think they knew it was too big but back then they had the mayor on their side so they used it to slide it through. Then word got out, the public is aware," Fresco said of the developer.

"Be courageous reject this application in its current form. Everything about it is too damn big for Bridgewater," Fresco said to board members.

Fresco's number one reason to reject the project was how the applicant created a website at preservingbridgewater.com. The website address was very similar to the name of a group of concerned residents, called Preserve Bridgewater, who use the website www.preservebridgewater.com to opposed to the project.

Fresco noted this website was made to deceive residents. "How's that for a screw you to Bridgewater?" Fresco said. (See Related: Controversial Video Unveiled On Bridgewater's Rt. 202/206 Project)

Watch the Advance Realty video in question below:

Some residents even cried at the podium expressing their concern that their property values would plummet and they would be forced to move out of a town they love.

After testimony completed the board attorney listed a long list of stipulations that the applicant brought by CIP II/AR Bridgewater Holdings LLC must adhere to in order to move forward with the project including getting traffic light approvals from the NJ DOT, adding a school bus stop, Benzine control and more.

The vote was then passed and will be memorialized at the January meeting.

Once all the stipulations are met the project can begin at the now-vacant 100-plus acre Sanofi-Aventis property on Route 202/206. 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.

Missed the meeting? Watch it below:

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