Crate & Barrel To Close, Bridgewater Looks To Rezone Building For Medical Purposes

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Crate & Barrel will be closing its Bridgewater location and the township is already making plans on how to utilize the building once it is vacant.

"Crate and Barrel will be closing their location at the end of the year. Bridgewater Commons looks forward to announcing the names of new retail, entertainment and service brands that will soon join our tenant community in the months to come," said Bridgewater Commons Marketing Director Tom Kovacic.

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With the retailer leaving at the end of the year, Bridgewater is already making plans to fill the empty building at 30 Commons Way, located in The Village.

Mayor Matthew Moench and the council unanimously approved the introduction of an ordinance at its Monday night meeting to rezone the building to allow for medical uses at the mall owner's request.

"There is a potential tenant interested in renting the Crate & Barrel for medical purposes and the Township recognizes that malls across the country are struggling economically and the Township is willing to assist the Bridgewater Commons Mall to rent the Crate & Barrel which will be vacated at the end of the calendar year 2021 to assist the Mall to remain economically viable," according to the ordinance.

Moench noted that this ordinance is directly related to the Crate & Barrel building only and will not re-zone the rest of the Village.

"Right now we have a significant issue with Crate and Barrel moving out. That whole building is going to be vacant. I met with the owner of mall ... and he is very much in favor of this," said Moench.

Councilman Allen Kurdyla said he was also in favor of the zone change.

"I agree with this and I have expressed my concern over the future of the mall to keep it open," said Kurdyla.

Moench noted there is also a timing issue in relation to the building.

"Crate and Barrel's lease is up at the end of this year and so there will be time within which they will then have to make recommendations on the facility or get a tenant," Moench said of the mall management. "We don't want to get this delayed because then they could lose a tenant and then we are stuck with a vacant building."

The rezoning of the building will go before the township planning board at its Nov. 23 meeting and then back to the township council to be finalized at the Dec. 6 meeting.

The public will have a chance to share their comments and concerns about the ordinance at the Dec. 6 meeting before a vote is finalized.

See the full ordinance below:

Bridgewater Ordinance To Rezone Crate & Barrel Building by Alexis Tarrazi on Scribd

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