Judge Rules In Bridgewater's Favor In Center Of Excellence Suit

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Somerset County Superior Court Judge Thomas Miller ruled in Bridgewater Township's favor last week in the Center of Excellence battle.

Advance Realty, the owner of the Center for Excellence site, had filed a lawsuit against the Township in January claiming 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.

Miller made his decision last Thursday stating that it was within the Bridgewater Planning Board's rights to request more information from Advance Realty on the project.

"While [Advance Realty] complains that the ramifications of that finding is that the entire project will be 'held up' and delayed, that unfortunate circumstance does not detract from the legality of the Board's action," Miller stated in his ruling.

"I would like to applaud the clear and direct decision by Judge Miller in this case. Advance Realty continues to act in bad faith in their attempts to end-run this Township's municipal land use process. They must have learned by now that it is not our job, or the court’s job, to make this process easier for them. They need to answer to the Board, the Township and our residents first, just like any other developer," Mayor Matthew Moench said.

Now the developer needs to come back before the Planning Board with greater details on the grocery store and hotel before receiving final site plan approval.

"As I have stated, it continues to be essential to the redevelopment of this site, and its impact on the community, that the Planning Board has all the information it needs on this significant aspect of the proposed development," Moench said. "My administration will continue to advocate for a redevelopment plan that is appropriate for our community and that fits within the character of the Township we love. It is what the residents are demanding and I answer to them."

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.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.