Demolition Of Chatham Restaurant Makes Way For New Housing Development

CHATHAM, NJ — A long-standing building in Chatham Township has been torn down as part of a new housing construction project approved by the township committee two years ago.

The sale of 522 Southern Boulevard, also known as the Charlie Brown's property, was agreed upon by Chatham Township and the property owner, Kronos Holdings, LLC, for $4.8 million in 2021.

What was previously the restaurant site will soon be transformed into 63 affordable housing units as part of the township's third-round element of affordable housing, which it agreed to in December 2018 in litigation with the Fair Share Housing Center.

The 63 affordable housing units will be spread across three buildings at 522 Southern Boulevard in Chatham Township, with a two-story building facing Southern Boulevard and two three-story buildings behind it.

The Walters Group Apartments, a real estate development company, is in charge of the construction.

Another redevelopment project, which will add 245 new homes to the Chatham community, also recently broke ground.

The site plan, now dubbed "The Ivy of Chatham," was initially approved by the borough in 2021 and has been marketed as a luxury apartment complex with a mixture of 37 affordable housing units.

With the increase in housing projects around Chatham, residents have expressed concerns about whether the school system will be overburdened and how the roads will handle the increased traffic.

During a previous township committee meeting, Joe Del Duca, affordable housing director for the Walters Group Apartments, was asked about the increase in school-age children expected from the tenants.

In response, he stated that he didn't know, but that there would be an average of two residents per unit and one child per unit, resulting in an additional 62 students to the district's school population.

Construction on the project was initially slated to start in March, officials said.

In December, the Chatham Township Committee voted to approve the issuance of a $2 million bond ordinance, which was needed for the Walters Group Apartments to begin construction on the project.

Read more: $2M Bond Requested For Chatham Township Affordable Housing Project

Debra King, chief financial officer for the township, previously said the $2 million would be a short-term loan.

In Chatham, Charlie Brown's Fresh Grill closed its doors in 2020.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the chain, known for its variety of steaks and large salad bar, reduced its New Jersey footprint almost completely, by closing nearly all 14 Charlie Brown's locations in the Garden State.