Board Could Vote On Controversial Mixed-Use Application Tuesday

WAYNE, NJ — The fate of a proposed luxury apartment complex on Route 23 South could be decided at a Board of Adjustment meeting Tuesday.

The application has been before the board for more than a year. Nearby residents are concerned about increased traffic the complex would bring and that it could make already-existing flooding worse.

Mark Semeraro, the lawyer representing Galreh LLC, the property's owner, previously said his applicant's plan reduces the 100-, 10-, and two-year floodwater runoff by 29, 46, and 56 percent, respectively.

The complex would have 232 luxury apartments and 13,000 square feet of retail space; a Trader Joe's is slated to go there.

Of the 232 units, 112 would be one-bedroom, 116 two-bedroom and four studios. Twenty-three would be affordably-priced.

Local residents are also concerned about the increase in area traffic and the potential influx of children to the Wayne school system the facility could bring.

Galreh said that, at most, 17 children would be added to the Wayne Public School District if the apartments are filled to capacity. That projection is based on a Rutgers University study.

Galreh has unsuccessfully tried to develop the property since 2008 and the owner of nearby Wayne Hyundai tried to purchase it some years ago, but the deal never happened. The dealership is located across the property and stores vehicles on it.

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