Debate About Essex Green Shopping Center Heats Up Before Hearing

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The saga of Essex Green Shopping Center is slated to take its next turn on Thursday, April 11 when the West Orange Zoning Board holds a hearing – and possible vote – on the controversial redevelopment project.

Clarion Partners wants to carry out a large renovation at the property, which has seen a mix of tenants that include ShopRite, Macy's Backstage, AMC Theatre, Petco, TGI Fridays, Panera Bread, GameStop and GNC.

But local activists have slammed the proposed project, alleging that there are “numerous safety, aesthetic and environmental issues” with developers’ plans.

Representatives from Clarion Partners will be in attendance at the April 11 meeting, a company spokesperson told Patch.

According to the zoning board’s agenda, the Essex Green application for 495 Prospect Avenue is seeking “c” and “d” variances for the expansion and renovation of an existing shopping center. Meetings of the West Orange Zoning Board of Adjustment are typically held at 8 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 66 Main Street.

REDEVELOPING ESSEX GREEN

After Clarion Partners purchased the shopping center in 2016 for $97 million as part of "one of the largest retail sales in New Jersey in the last two years," developers announced plans for a large renovation at the property, citing a double-digit vacancy rate among its tenants.

In January 2018, the West Orange Town Council approved a resolution designating the shopping center and an adjacent office park on Executive Drive as an "area in need of redevelopment."

In August 2018, West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi announced that Clarion Partners isn't asking for a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to redevelop the property.

Catch up with some of our recent stories on the Essex Green project at the below links:

• See related article: Developers Laud Essex Green Plan, But Activists Are 'Dubious'
• See related article: West Orange Mayor: No PILOT For Essex Green Shopping Center
• See related article: Essex Green Redevelopment Gets Key Vote From West Orange Council

ACTIVISTS: ‘NEGATIVE IMPACT ON HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE’

Last week, grassroots activist group Our Green West Orange – whose members have been vocal critics of the Essex Green redevelopment plan – sent an email blasting the project and urging people to reach out to the Town Council in protest.

“They are asking for variances that impact negatively on the health, public safety and general welfare of the community in West Orange,” Our Green West Orange stated in their email.

According to activists, Clarion Partners is seeking variances that include:

• “Two fast food drive throughs”
• “Excessive store front signage”
• “Excessive buildings, with minimal setbacks”
• “Not enough parking which means it is to be taken from green spaces”
• “They will eliminate the sidewalks which exist within the parking lot”
• “154 trees to be removed and replaced with saplings”
• “No shade for ten years”
• “Allowing dangerous conditions between pedestrians and cars from Macy’s to the Sears building and at the proposed drive-throughs”
• “Pedestrian safety is compromised throughout the parking lot”
• “No sidewalks on Rooney Circle, where a resident was recently killed”
• “Will violate our complete streets resolution which encourages walkability and bicycling”
• “Eliminate the traffic calming de-acceleration lane entrance”
• “A twenty-five foot digital entrance sign which will distract drivers”
• “No stormwater plan to contain heavy rains on site, risking water damage to homes below the shopping center”
• “No courtesies to residents such as a bus waiting area and electric vehicle charging stations”
• “No interior landscaping. No solar panels, no water savings, no environmental practices”

In January, the group hosted an Essex Green "walk and talk" to show residents what they called "deficiencies" in Clarion Partners' proposed plans.

West Orange Town Council members Cindy Matute-Brown and Jerry Guarino were in attendance at the event. (Story continues below video)

DEVELOPERS: ‘COMMUNITY IS EAGER TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN’

Clarion Partners spokespeople told Patch that there are several inaccuracies in activists’ latest allegations about the Essex Green project.

For example, Natalie Evertson, vice president of corporate communications and events, said there’s nothing “fast food” about the planned drive-throughs.

According to Evertson:

“We will deploy up to two drive-through areas, each one on different sides of the shopping center. On one side, we are in discussions with an existing fast casual bakery-café tenant to lease the end cap. They would like to add a drive-through to better accommodate busy moms-on-the-go, but also continue to offer pleasant dine-in and outdoor patio spaces for residents to eat and gather. For the other side, we are targeting a high-profile potential coffee house/tea tenant. Neither is targeted to fast food, and both will offer plentiful comfortable in-house dining, outdoor seating and wi-fi space in addition to the drive-through offering.”

Evertson said that Clarion is also evaluating several ESG-related initiatives at Essex Green, including:

• “Solar power on the roofs and environmentally friendly reflective roofs”
• “Electric vehicle charging stations”
• “New rideshare drop-off and pick-up areas”
• “Designated ‘Expectant Mother’ parking spaces”
• “Bike racks”
• “LED lighting (we will replace existing fixture heads throughout the site with LED and all new fixtures will be LED)”
• “HVAC systems installed by landlord will be energy efficient systems (where tenants are installing their own, we will encourage them to install similar energy efficient units)
• “Landscaping to include native plants to New Jersey that require less water”

Here’s some more information to consider about the Essex Green project, Evertson said:

• “We will plant 194 new trees, and upon completion of the redevelopment we will have 42 more trees than exist today and 110 more trees than what is required by the ordinance.”
• “66% of the trees being removed are either dead, have trunk damage, were installed poorly, have frost cracking or are the incorrect species and not appropriate for the property. And many of the healthy ones we are removing aren’t planted and maintained in areas to maximize growth – many are only 30-40% of their potential height after 30+ years.”
• “We will plant a variety of different types of trees including red maples, thornless honeylocust, sweetgums, birch, redbuds, cherry, crabapple and two different types of evergreens.”

Clarion Partners Managing Director Lauren Holden said that the last major renovation at Essex Green – which was built in 1957 – took place in 1991. “The goal is to revitalize it, give it a facelift,” she said.

For example, there are plans to “activate” the area in front of the AMC and turn it into a plaza and outdoor green space, where the community can sit and gather for coffee or a bite to eat, she said.

“The feedback from the public has been very positive,” Holden said. “The community is eager to see something happen.”

Holden said that Clarion representatives have met with residents of the Eagle Ridge condo community who live nearby, and that they are “supportive” of the proposed renovations at Essex Green. In addition, Clarion has coordinated efforts with the West Orange Pedestrian Safety Advisory Board, the township forester, the police chief and municipal engineers.

“We have walked the property with all of these different groups,” Holden said. “We’ve collaborated, and we’ve modified our plan to accommodate some of these things that have been important to the public.”

Clarion provided the following photos of the property in its current state, as well as renderings of the proposed renovations.

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