Plan To Build New Apartment Complex In West Orange Moves Forward

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Planning Board unanimously approved a developer’s plan to build a 142-unit apartment complex at 200 Pleasant Valley Way during their meeting last week.

The board approved the proposal from Redwood LLC on first hearing. The application will now head to the county’s planning board for further review. See supporting documents and plans here.

According to a memo sent to the planning board on May 31:

“The applicant is seeking preliminary and final site plan approval to construct a 142-unit multi-family residential building at the site. The building will be five stories high with four stories of living space over parking. The apartments will consist of 12 one-bedroom units, 110 two-bedroom units and 20 three-bedroom units. Of these, 28 will be affordable units, consisting of four one-bedroom units, 16 two-bedroom units and 8 three-bedroom units. In addition, parking is proposed for 338 vehicles, including 170 spaces inside the building and 168 spaces outside the building. In addition, a pool, a lounge, a game room, a yoga spa, a community kitchen/party room and a grille station are proposed. Access will be provided to the site via an existing driveway from Pleasant Valley Way.”

The property is currently vacant. It was the subject of a Zoning Board development application in 2017, prior to the property being rezoned as part of a settlement of affordable housing litigation. The IHO-2 Inclusionary Housing Overlay Zone was adopted in 2020 for the subject property, and the proposed development complies with the requirements of this zone, according to an April memo from township planner Paul Grygiel.

Local advocacy group Our Green West Orange has expressed concern about the proposal, which would be located at the old JT's skatepark site behind Brighton Gardens senior homes.

After the planning board voted to advance the project on June 7, Our Green West Orange issued a statement blasting the decision, which was made without an environmental impact study, traffic study or school impact study.

The group also questioned whether the proposal conforms to stormwater requirements and has a safe entrance and exit plan for drivers, among other concerns.

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