The path is cleared for a vacant block in East Rutherford to be revitalized into a new housing complex that will help the borough reach its affordable housing obligations while creating some new market-rate units.
During their January 9 meeting, East Rutherford’s Zoning Board approved a three-story building with 26 dwelling units at 20-30 Willow Street. The plot is situated in the borough’s NC–Neighborhood Commercial Zone, which is also part of the AHO–Affordable Housing Overlay Zone.
The plan was scaled back from an earlier version of the project that was pitched to the board back in November. The community voiced a variety of concerns during a meeting about the four-story height that didn’t conform to the area’s zoning, which led to the reduction of an entire floor from the project.
This design modification eliminated the required variance for the number of stories and reduced the severity of the height variance, relieving the community’s concerns and leading to unanimous approval by the board.
The group behind the endeavor is simply named 20 Willow Street Realty LLC and has owned the parcels since 2021. Designed by North Plainfield-based Taylor Architecture & Design, the approved project is set to rise 35 feet and include 26 residential units.
The living spaces break down as two studio units, 20 one-bedroom units, three two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit. Four of the units will be allocated as affordable housing and all of the dwellings will be ADA adaptable, designed with features for people with disabilities.
The building is also set to feature amenities like covered secured parking, a rooftop amenity deck, bicycle storage and a fitness center.
The exterior of the building includes an iron spot brick veneer component on the first story with a combination of stone and smooth fiber cement panels on the upper floors. Some of the units in the building will feature open balconies to create depth along the building’s façade.
The Willow Street property is situated a short walking distance to a ShopRite supermarket and located in a Bergen County borough that sports a plethora of mass transit options. A groundbreaking date for the project has not yet been announced.
