A building in West Orange that has served as a hotel for decades is expected to be demolished in order to make way for a new mixed-use development.
The Avenue Hotel property at 555 Northfield Avenue, which previously was home to the Turtle Brook Inn, is where a complex known as The West Village is currently planned. The development is slated to include a residential building called 555 West that will contain 70 units. A separate building at the site will be occupied by a Primrose School location.
Developer Rocco Varma of Florham Park-based Varma RE Development described 555 West as a “luxury lifestyle building,” telling Jersey Digs that the structure will include five “ultra private penthouses,” rooftop amenity decks, entertainment space, fitness and yoga rooms, and underground parking.
West Orange’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) approved the plans in October 2019. A resolution from the ZBA states that 11 of the 70 residential units will be “affordable” and that there are also plans for 1,900 square feet of retail space. Varma hopes to begin construction this summer in order to complete the development in the spring of 2022.
The premises are located opposite the South Mountain Recreation Complex, which includes the Turtle Back Zoo, the Codey Arena, and bus service to Newark and New York.
