After initially being stalled, a proposal to bring a tall multi-family residential building to a large undeveloped property in one Bergen County borough is now able to move forward.
On October 16th, the Palisades Park Zoning Board of Adjustment granted Preliminary and Final Site Plan approval with variances for use, density, height, and front yard to Berkeley Palisades Park, LLC as part of the company’s plan to bring a 14-story building to the municipality. According to a legal notice, the 121-unit development is to be constructed on a site consisting of eight lots just east of East Edsall Boulevard and west of Edsall Boulevard. The Board’s decision was memorialized during its November 20th meeting.
This wooded wetland property is located atop the Palisades just a few yards away from the Fort Lee borough limits. Known as Long Swamp, it is one of the last remaining undeveloped parcels in the area, though it is surrounded by homes and other highrise residential developments like the Trio, The Charlton, and the Carriage House. The region’s street grid is actually designed around this property, and there is a gap stretching north to south on 12th, 13th, and 14th Streets where drivers and pedestrians must use 15th Street to travel from one side of the site to the other.
NJ Parcels records show that the lots are owned by a company that is registered out of the Austin, Texas offices of the Limestone Hills Corporation. According to documents from Crittenden Research, Inc., the company bought the property for $1.8 million after the previous owner, Tarragon, filed for bankruptcy in 2009.
Real estate companies involved in projects across the country, from Florida to Nevada, are also based out of the same office suite in a suburban section of Austin as Limestone Hills. Many of these groups are affiliated with Ibrahim, Mohammad, and Salman Al-Rashid, who appear to be major donors to universities and political candidates.
The news of this proposal being approved by Palisades Park officials comes after previous development plans for the property did not move forward. Originally, a 17-story building with 154 units was proposed, though The Record reported that it was met with opposition from some Fort Lee residents and officials.
