PARK RIDGE, N.J.—A long-discussed new Community Recreation Center—partially paid for by the developer of a five-story, 240-unit downtown retail-apartment complex—began to take shape Sept. 22 when the Borough Council hired an architect on retainer to come up with preliminary plans.
The downtown developer is required to contribute $250,000 in soft costs (this retainer will be paid from that already established escrow account) and $500,000 toward construction, Borough Administrator Julie Falkenstern told Pascack Press.
They are also responsible for being the general contractor of the new community center, she said.
The developer, Park Ridge Transit LLC, is constructing a five-story, 240-unit complex with 17,000 square feet of ground-level retail space on 3.2 acres near the Kinderkamack Road-Park Avenue intersection. It includes 24 affordable rental apartments, and 423 parking spaces—mostly in an onsite parking garage.
Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, Lambertville, were hired Sept. 22 by council on a $20,000 retainer to provide design development, schematic design and architectural services for the development of a community recreation center.
The purpose of these preliminary costs is for the architectural services related to establish the amount to be charged for the purpose for which bonds may be issued under Chapter 2 of Title 40A, said the consent resolution, which was approved unanimously.
No public or council comments were made Sept. 22 on the architect’s hiring.
Falkenstern told Pascack Press that the proposed Community Recreation Center will be built on the commuter lot directly behind the new downtown building. Although some parking spots will be lost, she said, they’ll be recouped in the onsite parking garage.
“We are in the beginning stages of planning what it will look like,” said Falkenstern. She said if all goes as planned, the borough should present preliminary plans for a new community center to the Planning Board by year’s end.
Mayor Keith Misciagna told Pascack Press in spring 2019 that the downtown developer’s $500,000 contribution would help in moving toward a community center, which would include a public plaza, a space for outdoor dining, and a space for residents to relax in.
“The new community center will complement the downtown redevelopment and provide all of our residents (young and older) with a new beautiful state of the art building to meet and gather at for generations to come. This facility will also help our downtown businesses by creating foot traffic that is essential to a thriving business center. The (apartment-retail) building is scheduled to have at least two eating establishments and various service and retail entities,” Misciagna said in a Sept. 26 email.
He added, “The preliminary design complements the other buildings in the area and provides much needed space for our community. We look forward to its completion in the not too distant future.”
He said the community center will have a large gymnasium and several smaller meeting rooms, plus a kitchen and restrooms.