TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Cleanup of environmental contamination at the Township of Washington’s newly acquired 450 Pascack Road property could cost as much as $171,000—but thanks to a $250,000 escrow account funded by the seller, the township expects to cover all remediation expenses without burdening taxpayers.
Township Administrator Mark DiCarlo confirmed the escrow agreement—signed in April as part of the $750,000 property sale—was designed to cover environmental remediation and any associated costs following site testing.
He disclosed the details during a mid-June site tour with Pascack Press, noting that soil tests revealed elevated levels of lead that will need to be addressed.
[See ‘Taking stock of 450 Pascack Road” by Michael Olohan on page 1 in your June 23 Pascack Press.]
DiCarlo said it was his “unscientific” belief that the lead contamination likely stems from aging paint on the site’s house and barn. He added that the Township Council was made aware of the contamination prior to the closing.
The cleanup proposal, prepared by Lisko Environmental of Belmar, outlines three possible cost tiers for remediation, ranging from $25,400 to $170,692. The Jan. 30 proposal notes that environmental investigations are “often completed in an iterative process” and estimates the total liability to fall between $25,000 and $171,000.
While Pascack Press previously submitted a public records request for the results of a $5,700 Lisko site investigation authorized last November, that information has not yet been released.
Since the township took possession of the property in early May, Department of Public Works crews have been clearing debris and discarded items. During the recent tour, DiCarlo pointed out a collapsing barn and a caved-in porch roof, urging residents to stay off the property until demolition and remediation are complete.
The 3.2-acre parcel—mostly wooded and oddly shaped—sits between Ridgewood Boulevard East and Memorial Field, just south of Washington Avenue Elementary School.
The township finalized the sale in May following due diligence, which began with the signing of a purchase agreement in May 2024.
The agreement was signed by seller Robert Morris on May 7 and by Mayor Peter Calamari on May 8, 2024. As part of the escrow terms, Morris deducted $250,000 from the sale price and deposited those funds into an escrow account to be used for environmental cleanup.
The site has a complex recent history. In 2020, it was proposed for a 48-unit senior living complex, but that plan was withdrawn following public opposition. In the years since, the aging structures on the property were cited for maintenance violations, though no fines were issued as the sale to the township progressed.
Calamari announced the property’s acquisition on Facebook on April 24. At that time, he said the township’s “future vision” for the land includes a nature trail, exercise areas, landscaping, benches, sidewalks, and parking.
“Our immediate focus will be on cleaning up the property,” Calamari said, “and I will keep you updated on our progress. As always, I thank you for your continued support.”
The site had long been listed for sale on commercial property websites, with asking prices reaching as high as $2.1 million based on its development potential. While rumors of affordable housing once circulated, the land is zoned for single-family residential use and has limited street access for emergency vehicles.
In late 2023, the township secured a $550,000 Bergen County Open Space Land Acquisition grant to support the purchase. The grant application outlined future walking trails and “passive recreation” opportunities at the site.
Following cleanup and demolition, DiCarlo said the mayor and council will begin deliberations on the property’s long-term use.
Some council members have previously expressed frustration over environmental costs related to the 6.1-acre former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club. In that case, two earlier Lisko Environmental investigations found no presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), but a later pre-demolition survey by Boswell Engineering detected elevated levels of the hazardous chemical.
Boswell is developing a final remediation cost estimate for that site. DiCarlo said the township hopes to secure grant funding to offset the cost, as it did for the 450 Pascack purchase.
Town officials had once envisioned a “great lawn” recreation space at the former swim club site, but those plans are on hold pending remediation.