BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
CLOSTER, NEW JERSEY —— As remediation to remove asbestos and minor demolition work begins at the Village School – which the borough agreed last September to purchase for $2.75 million – the borough council is hoping to formalize its agreement with Bergen County Housing Authority to build affordable housing units there once the property’s title is transferred to Closter.
Mayor John Glidden said Feb. 15 that once remediation efforts are completed, as well as demolition of a deteriorated wing of the school, estimated to take 12-15 weeks by Borough Attorney Edward Rogan, the council hopes to obtain the title to the property and immediately have the housing authority begin construction of 35-40 affordable housing units there.
No official agreement yet exists with the housing authority, said Rogan at a Jan. 10 council work session. He said the authority wanted to wait until the borough actually obtained the title to the property.
Housing authority contract
Glidden confirmed that Closter hopes to formally contract with the housing authority as asbestos remediation and partial demolition at the school continues.
He said $800,000 of the purchase price for remediation and renovation of the building was released to the seller and will be used to pay the contractor.
Glidden previously said that the purchase price will be covered by approximately $1 million in affordable housing-related fees that Closter collected on real estate transfers, as well as a $1.75 million bond issue for capital expenditures.
He confirmed that a private South Jersey developer submitted a proposal to Closter in January to design, build, operate and rent the proposed affordable housing units, though he said it appeared the developer was less interested now.
“I thought it would be prudent to hear from a private developer on our options,” he said.
Currently, the borough plans to contract with the housing authority as it will provide a payment in lieu of taxes to Closter to operate the facility.
Affordable housing
The borough has not yet settled its affordable housing obligations with Fair Share Housing Center – its lone intervener – before Superior Court Judge Menelaos W. Toskos, said Glidden, though its efforts to craft a settlement have granted it regular deadline extensions. Its next deadline to report progress is March 31, he said.
“We are anticipating an April or May settlement of our affordable housing obligations,” Glidden said, adding, “The court is impressed with the fact that we purchased the [Village School] and are dedicating it to affordable housing.”
He said the council received a recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission to landmark the school but was holding off action to make sure its designation would not interfere with future construction of affordable housing.
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Two years to start
The mayor said once an affordable housing agreement is signed and approved at a Superior Court fairness hearing, Closter will have two years from then to start construction of such units at Village School. He said it’s likely construction will start long before that deadline.
Previously, the Council on Affordable Housing estimated Closter’s affordable housing obligations at up to 500 units, which Glidden said would have wreaked havoc on local taxes and school expenditures. The state COAH no longer exists, and its role has been taken over by the courts and nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center.
Historic architecture
The Village School was built in 1900, and Historic Preservation Commission Chair Tim Adriance told Northern Valley Press last year that “adaptive reuse and renovation” of it for affordable housing would not conflict with preservation of its historic architecture.
He said “adaptive reuse and renovation” of the building for affordable housing units will not conflict with preservation of the building’s historic architecture and construction.
Glidden said the asbestos remediation work must be completed first, followed by demolition of the school wing constructed in the 1950s. “It’s not an easy process to do this. The amount of time [it takes], it’s anybody’s guess at this point,” Glidden said.
Efforts to contact Rogan were not returned by press time.