West Orange Development Project Scaled Back

Plans for the Edison Battery Building have been scaled back, though the proposal sent to the township planning board has not yet been approved.

High-end penthouses in the original plan have been nixed along with condominiums on the property. The penthouses were supposed to added onto the existing building. Instead of the condominiums, the redeveloper is suggesting that trees are planted to partially hide the 45-foot tall, 30-feet long garage.

The plans were discussed by the West Orange Planning Board on Wednesday.

 “We are looking to create a product that really meets this market today ...,” said architect David Minno, speaking on behalf of Prism-Green Urban Renewal Associates IV LLC, a subsidiary of the redeveloper.  “It is a little less expensive, but it still has the same ... emphasis.” 

The size of many of the rental units has also been decreased throughout the entire complex. The average apartment size dropped from about 1,200 square feet to approximately 1,000 square feet as the redeveloper shifts toward smaller units. 

The redeveloper also made changes to the number of parking units and the kinds of apartments that will be available.

• There will be a slight increase in parking from 631 to 642 spaces.

• Studio apartments jumped from nine to 33 units.

• One-bedroom apartments increased from 121 to 181 units.

• Two-bedroom apartments dropped from 128 to 82 units.

• Three-bedroom apartments decreased from 18 to six units. 

Eugene Diaz, one of the principals for the redeveloper, said that construction could start within about six months once these changes to the original 2007 site plan were approved. 

With half of the excavation work already done, the site needs about three months of remediation and utilities work before construction on the garage can begin, which will take another four months, said Diaz.  

“We remain excited about the project,” said Diaz. “We have been here a long time; we have been committed to the project. We think this is the appropriate direction to take ....”in the program should contact the state at 609-292-9560.