Developer Sues Hillsdale Over Apartment Plan Rejection

A developer whose plan to build an apartment building on Orchard Avenue was rejected by the Hillsdale Planning Board last year has sued the board, court records show.

The developer, 100 Park Avenue Associates, had proposed to demolish three Orchard Street homes and build a new 36-unit apartment building in their place, which would have included four low income housing units. The building was designed to match a nearby apartment building on Patterson Street owned by the same developer.

A copy of the complaint, which was filed January 14, could not immediately be obtained because a judge had the document. The complaint asks that the decision be overturned because the board "improperly disregarded the record established" which included changes the applicant made to the plan at the request of the board, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

The plan had needed a use variance to build housing in a commercial zone.

Board members and other Hillsdale residents said they were concerned about traffic the additional housing could cause in the downtown area. The site is located between Broadway and the railroad.

"I don't think they've proved this project is particularly well-suited to this site," board member Ed Alter said.

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