Decade of Decay Ends as Edison Greenlights Schuyler Drive Redevelopment

EDISON, NJ – The Edison Township Council unanimously approved a redevelopment plan Wednesday for the long-abandoned property at 2 Schuyler Drive, setting the stage for its transformation into a mixed-use commercial and residential space.

The quarter-acre site at Block 160.21 Lot 50 has sat vacant since 2015, steadily deteriorating from its original purpose as part of the 1952 Haven Homes development. Initially built as a residential structure, the building was converted to mixed-use in 1957, featuring commercial space on the ground floor with residential units above.

According to tax records, the property's upper level contains two units with three bedrooms, a kitchen, and two bathrooms, while the ground floor offers 1,100 square feet of commercial space. Years of neglect have left the building with boarded windows and doors, a deteriorating roof, crumbling masonry stairs, and accumulating debris.

The newly approved redevelopment plan envisions the property becoming a kitchen and bath showroom with office space and a second-floor apartment. The Planning Board reviewed and recommended the plan on March 17.

"We are continuing to revitalize the Route 27 neighborhood," Mayor Sam Joshi said. "This is one of many redevelopment projects we are working on to convert abandoned structures into retail businesses that our neighborhoods can be proud of."

Council members expressed enthusiasm about the project's potential benefits to Edison.

“I'm happy to see something finally come together in that property, because this is what redevelopments about, this opportunity to have this property go from a blighted piece of property, which hurts the neighborhood, to a new project is really a great value for the residents in that area,” Councilman Joe Coyle said.

Councilman Nishith Patel added that the redevelopment "will actually help everybody else by decreasing our tax burden."

Meanwhile, Council Vice President John Poyner reminded colleagues and the community that the project still requires approval from the municipal land use board to ensure compliance with all codes and plans.

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