Housing Project Around Morristown Train Station Proposed

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Years after first being approved, an update on the Morristown Train Station Redevelopment Project was finally discussed during last week's town council meeting.

Chris Colley, a principal of municipal planner Topology, spoke to the council and the public about the redevelopment project that was first approved in December 2018.

If the proposal is approved by the town, 89 residential units, including 13 affordable units, would be built on the two acres surrounding the current train station.

"To refresh folks' memories, the properties that are part of the train station redevelopment plan are located in the parking lot that's on the sort of Staples side of the train station, four lots," Colley said.

The five-story structure would also include up to 3,900 square feet of retail space, officials said. The proposal also includes 166 parking spaces: 128 in a parking structure, 34 on the ground level, and four on Lackawanna Place across the street.

Councilman Robert Iannaccone made sure to clarify that a majority of the current public parking spaces will remain in the area. "You're keeping at least 69 public parking spaces as a result of this project," Colley said.

Colley also stated that, while this was presented for preliminary approval by the council, the plan would need to be reviewed by the planning board for all the specific details before being approved.

The council unanimously agreed that the project would allow for better land maintenance than it currently has, with Iannaccone stating that NJ Transit does not currently take care of the land as well as it should.

Mayor Tim Dougherty also thanked Topology, the council, and other town professionals for their dedication to the project over the years.

"They stuck with this for five years, through a lot, and this, as you just saw, is an absolutely stunning, beautiful development at our train station and what I think the state of New Jersey believed in back in the day when we became the first transit village in the state of New Jersey. This is what is envisioned in transit living, and it will only boost transit ridership, help the economy, and I think it will also bring east to west people," Dougherty said.

The council approved a resolution authorizing Lackawanna Place Morristown Urban Renewal, LLC, to submit a site plan to the Morristown Planning Board by a vote of 6-0, with Councilman Stefan Armington abstaining.