Woodbridge Decides Not To Build 94 Apartments At Ross Street School

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Last week, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac announced the Township reversed course and will not go through with a controversial plan to build a four-story luxury apartment complex across the street from Ross Street Elementary School #11.

The 94-unit apartment complex would have been built on the parking lot currently used by Ross Street teachers and staff. The apartments would be directly across the street from the elementary school.

A tunnel would have been built through the building so teachers and staff could walk to the municipal parking lot on New Street.

Apparently, the plan was met with displeasure from the Ross Street school community.

"For the last two years, Woodbridge has been investigating the possibility of a luxury apartment complex and parking deck in the block between North James Street and Ross Street," read McCormac's letter, also signed by First Ward Councilwoman, and former Knot Just Bagel shop owner, Sharon McAuliffe.

McCormac said the town got feedback from Woodbridge school superintendent Joe Massimino, the school board and Ross Street School PTO, parents and teachers.

"There clearly were concerns expressed about the impact of the project on privacy and security of the school building," said McCormac. "We have concluded that the project cannot be constructed without a significant negative impact to the Ross Street school community and therefore we are canceling plans to move this project forward ... At the end of the day, we were just not comfortable with such a large residential structure and parking deck so close to Ross Street School."

"The apartment windows would have been looking right into the school," said Ken Gardner, who lives in the First Ward and ran in 2021 in the Democratic primary for the First Ward Council seat, losing to incumbent Nancy Drumm, who has since passed away.

Many in Woodbridge criticize how much development is happening in town in recent years, but Gardner has been one of the most outspoken voices against the Woodbridge building boom.

He hailed last week's announcement as a major win.

"When I was running, everyone said to me you can't stop the development, it's all already here. I told them, no, there are apartment complexes being planned that the public is not even aware of, such as Ross Street," said Gardner. "I'm very happy that the Mayor and others listened to our outcry."

Resident Tom Maras also spoke many times against the Ross Street apartments at Woodbridge school board meetings.

"It was a true relief to have learned that Mayor McCormac, the Woodbridge Redevelopment Agency and the Woodbridge Township School District have agreed to cancel the 94 apartment units, which were planned for development on the school district's staff parking lot," said Maras Thursday. "In so doing, I believe the Mayor, the Redevelopment Agency and the school district have shown they can and do respond to their constituents."

The Ross Street school parking lot will remain and will be expanded once 107 Ross Street is torn down and demolished, said McCormac. The New Street municipal parking lot, owned by the town, will also be expanded once the auto shop and two residential properties are demolished.