Demolition is underway at the former Essex House on Northfield Avenue, where developers want to build a four-story apartment complex with affordable housing, commercial space and parking near an elementary school.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — A longtime landmark on Northfield Avenue is being demolished to make way for a proposed 95-unit apartment building, bringing an end to the former Essex House restaurant while raising questions about traffic, building height and residential development in the surrounding neighborhood.
Demolition work began during the week of October 4 at 525 Northfield Avenue, near St. Cloud Elementary School and the South Mountain Recreation Complex.
The former restaurant, known for its distinctive English inn-style architecture, had been a recognizable fixture in West Orange for decades.
A demolition permit has been issued, but the proposed apartment development has not yet received final Planning Board approval.
The developer, 525 Northfield Ave LLC, is seeking permission to construct a four-story mixed-use building containing 95 apartments, including 19 affordable units, and approximately 1,200 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.
Nearly 100 apartments proposed for former restaurant property
The redevelopment plan calls for replacing the existing restaurant building and parking lot with a residential complex.
According to the application documents submitted to West Orange, the project would include apartments above commercial and parking areas.
The proposed development includes 165 off-street parking spaces.
Plans also show residential amenities, common areas and parking facilities incorporated into the building.
The 19 affordable apartments would represent 20% of the proposed residential units, with the remaining 76 apartments offered at market rates.
The site sits near established residential neighborhoods, recreational facilities and a public elementary school.
Township confirms demolition requirements were satisfied
According to reporting published October 8 by West Orange Patch, township construction officials confirmed that the contractor complied with all 12 requirements associated with the demolition permit.
Those requirements included asbestos removal and notifying neighboring property owners about the demolition work.
The issued permit authorizes demolition of the existing structure. It does not constitute approval of the proposed replacement development.
That distinction is important because the apartment project remains subject to municipal land-use review.
Building height, traffic and steep slopes raise concerns
The proposed development has drawn scrutiny over several aspects of the site plan.
Among the concerns are the building’s proposed height, potential traffic impacts and the number of zoning variances requested.
Several requested deviations involve West Orange’s steep-slope ordinance, which regulates development on properties with significant changes in elevation.
The property lies near the intersection of Northfield Avenue and Sheridan Avenue, where additional residential traffic could affect nearby roads.
Municipal review documents also identify questions concerning the project’s layout, access points and compliance with local development standards.
The developer maintains that the proposed mixed-use building is consistent with conditional uses permitted in the site’s B-2 General Business zoning district, subject to the requested approvals.
Historic Essex House was a Northfield Avenue landmark
The Essex House was designed to resemble an English country inn and became one of the most recognizable commercial buildings along Northfield Avenue.
The property was owned for decades by the Markouris family, whose representatives have been involved in redevelopment discussions.
The building once housed a restaurant, lounge and banquet facilities but eventually closed.
Previous attempts to find a sustainable future for the property were unsuccessful.
The latest proposal follows years of uncertainty surrounding the shuttered restaurant and renewed interest in redeveloping the site for housing.
Planning Board hearing moved to November 4
The West Orange Planning Board had been scheduled to consider the application Wednesday, October 7.
However, the applicant requested that the hearing be postponed because of the length of the board’s agenda.
The hearing is now expected to take place Wednesday, November 4.
At that meeting, the board is expected to consider the proposed building, requested variances, site access, parking and other development issues.
Residents will have an opportunity to follow the proceedings as the application moves through the municipal approval process.
For now, the demolition of the former Essex House is moving forward, but the future of the property remains dependent on the outcome of the pending development application.