Jackson council public land purchase will block future orthodox jewish development

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – When Jackson Township officials learned that a Lakewood developer was in talks with the owner of the Pushkin property, the township council went into action. Last week, the town voted to purchase the land for $1.44 million. The Lakewood based developer who is the builder behind the Jackson Trails development on South Hope Chapel Road was in talks with the family who owns the Pushkin estate with a deal estimated at around $900,000. If built, the 48-acre parcel could have seen 16 new Jewish families move into the town on the 48-acre parcel of land. In 2018, that land at 131 Pushkin Road was approved by the Jackson Zoning Board to allow for 16 homes and a large open space set-aside to prevent further development.

The township decided to outbid the Lakewood-based development firm and pay the owner’s original asking price of $1.44 million. Tonight the council will vote on a second and final reading to keep the land from being developed, blocking another project that could have brought more Orthodox Jewish families into the town. Jackson will pay for the land through a $5,000,000 open space fund. The approval to block the development was voted by Alex Sauickie, Andy Kern, Martin Flemming, Ken Bressi and Stephen Chisolm. A second vote tonight will permanently block the land from being developed for housing for the Orthodox Jewish community.

The sale does not include the Pushkin Estate.

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