Claim surfaces as developer seeks to replace promised clubhouse with synagogue at controversial project
Jackson, New Jersey — A Jackson resident alleges he is being excluded from living in the Grande Harmony development due to religious discrimination, as a proposal to replace a planned clubhouse with a synagogue heads before the zoning board.
Randy Bergmann, a local resident involved in opposition to the project, has raised concerns that the development is being marketed in a way that favors a single religious group, stating the project is “being unfairly and illegally marketed to one group only: Orthodox Jews.”
Discrimination concerns tied to housing and marketing
Bergmann’s claims center on both access to housing and how the development is positioned to potential buyers, raising questions about compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act.
In public remarks ahead of the zoning hearing, he questioned whether the inclusion of a religious facility would effectively limit who would choose—or be able—to live in the community.
“Why would buyers of townhouses in Grande Harmony want a synagogue in the middle of the development unless they were Jewish?” Bergmann wrote.
He also raised concerns about whether the project’s marketing strategy may have targeted a specific demographic, asking: “Was it aimed exclusively at the Orthodox Jewish market? If so, it would be a violation of the Fair Housing Act.”
No formal legal findings have been issued regarding those claims.
Bergmann, a former opinion editor for the Asbury Park Press, initially led the charge, calling Jackson residents anti-Semites for not accepting the growth of the Orthodox Jewish population, shaming residents who dissented with what was going on in the town.
He’s singing a different tune these days, launching novel-sized editorials to the vast emptiness of Facebook on a weekly basis, complaining about the “Jewish Takeover” of Jackson, where he resides.
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Key Points
• Jackson resident alleges religious discrimination tied to Grande Harmony housing development
• Developer proposes replacing clubhouse with synagogue and mikvah
• Questions raised about marketing practices and potential Fair Housing Act violations
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Developer seeks major changes to approved plan
The Grande Harmony project, located on Harmony Road, was originally approved for more than 200 townhouse units, including affordable housing, along with amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, and recreational facilities.
The developer is now seeking to amend the plan to include a roughly 5,533-square-foot house of worship and a mikvah, replacing the previously approved clubhouse which would have served all residents of all faiths, genders, and races.
The revised proposal is expected to be a central focus of an upcoming zoning board hearing.
Long-running controversy over development
The project has faced opposition for years, including a community-backed legal effort that raised concerns about zoning, density, traffic safety, flooding risks, and school overcrowding.
The site, located in a limited commercial (LC) zone, permits certain uses including houses of worship, with standards adjusted under a 2023 township ordinance.
Critics argue the latest proposal represents a significant shift from what was originally approved and marketed to buyers.
Questions over amenities and community impact
Bergmann and other residents have also raised concerns about whether previously promised amenities—including a clubhouse, pool, tot lot, and basketball court—will be reduced or eliminated under the revised plan.
Additional questions have been raised about whether any religious facility would be open to the public or limited to residents, and how the changes could affect property values, infrastructure, and daily life within the development.
As previously reported in ongoing coverage of the project, the Grande Harmony development has remained a focal point of debate in Jackson over growth, zoning flexibility, and community character.
Current status
The zoning board is expected to review the proposed changes and related concerns, including resident objections, with no final decision yet issued on the amended site plan or any discrimination allegations.