Trustees approve condo development

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — New homes are coming to Harrison Township soon.

The Board of Trustees approved a 30.5-acre condominium development at its May 28 meeting.

Situated between Prentiss Street, Jefferson Avenue and Metro Parkway, the development will contain 83 single-family units and will be built in two phases. Plans for the site were originally presented to the Harrison Township Planning Commission at its March 21 meeting, where commissioners tabled its approval until its May 16 meeting. At the March meeting, developer Randy DePrez of Victoria Park Holdings, LLC told commissioners the condos would cost between $400,000 and $600,000.

Changes between the initial plans and the ones approved by the board include keeping unit 22 undeveloped in order to build an access road; the addition of boat and trailer storage rules in the master deed; and to include a park and trail where Prentiss and Jefferson meet as part of phase one. The developer will also put $50,000 in escrow for the township to use to create athletic fields.

“One of the early objections among some of the folks at the initial meeting was that the Callewaert family had graciously allowed the use of their farm, once they stopped farming it, for soccer fields for, gosh, 20 years at least,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “Some of the folks came forward and objected to the development saying, ‘Hey, we don’t want to lose our soccer fields,’ and it’s kind of unfair to the Callewaert family that they can’t sell land because they were polite or gracious enough to donate their land or allow the use of their land for athletic fields. The idea would be, as I understood it, that $50,000 would be specifically used for the development of athletic fields elsewhere on township property.”

Verkest floated the idea of forming a committee with township officials and recreation stakeholders such as little leagues to examine how the funds could be used to improve existing fields. The supervisor also mentioned the idea of using the Prentiss-Jefferson corner park to recognize the Callewaert family’s contributions to the township in some way was discussed by the developers and the planning commission.

Two people spoke during the public comment period about the site. C. William Bardill criticized the minimal use of bricks for the elevations, believing the decision is a cost-cutting move rather than an aesthetic one since surrounding homes use bricks.

“The reason why builders don’t use bricks is not because it’s not contemporary styling but because it’s cheaper, less expensive,” Bardill said. “It’s not rocket science. Normally good brick and mortar lasts around 600 years. Poured walls will last about 80 years.”

Jason Bernard, resident and real estate agent, was positive about the development.

“It’s going to do great things for the supply of housing in Harrison Township,” Bernard said. “There simply aren’t enough homes for those who need homes right now. It’s going to do amazing things for the local businesses, the tax base. All I’m seeing is amazing things coming out of this.”

Approval of the plan was unanimous with Trustee Dean Olgiati excused from the meeting.