Monmouth Mall big changes: 5 things to know before hearings start

EATONTOWN – After an initial postponement, Monmouth Mall partners Kushner Cos. and Rouse Properties are ready to present their plan for an overhaul of the 1960s-era shopping mall to the Planning Board on Monday.

The real estate developers are asking the Planning Board to approve their plan to reconfigure the mall for new retail, recreational and commercial uses plus the addition of a residential component featuring 700 rental apartments.

The proposed new name the mall is The Heights at Monmouth.

The plan could take multiple hearings for the developers to present all their testimony and for the public to comment.

Erik Brachman, the board's administrative officer, said the developers will have at least six to eight professionals testify on the engineering, architectural, traffic, and environmental aspects of the plan.

Reporter Dan Radel discusses the proposed layout of Monmouth Mall in the video above.

Kushner Cos. and Rouse Properties

Kushner Cos. has had an ownership piece at the mall since 2002. The group is a high-profile real estate company owned by the family of President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner.

In 2015, Kushner Cos. bought out its previous joint-venture partner in the Monmouth Mall, Vornado Realty Trust, for $38 million.

After taking a position in his father-in-law's administration, Jared Kushner divested himself from three limited liability companies associated with Monmouth Mall.

Then in 2017, Kushner Cos. partnered with Rouse Properties on the mall.

Rouse Properties is based in New York and has experience transforming old-fashioned malls into modern walkable communities, which has become a national trend. Rouse's portfolio includes 38 properties in 21 states totaling about 28 million square feet of retail.

Kushner Cos. also has owns Pier Village in Long Branch, a beachfront community that is undergoing the construction of an addition that includes luxury condos, a hotel and boardwallk.

Related: Long Branch officials defend Pier Village plans

The Heights at Monmouth

Kushner Cos. and Rouse Properties are proposing to create a live, work and play community at Monmouth Mall.

The overhaul, which Kushner Cos. first introduced informally to the public in January 2016, is a mix of residential and commercial space to "reposition the mall to reflect changing shopping habits and lifestyles," the site plan states.

The plan, which is talked about in the above video, includes indoor and outdoor corridors between shops, restaurants and space designed for entertainment.

The demolition is planned for the current two-story wing of the mall, which would be opened to feature outdoor corridors and green space. Tenants in that wing include Boscov's.

The plan also calls for the construction of 700 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

The designs can be viewed at the Borough of Eatontown's website.

The opposition

A lawsuit filed by four residents that could stop the redevelopment is still pending.

The residents, who are against the apartments proposed for the property, filed a suit against the borough in October 2016 in state Superior Court in Freehold to stop the redevelopment by overturning the ordinance change that allowed for up to 700 residential units at the site.

There are no residences on the 104-acre mall property as it stands.

Litigation: Monmouth Mall's future awaits judge's decision on lawsuit

More: We're not NIMBYS: Inside the Monmouth Mall lawsuit

The case is being decided by Assignment Judge Lisa Thornton. The testimony concluded in July and the groups are waiting for Thornton's opinion. If she rules for the plaintiffs, that would make the necessary zoning for the redevelopment null and void.

The group's attorney, Edward Liston, also sent a letter to the borough that was dated Feb. 26, challenging the planning board's jurisdiction to rule on the site plan.

Mall's value

The Monmouth Mall land and improvements owned by Kushner Cos. and Rouse properties were assessed at $162 million in 2017. The land was assessed at $119.8 million and the buildings were assessed at $42.2 million.

The total taxes on the property controlled by Kushner Cos. and Rouse Properties were $3.6 million.

Kushner Cos. and Rouse Properties own 78 acres of the roughly 104-acre property. The remaining land and improvements are owned JCPenney, Lord & Taylor and Macy's.

The hearings

Barring a venue change, the Planning Board hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday in the council meeting room at Borough Hall located at 47 Broad St.

The meetings will adhere to a 10:30 p.m. end time, according to the agenda.

The public will be allowed to question the witnesses after they have given their testimony. The questions must be limited to the witness's testimony only.

After all the professional testimony is in, the public can then ask general comments on the entire application.

Dan Radel: Twitter@danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com