Here’s What’s Coming Next in the $500M Route 18 Redevelopment Project in East Brunswick
EAST BRUNSWICK – Construction of the first building at Vermella East Brunswick, the $500 million redevelopment project along Route 18, will begin soon.
“We’re making some real progress,†said Warren Waters, a principal and founding member of River Development Equities, which in partnership with Russo Development, are the project’s developers. “We’re getting ready to go vertical and start framing the first building. The goal is still to open the first building by the spring of 2026.â€
Waters said that “no matter what the winter brings, now that all the underground concrete work is done, we’ll be able to continue building.”
Vermella East Brunswick extends about 40 acres from Ruth Street to Lake Avenue along southbound Route 18.
The project, when completed, will include residential units, shops, restaurants, medical offices and other businesses, along with a combination of indoor and outdoor amenities.
Phase 1 of the project received preliminary and final major site plan and preliminary and final major subdivision approval and variance relief in the fall of 2022. It includes construction of one mixed-use building containing about 307 apartment units and 33,665 square feet of retail space.
Phase 2 of the project was recently approved. It includes construction of a four-story residential building consisting of 240 residential units and 341 parking spaces and a community park located at 253-261 Route 18.
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According to a public notice, a hearing on Phase 3 of the project would be held at the Nov. 13 Planning Board meeting, but according to a township official, the hearing will not be held on that date. A new date has not yet been set.
“The application has not yet been deemed complete,” said Keith Kipp, the township director of planning and engineering.
According to the public notice, Phase 3 includes demolition of all existing structures and improvements on the property, the construction of 14 multi-family residential buildings containing 218 stacked townhouse units and 552 total parking spaces and an open air/park-amenity area that is centrally located on the property at 233 Route 18, which is home to Loehmann’s Plaza, and 245 Route 18.
Waters said work is progressing on the below- and at-grade parking levels for the large mixed-use building in Phase 1.
The second building, a four-story residential building, which was approved in Phase 2, will start coming out of the ground around the same time the first building is completed, Waters said.
Phase 3 will commence immediately upon approval of the board and securing the necessary building permits, he said.
The residential units in Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be rentals and those in Phase 3 will be for sale units, Waters said.
“It’s been a very long process that’s required a lot of patience, but the mayor, the Redevelopment Agency and the entire municipality have worked with us literally step by step,†Waters said. “To see this come out of the ground is a culmination of a lot of work. It’s a testament to the municipality, myself and Ed Russo to remain committed, but more important to get it done. Ed Russo and Russo Development has been committed as a partner and incredibly thoughtful in its execution.”
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Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.