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Three major shopping hubs in Paramus have construction sites within feet of their front door as the township is seeing new residential units go up at the same time.
It’s a very popular housing trend that places hundreds of units, often luxury rentals, with retail on the ground floor alongside malls.
Construction is ongoing alongside Bergen Town Center, Westfield Garden State Plaza and Paramus Park malls. Some developers are building resort-style living, with the developer of Vermella Paramus promising, “a lifestyle beyond the ordinary.”
However, some locals in densely populated Bergen County question the impact on roads, traffic and schools. News 12 spoke with Katie Hedlund while shopping at Bergen Town Center. She is a lifelong resident in the county.
“I feel like it’s getting way too overcrowded. It’s already very crowded and then every open space we have, I feel like it’s just getting built upon," said Hedlund, of Montvale.
Joe Corvino has seen the impact in his hometown, along with others, as this type of high-density housing is constructed.
"I think it could be a little bit concerning. I mean, my local school is overpopulated. They already don’t have enough room. They have trailers out back for some students. If you have thousands of people moving into these buildings, it’s only going to get worse," said Corvino, a Park Ridge resident.
However, these complexes do provide affordable housing, allowing families that qualify a chance to have a home in Paramus. It may also fill the void for those who might have been pushed from buying in high-priced neighborhoods where there’s competitive bidding.
All three projects are in the area of Route 4, Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway.