Toxic site eyed for affordable housing
Hawthorne officials designate blighted land once sued by paint factory for possible residential use
By: Philip DeVencentis
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
HAWTHORNE - The polluted site of a former paint factory has been designated a redevelopment area, and the borough administration is in talks with a builder that hopes to put new apartments there.
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But before that ever happens, officials said, the derelict property at 1 Washington Avenue, must be cleaned up to a livable standard.
..... The 2nd Ward site was occupied for decades by Pan Chemical Corporation, which produced liquid dispersions, nail polishes and printmaking inks. Soil at the property is laden with carcinogens and heavy metals sued to mix paints.
..... Despite that contamination, officials said the 1-acre lot is prime real estate due to its proximity to a commuter train station. The triangular parcel is sandwiched between two railroads -the New York Susquehanna & Western railway and the NJ Transit Main Line.
..... Bough Attorney Michael Pasquale said a judge would likely force officials to have affordable housing there if they did not agree to it readily.
..... "It's going to be a virtual impossibility to get away form housing at that site," he said.
..... The Bough Council passed a resolution on June 4 [2025] to name the property an areas in need of redevelopment. The designation was based on a 30-page study by a professional planner and a recommendation by the Planning Board.
..... The study found that the industrial site has been "abandoned to such an extent" that is "poses a serious risk to the general public."
..... "The property has been in its current state for decades, which stands as clear evidence that it will not be developed without government intervention," the study reads. "In its current condition, the property will remain stagnant and will not be returned to a productive use that benefits the community."
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The council also directed the planner, Westwood-based Burgis Associates Incorporated, to draft a redevelopment plan for the site. Eventually, the land will be rezoned to further advance the housing project.
..... Meanwhile, the Hawthorne council is expected on June 18 [2025] to adopt a fair share plan to cover local affordable housing opportunities for next decade. The 61-page document presents the Pan Chemical site as a "realistic" option with a potential for 55 units, including 11 low-income units.
..... Officials had "preliminary discussions" with the property owner about redevelopment of the site, Pasquale said. The owner is a Hoboken-based limited liability company tied to Deugen Development. tax records show that it brought the property, assuming responsibility for its remediation, for $750,000 in September 2023.
..... Six months earlier, a judge in state Superior Court in Paterson denied an application by the same developer to intervene in litigation that was initiated by Hawthorne to settle its state obligation for affordable housing.
..... At the time, the borough vehemently fought to stop residential construction at the site. Since officials are about to enter a new housing round, Pasquale said, they are more open to entertaining the idea.