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What is planned? |
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Kaplan Companies is planning to break ground next year on “Heritage at Helmetta,” to be built on a 32-acre site in the center of town. The redevelopment project is proposed to include 225 age-restricted townhouses and condominiums, 10 affordable housing units, 10,000-square-feet of retail space and a civic center open to all borough residents.
The redevelopment area comprises five parcels of property on Main Street where borough founder George W. Helme built his snuff and tobacco empire in the 1880s. The buildings have been closed since 1993 and have fallen into disrepair. |
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What is the project status? |
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Kaplan Companies has finalized the sale of the property and is now the owner of the snuff mill and other portions of the redevelopment district. And, in preparing for this redevelopment project, the company is laying the groundwork to secure all construction approvals.
To that end, company officials have been meeting regularly with Helmetta officials and the state Department of Environmental Protection since last fall to discuss redeveloping the property to fit the state’s smart growth model. Kaplan Companies has also been meeting with project architects, land use experts and other development professionals to address the challenges of this very difficult project.
The company has developed a project that fits the borough’s redevelopment plan. But there is a potential opportunity to convert portions of the old snuff mill into housing. That has required intense study by structural engineers and other historical restoration experts, who need to ensure the aging bricks and mortar can co-exist within a modern-day redevelopment project.
Since Kaplan Companies became the owner of the snuff mill in April, workers have thoroughly cleaned up the property, picking up the heaps of debris that were discarded over the 13 years of inactivity. To safeguard the area and protect residents, the company has lined the property with protective fencing. |
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Will Heritage at Helmetta generate students for the public schools? |
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No. Borough officials have been very clear that this project can not be a drain on local taxpayers. The age-restricted units will be reserved for people ages 55 and over – a demographic group that traditionally does not have school-aged children. Through this project, it is expected that no additional children will be enrolled in the local school system, thus not negatively affecting the property tax rate. |
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What is the project timeline? |
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Kaplan Companies intends to present its master plan to the Helmetta Borough Council and at another town meeting in early fall. Residents are invited to attend and pose questions and comments. Following planning board approval, Kaplan Companies will obtain all necessary building permits and prepare the site for construction. A groundbreaking ceremony is expected next year to kick-off the build-out phase of the project. It is expected to take two to five years to complete the project. |
