ShopRite in West Milford gets green light for expansion

WEST MILFORD After four years of revisions, expansion plans for the townships primary retail center have now cleared most regulatory hurdles and may begin to take shape as soon as this winter.

The Planning Board unanimously approved the ShopRite centers multimillion-dollar expansion plan Thursday night, paving the way for an additional 4,000 square feet to the supermarket and another 9,000 square feet in new retail space. A large chunk of the new space will come from a 7,500-square-foot building that will replace a long-defunct movie theater.

Also as part of the plans, the supermarket will receive a face-lift, and its parking lot will be beautified with new landscaping and trees.

Its going to provide a major improvement, said John Wyciskala, an attorney for Inserra Supermarket Inc., which owns most of the retail center. Hopefully, with all these changes to the faade and overall appearance and experience, it will attract more business into West Milford.

The shopping center first submitted its growth plans in 2008; those plans drew Planning Board approval a year later. But Inserra ultimately found them infeasible for construction because a water tank would have to be relocated and possibly close the supermarket for some time, Wyciskala said. So the company decided to scale back, choosing only to extend a portion of the back of the supermarket while adding 10 feet to the front.

Mayor Bettina Bieri, who sits on the Planning Board, said the expansion is long overdue and residents have been eagerly awaiting the changes.

Itll be more beautiful, itll be more modern, the parking lot itself wont be as much as an eyesore, she said. Im excited just like all the rest of the residents.

Bieri said that many residents will be disappointed by the demolition of the old movie theater building. But after many failed business attempts, it is clear the township doesnt have enough residents to keep a cinema afloat, she said.

The supermarket will use its new floor space to change its layout and have a larger area to prepare fresh foods, Wyciskala said.

In addition to using the theaters space, the shopping center will add 1,500 square feet for retail on its far right end. No businesses have yet expressed interest in renting the space.

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ShopRite in West Milford gets green light for expansion