Coming to a Mall Near You: Development Project Seeks to Site 400 Apartments at Wilton Mall; Public Presentation Jan. 5
Phase One plans of project that would demolish the vacant Bon-Ton store at Wilton Mall, and develop the first 296 residential units. Photo: reimaginewiltonmall.com.
WILTON — A proposal that would see the development of nearly 400 apartments and townhouses alongside the Wilton Mall continues to move through the town’s approval process.
The project, proposed by the Macerich Corporation and Paramount Development, includes 382 new “luxury, market-rate rental residences,” including both apartments and townhomes, and will feature “premium resident amenities with a sophisticated design,” according to the companies.
In November, the town Planning Board entertained an application to establish a Planned Unit Development District (PUDD) for a development with mixed-use, consisting of 680,000 square feet of commercial use and 382 residential units – comprised of 296 apartments and 86 townhomes. The town board is reportedly charged with making the ultimate decision regarding the PUDD, and there has been some public opposition expressed regarding the project.
A phone message seeking comment left for Town Supervisor John Lant was not returned.
Mike Shaffer, Property Manager at Wilton Mall, said this week that a project update will be provided to the Wilton Town Board during its meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 5. The Saratoga County Planning Board is also anticipated to provide an advisory opinion to the Wilton Town Board next month.
Considering these forthcoming recommendations of the Wilton and Saratoga County Planning Boards – as well as the anticipated Negative Declaration on SEQRA – developers are currently anticipating a Feb. 2 Public Hearing with the Wilton Town Board – the municipal entity which will decide whether the Wilton Mall Mixed-Use PUDD is ultimately approved.
Paramount Development, based in Florida, has developed 200 rental apartment communities in dozens of states. Santa Monica, California-based company Macerich has owned and operated the mall land since 2004. They own about 95 acres in all; JC Penney – owns just over two acres, and LBW Saratoga – occupied by BJ’s, owns just under four acres.
“What we see in the Wilton Mall is something that’s got some momentum. We do really well around retail,” Tom Snell, a partner with Paramount Development, told Wilton town officials during a public meeting earlier this year, when Paramount announced its plans to purchase two lots totaling just over 13-1/2 acres on the northeasterly side of the mall for the $100 million-plus project.
The potential project, which would be developed in two phases, would occur on the northeast side of the mall past Dick’s Sporting Goods, and see the removal of the former BonTon location, which closed in 2018. That was followed by the closure of Sears two years later.