Developer of Nabisco Fair Lawn site finally resumes demolition, after year-long delay
FAIR LAWN — Stalled for more than a year, work to tear down the former Nabisco factory along Route 208 has finally resumed, starting a process that's expected to span several months.
On Monday afternoon, a black wrap could be seen surrounding a portion of the tower that remains on the site, while a few workers walked around the building. Another new feature on the property, a giant red crane, arrived recently and was parked in front of the building.
David Greek, a managing partner for current property owner Greek Real Estate Partners, said by email Monday that the work started a few weeks ago. Since the method of dismantling is “quite slow,” it’s expected to take several months, he said.
There's no specific date for the demolition to be done, however. There's also no timeline for when work will begin on a warehouse project slated to replace the factory, which closed in 2021 after six decades of snack-making.
Once the building is removed, East Brunswick-based Greek Real Estate Partners plans to build a warehouse covering 644,000 square feet, about the size of the Prudential Center in Newark, along with 10,000 square feet of office space and 256 parking spaces. The project was approved by Fair Lawn's Planning Board last September.
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The developer had planned to implode and haul off the remaining portions of the Nabisco building. That was postponed in early 2023 and later canceled altogether as local residents raised concerns about the potential release of asbestos or other contaminants.
Greek then promised to clear the site through an "alternative method" that would not involve explosives.
At the end of last month, Fair Lawn officials updated the borough website on the status of the property after inquires from The Record and NorthJersey.com. The borough published a two-sentence statement: “Demolition at the Nabisco site is expected to resume shortly, with state approval. A non-explosive demolition will be undertaken.”
For decades, the bakery churned out Oreos, animal crackers and other treats and produced a sweet-smelling aroma that wafted over neighboring streets. But Mondelēz International Inc., Nabisco's Chicago-based parent, shut down the plant three years ago and then sold the 40-acre site for $146.5 million to Greek Real Estate Partners, then known as Greek Development.
Officials gave conflicting explanations last year as to why the implosion was postponed and eventually canceled, with some citing delays in securing permits and others saying more time was needed to remove asbestos. Community members who raised concerns signed a petition asking for additional testing and expressed frustration with the communication and information coming from local leaders.
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: noda@northjersey.com
Twitter: @snoda11
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Fair Lawn NJ Nabisco developer resumes dismantling after delay
