PARSIPPANY — Four properties are slated for a redevelopment study, Mayor Pulkit Desai said at the Tuesday, August 11, Parsippany Council meeting.
Desai addressed the four properties, which were listed on the meeting’s consent agenda. The council authorized the Planning Board to conduct preliminary investigations to determine whether the following sites qualify as “non-condemnation areas in need of redevelopment”:
- 1633 Littleton Road — vacant land, formerly the Skanska USA building
- 1599 Littleton Road — vacant building owned by NJM Insurance Group
- 15 Waterview Boulevard — vacant, 129,884-square-foot Class A office building
- 199 Smith Road — Dolce by Wyndham
In Parsippany, several properties designated for redevelopment have historically involved Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements, a frequent topic of public debate.
Desai sought to clarify the distinction between a redevelopment study and approval of a tax agreement.
“On tonight’s agenda, we have several sites tagged as areas in need of redevelopment. Many people immediately assume, ‘Here we go, this means another PILOT.’ It does not. Let me be clear: I remain opposed to PILOT agreements because I believe residents deserve to fully understand what they’re getting and what they’re giving up. But I also believe in democracy, where every voice matters, including applicants, and every elected official gets a vote. That’s why, unlike previous administrations, I created the PILOT Review Committee rather than making unilateral decisions. Every PILOT application will be openly discussed, thoroughly reviewed, and considered by the full council,” Desai said.
He continued: “An ‘area in need of redevelopment’ designation is only one small step in a much longer legal process. It does not approve a project, nor does it approve a PILOT agreement. In fact, some redevelopment projects never even request a PILOT. I met with four of these developers: two do not want PILOTs, and the other two may or may not request them. If they do, they will go through our PILOT Review Committee. The committee’s role is to examine the financial impacts, trade-offs, and long-term implications, good or bad. Some applications may ultimately make sense, and some may not. We won’t know until they are vetted.”
