Southbound travelers on the Parkway may one day have a panoramic view of 2,000 new condos on either side of the highway as they descend from the steep new bridge across the Raritan River.

Today’s Home News Tribune reports that Sayreville’s Planning Board has approved a proposal to add housing, at five units per acre, to a redevelopment plan for the 400-acre brownfields site of the former National Lead operations.

THNT’s report says that prospective developer LNR Northeast Investment’s

$1.5 billion vision for the redevelopment property, bisected by the Garden State Parkway and routes 9 and 35, includes 2,000 housing units, hotels, office and retail space, marinas, a canal and basin, promenade and athletic complex.

A major hurdle must first be tackled before anything can be built. LNR is currently negotiating with NL Industries in an effort to assume control of the cleanup of the former industrial property, which contains a number of environmental contaminants.

A Planning Board member is quoted as saying that the developers will target “empty nesters” and the “upwardly mobile” rather than families with children in marketing the homes.

No kids? Hmm. Guess they won’t be calling the place “Leadville,” either.

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