Wrecking crews began tearing down the former Walgreens at 45 South Livingston Ave. on Monday, Aug. 24, starting the construction phase of a long-planned redevelopment.
The demolition is the township's next step in the 45 South Livingston Avenue District Redevelopment Plan, the West Essex Tribune reported. The project will replace aging retail buildings with a residential and commercial development on roughly 6.4 acres along South Livingston Avenue.
What's coming down
The site spans three tax lots that the developer, 45 Partners Urban Renewal, LLC, plans to merge into one parcel. According to a May 2025 Township Engineering Department review, the demolition covers two buildings:
- The one-story Firehouse Commons retail building at 45 South Livingston Ave., which housed the former Walgreens and other shops.
- A multi-story masonry building at 19-43 South Livingston Ave. that contained the former Bottle King, a Dunkin' Donuts and office spaces.
The engineering review required the developer to secure a demolition permit, soil erosion certification from the Hudson-Essex-Passaic Soil Conservation District, and a tree removal permit before work could begin. The township also recommended completing demolition before filing the lot merger deed with Essex County.
How the plan was approved
The Livingston Township Council first authorized a study of the property in 2018 to determine whether it qualified as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment. The area received that designation in 2021.
The council approved the redevelopment plan on Nov. 27, 2023, voting 4-0 on Ordinance 19-2023, as TAPinto Livingston reported. Councilman Shawn Klein recused himself, citing a possible conflict of interest. Then-Mayor Michael Vieira and the remaining council members voted in favor after reducing the maximum unit count from 210 to 195.
The unit count had been trimmed multiple times before that final vote. BNE Real Estate Group, represented by Jonathan Schwartz, originally proposed more than 400 units. That figure dropped to 276, then 240, then 210, before the council's final amendment.
"This project has the potential to be transformative to our downtown, spur the support of local businesses, and this project will greatly add to the walkability of this township …" Councilman Ed Meinhardt said at the November 2023 hearing, explaining his yes vote.
What's planned
As approved in 2023, the plan calls for 195 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments with ground-floor retail. An additional 29 special needs affordable housing units are to be built off-site on Route 10. The bank will remain.
The Livingston Planning Board continued reviewing the project at its Aug. 5, 2025, meeting, according to the West Essex Tribune. At that stage, the development included six townhomes, 195 market-rate units, 17 affordable units and 14 special needs units, totaling 226 residential units.
No construction timeline or expected completion date has been announced. Residents can track upcoming Planning Board agendas at livingstonnj.org.
