Village 35/Shoppes At Middletown Seems To Be Moving Forward

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The controversial Village 35 project appears to be moving forward, despite a vocal number of people in Middletown Twp. who say they don't want it.

The Shoppes At Middletown/Village 35 or the Middletown "town center" (it has many names) would be located at the intersection of Highway 35 and Kings Highway. So far, Wegmans and CMX, a dine-in movie theater, are the only two confirmed tenants, but developer National Realty Development Corp. (NRDC) is eager to get more tenants. Toll Brothers is now asking for Middletown's approval to build 320 new homes, including 80 affordable housing units, behind the shopping center.

This is all according to the latest update on the project from the Asbury Park Press. Village 35 would be built where the original Food Circus store was located, with the infamous Calico the Evil Clown sign. The store is now home to Circus Liquors.

The Middletown Township Committee is currently considering a redevelopment blueprint for the site, about 340,000 square feet, but they have yet to approve it. On the website for the project, NRDC says The Shoppes At Middletown will open in 2020.

Renderings of The Shoppes are above and below, from the developer.

Residents who are opposed say it would bring more traffic and congestion to the area, and degrade the environment. They say Middletown suffers from too much development already.

"You decided, like the developer before you, not to work with the community to create the project," Middletown resident Monica Manning addressed the Middletown Township Committee this past Monday night, according to the APP. "We understand there are public meetings after but it was kind of important to be involved in the process."