New Jersey ‘zombie mall’ may be torn down for 276 apartments

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A long-stalled plan to redevelop a deteriorating New Jersey shopping center is once again before local officials.

The Raritan Borough Planning Board recently reviewed a new site plan application for “Raritan Lofts.” The proposal calls for a five-story, mixed-use building that would replace much of the largely vacant Raritan Mall in Somerset County, roughly 45 miles southwest of New York City.

Submitted by Raritan Mall Urban Renewal LLC, the proposal outlines the demolition of the aging strip mall and the construction of a 70-foot-tall building featuring 276 rental apartments and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, according to planning documents.

The project would include 42 affordable rental units.

A view of the deteriorating Raritan Mall in Raritan, New Jersey. (Google Maps)

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A separate one-story building on the property would remain and be converted into retail space.

The redevelopment marks the latest effort to revive the 10.88-acre site, which has struggled since its anchor tenant, Stop & Shop, closed in 2016, according to NJ.com.

The shopping center is now largely vacant. A 2022 preliminary study described the site as “mostly abandoned” and “dilapidated,” citing vandalism and flood damage, the local outlet reported.

The proposal, submitted by Raritan Mall Urban Renewal LLC, calls for constructing a 70-foot-tall building featuring 276 rental apartments and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.  (Raritan Borough Planning Board)

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The hearing represents the newest push to revive a redevelopment plan that has stalled for years.

After the Raritan Borough Council rejected an earlier redevelopment plan, the mall’s owner filed a lawsuit in August 2024. The $100 million suit alleged the vote involved a conflict of interest but was withdrawn in February 2025, NJ.com reported.

The Raritan Mall’s decline also mirrors broader challenges facing traditional shopping centers nationwide. 

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The Raritan Mall’s decline mirrors broader challenges facing traditional shopping centers nationwide.  (iStock)

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Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, malls were losing ground as online retailers such as Amazon drew customers away from brick-and-mortar stores. 

Lockdowns then accelerated the decline by keeping shoppers home. Economic pressures stemming from inflation made matters worse with households tightening their budgets and spending less on discretionary items. 

FOX Business reached out to The Raritan Borough Planning Board and Raritan Mall Urban Renewal LLC for comment.

FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

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