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Tenafly staff outline mixed-use borough complex proposal: new library, senior center and municipal offices
Summary
A 61,492‑sq‑ft concept proposed for the post office lot would house retail, a larger senior center, a two-floor library and municipal offices; staff suggested revenue from a restaurant and grants to offset debt and the council agreed to continue design review with architects.
Borough staff presented a four-story mixed-use concept on Feb. 24 that would relocate and expand municipal and community amenities onto the post office parking lot.
Borough Administrator David Novak summarized the program: ground-floor retail and restaurant space (about 6,151 sq ft), a senior center expanded from roughly 4,600 sq ft to about 7,500 sq ft, two floors providing roughly 29,000 sq ft for the library, and an upper floor for municipal offices and a council chamber. Novak gave a total building area of roughly 61,492 square feet and suggested the restaurant revenue and library grants could offset bond debt service.
Council members focused questions on parking, emergency access for the senior center, the building's density on the corner and possible grant or naming-right opportunities to reduce taxpayer impact. One council member asked about ambulance access and ramps for differently abled residents; staff pointed to an existing 15-foot service lane behind the building in the concept drawings and said designers will address emergency access in follow-up work.
The council approved advancing the concept to the next stage: staff will invite the architect back to a March meeting with more detailed drawings, parking counts and funding-option scenarios for further review.
