Work on Meadowlands mall has stalled and developer won't answer questions

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Work on the American Dream mall has been just about non-existent, months after it was reported in December that construction had stalled.

Cranes were at a standstill and a hardhat could not be found at the American Dream mall site in East Rutherford. Work was been stalled since December. (Fausto Giovanny Pinto | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Borough Mayor James L. Cassella says he has been in the dark about the billion-dollar mega-project, but is hopeful construction will start again soon.

"I haven't seen much, maybe a few people, a couple of cars parked," said Cassella last week. "There aren't a lot of people down there."

About two weeks prior to a Dec. 23 stoppage, developer Triple Five released renderings of the project and said work had resumed after a six-month halt.

Triple Five told Northjersey.com that work would resume in 2017 after "the planned holiday slowdown."

Since then, the sight of hardhats and sounds of construction has been absent.

Although roads and trailer areas around the development were cleared of snow, cranes were at a standstill and only a few pick-up trucks were seen entering a garage last week.

People at the site last week referred all questions to developer Triple Five, which has not responded to multiple requests for comment on work at the site and on a long-delayed $1.15 billion bond issue that is needed to fund construction at the site. 

A financing deal calls for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to sell $1.15 billion in bonds to the Wisconsin Public Finance Authority, which will then give the proceeds to Triple Five to work at the mall. NJSEA recently referred all questions on the project to Triple Five.

PCL Construction, a national construction contractor whose signs are posted all around the development, did not respond to a media request.

Cassella said he has not had conversations with Triple Five but heard third-hand that construction might begin in four to six weeks.

"I know no more than anyone else," Cassella said. "They are not talking."

Despite the silence, borough attorneys are still going back and forth with Triple Five over the language on PILOT, payment in lieu of taxes, payments, Cassella said.

State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) told NorthJersey.com earlier this month that he is looking to sponsor a resolution urging Triple Five to resume construction or allow the state to consider finding an alternative project at the site.

The longer time goes by without activity an estimated 2018 opening date seems more unlikely.

"I don't know if they will open by then," said Cassella. "We are already halfway through March and there are not really many people working there."

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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