It was a story that touched people deeply. A gleaming, legendary hotel whose 22 floors almost contradicted the expectations associated with the small town in which it stood.
People who had never been there recognized it because they drove past it on the highway. That’s how big it was.
The Sheraton Mahwah Hotel near the New York border opened in 1986 during the Reagan era. In the ’80s, it had a lounge that, given its popularity, might as well have been the Studio 54 of the ’70s.
Our own Bob Williams worked there as a DJ and could tell you first hand how crazy it was.
Photo via Google Maps
It has been closed since last December. Plans for the redevelopment were only recently approved by town officials. The entire facility will be no larger than 37,000 square meters, but the ground floor area will be limited to 74,000 square meters.
Warehouses, which are often a bane in some New Jersey cities, appear to be part of the mix. A data center and parking garages also appear to be in play.
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
Since no concrete site plan has been finalized, it is not yet known exactly what the development will look like. However, Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki says, “The fact that they are willing to work with the community and our residents by reducing land cover is very important.”
One thing is for sure: whatever becomes of this property, it will not be as hot and bustling on Saturday nights as it once was.
Places to visit in New Jersey in real life of the Sopranos
Since its debut 25 years ago, The Sopranos has been a favorite with fans of all ages. While time has changed some of the landscape of New Jersey, there are still many places Tony visited that you can visit, too.
Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt
The opinions expressed in the above post are solely those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski.
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