Dover Town Council Takes Step Toward Apartment Project

The move allows local developer Roger Gupta to submit a site plan for redevelopment near Crescent Field.

Dover Town Council voted 5-4 to approve the first reading of the redevelopment effort for the 46 S. Morris Street rooming house. (Photo/DOVERNOW)

The Dover Town Council voted to allow the redevelopment of the rooming house at 46 S Morris Street, located across from Crescent Field and near the train station. 

The vote comes nearly four months after the council voted to approve a redevelopment plan

for the project. That plan says that the redevelopment allows for a new multi-family structure

with a maximum of 23 units and a height of 70 feet. The redevelopment plan approved does

not require off-street parking to be included in the project, and an access driveway off of

Monmouth Avenue. The proposed building can cover up to 55 percent of the lot, which spans 13,000 square feet.

Mayor James P. Dodd cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the resolution, which designated the limited-liability firm PRR Realty LLC and local developer Roger Gupta as the redeveloper of the parcel. Council members Christopher Almada, Judy Rugg, Daniella Mendez, and Sandra Wittner voted against the resolution, while Geovani Estacio, Arturo Santana, Marcos Tapia, and Veronica Velez voted in favor.

Officials cast their vote after Lawrence Callie, an attorney working on behalf of Gupta, who is the owner of 46 S Morris Street submitted comments reminding the council that plans for this project have been years in the making and that Gupta has already been named the redeveloper

for other properties in town. PRR Realty will be required to submit a site plan application to the

town’s planning board to continue with the redevelopment of the property, he said, before

reminding the town council that a redevelopment plan for the site was already adopted via

ordinance in late 2025.

Records from the Morris County Tax Board show that the parcel was last sold in July 2004 for

$300,000. It consists of a multi-family structure built in 1900 that has a net taxable value of

$384,200. The redevelopment plan says that the building is home to nine residents leasing rooms on a monthly basis. They will be ‘afforded the statutory minimum required notice to

vacate the premises,’ and the redeveloper will be required to assist with the relocation, should

any of the residents need it.

Before officials cast their vote on the resolution, Dover Town Planner Alex Dougherty said that the project at 46 S Morris St should not include parking, which is consistent with the town’s master plan. He added that he will try to get it done for other projects, and the steep incline of the parcel makes it challenging, from a planning perspective, to add parking to the site. 

Dougherty made similar comments about the lack of parking for the proposed Meridia 640-apartment project at 11-70 Basset Highway during discussion at the March 10 Council meeting, before the site plan for the project were reviewed by the planning board on March 19.

Mayor Dodd added that the lack of parking on-site for this project will be a windfall for the

town as residents of the proposed building will be required to use the municipal parking lots

and that this will have no effect on residential street parking before council members and him

voted on the legislation. He said the town’s parking plan will generate $1.5 million in annual revenue to Dover.

The Dover Planning Board voted to confirm that the redevelopment plan does comply with the Dover Master Plan.

In addition, the Council also approved two pieces of legislation meant to start the redevelopment process for a 6.6-acre site located at 200 W. Clinton Avenue. Council agreed to direct the planning board to conduct a preliminary investigation for the site and to execute an escrow agreement with the firm leading the redevelopment of the parcel, SL Acquisitions LLC, the contract purchaser of the property.