Damage to homes attributed
to warehouse construction
JAMESBURG — Borough officials are investigating complaints by residents that the construction of the Costco Wholesale warehouse on Possum Hollow Road has caused structural damage to their homes.
According to Mayor Anthony LaMantia, several residents living near the site have alleged that there are now structural problems in the foundations of their homes and cracks in their walls, all allegedly caused by the compacting of soil at the Costco site.
"Costco said there would be no impact on surrounding homes," he said. "They’re not living up to that."
The Costco warehouse has been at the center of controversy from the time its plans were first drawn up in 1999. Located on a 169-acre lot that used to be a gravel and sand mine, the site is technically located in Monroe, but three sides of the property border Jamesburg.
From the start of the project, residents and borough officials raised concerns that Jamesburg residents might have to put up with traffic, noise and drainage problems caused by the change in the contours of the land.
The borough sued the Monroe Township Planning Board and Costco over the Planning Board’s approval to build the warehouse in 2000, alleging the board made an erroneous decision. The case was eventually settled and approval was given to the project, with the provision that neighboring homes would not be affected by the warehouse’s construction.
According to Borough Attorney Frederick Raffetto, Jamesburg officials met with Costco representatives several months ago to advise them that residents had complained that their homes had indeed suffered damage. The attorney said Costco agreed to consult with its insurance company and address the situation. To date, the issue has not been resolved, Raffetto said.
Raffetto said that he is planning a meeting with LaMantia in order to discuss the legal issues surrounding the situation. Once Raffetto has had a chance to evaluate the matter, he said he will draft a letter to Costco requesting that the residents’ concerns be addressed.