NJ woman claims nearby construction damages her dream home, company disputes claims – CBS New York

WAYNE, NJ (CBSNew York) – Woman from New Jersey says construction of a mall that is expected to attract several new retailers and restaurants to town is wreaking havoc on her home.

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Work is done a short walk from his property in Wayne.

“The house shakes violently, glass shatters on the floor, mirrors fall from the walls. It has been an absolute nightmare for our family, ”said owner Darlene Ortiz.

Ortiz has lived at home on the Hamburg toll motorway for almost 30 years. She says it was the house of her dreams, that is, until construction of a new shopping center began right next door in September, soon to be known as Parke in Hamburg.

A woman from New Jersey says the construction of a mall that is expected to bring several new retailers and restaurants to town is wreaking havoc on her home. (Credit: CBS2)

She says the construction is destroying her house, cracking the interior walls, the foundation and the driveway.

But Lou March Jr., owner of construction company March Associates, says all the proper steps were in place before construction to protect it.

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He didn’t want to walk in front of the camera, but told CBS2 News over the phone that the company had installed vibration monitors to prevent shaking, put up a protective fence, and took video around his property, which, according to him, proves that the external cracks were already there.

Ortiz, however, insists that the majority of the cracks on and in his house are new and the few existing cracks have been made worse.

“We contacted the town. The township has been extremely uncooperative. We also contacted the developer, who was also uncooperative, ”she said.

Ortiz says she filed several police reports and wrote a letter, which she declined to share, to Mayor Christopher Vergano, citing the damage and his request for redress.

A woman from New Jersey says the construction of a mall that is expected to bring several new retailers and restaurants to town is wreaking havoc on her home. (Credit: CBS2)

The mayor never responded, Ortiz said.

CBS2 News contacted the mayor’s office for a response on several occasions, but Vergano was not available to comment on Ortiz’s concerns or discuss measures taken to protect his home.

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Construction on the Parke is expected to be completed this summer, but Ortiz is asking for a stop work order until his concerns are resolved.