Sparta-based law firm Askin & Hooker LLC said it received approval for a significant site plan application for the Shoppes in Lafayette in nearby Lafayette. Plans include an additional development of 138 residential rental units to transform the borough’s outlet mall into a mixed-use retail, restaurant and housing complex.
“This approval will allow residents of the community an opportunity to see their doctor, grab dinner and go shopping without having to pick up their car keys on the way out the door,” Daniel Benkendorf, an attorney with Askin & Hooker, said.
Olde Lafayette Village, once a flourishing complex covering 70 acres with about 50 shops, opened in 1985 with boutique shops, but later switched to retail stores. The village fell into foreclosure in 2012 and, in 2016, was sold.
The Shoppes at Lafayette reopened a few years later as a newly renovated retail experience. However, the iconic shopping center has recently struggled to maintain tenants and vibrancy due to the recent pandemic and the consumer shift to online shopping.
The approved plan adding a residential component to the development will afford residents a new form of convenience with the availability of food, professional services and retail shopping within walking distance.
“Mixed-use neighborhoods with housing, commercial and retail seamlessly integrate, creating a new communal experience where the daily needs of residents are supported, and businesses thrive,” the developer’s attorney, William Askin, stated. “We greatly appreciate the cooperation and support of Lafayette Township and its governing body throughout this process.”
