Former Fair Lawn ShopRite site approved for Hindu temple
Plans call for a BAPS Hindu place of worship, classrooms, prayer hall and more than 300 parking spaces at the longtime vacant site on River Road.
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A familiar Fair Lawn property is getting a major makeover.
The former ShopRite on River Road has been vacant since the grocery store moved to a new location in 2023. Now, plans have been approved to transform the site into a BAPS Hindu place of worship and temple.
The Fair Lawn Planning Board approved plans for BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham USA to transform the former ShopRite last month.
Plans call for classrooms, a prayer hall, office space, a large assembly hall with a stage and a kitchen. The project also includes more than 300 parking spaces, exterior improvements, a playground and additional outdoor space.
The plans also include the purchase of a nearby shopping center that includes Walgreens and Sherwin-Williams. Both businesses are expected to remain, while the shopping center itself is slated for exterior improvements.
The former ShopRite property was sold last year for $14 million.
People who live nearby and others familiar with the property say they are glad to see the long-vacant building getting a new purpose.
There is still no word on when construction is expected to begin.
