One of New Jersey’s biggest malls is on track to become even bigger with the addition of residential and more retail space.

Paramus’s Garden State Plaza Mall announced Mill Creek Residential as its co-developer. The project will include 550 luxury apartments, a shopping center, greenspace and much more. It will all be added to the mall’s west parking lot.

This is considered the mall’s busiest entrance because of its bus stop. The stop will still be there when the apartments are built. Officials say it is hoped to serve as Paramus’s downtown area, since the town does not currently have one.

Easy access to Routes 4 and 17 may be a perk for future residents. But some neighbors say that’s traffic is already bad in the area and could get worse.

“It's already insane. So I think more people, no, it's too much,” says Amalia, of Scotch Plains.

"I just don't think a downtown area belongs in Paramus,” says Rick Eletto, of Wood-Ridge.

Garden State Plaza is one of two properties dependent on $1 out of every $4 spent in Paramus.

Paramus Mayor Rich LaBarbiera says he is excited for the project. He says that the borough is seeing its population decline. He says the population is down to around 26,000 people.

The project is anticipated to break ground in 2024. Residents are expected to move in by 2026.