Bergen County · Paramus Borough · #20260590
156 Forest Avenue
156 Forest Avenue, Paramus Borough, NJ · 47,580 sq ft non-residential, institutional
About this project
A new assembly-type building of about 47,580 sq ft at 156 Forest Avenue in Paramus Borough, with uses listed as lecture halls, art galleries and churches.
Official description: Lecture halls, Art Galleries, Churches, etc.; reported construction cost $12,390,000
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Land use
- Lecture halls, Art Galleries, Churches, etc.
- Status
- Permit
Filing history
- 2026-05-22 · #20260590 · Building permit (new construction) · 47,580 sq ft
The full picture AI research
The county record describes a new assembly-type building of about 47,580 square feet at 156 Forest Avenue in Paramus. Assembly buildings are places where people gather, such as churches, lecture halls and galleries.
Online coverage links the site to a new church for Grace Community Chapel, a congregation now based in Teaneck. A July 2026 article reported that groundbreaking had taken place on a church of roughly 48,000 square feet. The builder, REDCOM Design & Construction, expects it to be finished in June 2027. County planning minutes from June 2025 list an application to demolish the existing church and parking area on the site and build a new church and parking lot.
The sources found do not mention organized opposition.
What it could mean nearby
- Weekend and event gatherings could add traffic and parking demand on Forest Avenue; the sources found include no traffic study.
- The project replaces an existing church and parking area, so it is a redevelopment rather than new use of undeveloped land.
- The sources found do not describe new homes, school impacts or utility changes.
Where it stands
Construction appears to have started by mid-2026, after the county planning board reviewed the site plan in 2025. The next step is finishing construction, followed by final inspections and a certificate of occupancy, with completion targeted for June 2027.
- Jun 2027 Expected completion of the new church
- Jul 7, 2026 Article reports groundbreaking on the new church
- May 22, 2026 Latest county filing for the project
- Jun 10, 2025 County planning board minutes list the site plan application to replace the existing church and parking lot
Want to weigh in? The project appears to be already under construction, so formal approvals have likely been granted. Residents with questions can contact the Paramus Borough building and planning offices.
Who's behind it
REDCOM Design & Construction · A Westfield-based firm that provides architecture, engineering and construction management for this church project.
Around the web
- Grace Community Chapel of Teaneck Breaks Ground on New Church in ParamusJersey Digs · Jul 7, 2026Reports groundbreaking on a roughly 48,000 sq ft church at 156 Forest Avenue, with completion expected in June 2027.
- Construction underway for new 48,000 sq ft church in Paramus, REDCOM saysReal Estate NJNames REDCOM Design & Construction as leading development of the church at 156 Forest Avenue.
- 06 10 2025 Meeting MinutesBergen County Planning Board · Jun 10, 2025Lists a site plan application to demolish the existing church and parking and build a new church and parking lot at 156 Forest Avenue.
Planning terms explained
- Assembly use
- A building type for places where groups gather, such as churches, lecture halls and galleries.
- Site plan
- A drawing and application showing a building's location, parking, access and drainage, reviewed by a planning board.
- Certificate of occupancy
- The official document allowing a finished building to be used.
- Groundbreaking
- The ceremonial or actual start of construction.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $16.7M
- ~237 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~118 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)