Recluse George Konnight
JIEM Properties faces a September 2018 deadline to subdivide 30 acres.
The Journal News RAMAPO – While George Konnight lived a spartan life in the woods off West Maple Avenue, potential plans for his former property are far more luxurious.
Two years after the recluse’s death, JIEM Properties has floated a proposal with Ramapo to create a new housing zone that could bring up to 180 two- and three-story townhouses with three to four bedrooms each to the strongly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood bordering Smolley Drive and two town parks, Manny Weldler Park and Viola Park.
No official plans have been filed with Ramapo, a representative of the New Jersey-based developer said.
“It’s kind of in limbo,” said JIEM’s attorney, Ira Emanuel. “We had informal discussions with the town planning consultants and got some feedback. We have not put in a request yet.”
The property, for now, remains zoned for single-family houses per acre and no zone change requests have been filed, Ramapo Town Attorney Michael Klein said.
Konnight, 79, had few possessions and lived in a home with no indoor plumbing or heating when he was found dead on his property in July 2014. But he had banked $3 million from the sale of about 31.5 acres to JIEM the previous November, including the land on which he was living.”
Read the complete Journal News coverage here.