"This license, subject to all its terms and conditions, is hereby transferred to Brivadi LLC, effective April 20, 2026, subject to the condition that it shall not open for business until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Township."
That one sentence from the township record answers the question most people ask when they drive past the old PNC Bank at 570–572 Pompton Avenue. It also works as a key to the rest of the avenue this fall. The former animal hospital, the riverbank behind 615, and the change in who holds The Grove's license are each waiting on one particular piece of township paperwork. Each one can be tracked once you know which piece it is. The one address with fixed dates on the calendar is the oldest one, Morgan's Farm at 903.
The Old PNC Bank Is Waiting on a Certificate of Occupancy
The Cedar Grove Planning Board approved the conversion of the former PNC branch into an Italian restaurant. Its notice, dated April 7, 2026, covered variance relief and preliminary and final site plan approval for Brivadi Restaurant LLC. The restaurant has a name, Brivadi Ristorante – Cucina del Sud. Its website currently shows "Coming Soon" and "Fall 2026," with a hiring link for kitchen, bar, and floor staff.
The liquor license explains why "fall" is a target and not a fixed date. Brivadi bought what the township calls a pocket license, one issued in the 2001/2002 to 2008/2009 period. That license faced an August 1, 2026 expiration. Brivadi renewed it for the 2026–2027 term, and the township granted "active user" status. That status extends the license until Cedar Grove issues a certificate of occupancy and allows the business to open at 570–572 Pompton Avenue.
So the opening date belongs to the certificate of occupancy, and the website season is the restaurant's own estimate of when that will arrive. The published Planning Board notice doesn't list seat counts, parking terms, or outdoor dining details, so anyone hoping to learn the size of the dining room will have to wait for the restaurant to say.
370 Pompton Is Waiting on a Plan Nobody Has Written Yet
The building at 370 Pompton Avenue carries more history than any other address in this post. Cedar Grove Animal Hospital, family owned and operated since the 1960s, closed for good on April 30, 2026, after more than 50 years. Dr. Wilson now practices at Marsh Hospital for Animals at 299 Bloomfield Avenue in Verona. The hospital said it would keep its website, main phone number, and email active for about a year so former clients can request records.
In August, the Township Council accepted the Planning Board's designation of the site as a non-condemnation redevelopment area and authorized a redevelopment plan. The designation approves no particular project, and as of TAPinto's August 17 report, no plan had been submitted.
Before anything new arrives, the old building is getting one more use. Cedar Grove Fire Department members trained there on September 13, ahead of the building's scheduled demolition. No township source so far confirms the demolition has happened. When the building does come down, the lot will still be waiting on the redevelopment plan, and that plan is the document to watch.
The Riverbank Behind 615 Is Waiting on a Construction Schedule
At 615 Pompton Avenue the visible problem sits behind the building. The Peckman River bank there collapsed in 2024 and took part of the site's parking lot with it.
The fix has been in motion for close to two years:
- April 2025. Suburban Consulting Engineers drew up plans to reinforce the riverbank.
- August 2025. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection signed off on the permits, including a Freshwater Wetlands General Permit, a Flood Hazard Area verification, and a Water Quality Certificate.
- August 13, 2026. Sealed bids were opened.
- Mid-September 2026. The council awarded the job to ADP Group Inc. of Paterson for no more than $495,940, to build a 200-foot retaining wall 16 feet tall.
The same night, the council added $10,000 to the engineering contract, bringing it to $107,845, so the firm that designed the wall will also inspect its construction. The council also approved an access and settlement agreement with Youngworth Realty LLC, the owner of 615 Pompton Avenue, whose property line runs into the riverbed. The agreement lets the township do the work and resolves the owner's claims tied to the 2024 collapse.
The next step is a pre-construction meeting to set a firm schedule. TAPinto reported that it's still unclear how long the work will take, or whether the business at 615 will have to limit parking lot access while it's underway. For a regular customer of that business, the parking question matters more than anything else in the project. Anyone curious about the river itself can check the public USGS camera on the Peckman at Ozone Avenue in Verona, which township staff have used to follow water levels: USGS HIVIS Peckman River camera.
The Grove's Paperwork Changed, and Nothing Else Is Confirmed
The Grove changed on paper this summer, though nothing visible has followed. On June 22, 2026, the township approved moving the venue's plenary retail consumption license from Second Generation Catering Co. Inc., doing business as The Grove, to Grove Hospitality LLC. The license covers 691 Pompton Avenue and the Farm House and adjacent chapel at 727 Pompton Avenue.
The resolution doesn't name the people behind the new LLC or describe any change to how the venue runs. Weddings, celebrations, and corporate events continue to appear on The Grove's own site. So far this is a licensing record and nothing more, and anyone who hears otherwise should look for a source.
Morgan's Farm Is the One Address With Dates
Every address above is waiting for a certificate, a plan, or a meeting. Morgan's Farm at 903 Pompton Avenue has a calendar. The 14-acre Canfield-Morgan Farm was donated to the township by Courtenay Morgan in 1985. The township manages the park, and the Cedar Grove Historical Society maintains the 1845 farmhouse and barn as a museum.
This October, the farm is where the avenue's fall events keep landing. The Historical Society's Pumpkin and Apple Sale ran yesterday, October 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with today, October 4, as the rain date. TAPinto noted the sale was cut to one day this year from the usual two. Two more events are still ahead:
- Friday, October 16, 6 p.m. A free screening of "The American Constitution," followed by a Q&A with director David Garrigus. The township's August memo listed 7 p.m. Its September memo and TAPinto's September 29 roundup give 6 p.m. Confirm the time before you go.
- Saturday, October 24, 1 to 3 p.m. Hands on History, presented by Lucky Metal Detecting. Tickets are $10 per person or $20 per family, with registration through the Historical Society's events page.
The Rest of October Along the Avenue
A few more dates fall on or near Pompton Avenue in the next two weeks:
- Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m. to noon. The Cedar Grove Fire Department holds a free paper-shredding fundraiser outside Town Hall at 525 Pompton Avenue. Donations are welcome.
- Saturday, October 10, noon to 2 p.m. Glow Your Vibes holds a grand opening for its new esthetician suite at 1425 Pompton Avenue.
- Thursday, October 15, 6 to 8 p.m. The township and Minette's Angels Foundation hold the 12th annual Real Panthers Wear Pink walk at Panther Park, 118 W. Bradford Avenue, a short trip off the avenue. Proceeds go to Minette's Angels.
- Sometime in October. The township expects a state mobile DMV unit to visit, but hasn't announced the date.
For the addresses still waiting, these are the township records that will show movement: a certificate of occupancy for 570–572, a redevelopment plan for 370, and a construction schedule from the pre-construction meeting for the wall behind 615.
If you own a home near Pompton Avenue and want to talk through how a redevelopment designation or a commercial conversion moves through Cedar Grove's approvals, Joseph D Charles Jr is glad to go through the township record with you. No pressure, just a clear read on what has been filed and what hasn't. Let's Connect.
