Originally owned by local developer James Demetrakis, of Arilex Realty in Edgewater, the property is now owned by Sweetwater Construction Corporation of Cranberry. Demetrakis built Liberty Commons and Liberty Terrace.

Work on the site of the new hotel is reportedly marred by difficulties involving members of the Local 483 Ironworkers Union in Hackensack, the Local 15 Carpenters Union and non-union workers who have recently been employed to replace union workers and continue the ongoing construction onsite.

Another lot, originally earmarked by Demetrakis for office space, and a third much larger seven-acre property, situated between Becton Regional High School and the shopping center, remain undeveloped and part of an ongoing controversy.

East Rutherford Police were called to the hotel site Aug. 9. Andrew Hamilton, council representative of the Bergen County Carpenters Union, Local 15, who was in charge of the picket line, was "reminded" by police to keep all entrances and exits to the job site clear and to keep the demonstration peaceful.

Homewood Suites Hilton Hotel is expected to open sometime early summer 2008. The new hotel, which will feature between 120 and 125 rooms, will take up 100,592 square feet and will be seven stories high. Also included in the building plans is the construction of a new restaurant on the lot, and a hotel swimming pool. No details are available on the identity of the restaurant, which will occupy its designated space.

Early inspections by the East Rutherford Building Department are already underway at the site of the new Homewood Suites Hilton Hotel.

"It’s a large building, and they will call us at least half a dozen times for inspections. In the meantime, building inspector Keith Matino is visiting weekly," said East Rutherford Director of Inspections Frank Recanati.

Another property, which lies between Becton Regional High School and Liberty Commons shopping center, was originally deemed to be wetlands, and has been the subject of much controversy. The East Rutherford Mayor and Council had given the Becton Regional High School Board of Education official opportunity through resolution to investigate the feasibility of taking title to the approximately seven acres of wetlands bordering their property and the ramp to Route 17 South. This land is part of the original property purchased by Demetrakis for use in the Liberty Commons project. According to Becton’s Business Administrator Nicholas Annitti, the land in question has been designated wetlands per the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and development on those portions may be prohibited.

In 1907, Becton Dickinson built a factory where Liberty Commons now sits in East Rutherford. Becton Dickinson & Co. was the first plant in the United States dedicated to the manufacture of hypodermic needles, thermometers and syringes. The company designed most of its own machinery and manufacturing processes and for many years was the only firm in the industry with fully automated needle-manufacturing facilities.

According to Becton Regional High School Business Administrator Nicholas Annitti, the Developers Agreement states Liberty Commons, LLC will contribute money towards the application fees to permit Becton Regional High School to develop on the wetlands property in question, along the ramp to Route 17 South. The actual dollar amount Liberty Commons has agreed to contribute is about $10,000.

The Rag Shop, which has been a tenant at Liberty Commons since the shopping development opened, is now holding a "going out of business" store fixture and equipment liquidation sale.

Just over one year ago Demetrakis came before the East Rutherford Planning and Zoning Board with an informal request to file an application for the expansion of the shopping center at Liberty Commons. Demetrakis explained that the expansion of approximately 3,000 square feet would accommodate a potential new tenant, possibly Chuck E. Cheese, in the space originally occupied by tenant Dinosaur Falls. Dinosaur Falls was an indoor playground for children that had, by then, vacated the shopping center. The expansion of the eastern end of the shopping center is now taking place, with no information as to the identity of the new tenant, or indication that any has been secured.