Tenafly, N.J., Rejects Cell-Tower Easement Bids That Fell Short of $4 Million Minimum; Will Rebid at $3.2 Million

TENAFLY, N.J. — Tenafly has rejected every bid it received to buy a 60-year easement under the cell tower on Grove Street, after the offers came in below the borough’s $4 million minimum. The Mayor and Council approved Resolution R26-359 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, as part of its consent agenda. The resolution rejects the bids and authorizes the borough to take new ones.

When a council member asked about the resolution at the meeting, the council was told the highest bid was $3.1 million. The borough plans to rebid the easement with a $3.2 million minimum. “So there’s a real opportunity that we’d be able to realize $3.2 million in cash,” the council was told, according to the borough’s meeting video.

What Tenafly is selling

The borough’s bid notice, published Aug. 10, asked for sealed bids to buy a 60-year ground easement at the north end of Grove Street (Block 1303, Lot 2 and Block 1211, Lot 2). The easement covers the same footprint the existing tower and its equipment compound already use. At the meeting, the site was described as the cell tower at the Department of Public Works, which has a lease that is “coming up.”

• Minimum bid: The notice said bids could not be less than $4,000,000, and that the borough could not receive less than that amount.
• Deadline: Bids were due Friday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m., and were to be opened publicly.
• Terms: The winner would sign the easement within 60 days of the award and handle the design, permits and maintenance of its equipment. The borough keeps access to the site for public safety at no cost.
• Right to reject: The notice said the borough could reject any or all bids under the state’s Local Lands and Buildings Law.

Why it matters

A sale like this gives the borough a one-time lump sum instead of rent. At the new minimum, Tenafly would collect at least $800,000 less than the $4 million it first asked for. A new bid notice had not been posted on the borough’s website as of Thursday morning, and the resolution’s full text was not posted with the agenda. The meeting video doesn’t say how many bids came in or who submitted them. Bergen TV will follow the rebid and the award vote.

Mayor Mark Zinna presided over the meeting. The council approved the consent agenda, R26-340 through R26-359, on a roll-call vote.

Sources: Borough of Tenafly bid notice: sale of a 60-year ground easement under an existing third-party-owned tower (Aug. 10, 2026); Oct. 20, 2026 Mayor and Council agenda; official meeting video, Oct. 20, 2026.

What should Tenafly do with the money from the tower site? Tell us what we should look into next at bergentv.com.