CityWorks in the Press
Planners get a look at proposed redevelopment
BILL BOWMAN/COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
Redevelopment of the township's long-neglected Midtown section came a little closer to reality Wednesday, when the Planning Board was shown plans of what the roughly 8-acre area could look like.
That vision included a new park, professional offices, a health clinic run by Jersey Shore University Medical Center and more than 100 new condominiums.
Experts hired by Trenton-based CityWorks West Lake, the area's redeveloper, took turns giving the details of that vision to the board and about 30 members of the public.
CityWorks sought preliminary and final site plan approval Wednesday; but by late last night, the board still had not voted.
The redevelopment area runs along West Lake Avenue from Route 35 to just east of Myrtle Avenue, north to Milton Avenue and south to Rutherford Avenue.
Wednesday's meeting was the culmination of about three years' worth of planning and agreements struck between the township and CityWorks.
"This is a very exciting project into which a huge amount of work has gone," said Charles Liebling, CityWorks' attorney.
In introducing the plan to the board, CityWorks executive director Tom Clark said the plans met the three major challenges posed to the company by the Township Committee and neighborhood residents who had input into the general redevelopment plan.
The plan, he said, provides for affordable retail opportunities that spur entrepreneurship, provide affordable housing for the area and restrict the use of eminent domain.
"We have not used eminent domain to this point," he said, adding that the properties that have been purchased were done so "at cost, plus."
Basically, the project calls for the construction of eight buildings containing 55,000 square feet of office space, 54,000 square feet of retail space and 135 residential units.
The largest building on the site would hold a combination of office space and 16 condominium units. The condos would range in size from 785-square-foot studios to more than 1,500-square-foot two-bedroom units, said Robert Longo, one of the project's architects.
About 30,000 square feet of the building's first floor will be occupied by a community health clinic operated by Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Longo said. Part of the second floor is being leased by the state, he said, probably for offices for the Division of Taxation.
The 16 residential units will be on the third floor.
Architect Karen Nichols, whose company designed the remaining seven buildings, said the retail spaces were purposely left small — averaging about 2,000 square feet each — to encourage local business.
"This is for community based retail uses, not big-box stores," she said.
In general, she said, the seven buildings will have retail uses on their first floors and residential uses on their second and third floors.
There will be separate entrances, lobbies and elevators for the residential and retail portions, she said.
The project does need several variances, including relief from requirements on front- and rear-yard setback and the buffer zone between parking spots and adjacent residences.
The township requires 466 parking spots for the project, but only 398 are provided. James Giurintano, the project's engineer, told the board that relief from the buffer requirements would provide the extra spaces needed.
The project also needs some relief from the township's stormwater management regulations, Giurintano said.
Planning Board engineer Peter Avakian said those requirements could be met through mitigation efforts, cleaning the water before it reaches its final destination in Wesley Lake.
BILL BOWMAN/COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
Redevelopment of the township's long-neglected Midtown section came a little closer to reality Wednesday, when the Planning Board was shown plans of what the roughly 8-acre area could look like.
That vision included a new park, professional offices, a health clinic run by Jersey Shore University Medical Center and more than 100 new condominiums.
Experts hired by Trenton-based CityWorks West Lake, the area's redeveloper, took turns giving the details of that vision to the board and about 30 members of the public.
CityWorks sought preliminary and final site plan approval Wednesday; but by late last night, the board still had not voted.
The redevelopment area runs along West Lake Avenue from Route 35 to just east of Myrtle Avenue, north to Milton Avenue and south to Rutherford Avenue.
Wednesday's meeting was the culmination of about three years' worth of planning and agreements struck between the township and CityWorks.
"This is a very exciting project into which a huge amount of work has gone," said Charles Liebling, CityWorks' attorney.
In introducing the plan to the board, CityWorks executive director Tom Clark said the plans met the three major challenges posed to the company by the Township Committee and neighborhood residents who had input into the general redevelopment plan.
The plan, he said, provides for affordable retail opportunities that spur entrepreneurship, provide affordable housing for the area and restrict the use of eminent domain.
"We have not used eminent domain to this point," he said, adding that the properties that have been purchased were done so "at cost, plus."
Basically, the project calls for the construction of eight buildings containing 55,000 square feet of office space, 54,000 square feet of retail space and 135 residential units.
The largest building on the site would hold a combination of office space and 16 condominium units. The condos would range in size from 785-square-foot studios to more than 1,500-square-foot two-bedroom units, said Robert Longo, one of the project's architects.
About 30,000 square feet of the building's first floor will be occupied by a community health clinic operated by Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Longo said. Part of the second floor is being leased by the state, he said, probably for offices for the Division of Taxation.
The 16 residential units will be on the third floor.
Architect Karen Nichols, whose company designed the remaining seven buildings, said the retail spaces were purposely left small — averaging about 2,000 square feet each — to encourage local business.
"This is for community based retail uses, not big-box stores," she said.
In general, she said, the seven buildings will have retail uses on their first floors and residential uses on their second and third floors.
There will be separate entrances, lobbies and elevators for the residential and retail portions, she said.
The project does need several variances, including relief from requirements on front- and rear-yard setback and the buffer zone between parking spots and adjacent residences.
The township requires 466 parking spots for the project, but only 398 are provided. James Giurintano, the project's engineer, told the board that relief from the buffer requirements would provide the extra spaces needed.
The project also needs some relief from the township's stormwater management regulations, Giurintano said.
Planning Board engineer Peter Avakian said those requirements could be met through mitigation efforts, cleaning the water before it reaches its final destination in Wesley Lake.
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