22-Story Highrise Apartment Complex Approved For New Street
234 Apartments, Two Small Shops, And 121-Space Parking Garage Slated For Site Between Elks Lodge and Rockoff Hall
JUNE 1, 2014 - 3:47PM
BY RICHARD RABINOWITZ
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—A 22-story tower is set to rise over New Street, the latest in a neighborhood full of recent housing developments, such as Rockoff Hall, The Heldrich and The George.
At the May 13 Planning Board meeting, board members unanimously approved a project with more units than had been previously approved for the site in 2009.
Currently, the site is home to two abandoned buildings that likely were built in the 19th century, including the former New Brunswick Counseling Center at 84 New Street, and a vacant lot.
The 19,683 square foot site has an odd shape, rather like that of a thumbs-up.
It was pieced together from four or five smaller properties at some time in the past, and it has a depth of 83.4 feet, which required the developers to seek a variance. The city’s zoning ordinance had required 100 feet.
The building’s potential owner also agreed to enter into an agreement with the New Brunswick Parking Authority to offer spots to their tenants in the authorities adjacent Morris Street Parking Garage, one of the few decks in New Brunswick that is under capacity.
If built, the new structure will rise to a height of 247 feet, 7 inches, making it the third tallest building in the city, after The Vue, and One Spring Street.
The structure would have 234 apartments to live in, 4,395 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, and 121 parking spaces.
There will also be space to hook at least 60 bicycles up to a rack, on the inside of the structure.
On the ground floor, there will be space for two retail outlets, a foyer for residents and their guests, an office for the leasing agents, and a cargo area, as well as an entrance to three and a half floors of parking garage space.
Floors 5 to 22 will be home to residences for rent, with each floor having 13 apartments.
Most floors will have two studio apartments, seven one-bedroom apartments, and four two-bedrooms. Each apartmentcomes with kitchen and bathroom.
Some fifth floor partments will have access to a patio, and the floor will also include a “clubroom” with access to a terrace.
The majority of apartments, 53%, will be one-bedroom flats with one bathroom. Two-bedroom apartments will come with either two bathrooms or two-and-a-half.
The average size of a 90 New Street apartment will be 821 square feet, with studio units being 545 square feet on average, and the largest apartments (2-bed, 2.5 bath) being 1,157 square feet on average.
The developers appear undecided about what to put in the basement, other than utilities. The basement is labeled “amenity/utility/storage space” on the floor plans, and is shown as one room.
Officially, the developer is 90 New Street, LLC, which is based in Island Park, NY. On the the site plan and variance application, the contact information listed included a Park East Construction Corporation email address.
That company has its offices in South Huntington, NY, and other locations on Long Island.
Developer James C. Wojcik, owner of the limited liability company set up to manage the property, is a relative newcomer to the New Brunswick scene development scene.
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