In 2020, there was a fire that demolished an existing three story building containing offices and apartments. This location is a prominent corner in the borough that is at the intersection of Main Street and Maple Avenue. This location is also in close proximity to the train station that accommodates commuter traffic for Morris County. Because of its prime location, the municipality is very cautious regarding new construction on the site.
This corner property and a few adjacent properties are under the same ownership and the decision was made to combine them into a larger overall single cohesive redevelopment. The proposal is for a mixed-use development. The ground floor would replace some of the lost retail space, and the two upper levels would consist of modern apartments that would be attractive to individuals and families that want to live in a good community that is close to a transit hub.
Careful coordination and several meetings with the borough were fundamental in determining a final configuration to develop. Two of the largest concerns are the appearance of the new structure, and how to best accommodate resident and retail customer parking. The desire was to maintain an aesthetic and massing that would complement the downtown area. The decision was made to create a three-story building, with the third story tucked into a mansard roof area with dormers. This look and height is consistent with other buildings in the area. Various cues were taken from the neighborhood to finalize the facade detailing.
Another main concern was providing as much parking as possible in this downtown area. To accomplish this, the ground floor has retail spaces facing the Main Street and Maple Avenue. These wrap around the corner to create a streetscape, while also providing spaces in front of the building for pedestrian circulation and gathering. Behind this the upper levels of apartments are to be built elevated above the ground to maximize the on-site parking away from this streetscape. There are several access points for both the vehicular and pedestrian traffic through the facades to this rear area.
The current focus is working through the various approvals processes that will be required for a redevelopment of this scale.