Board may look favorably on retail development plan
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

The Freehold Borough Planning Board is considering an application from a developer who wants to replace this abandoned gas station at the corner of East Main and Spring streets with a retail-commercial building.

FREEHOLD - The Planning Board has authorized its attorney to prepare a resolution in favor of approving a retail construction project at the corner of East Main and Spring streets.

Rakesh Kumar, principal owner of HRS Investments, LLC, Basking Ridge, returned to the board recently with revised plans for a new building. Kumar is represented by attorney Mark Williams, of the firm Mehr, La France and Williams, Freehold Borough.

Board members previously said Kumar's initial plan showed a building that they believed was too big for the corner site, which is presently occupied by an abandoned gas station.

Parking availability - or more specifically the lack of parking - was another issue that had been raised.

The size of the building has been reduced from 16,415 to 14,766 square feet. The first floor retail area has been reduced from 7,586 to 7,383 square feet. The second floor office space has been reduced from 8,829 to 7,383 square feet.

A borough ordinance requires 56 parking spaces to be provided at the site. Kumar's plan provides seven parking spaces and seeks a waiver for the remaining spaces. The seven parking spaces would be used by employees of the tenants who rent the building.

In comments to the board, Williams said Kumar's plan for a new building would "rid the town's main thoroughfare of a contaminated site," referring to the abandoned gas station

Project engineer Michael Geller said the plan would replace the gas station with a building that has been designed with the borough's character in mind.

The applicant's representatives met with Wayne Mason, a member of the Historic Preservation Advisory Commis-sion, during the design phase. In a report, the advisory commission endorses the application as a good example of new construction that complements the mix of existing historic structures in downtown Freehold.

"The scale, massing, materials and detailing of this building reference well the historic commercial structures in Freehold. Together, these elements work to produce a building that is in harmony with the streetscape," the advisory commission's report stated.

The advisory commission had concerns with several specific details which the applicant has addressed satisfactorily.

The building, designed by architect Yogesh Mistry, of Mistry Design, Netcong, will likely have four tenants on the first floor and three tenants on the second floor, according to the information presented.

Other additions to the plan were brought about when board member June Vawter said she wanted the brick wall that could be seen from the Freehold Grill's Main Street windows to have a bit more decoration.

Geller agreed to extend a decorative cornice on top of the building to include the area around the building on that side as well.

Thomas Iliadis, the owner of the Freehold Grill, once again voiced concern that the proposed building would obstruct people's view of his restaurant as they come into town from Broadway (Route 79). Iliadis was also concerned that people going to the new building will use his parking lot behind the diner.

Richard Leverberg, who owns the property on Spring Street next to the site proposed for the retail building, also restated his concerns. He shares a driveway with Iliadis and said that over the past 12 years they have not had any problems. Leverberg was concerned his tenants may have their parking spaces taken by people shopping at or visiting the offices in the proposed building.

Board members expressed concern over whose responsibility it will be to clean up the gas station site.

Kumar said he will be responsible for removing all of the tanks on the site. The remediation plan will be provided by Exxon, which operated the gas station. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be involved in monitoring the remediation process and will eventually need to provide a no further action letter to document that the site is not contaminated and may be used safely.

Although board members had concerns about the remediation process, board Chairman Matthew Weismantel said the DEP would be the "protection for the project, across the board."

Board members directed their attorney Patrick Accisano to draw up a positive resolution for the application. The application will be discussed and voted on, possibly at the Oct. 11 meeting.