By the slimmest of margins, the Redevelopment Agency did not recommend a zoning overlay that would allow a salon on Irving Street, within 1,000 feet of another similar business.
Category Archives: Retail
Trader Joe’s, 2013?
Not good news for those of you hoping to see a Trader Joe’s downtown anytime soon.
From West Scott to East Cherry
East Cherry Street will be getting “Just A Little Healthier” when the eatery moves in to replace a former soul food establishment by late August or early September.
Whether it becomes a second location or relocates from its current West Scott Avenue digs is “still up in the air,” owner/founder Ron Livingston said in a telephone interview last week.
Just A Little Healthier opened at 228 W. Scott Ave. about a year-and-a-half ago, focusing on low-fat, low-carb offerings and even got a write-up in The New York Times last October. Livingston said the location at 95 E. Cherry St. opened up some time after he started looking into a downtown space, and signed a five-year lease.
West Grand eyesore slated for improvements
A rundown two-story building along West Grand Avenue will get much-needed renovations in the coming months after the Zoning Board of Adjustment gave its approval Monday night.
Cuppy’s is coming, Cuppy’s is coming
It’s not a Starbucks. Forget Panera. And never mind about Atlanta Bread Co. Cuppy’s Coffee, Smoothies & More has signed a lease to become the first retail tenant at Carriage City Plaza. The Fort Walton Beach, Fla.-based national chain doesn’t have much of a presence in New Jersey (or the Northeast), but has locations “coming soon” to East Brunswick, Phillipsburg and Whippany.
In fact, none of the aforementioned coffee franchises were even in the running at Carriage City since the retail space for a coffee shop does not allow for a kitchen. Also, Intercontinental Hotels Group, which operates Hotel Indigo, has an exclusive license agreement with Starbucks, which will be served in the Golden Bean and Phi Lounger, located in the hotel lobby.
Other retail tenants for Carriage City Plaza are expected to be a dry cleaner, salon and day spa, fitness center and a “well-known New Jersey-based restaurant brand.”
Park Square in talks with coffee house
Developers of Park Square are in “serious discussions” with a tea and coffehouse, as well as an optometrist for half the commercial space, according to Eric Harvitt of Landmark Companies.
The first major residential redevelopment project to break ground downtown, Park Square is expected be ready for occupancy by August. It is comprised of 159 luxury rental one- and two-bedroom apartments and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space along Irving Street between Elm and Elizabeth avenues. Since the retail space can be subdivided, the number of tenants will depend on their size.
Construction has begun on the Main Street side of the project, which will mirror the Irving Street side. Formerly home to Cliff Hardware and other properties, including a boarding house on Elm, Park Square broke ground in October 2006.
Downtown Options, Part Two
With my coffee shop rant out of the way, welcome to Part II on the most recent poll results, which had grocery/specialty food store garnering 44 percent of the vote, ahead of brewpub/bar/restaurant, 32 percent, and coffeehouse/bagel shop, 20 percent.
Third story to rise from ashes
Boarded-up windows and a charred facade could be transformed into a renovated three-story building along East Cherry Street by April. The Planning Board unanimously gave minor site plan approval Tuesday night for the former wig and beauty supply store that went up in flames in the summer of 2005.
The plan adds a third floor to the existing building, which would be set back to allow for a balcony, and also maintain the existing scale and proportion along East Cherry Street, said Michael Nelson, architect for Dornoch Rahway.
It minimizes the impact of the addition, and gives more of a two-story look from street level, he added. Dornoch has two other projects downtown: The Savoy and The Westbury. The first floor would have 1,402 square feet of retail, with another 2,863 square feet for three residential units on the second and third floors. A variance was necessary because zoning regulations require six parking spaces (1.8 per unit). The Rahway Parking Authority, which held ownership of the building until a plan was presented, will sell the property and as part of the sales agreement will designate the necessary parking spaces. The second floor will have two 700-square-foot, studio-type apartments with “very open floor plans.” The remaining roughly 1,400+ square feet on the third floor will feature a two-bedroom, two-bath unit. All three units are expected to be for purchase, not rentals.