A dilapidated warehouse property on New Brunswick Avenue would eventually be demolished and re-built to modern standards under a redevelopment plan introduced by City Council.
Become a Patron!
If you find this post valuable, consider making a contribution via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee – or support local news you don’t get anywhere else all year round by becoming a monthly Patron.
The governing body introduced an ordinance (O-52-23) at its Nov. 20 meeting to adopt the 329 New Brunswick Avenue Redevelopment Plan. A public hearing and final approval are set for the City Council’s next meeting on Dec. 11. Meanwhile, the Planning Board is scheduled to review the redevelopment plan during its regular meeting tonight at 7 p.m.
The redevelopment plan for 329 New Brunswick Ave. would create a new zoning district for the area that would supersede the existing I-H Heavy Industrial Zoning. The plan would allow for wholesale trade, indoor crop production, and warehousing and distribution, which could include cold storage facilities, distribution centers/break-bulk facilities, last-mile fulfillment centers, and traditional warehousing, according to the plan.
The 32-page redevelopment plan would permit redevelopment of the site that currently houses a one-story, 200,000-square-foot warehouse that includes parking lots, truck loading areas, driveways. The plan envisions the eventual demolition of existing structures and the construction of new modern warehousing or manufacturing buildings. “New buildings will be more sustainable as they will meet contemporary energy efficiency standards, safer as they will adhere to current building codes, and will be more marketable to new tenants as they will provide modern storage space with ample truck loading space.”
The existing warehouse “exhibits clear signs of dilapidation rendering it substandard and unwholesome for working conditions,” according to the plan. “The site exhibits clear signs of faulty arrangement demonstrated by the presence of truck loading bays directly off New Brunswick Avenue and the presence of multiple driveways which are unconnected, creating fragmented circulation patterns throughout the site.”
In October, the Planning Board recommended to City Council that 329 New Brunswick Ave. be declared a non-condemnation redevelopment area. The governing body in June had directed the Planning Board to investigate whether the 26-acre property qualified for redevelopment.
The redevelopment plan would establish standards under which the property can be redeveloped under the state’s Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1).
Become a Patron!
If you find this post valuable, consider making a contribution via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee – or support local news you don’t get anywhere else all year round by becoming a monthly Patron.
