GLORIA STRAVELLI The Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission is opposing plans to demolish the Olde Union House, Wharf Avenue, and replace the building with shops and condominiums.

Owners of the Olde Union House say plans to demolish the historic building on Wharf Avenue and redevelop the site will not obliterate a piece of Red Bank history that dates to the town’s evolution into a thriving river port.

"We’ve spent a lot of time planning this so it fits in with the character and the scheme of things," said Patricia Malloy, co-owner with husband Neil of the Olde Union House restaurant and HipTown Grill at 11-13 Wharf Ave.

"We’re not putting huge buildings in here. The design is very Victorian; it will look like a little village," she added.

"The concept is to bring back the hub that was in Red Bank years ago," explained general contractor Timothy Hurst.

"The history of Union Street is that at one point it was a hub for people to come shop, sit down and relax and look at the water. That’s basically our whole concept. It’s not like we’re trying to take away from the historical aspect of it. We took care in designing it. We made sure it was of that era."

Hurst and Neil Malloy are principals in Union Street Village LLC, which is seeking approval to demolish the one-story structures at 11-13 Wharf Ave. in the CCD-2 (Historic District) and redevelop the site as a four-story, mixed-use building with retail spaces on the first level, eight, two-bedroom condominium apartments on three levels above and below-ground parking.

"Some people are upset," acknowledged Neil Malloy. "But we’ve kept this alive for 10 years. When we bought it, this place was falling apart. We put in a tremendous effort and redesign work to keep it alive and we gave it 10 more years of life."

According to Martin McGann Jr., attorney for the applicant, a study by the Cultural Resource Consulting Group, Highland Park, found not enough remains of the original building, destroyed by a fire in 1960s, to warrant historic status.

The report concluded that "due to lack of significance and integrity," 11 Wharf Ave. "no longer meets the criteria for listing on the borough of Red Bank list of historic sites, nor is it eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places." Therefore, the report concludes, "removal of the building doesn’t constitute an adverse effect on this property."

But preservationists see the application as another project chipping away at the borough’s historic fabric.

They are gearing up for a battle over the future of the Historic Districts, including the area of W. Front Street and Wharf Avenue where the Olde Union House is located and where, for many years, there has been talk of demolishing a row of vintage buildings to open up a view of the river.

"Red Bank is being torn asunder, they’re leveling a piece of the historic fabric of Red Bank that is irreplaceable," said George Bowden, chairman of the Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission.

"Wharf Avenue, in my very strong opinion, is the keystone of this town and that should be treated as a very precious commodity and definitely is an integral part of the fabric of Red Bank," said Bowden.

"The true beginnings of Red Bank were as a port and that port was located at the foot of Wharf Avenue. Red Bank became Red Bank as a result of the port," Bowden explained. "Eventually they had two massive sheds that became trading posts in what is now Marine Park. Above that, looking down on it ,was the Union Hotel, as it was called in the early 1800s."

The RBHPC recently passed a resolution recommending the bor­ough reject the development on the basis that the proposal does not con­form to the borough’s master plan and the design guidelines for the Historic District.

The Malloys, Oceanport, have owned the historic building at 11-13 Wharf Ave. in the CCD-2 Zone (Historic District) since 1994. They will retain ownership of the build­ing and land, which are assessed at $798,500.

The design by architect Daniel Purvis, Allenwood, treats the facade as several different buildings and calls for use of red brick, stucco and stone. The building fronts Wharf Avenue and wraps around the cor­ner. According to Hurst, all eight retail spaces at street level and the eight condominium units above have water views.

The application for a develop­ment permit, which seeks site plan approval and several variances was denied by the borough planning and zoning director in March and the application is expected to be on the Zoning Board agenda in May.

The development application had barely gotten to the planning and zoning office when controversy over the redevelopment plan sur­faced.

Residents’ concerns have been heightened by a spate of similar proposals within the CCD-2 (Historic District).

Projects already approved in­clude the redevelopment of the Kislin’s building on E. Front Street as retail/condominium apartments and a retail/24-unit condominium development with underground parking at W. Front St. and Boat Club Court. A proposal to redevelop the former Prown’s building on Broad Street for re­tail/condominium use was denied by the Zoning Board last month.

At a recent Red Bank Borough Council meeting, resident Joseph Raffetto questioned whether build­ings along W. Front Street and Wharf Avenue have the protection of Historic District status.

"I’m concerned as a resident and I ask the council to take into ac­count the sensitive nature of the core of Red Bank," he said at the April 13 meeting. "It goes beyond the historic nature of the Old Union House. If new development is al­lowed, especially multistory con­dominiums, that’s a change of use. This is an area residents can go to, a place where people can enjoy the river."

Councilman Pasquale Menna, author of the ordinance establishing the Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission, said the Olde Union House has protected status because it is listed in an inventory of the borough’s historic sites, which was adopted by the council at the April 13 meeting.

Inclusion in the inventory means the commission must be notified of, and can render an opinion on, ap­plications to demolish listed proper­ties.

Menna suggested a limited mora­torium on development "in targeted areas" to allow a comprehensive assessment of development in the borough’s historic districts.

"I’ve said that area has to be looked at in a comprehensive fash­ion," he said, adding that he has re­quested a legal opinion on taking such a step from the borough coun­cil.

"At the same time, a dialogue has commenced with certain property owners and they’re receptive to sit­ting down and talking about the borough’s plans for certain property areas," he said.

Preservation Red Bank is sound­ing the alarm to enlist residents of Red Bank in an effort to save the Olde Union House from demolition. The preservation group will discuss preserving the historic site at its general meeting April 25, 4-7 p.m., at the Red Bank Armory Ice Complex, 76 Chestnut St. The meet­ing is open to the public.