Architect's rendering of a proposed Monmouth Street project RED BANK - An application for a mixed-use project on Monmouth Street began hearings before the Zoning Board of Adjustment April 3.

The applicant, Siros of Monmouth, proposes to demolish the existing commercial building at 120 Monmouth St. and construct a four-story, mixed-use building consisting of 6,000 square feet of retail space and 24 condominium units in its place.

The application for the development, which fronts Monmouth and Pearl Streets has been bifurcated and will be heard by the board in two parts because of the multitude of use "d" variances sought in the application.

"This portion only concerns the "d" variances," said Board Attorney Kevin Kennedy. "If the 'd' variances were approved, a condition of approval would be for the applicant to come back for site plan approval."

The use "d" variances include variances for: number of units on each floor, with two apartments permitted and eight apartments proposed; the number of apartments per building, with four apartments permitted and 24 proposed; and for floor area ratio (FAR) with 1.75 permitted and 2.25 proposed.

"We are seeking comments back from the board to see how they respond to changes we made based on comments we received," said the applicant's attorney, Gordon N. Gemma, of Colts Neck.

He said principals Anthony Busch Sr. and Anthony Busch Jr. were on hand to explain the proposal and the context of the application. The other principal in the application is Pat Nulle.

Although listed on the Zoning Board agenda as a bifurcated application, attorney William Meyer objected to the method.

"The 'd' variances are significant and lead to a large over sizing of what's permitted on the property," said Meyer. "There are a lot of things needed to give this context and to bifurcate [the application] would not give this context."

Meyer said the applicant should also present the site plan at this time because of the numerous waivers and bulk "c" variances that are also involved with the application.

Meyer was filling in for attorney Ron Gasiorowski, who was representing objector Anthony Grimaldi.

Grimaldi owns a duplex residence adjacent to the proposed project on Monmouth Street.

He said after the meeting that he was concerned about the size and scope of the proposed structure.

Busch Sr. said the original scope of the application did not include the retail aspect and was added in response to meetings with Red Bank RiverCenter, the downtown alliance that oversees the borough's business district.

"[Red Bank] RiverCenter explained that the property is vital as a retail center from Maple Avenue to the train station," said Busch Sr. "They made a good argument that this is the first empty lot of any size from Maple Avenue to the train station."

He said he met with representatives from RiverCenter three times about the application and that they wanted to draw people from Maple Avenue to the train station to create foot traffic through that corridor.

"The building is of the classical period with architectural aesthetics that bring to mind most of the buildings of the era and we have stone façade on the bottom with the railings," said applicant architect Busch Jr. of the building design.

He added, "We set our commercial application up so that the piece on the corner was kind of a beacon so people will know as they walk down that street that there is still ongoing retail and they will see it at the corner of Monmouth [Street] and Maple [Avenue]."

Busch Jr. said the residential part of the application would include eight units per floor ranging in size from about 1,000 to 1,500 square feet, each with balconies.

He said there would be 21 two-bedroom units and three one-bedroom units, which combined add up to a total of 24 apartment units.

"We have underground parking under the whole site and we have grade parking for the whole site. Grade parking will be ingress and egress through Pearl Street and you will be able to pull behind the building and get in and have all your commercial parking that's required for the site," said Busch Jr.

He said there are 23 above grade parking spaces proposed for the retail aspect of the application and 22 spaces are required. He said there are 50 parking spaces proposed in the parking garage for the residential aspect of the application and 48 spaces are required. The 23 above grade retail spaces include four handicapped spaces, he said.

Busch Jr. also testified that the current building on the property, which had previously been used as a classic car garage and then a skate shop, is 16 feet in height, which would be increased to about 54 feet 9 inches.

He also said that the building would be about 5 feet off Grimaldi's property line.

"You're increasing the building area alongside the Grimaldi property to the west by a total of 82 feet," said Meyer. "The height of the building is going to affect the sun coming up in the east. Your entire building will shade or block the sunlight [to the Grimaldi property.]"

Meyer questioned the reason the structure could not be designed in a "less intense manner."

Although much testimony was heard, board engineer Richard Kosenski was not satisfied that the testimony stayed on topic and directly pertained to use variance testimony.

"This isn't use testimony, this is site plan testimony. You don't have a use expert to present testimony. We can't offer any opinion because we heard no testimony on the point," said Kosenski, adding, "My concern is that we don't make a flaw that wraps up the town in a lawsuit for the next two years."

The application was carried to May 1, when Gemma said the applicant would return with a planner to testify on the use "d" variances.