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RED BANK: EXTENDED METERING ON AGENDA

red bank parking ticketAdding four hours a day of paid parking is among the recommendations of a recent report. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s elected officials are expected to take up a proposal this week to expand paid parking – and enforcement – to 10 p.m.

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RED BANK: STREET AND LOT CHANGES AIRED

red bank white street plans 021320Judy and Bill Fraser of Elm Place examine schematics of the White Street plans at borough hall. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Details of a planned makeover of White Street in Red Bank got a positive reception at a public input session Thursday evening.

Officials also offered the first public insights into the future of the adjoining municipal parking lot since a push for massive private development on the site imploded two years ago.

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RED BANK: BOARD SUED OVER TWO DECISIONS

red bank, nj, vna, 176 riverside, saxumThe owners of the Colony House apartments, at right, claim the plan for the VNA site, at left, violates their property rights. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

Two months after approving one of the largest development projects in Red Bank history, the borough planning board has been sued over the decision, redbankgreen has learned.

The suit arrives as the board is defending itself in a lawsuit concerning a proposed Hampton Inn just across the street.

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RED BANK: BALLOONS, TRAFFIC ON AGENDA

The study is to examine traffic and on-street parking downtown. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Expect the Red Bank council to initiate a proposed ban on mass balloon releases at its next regular meeting Wednesday night.

Also on deck: the award of a contract for a traffic study.

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RED BANK: TRAFFIC STUDY ON AGENDA

red bank broad st snow 011820A proposed study is expected to track traffic at 19 downtown intersections, including Broad and West Front streets, above. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

A study of downtown traffic is up for discussion at the Red Bank council’s workshop session Wednesday evening.

The data to be gathered is expected to be useful for future parking, pedestrian and other initiatives, borough Business Administrator Ziad Shehady tells redbankgreen.

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RED BANK: PROJECT REVIEW GETS UNDERWAY

red bank 141 west front 011620 2.jpgAn architect’s rendering showing the West Front Street side of the proposed project, with the existing office building at left. (Rendering by Feinberg & Associates. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njA plan to build 150 apartments atop an existing restaurant and parking deck in downtown Red Bank got its first taste of public scrutiny Thursday night.

While descriptions of the project by an engineer and an architect for developer PRC Group took up most of the three-hour zoning board hearing, it became clear that the plan’s scale, and impact on traffic, are likely to be issues.

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RED BANK: MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT ON DECK

red bank corporate plaza west front elevationA proposal to add 150 apartments to the Red Bank Corporate Plaza complex on West Front Street is scheduled to go before the borough zoning board Thursday night.

As previously reported by redbankgreen, the project would shatter the borough’s limits on building height, density and more if approved.

Here’s what you need to know about the application. (Rendering by Feinberg & Associates. Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED

red bank corporate plaza 122219 Under the plan, 150 apartments would be built above Pazzo MMX restaurant and the parking garage beside it. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njA proposed expansion atop an existing restaurant and parking deck would create a nine-story structure with 150 apartments in the center of Red Bank, redbankgreen has learned.

If approved, the project would shatter the borough’s limits on building height, density and more.

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RED BANK: SAXUM PLAN APPROVED

Red bank 176 Riverside saxumSaxum relocated the proposed  pedestrian plaza shown in this rendering from the Riverside Avenue side of the project to the Bodman Place side. (Rendering by MVMK Architecture. Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

One of the largest development projects in Red Bank history won planning board approval Monday night.

The OK for 210 apartments at Riverside Avenue and Bodman Place requires developer Saxum Real Estate to seek state approval for a traffic light there. But the project can go ahead even if the request fails.

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RED BANK: COUNCIL WRAP

red bank eastside parkFootings are ready for the installation of a prefab restroom building at Eastside Park. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A bond to fund parking improvements and the swearing-in of a new police officer headlined a relatively quiet session of the Red Bank council Wednesday night.

Here’s a wrap-up of the highlights:

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RED BANK: COMMENTING POLICY UNDER FIRE

red bank, nj, ziad shehadyBusiness Administrator Ziad Shehady has allowed little deviation from the council’s commenting protocol since his arrival in 2018. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njThe Red Bank council moved to eliminate a citizenship requirement for business licensing and approved a debt refinancing Wednesday night.

And once again, the protocol for comments at council meetings was put to the test. Here’s a recap of  what went down at the semimonthly session.

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RED BANK: SAXUM HEARING POSTPONED

red bank, nj, vna, 176 riverside, saxum
hot topic red bank nj
The Red Bank planning board hearing, scheduled for Monday night, on a proposal for 210 apartments on Riverside Avenue has been rescheduled. 

 

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RED BANK: BOARD AIRS SAXUM PLAN HURDLES

red bank saxum plan 090419 4A rendering depicts the proposed plaza at Riverside Avenue and Bodman Place that board members raised safety concerns about. (Rendering by Arterial Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

Red Bank planning board members aired numerous misgivings about one of the largest development plans in borough history Monday night.

High on the list that developer Saxum Real Estate is expected to address: traffic and pedestrian safety issues. More →

RED BANK: PARKING SYSTEM TO GET MAKEOVER

red bank tom calu meterInterim parking director Tom Calu with a smart meter at Wednesday’s presentation. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njRed Bank’s entire inventory of parking meters and kiosks is slated for replacement, borough officials said Wednesday, as they debuted a ‘smart’ meter scheduled for rollout curbside early next year.

Meantime, the search for a parking director, the foremost recommendation of a parking study released in January, has been “disappointing,” the official leading the search told redbankgreen.

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RED BANK: NEW PARKING METERS TO DEBUT

Red Bank is planning to replace its coin-operated parking meters, and the public will get a chance this week to weigh in Wednesday on the changes they’ll bring. More →

RED BANK: PLAZA FOCUS OF SAXUM HEARING

176 riverside red bank saxumA rendering depicts the Bodman Place side of the proposed apartment project. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

The fate of one of the largest development plans in Red Bank history remained unresolved Monday night.

At the fourth planning board hearing on the 210-unit apartment complex proposed for the site of the former VNA headquarters, attention centered largely on the wisdom of putting a public plaza on busy Riverside Avenue.

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RED BANK: FOURTH-GENERATION BIZ CLOSING

red bank 17-21 west sT.The home of Sanford Auto Body, at the corner of West and Wall streets, will be razed to create parking for the nearby Red Bank Corporate Plaza, the sellers say. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

After almost 80 years banging out dents and straightening frames, a Red Bank auto body shop is headed to the scrap heap.

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RED BANK: POOP & MORE DELAY SAXUM VOTE

red bank saxum plan 090419 4A rendering displayed at the planning board depicts a public plaza on the Riverside Avenue side of the proposed apartment project. (Rendering by Arterial. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

Unanswered questions held up a planning board vote on one of the largest development plans in Red Bank history Wednesday night.

Among them: where will the poop deposited on the rooftop dog runs go?

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RED BANK: ANGLE SPOTS, NEW KIOSKS COMING

red bank white st.The sidewalk along the south side of White Street, at left, would be removed to allow for head-in angled parking on that side. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njAn old-school approach to parking may soon return to one street in downtown Red Bank: angled parking.

The borough council informally agreed last week to remake a portion of White Street for angled parking on one side.

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RED BANK: FOOD TRUCK BAN TO CONTINUE

red bank riverside avenue gas stationA proposal would have allowed food trucks to operate on underused property outside the downtown, including the vacant gas station at Riverside and Bridge avenues. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njA push to end Red Bank’s ban on food trucks ran out of gas Wednesday night.

Over the objections of one of their colleagues, council members sided with owners of brick-and-mortar restaurants, who say trucks would unfairly undermine them while rewarding other property owners for neglect.

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RED BANK: SAXUM CONFRONTS TRAFFIC ISSUE

red bank 176 riverside 080519 3.jpgA rendering shows the Riverside Avenue facade of the proposed apartment project. (Rendering by MVMK Architecture. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

Like many motorists, a traffic engineer for one of the largest development plans in Red Bank history found himself confronting an intersection likened to “Russian roulette” Monday night. More →

RED BANK: COUNCIL KILLS PARKING PLAN

Borough officials will try to come up with a “reasonable” alternative to the aborted plan, said Mayor Menna. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njThe Red Bank council has scrapped a plan to implement alternate-side parking that found little public support.

At its regular meeting Wednesday night, the council voted to kill an already-introduced ordinance that would have mandated the parked-car switcheroo on a weekly basis, in conjunction with more frequent street sweeping.

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RED BANK: WHAT’S ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA?

red bank plastic bag banSingle-use plastic bags and more would be banned under an ordinance up for introduction. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njThe Red Bank council has street-sweeping, green roofs, single-use plastics and cranes on its plate when it meets this week for its only regular meeting of July.

Here are some of the expected highlights: More →

RED BANK: SAXUM TRAFFIC Q&A DELAYED

Red bank 176 Riverside saxumA rendering shows one of the two buildings proposed  for the former VNA site, with Riverside Avenue at left and Bodman Place at right. (Rendering by MVMK Architecture. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj

It was a night of “hold that thought” as hearings got underway on one of the largest development plans in Red Bank history Monday night.

At a planning board session on a 210-unit apartment complex proposed for a busy stretch of Riverside Avenue, neighbors who packed the room were repeatedly advised to defer their questions and comments on traffic until the developer’s traffic consultant testifies.

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