Proposed four story apartment plan calls for razing two homes, restaurant

RED BANK – A proposed four story apartment building received criticism by zoning board members and the public for its size and location Thursday night.

The proposed apartment building would raze the Mexican restaurant Mi Lupita’s Kitchen, a detached garage and a neighboring two story building that houses 90 Degree Gallery on Bridge Ave. It would also raze two Victorian homes on Oakland St. However, the two-story mixed-use building at the corner of Bridge Ave. and Oakland St. would not be part of the proposed apartment building’s plans. It is located across the street from NJ Transit’s commuter parking lot.

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The developer, American Opportunity Zone Fund, was previously approved to build an apartment building with 10 units at 273 Shrewsbury Avenue in 2021. In September, the zoning board approved a new plan for a three-story building with 33 one-bedroom units at the same spot. The plan dubbed Thrive Red Bank is the first neuro-inclusive housing development in New Jersey that also includes support for its residents from the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services.

This proposed apartment building would contain 32-units. Four of the apartments are proposed to be one-bedroom units, 26 are proposed to be two-bedroom units and two are proposed to be three-bedroom units.

Five of the units, or about 15 percent, are proposed to be affordable units, in which an affordable housing agency and not the developer would be responsible for renting out the apartments. The rent would also be set using state standards and not by the developer.

The ground floor would contain parking, a coffee shop and retail space. The center of the building would be open for a courtyard and the roof would be contain a pickleball court.

The architect Michael Monroe said the project began two to three years ago. The first design was smaller with only 20 units to conform to borough ordinances.

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He said with less apartments, the rent would be higher and there would be only two affordable units. He argued that with more units, there would be more affordable units and the rent for the market-rate units would be “a little more affordable.”

Monroe later said, “Affordability is a relative term, but nothing new is really, generally affordable.”

He said the developer is willing to make changes and the presentation before the board was to garner feedback.

“We’re looking for some sort of direction from the board before we put a parade of people in front of you, engineers, planners, traffic (engineers),” he said.

Board member Paul Cagno said the building was too dense, calling it “towering.”

He said he believes some type of development belongs in the area, but he doesn’t believe that the proposed building “matches the area.”

Cagno also questioned the difference in rent per unit between the first proposal with less units and the current proposal, arguing that apartments are priced based on square footage.

Board member Sharon Lee said the developer would be moving into an existing neighborhood and would like the developer to take into consideration resident’s views to ensure that they are not looking out their window and seeing a wall.

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Anthony Setaro, real estate agent who’s a fifth generation descendent of Red Bank Italian immigrants, disagreed with the height of the building and the proposed pickleball court, which he argued could result in noise complaints.

Setaro’s home is located on Oakland St. across the proposed site. He has conducted deep dives into Red Bank’s history including producing a software replica of historic Red Bank and hosting a podcast about his family history.

“Oakland St. has always been a little sleepy, cut through street for people to get to the train,” he said.

He said the proposed design looks like it belongs in Long Branch and he would like the developer to incorporate elements of historic Red Bank architecture.

He also pointed to the corner building that would not be part of the plan.

“You can imagine that four story building engulfing and encompassing all around that building,” he said.

He argued that while the proposed building is located near the train station, it is not in the same neighborhood as the other large apartment buildings including The Rail.

“You’re encroaching into an area now between Bridge and Shrewsbury, putting in these massive developments instead of between Bridge and the train tracks,” he said.

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He added, “Let’s all be realistic, the rentals, if they’re 1,000 sq. ft. or 800, they’re going to be $3,800. They’re not going to be affordable for people. There’s nowhere where there’s $1,800 apartments no matter what size they make them.”

The developer’s attorney the former mayor Ed McKenna said they would return to the board at a later date with a revised plan.

Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Red Bank officials criticize of proposed apartment complex