The ongoing saga over the fate of the site where Bayonne’s much-loved Resnick Hardware store is located came to an end at the Planning Board meeting last week with a vote in favor of the developer.
But the controversy was not over, as many irate opponents left before the vote.
For a year, residents in the area have been protesting the proposed nine-story structure, charging that it is too tall and is not in architectural harmony with the buildings that surround it.
At council meetings in July and August, both sides of the controversy aired their views.
The 120-foot building at 975 Broadway, to be developed by Bayonne native Lance Lucarelli, will have 88 units with an adjacent parking garage and first-floor retail space.
While opponents also charge that open-space requirements would not be met, members of the business community, including Matt Dorans, president of the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce, said the project is good for business and Bayonne’s future.
At the August meeting, four members of the city council voted yes on the project. The one holdout was Third-Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa, representing the wishes of his constituents, where the project will be built.
“We’re not taking your sun.”—Francis Pisami
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Planning Board gives it the nod
The Bayonne Planning Board approved the development of the mixed-use building at a hearing on April 6. The seven board members voted unanimously in favor of the developer, Lance Lucarelli, after hearing both expert testimony and voices of concern from the public.
The building’s modern design goes much deeper than the just façade. The half-acre site will feature the ten-story mixed-use building with two underground parking levels with 150 spaces, 24 spaces at street level, 70 spaces for bicycles, two parking elevators, 8,500 square feet of retail space on Broadway, and a rooftop pool and patio. A small park will also be upgraded on the corner of Broadway and 47th Street. This is, in part, to satisfy “open space” concerns with residents and to comply with city ordinances.
Francis Pisami, the architect for the site, provided expert testimony along with the team’s traffic engineer, Joe Jaworski. Both took questions from board members and interested citizens.
Pisami described the façade, using a rendering displayed on a PowerPoint slide. “Bayonne brick,” he said pointing to the windows and exterior. “It’s a red brick and pretty typical of … the buildings we see in Bayonne.” The large windows are clear glass framed with bronze aluminum; the base of the building is made from dark granite.
More than half the units are one-bedroom apartments, while the others are either studios or two-bedrooms. Studios will start at $1,800 a month and go up from there.
Residents express concerns
Many of the residents’ questions did not focus on the appearance or the open space. An increase in traffic congestion, a decrease in parking, and a building that, they claim, will not fit with the character of the neighborhood were among a litany of concerns expressed during the hearing. Although the experts tried to quell these fears, most citizens in attendance stormed out before the vote.
“We’re not taking your sun,” Pisami said in response to many opponents who prefer to keep the area as it is with shorter buildings. Jaworski fielded an array of questions about traffic congestion.
The Planning Board expressed sympathy with citizen concerns but ultimately cleared the way to start construction. Planning Board Commissioner Eneas Mulcahy overcame his own skepticism. “Because I want to see the town grow, despite my concerns over the height, I’m going to vote in favor.”
All board members agreed that they want to see Bayonne grow and prosper. Lance Lucarelli’s building fits in with their vision.
Third Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa was among the voices of opposition. His solemn plea to the board to turn down the application fell on deaf ears.
“What upsets me the most about this project is that … the major issues [with] this project … were set already in the redevelopment plan,” La Pelusa said. “We had several hundred people show up, voice their opinions about the project, and yet it’s still voted for. I don’t think that’s a true representation of what people in the area wanted, and that’s upsetting to me. The height of the building is going to create a wind tunnel; it’s definitely going to block the sun. We have issues with the parking and the traffic.”
Planning Board Chairman Theodore Garelick warned the opposition.
“The bottom line is Bayonne is going through a renaissance,” he said. “The alternative is disaster. It’s thunder and lightning to do nothing.”
After a four-hour hearing and a unanimous decision, Garelick concluded with a message to the developer: “Thank you very much for investing in the city of Bayonne.”