Architect Presents Modified C-Town Plans to Matawan Planning Board

The Matawan Planning Board again heard plans for the C-Town property located on Main Street in Matawan at their Dec. 5 meeting. 

The latest proposal addresses some of the planning board's concerns, including parking lot safety, garbage disposal and turning radius for delivery and garbage trucks, according to Architect Dean Marchetto.

The proposal, which is the third modified proposal presented to the board, now details loading and trash circulation improvements on-site, an increased setback on Jackson Street and improved parking sight lines and safety. The retail area was reduced to 4450 square feet from 6275 square feet, the number of residential units were reduced from 42 to 39 units and the building increased from three to four stories tall. The four story building also covers a smaller area than the three story building plan.

The trash room, which the planning board was initially concerned was insufficient, was made larger and the plans now include garbage chutes from the residential floors, a garbage compactor and a service corridor connecting the trash room to the dumpsters behind the building, Marchetto explained. He said the decrease in retail area accounts for the service area. 

The second plan called for the building to be three stories, one floor for retail and two for residential units, with a pitched roof. According to Marchetto, a pitched roof on a three story building and a flat roof on a four story building results in a height difference of about five feet.

Neelam Khanna, who owns and lives in the attached apartment, said the thought of having a large wall next to her window is upsetting.

She is also concerned that the actual construction of the mixed use property could potentially damage her building.

"This building was at least 100 years old when I bought it almost 15 years ago," she said.

On the business front, however, Khanna hopes that the increase in new neighbors will mean new foot traffic for her store.

According to an article in the Independent, a C-Town supermarket was approved in June of 2006 to occupy the property at 126 Main St., which was previously Harris Hardware and a Foodtown.

The article quotes Joseph Mullaney, a councilman at that time, as saying the mid-sized supermarket would revitalize downtown Matawan.