Plans for a mixed-use project at 714-730 Springfield Ave. in Berkeley Heights call for 20 apartments, ground-floor commercial space and a landscaped pedestrian plaza. — Rendering courtesy: Taylor Architecture & Design
By Joshua Burd
Officials in Berkeley Heights have granted a key approval to a project that would bring 20 apartments and ground-floor commercial space to a major corridor in the township.
According to Taylor Architecture & Design, plans for the site at 714-730 Springfield Ave. include a three-story building that would help create a gateway into the municipality and to Union County as Springfield Avenue crosses the Passaic River. It would do so in tandem with a planned expansion of the Passaic River Parkway that Union County is planning across the street — a proposal that would include green trails and passive recreation — after the county purchased a 1.5-acre site that was home to the well-known Berkeley Plaza banquet hall.
The Berkeley Heights zoning board approved the application in a 7-0 vote during its Nov. 21 meeting, following a presentation by Taylor Architecture President Brian M. Taylor. He described a design that would consist of a full-brick masonry veneer, a running bond pattern fiber cement panel facade and composite trim details, as well as a pronounced crown and architectural frieze wrap around the building at the parapet level to give it a distinctive look.
He added that the development team, led by applicant 735 Springfield Avenue LLC, is working closely with the municipal planner and engineer and the township’s Downtown Beautification Committee. Notably, the developer plans to name the building The Berkeley Plaza as a tribute to the now-demolished banquet facility across the street.
“The original Berkely Plaza was a well-known and revered catering and banquet hall,” Taylor wrote in a press release last week. “It was a place of memories, including weddings and family gatherings that live in the minds of residents of Berkeley Heights and surrounding towns.”
Floorplans will include two one-bedroom units, 16 two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units, Taylor said, adding that three of the homes will be income-restricted to help the township comply with its state-mandated affordable housing requirements. The developer has also proposed a landscaped pedestrian plaza and sustainability features such as electric vehicle charging stations and rooftop solar panels, while the ground floor would consist of a 1,590-square-foot café restaurant and covered parking.
The apartment building will have package room, a bike room and resident storage areas, Taylor said in a news release. Variances approved by the zoning board last month include those for density, building height, number of stories, number of parking spaces and setbacks.
The development team also includes land use attorney August Santore, civil engineer Joseph Bachi of EKA Associates PA, professional planner Michael J. Pessolano of MJP Land Use Planning LLC and consulting architect David Andriola of D.B. Andriola LLC.
