A proposal by Front Street Development 1 LLC calls for constructing a new eight-unit apartment building at 408-412 East Front St. in Plainfield, as depicted in this rendering. — Courtesy: Taylor Architecture & Design
By Joshua Burd
A developer has secured a key local approval for what will be a new eight-unit apartment building in Plainfield, according to a team with Taylor Architecture & Design.
In a news release, the firm said the project at 408-412 East Front St. would redevelop the site of a vacant building alongside the Plainfield Senior Citizens Center. Plans call for a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments under a slightly revised version that was approved May 4 by the city’s zoning board.
Taylor Architecture & Design is representing the developer, which is listed as Front Street Development 1 LLC, noting that the project sits in the city’s Mixed Use Zone that acts as a buffer between commercial areas and zones that are primarily one- and two-family homes.
“The goal of this project was to transition from the larger commercial-style building of the Senior Center to a lower-scale townhome development on the other side,” said Brian M. Taylor, president of North Plainfield-based Taylor Architecture. “This was accomplished with a facade design that borrows simple lines and color from the commercial building, but has scale, texture and features that are sympathetic to the residential uses. Thus, a transitional building.”
Taylor noted that the 6-0 vote for the project follows an initial meeting last month, where board members expressed some concern about parking and tenant storage. The firm revised the proposal to call for two fewer two-bedroom apartments, allowing for a reduced parking requirement, while the site would include three electric vehicle parking spaces.
The exterior of the two-story building is a combination of a brick veneer base and wood-toned cement fiber panels, Taylor said. The second story is also adorned with multiple squared-off bays, giving the structure a distinctive look.
The development team also includes attorney Peter Lanfrit of Borrus, Goldin, Foley, Vignuolo, Hyman and Stahl PC, civil engineer Richard Adehsohn of Frank H. Lehr Associates and professional planner Creigh Rahenkamp.
