Easton Avenue shopping center in Franklin would get 'fresh look' in proposed redevelopment

FRANKLIN (Somerset) – A proposal to redevelop the vacant Kmart on Easton Avenue and give a facelift to the rest of the Rutgers Plaza shopping center will continue to be heard by the township Zoning Board of Adjustment on Aug. 1.

The board began hearing the proposal by Levin Properties to build the 200-unit, four-story building in April and May with testimony continuing at its June 20 meeting by the project architect.

At the Aug. 1 meeting, the public will have an opportunity to ask questions of David Minno, the architect, and the developer's traffic engineer is scheduled to testify.

Minno told the board that retail properties are being converted to mixed uses "all over," including the former Sears on Route 1 in New Brunswick, Loehmann's Plaza on Route 18 in East Brunswick and Garden State Plaza on Route 17 in Paramus, all projects that his architectural firm, Minno Wasko, is working on.

The firm is also working to convert half of Monmouth Mall in Eatontown into 1,000 housing units, he said.

"There is less demand for retail, more demand for residential," he said.

Minno explained that the repurposing "helps strengthen" the remaining retail uses by increasing pedestrian traffic.

"Small businesses depend on pedestrian traffic," he said.

Levin plans on reconfiguring the 13 retail spaces in the center to create 17 spaces, Minno said.

More: New redevelopment plan for Hamilton Street strip mall in Franklin

The retail area of the property will be given a new look to be consistent with the proposed apartment building, The Easton at Rutgers Plaza.

"We want to give it a fresh look," Minno said, adding Levin wants a "lifestyle center to attract a top level of tenants."

Levin's application to the Zoning Board says Stop & Shop is a "strong supporter" of the "viable solution" for the shuttered Kmart.

Of the 200 apartments in the E-shaped building, 61 will be market-rate one-bedroom apartments, 99 two-bedroom market-rate apartments, eight affordable one-bedroom apartments, 24 affordable two-bedroom apartments and eight affordable three-bedroom apartments.

There will be a total of 40 affordable apartments, 20% of the total.

The proposal requires a use variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment because residential development is not allowed on the 27.4-acre property at the intersection of Easton Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

A traffic study for Levin Properties has concluded that the apartment building will generate less peak hour and daily traffic than the Kmart when it was open.

That, the traffic study said, "will result in a reduced traffic impact on the operations of the driveways and surrounding roadways and intersections, when compared to the retail store traffic impacts.

The development will include a community area, outdoor pool, fitness center, multiple elevators and on-site leasing and maintenance offices.

Besides the use variance, variances are also required for building height (30 feet maximum in the zoning ordinance and 47 feet proposed) floor area ratio and impervious coverage ratio.

McDonald's is completing a renovation in the corner of the property nearest Easton Avenue.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Easton Avenue shopping center in Franklin would get 'fresh look' in proposed redevelopment