Politics & Government

Expansion Plans For Luxury Condos Discussed

The Monmouth wants to scale back on luxury, double number of units

Owners of a high-end condominium complex in the southwestern part of town continued to pitch to the Board of Adjustment Wednesday on expansion plans over the objections of some of its residents and neighbors.

The Monmouth, bounded by routes 34, 35, 70 and Old Bridge Road, continued to press its hardship case before the zoning board but time ran out on the hearing. No action was taken. The next was scheduled for the board’s July 20 meeting.

The Monmouth was last before the zoning board on June 15. At that time, the next hearing was set for a date in October. It was not immediately clear Wednesday why the hearing was moved up in the calendar.

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The owners of the unfinished, age-restricted community want to change its already-approved plans to build more 4,000 square foot condominium buildings on the property.

Citing the nationwide economic downturn, Amboy Bank and West Long Branch developer PRC Group want to instead build 2,000-square-foot condos in the same buildings already approved by the board. The effect would create twice as many units in the same number of buildings.

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The Monmouth has approval for 96 total units in 16 buildings. There are eight buildings constructed, with a total of 48 units. Of those 48, there are only 27 units occupied. The owners are asking the zoning board to approve plans to increase to 114 the number of units in the same 16 buildings. Of the eight yet to be constructed, The Monmouth wants to convert three of them to 2,000-square-foot units.

But not everyone is keen on the idea.

Several owners of homes in the development spoke against the company’s plans, saying the move was unnecessary and that the owners were simply not marketing the development properly.

“I am adamantly opposed to it because it’s not necessary,’’ said Bob Grossman, who lives in The Monmouth. “I really want to see this project be a success, but this is not needed.’’

Also, a representative of a neighboring development – Barclay Woods, in Brielle – also spoke against the plans, saying the increase in traffic on Old Bridge Road would create a danger.

All access to The Monmouth is from Old Bridge Road, a county road. A functional entrance and exit exists on Route 70, but it is closed by the development.

“We know that this board will weigh all the facts and act in a correct and proper manner,’’ said Dennis Ingoglia, president of the Barclay Woods Association. “Granting any permission to expand should be based on what is right for the residents of Wall, including those who reside in The Monmouth, and their neighbors in Brielle.”

Paramount to those concerns, Ingoglia said, was the increase in traffic on Old Bridge Road.

“People’s lives may literally depend on that decision,’’ he said.


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