Condos Planned at Corbo’s
By GARRETT STASSE
Asbury Parks southern gateway could receive a completely new look if a developer sticks to his plans.
The if centers on which plan North End Builder at Asbury LLC can use to transform the Corbo restaurant supply building at Main Street and Lake Avenue. The Planning Board gave conditional approval to two stores at street level with eight duplex town houses above. The board approved another similar plan in 2002 and a modified version in 2004.
The latter was granted to reflect changes in the redevelopment plan for the Central Business District. The upper floors were reconfigured and a plan to have parking in the basement was rejected.
On Monday, the board granted approval for a third story and a totally redesigned exterior. Now yellow brick, there would be dark granite facades on the first floor and blue-grey stucco covering the second and third. Windows would be framed with black brushed aluminum, with the second-and third-floor windows separated by strong vertical columns. Balconies would be added to the rear which faces an alley.
The condos would be accessed by a new door on Main that leads to what architect Michael Burke called the grand staircase that once led to the second floor of what had been a department store years ago. Parking would be supplied elsewhere, probably in the garage being planned on Mattison Avenue and Bond Street.
Redevelopment requirements call for housing developers in the business district to pay $25,000 per parking spot. North Asbury would buy 12 spots, William Shipers, North Asburys lawyer, said.
Mary Hearn, Burkes partner, said the design is intended to maximize light and air to create a green building. Windows would open to reduce dependency on mechanical heating and air conditioning.
Board member Sara Anne Towery, an architect, was impressed.
I congratulate you. This is a great improvement (over the current structure), she said.
She suggested a skylight for one unit because otherwise it would have no natural light in the bedroom.
City Councilman John Loffredo, who is also known for speaking his mind on design aesthetics, was also pleased.
This is a very nice presentation, he said.
Towery asked the builder to supply samples of exterior building materials to the boards architectural review subcommittee before final site plan approval is given.
The applicant is a contractor purchaser, meaning the sale goes through if the board approves the plans. Board Attorney Jack Serpico said he plans to research which plan the builder would have to use. Under questioning, he said he believes the latest plan would be required.
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