By PATRICIA MCDANIEL
It was an awkward, but still cordial, start for the professionals who came before the Asbury Park City Council Dec. 11 to present the latest version of a development company’s plans for the Holy Spirit church site.
He didn’t mean his next comments as a “dig,” Mayor John Moor informed the lawyer and professional planner for The Crossroads at Asbury Park, before the presentation began.
But Crossroads needs to pay up its taxes on the property, he reminded them.
The proposal calls for an apartment building just to the west of Holy Spirit that would transform the former Catholic church into an arts/office/cafe space.
Moor continued: “If I was told last week, when we were going through the agenda, that taxes were not paid for this piece of property, I probably would have said, ‘Tell them to pay by Monday the 9th and they’ll be on for the presentation tonight (the 11th)’,” Moor said.
“Some employees did know about it, so I do not find this to be totally your fault. So that’s why we’re going to proceed with the presentation and I’m under the understanding that taxes will be paid Monday (Dec. 16),” Moor said.
With that, the presentation began – with assurances by the attorney for the developer that the “issue will be taken care of,” thanking the mayor for allowing the presentation to proceed.
The city confirmed Tues., Dec. 17 that the taxes have now been paid – but not exactly on Dec. 16, as the mayor asked.
Crossroads presented a check Tuesday morning for a year’s worth of property and sewer taxes – $56,560.69, said city Tax Collector Michael Schnurr.
Schnurr said the matter “is resolved at this point.”
The Crossroads at Asbury Park is a project of Mountain View Developments, a subsidiary of the JLD Investment Group that has built many projects in New Jersey, including in Monmouth County, since it began operation in 1993, according to its website.
On Dec. 11, the council heard more about the plans for the potential redevelopment project, to be located at 705 Second Ave., at the corner of Bond Street. No action was taken by the council following the presentation regarding the project.
The council also heard from several members of the public concerned about the impact of parking at the proposed multi-use site, despite its first-floor garage for residents, as well as the impact of the height of the seven-story apartment building.
Additionally, there were concerns again raised about the payments in lieu of taxes proposed for the site (PILOTS).
The development company, through its professionals, asserted that the apartment building would be paying about the same amount in PILOTS as a previous plan for six high-end private homes – about $330,000 in annual revenue to the city.
One resident asked that the city have the developer pay school taxes directly, but the attorney for the developer noted that, as a statewide program, that provision is not in the PILOT guidelines and the city is unable to modify them.
As reported last week in the Coaster, Crossroads would like to use the church building as a cultural hub and would provide artists’ spaces, among other uses. Heyer, Gruel & Associates of Red Bank is the architectural firm for the project.
Besides the 50-seat café, there are plans for flex office space. One big change from February is that the developer is pulling back from the concept of a theater being located there, especially given concerns about parking. But there would be a small stage at the cafe, it was noted at the meeting on Dec. 11.
In its report, the development company said despite the city Planning Board’s prior approval for the six private homes on the church site, that idea would have created “a significant change to the longtime landscape” of the city – hence, the new concept now before city officials.
The developer, in response to another concern raised by a resident, acknowledged that the professionals have not consulted with the Asbury Park Arts Council, but would do so in the future regarding the best artistic use of the site, once the new use obtains a go-ahead from the city.
There would still be a long road in obtaining all Planning Board approvals before the particulars would be firmed up, the developer’s professional planner said.
The plan would repurpose the church building, which was sold in late 2020 to Crossroads by the Diocese of Trenton for $1.7 million.
The proposed seven-story building would have 90 apartments (46 one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, 16 three-bedroom). It would include the 74 parking spaces, as well as a pool, gym and other amenities for tenants, according to the report prepared by the developer’s professionals.
Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn noted at the end of the presentation that saving the historic site may require “some gives” on the part of the city.
Speaking just for herself, she noted, Quinn said the city must have “thoughtful dialogues” about such issues as PILOTS, parking, and historic buildings.
She also addressed the urge to save historic buildings, such as the Holy Spirit church building.
“So we either care about historic structures and there are gives to keep them, whatever those gives are, and that’s certainly a thoughtful dialogue.
“But let’s stop talking about that we care about historic structures and then tear them down. This is a structure many, many people care about, myself included, and who would like to see it preserved,” she said.
