By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Another bank may be coming to Main Street in Asbury Park and will replace the Dunkin Donuts now located at Sunset Avenue.
The Planning Board voted to recommend sending the proposal to amend the Main Street Redevelopment Plan to the City Council for review to allow Chase Bank to move in.
Conditions were attached to the vote including accessories to the bank must include a walk up ATM and a drive up ATM that exits onto Sunset Avenue.
The existing curb cuts must remain which allow for access from Main Street but exit onto Sunset Avenue from the drive up window and ATM.
Alexis Taylor cast the lone dissenting vote citing the lack of nighttime activity a bank would bring to the intersection which has PNC Bank on one corner and Dunkin Donuts and Sunset Park on the others.
The area is known as the Sunset Park sub zone of the redevelopment plan.
Another stipulation is that if the bank, which is leasing the property, decides to close any ATMs on the site would also have to be closed.
Taylor who lives in the area said it can be “threatening at night…with Dunkin Donuts there was lots of activity, lots of eyes on the street,” she said. “There are prominent safety concerns at that intersection.”
Taylor also said that is it common for banks to move into an area where real estate is appreciating and then close after they have “maximized their profits.”
