Board hears 1201 Memorial Drive plan: 5‑story, 126‑unit mixed‑use proposal; parking, trash and windowed‑bedroom issues flagged

Asbury Park, April 21 — Developers seeking approval for a five‑story, 126‑unit mixed‑use building at 1201 Memorial Drive presented architectural plans to the Asbury Park Planning Board on April 21. The board and members of the public focused questions on parking counts and access, trash and service routing, rooftop mechanicals and a small number of units that may lack conventional bedroom windows. The board continued the matter for further engineering, traffic and site detail and scheduled a return hearing for June 16.

What was proposed: Attorney Michael Badiello said the application (Jamal Braverman Building LLC) seeks preliminary and final major site plan approval for a five‑story, mixed‑use building at 1201 Memorial Drive in an area designated for redevelopment. Architect Daniel Zanneto presented a building that would contain 126 residential units, including 26 affordable units; about 2,000 square feet of ground‑floor commercial space; a mostly under‑building parking garage with a plan‑reported 131–132 parking spaces; a central courtyard above the parking structure and shared rooftop terrace and private penthouse terraces on the top level.

Project details: The Ground Floor plan shows three small retail spaces facing Memorial Drive, a main pedestrian lobby on Fifth Avenue, a parking field under and beside the building, bike storage with vertically mounted racks, trash and utility rooms, and EV‑ready parking spaces. The proposed materials include thin brick veneer, fiber cement panels and metal trim; the Memorial Drive facade includes printed screen panels intended for city‑coordinated public art.

Key concerns raised - Parking tally and curb impact: Board members and members of the public flagged a discrepancy in the plan’s parking count (131 vs. 132) and pressed for a traffic engineer’s analysis of curb impacts and garage ingress/egress. Resident Frank Cucinada (209 Sixth Avenue) asked about the apparent shortfall, noting “parking requirements are generally 1.5 per dwelling unit so, just how is it that we get with less.” The applicant said traffic and civil testimony will follow at the next hearing.

- Trash room and service access: The plans show trash chute collection to a ground‑floor trash room that appears accessible only from the exterior; the board asked the team to explore internal access from retail spaces and consolidated staging areas to streamline curbside pickup. Board consultant calculations flagged a potential shortfall in storage: the applicant’s plan shows about 1,005 square feet of storage but a planning calculation for the residential requirement (126 units × 12 square feet) would be 1,512 square feet; the applicant agreed to recalculate and provide additional detail.

- Bedroom ventilation and layout: Board members and the applicant discussed several compact one‑bedroom units where bedrooms rely on transom windows or borrowed light rather than a full operational window. The architect said there are roughly six one‑bedroom units configured this way; the board directed the applicant to provide building‑code justification and to consult the construction official and inclusionary‑housing rules (UHAC) about whether the units comply and how any required mechanical ventilation would be handled for affordable units.

- Lighting, mechanicals and screening: The board requested a line‑of‑sight diagram for rooftop mechanicals, information on mechanical unit heights and screening, and a coordinated lighting plan showing fixture locations and light levels so that late‑night internal lighting does not create nuisance glare toward adjacent properties. Resident David Badola, from the house next to the site, asked that garage lighting, vehicle headlights and any rooftop mechanical noise be considered in coordination with an exterior fence and landscaping buffer.

Public art and materials: The applicant proposed printed mesh panels (Lehi facade) on Memorial Drive and dedicated wall areas for commissioned public art in coordination with the city. Architect Daniel Zanneto described a varied palette (red and charcoal thin brick, fiber cement siding, metal reveals) and recessed and projecting balconies to reduce perceived mass from the street.

Next steps and board action: The applicant asked to carry the matter with notice to a later date; the board agreed to carry the application to June 16 and accepted a consent extension of time for the board to act. The board asked the applicant to provide revised plans, a civil/traffic submission, a coordinated lighting plan, a trash‑storage calculation and clarifications on utility meter locations and whether the building will be gas‑fed or all‑electric. The applicant said they will return with the traffic and site engineering team and revised exhibits.

Selected quotes (from the hearing): • "The applicant is seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval for property located at 1201 Memorial Drive," Michael Badiello, attorney for the applicant, told the board when introducing the application. • "We have 126 dwelling units on the upper floors … and we’re providing EV as required by the state," architect Daniel Zanneto said while describing the ground‑floor and parking plans. • "Parking requirements are generally 1.5 per dwelling unit so, just how is it that we get with less," asked Frank Cucinada (209 Sixth Avenue) during public comment.

Timing: The board set a return hearing for June 16. The applicant agreed to provide resubmitted plans and the additional technical materials requested by mid‑May for review by board consultants so their reports can be prepared prior to the June meeting.