Frank Corrado, attorney for the Grand, said the developer wanted to decrease the height, bulk, building mass and impervious surfaces around the property and increase open space and land-scaping.
The number of units proposed for the Grand is unchanged at 125.
Corrado said setbacks were not being changed.
Mita told the Herald, Donald Trump is building a 40-story, $100 million dollar building in Philadelphia “and they’re saying ‘isn’t he the greatest guy in the world.'”
“We’re bringing a quarter of a billion dollar project to South Jersey and it’s been a three-year timeframe to get it over the finish line,” said Mita.
He said design changes were made to give the building an “old seashore look” that would be timeless. Mita said other developers have already copied the original design.
He said he hoped to break ground on May 1 and he would return in about a year for approvals to build a Grand Hotel across the street from the condo.
Lower Township Planning Director Bill Galestock said the new plans were for a different building. Corrado agreed.
Project Engineer Vince Orlando said in the first plans, the building at its highest point meas-ured 208 feet. Revised plans have lower the building to 158 feet.
The building steps up in tiers from three stories at the beach to its highest point of 12 stories along Atlantic Avenue.
Original plans called for parking on both on the ground floor level and a second floor area with a swimming pool on the ground floor. New plans showed all parking on the ground floor with the pool on the second level.
Orlando said that change provides more open space along a 10-foot wide boardwalk along the beachside of the property that is available as public access. The condo will provide a 50-foot wide access corridor to the mean high water line of the ocean for the public.
A drop off area and driveway along Atlantic Avenue was removed from the front of the Grand Condo with traffic recirculated to the rear of the building.
That area will be a “lush green landscaped feature,” according to Architect Victor DePalo. A children’s pool and spa has been added to plans, he said.
Balconies that once projected beyond the building in the first plan are now recessed into the building.
The zoning board previously approved 94 percent lot coverage. The revised plan decreases coverage to 86 percent, said Orlando.
During public comment, Diamond View Condo resident Gregory Boris said that according to the revised plans, the entire building was being moved south. He said that would block an addi-tional 25 percent of “our view.”
Orlando said the building had only moved about one foot on new plans while the building shrunk about 18 feet in size.
Wildwood Crest Jefferson Avenue resident Jeff Ziccardi, questioned if a 12-story building would fit in with two-story homes in the neighborhood. Orlando said township council and the planning board passed resolutions approving high-rise buildings in that area.
In other business: an application from JWR Construction to demolish the Bayview Inn and construct 24 condos at 8100 Bayview Drive in Diamond Beach was delayed until March 2 at the request of the developer.
Corrado, who also represented JWR Construction, said he wanted more than six zoning board members present at the time of the vote for a D variance, which the project would require.
Contact Ficher at (609) 886-8600 Ext. 30 or: jfichter@cmcherald.com
Stone Harbor – Bob Ross thank you for all your years of volunteer service to the community of Stone Harbor. A Lifelong resident And property owner. 10 years on school board, 6 years on zoning board they can't…
