VENTNOR – The Board of Commissioners April 10 tabled a public hearing and adoption of a redevelopment plan for the Ventnor Professional Campus located on Ventnor Avenue between New Haven and Troy avenues.
Following discussion held at the Planning Board’s April 9 meeting, the commissioners agreed the concept plan should be revised before it is adopted. The public hearing was carried over for action at the next commission meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24.
Former Mayor Tim Kreisher said he attended the planning board meeting where board members and residents stated they would like to see the plan revised to include more green space, parking and fewer homes.
“They were very diligent,” he said, commending the planning board for its suggestions. “They all expressed the importance of this site to Ventnor and the need to create a wow factor.”
The planners recommended changes to the concept plan to make it an “exceptional” centerpiece of development for the city that incorporates the historical nature of the brick schoolhouse building.
The concept plan includes 36 “Coastal Modern” fee-simple townhouses with three parking spaces per unit with a homeowner’s association and mixed-use commercial development in the front portion on Ventnor Avenue. The 2.3-acre site has been a professional campus, but somewhat underutilized since the Ventnor Avenue school closed many years ago.
The building’s present owner, David Waxman, a part-time Ventnor resident, told planners the interior of the front part of the building has recently been upgraded and new tenants outfitted, including a pre-school and medical spa, and only two commercial spaces remain vacant.
“We would love to have a restaurant or two take the front spaces with some outdoor seating,” Waxman told planning board members.
Ventnor Professional Campus Redevelopment Plan rendering.Board members and residents expressed concerns about the removal of several parking spaces at the rear of the property on Winchester Avenue and traffic exiting a proposed access road so close to Firehouse No. 1 on Troy Avenue, where fire trucks leave in a hurry for fire calls. They would like to see open space increased, and density decreased, they said. The angled parking spaces on Troy and New Haven avenues would be maintained.
One board member said the property should be as “green” as possible, and another said the plan should be “future forward.”
“We are open to collaborating,” Waxman said, noting that he would take their concerns into consideration before coming back to the board with a full site plan.
Commissioner Lance Landgraf said the iconic structure at the front of the property demands that the proposed housing in the rear incorporates some of its historic elements.
“They need to balance a reduction in density with profitability,” Landgraf said.
The developer’s attorney, Jack Plackter, said the proposed sale price of the residential townhouses would be at a lower price point than other newly constructed homes going up in the area - below $1 million per unit.
“We’re trying to bring it in at a lower market rate, but still have it be first class,” he said.
The board agreed the proposed redevelopment plan meets the intent of the city’s Master Plan.
One resident asked if the townhouses could be limited to year-round residents only.
Although that is not possible, the residential development would be controlled by a homeowners’ association that could prohibit short term rentals, Waxman said.
Landgraf said the planning board would work with the developer to “tweak” the plan to make the “iconic” structure a centerpiece of activity for the south end of town.
The commissioners will review any proposed amendments to decide if it will move forward with the public hearing on April 24, or in the event of significant changes, it could reintroduce it as a totally new ordinance.
Once the commission adopts the redevelopment plan, it will name a redeveloper and send the application back to the planning board for a full site plan review. The public will get to weigh-in at each step of the process.
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