Board Hears Plans for Apartments Over Nightclub

111 East Front Street, 2008
A bank-turned-nightclub may now become the downtown home of apartment dwellers on its two top floors.

Owner Edison Garcia is seeking Planning Board approvals to convert storage space on the third and fourth floors of the building at 111 East Front Street to residential use. A hearing began Thursday, but so many questions arose that it will be carried to the board's March 17 meeting.

The original plan was for two 1-bedroom apartments and one 2-bedroom apartment on each of the two upper floors, but after concerns arose over windows for bedrooms, the proposal was changed to six 1-bedroom units. The building shares walls with two adjacent structures and architect George Sincox said "light wells" would be used to brighten the interior.

Other questions included how residents would get in and out of the building, how to keep residents separate from night-clubbers, where to park and various security concerns. When Garcia and his experts return in March, the board expects to hear details about lighting plans and responses to police and fire questions on the proposal.

Among questions Garcia and his team were able to answer:
-Storage for tenants will be provided by converting space on the second floor, where there will also be trash and recycling receptacles that Garcia's staff will empty.

-Tenants can enter by the front or rear door, but may have to park in the rear and walk around the corner to enter after nightclub hours, which board member Gordon Fuller said was "not smart."

-Panels can be installed to dampen noise from the nightclub.
-Heating and cooling will be done by "Mini Split" units that hang from an interior wall.
-Each of the residential floors will have laundry rooms with coin-operated machines.
-Garcia will have to get City Council approval for encroachment on the municipal parking lot behind the building, due to the new use.

The March 17 meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.

--Bernice