Apartment Building Developer Wants to Downsize

Those looking to see if plans to reduce the size of an already-approved apartment building at Ridgedale and Lafayette avenues will be granted will need to wait until Aug. 1.

Although Wednesday night's Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting ran past 11:30 p.m., most of the time was spent deliberating another issue, with representatives of the Gateway Commons LLC project having only an hour to speak.

Attorney Martin Newmark was able to give the Board an overarching picture of what his clients were seeking. First approved in 2008, the 23-unit apartment building's original specs have proven infeasible given the economic climate, he said.

Approved as a 40,000 square foot structure, Gateway Commons is seeking a reduction to 29,000 square feet. "We just want to shrink the building," Newmark said.

Keith Gianakopoulos, the only witness with time to speak on Wednesday, noted the project still called for the already-approved 19 two-bedroom units and four one-bedroom units, but with about a 25 percent smaller footprint.

Given the smaller size, a rooftop terrace previously approved in the original design would be eliminated and a "green" roof area, which would catch rainwater, would be increased. A central air conditioning unit on the roof would be replaced by individual units in each apartment.

Some aesthetic changes also are being requested, as recommended by the Morristown Historic Preservation Commission, including additional brick facings and less stucco, which would provide "a more residential feel," Gianakopoulos said. "The visual impact would be decreased."

Several neighbors to the project came out, sitting through three hours on a separate appeal. Their questions, however, were directed to Rusty Schommer, the project's engineer, who did not have time to speak at the meeting.

Zoning Board Chair Lawrence Cohen said their next meeting on July 18 was expected to have "a very full agenda." As such, this matter will be continued at the following meeting, at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1.