Five buildings, 212 units at site of former drive-in
Lea Kahn
The last picture show at the Lawrence Drive-In outdoor movie theater was aired in the early 1980s. Now, the abandoned drive-in theater on Route 1 has been proposed for redevelopment into a 212-unit age-restricted condominium complex.
The Planning Board next week will consider Westminster Realty Corp.’s application development on the 15-acre tract. The meeting is set for 8 p.m. Monday in the Lower Level Conference Room at the municipal building.
Township planners also expect to take jurisdiction — but not to begin the public hearing — on B-Circle Associates, LLC’s application for site plan approval for an 80,000-square-foot ShopRite grocery store. It is planned for a 9.6-acre site bordered by Princeton Avenue, Brunswick Avenue and the Brunswick Circle Extension.
The senior citizens housing development, dubbed “Carriage Walk,” is proposed for the 15-acre site bordered by Route 1 and Allen Lane. It is next to the Lawrence Senior Center and the Lawrence Branch of the Mercer County Library System on East Darrah Lane.
The entrance to the development is planned for Allen Lane, off Route 1. A secondary emergency access also is planned for Allen Lane. Although the drive-in theater entrance was on Route 1, the plans do not show direct access to Route 1 from “Carriage Walk.”
The plan shows a series of five, three-story apartment buildings. Three of the buildings contain 54 units, and the remaining two have 25 units each. All of the buildings include a community room. There is parking for 319 cars — less than the 434 spaces required by the township Land Use Ordinance.
The 212-unit development will include 42 condominium units set aside for low- and moderate-income households. The plan also shows 2,000 square feet of professional office space, located on the ground floor of one of the buildings.
Amenities include a community garden area, an indoor swimming pool, two bocci courts, two horse shoe pits, two shuffle board courts, and a grassed area large enough for badminton, volleyball, croquet or similar games. A walking path will encircle the development.
Occupancy will be restricted to households in which one of the spouses is at least 55 years old. The community will not permit children under 18 years old to live in the units.
“Carriage Walk” likely will be assessed at $24 million for real estate tax purposes, according to the Community Impact Statement submitted with the application. The development will generate $621,515 in property taxes, based on the 1998 property tax rate of $2.56 per $100 of assessed value.
Of the $621,515 in property taxes, Lawrence Township will receive $121,390 and the school system will receive $342,319. Mercer County will get $135,956. The Mercer County Library System will receive $16,995 and the open space tax will generate $4,856.
B-Circle Associates LLC. wants to build the 80,000-square-foot ShopRite grocery store on the site of the former Shop ‘N Bag grocery store. The tract also contained a 50,000-square-foot bowling alley, which was demolished several years ago. A house on the site also will be torn down.
The plan also shows an additional 9,000 square feet of retail space. There will be parking for 424 cars, although the township’s Land Use Ordinance calls for 465 parking spaces.