Board looks at request
for grill, Chinese grocer
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — The Planning Board will consider a plan to allow a Chinese gourmet grocery store and a Bonefish Grill restaurant at the Route 18 Central Shopping Center.
U.S. Land Resources, which owns the shopping center located near the intersection of Route 18 and Lake Avenue, last week requested that its application be adjourned to July 7.
The company is seeking a minor site plan modification and bulk variance from the board to allow the gourmet market and restaurant at the shopping center, which is located in the township’s HC-2 highway commercial zone. Supermarkets and restaurants of more than 2,000 square feet, such as those being proposed, are not allowed.
The applicant is also saying no such approval would be needed if the board decides that the proposed use does not actually constitute a "supermarket," according to a letter of intent from the applicant’s attorney, Lawrence Berger, submitted to the township’s Planning and Engineering Department.
U.S. Land Resources owns the property of about 10.4 acres, or 453,000 square feet, according to the application. The center has just over 107,000 square feet of commercial retail space located in three buildings, according to the letter.
The Chinese grocery store would be located in the 14,844-square-foot building that was formerly home to The Wiz. The new restaurant, an affiliate of Outback Steakhouse, would take up about 5,000 square feet in the 71,976-square-foot principal commercial building on the site.
The roughly 20,000-square-foot building that was home to the Kids ‘R’ Us store would not be affected by the site plan change.
The proposal would not increase the shopping center’s floor area or the amount of impervious coverage on the site.
"New construction would be limited to the renovation of the tenant spaces and related facades," according to the attorney’s letter.
A traffic report commissioned by the applicant said the addition of the gourmet market and restaurant would have no adverse affect on traffic, nor would it require additional on-site parking.
There are no changes planned for the parking areas or circulation patterns. The parking lot is striped for 525 parking spots, and 10 more could be added if two loading zones at the rear of the building were striped for parking.