First action includes approval of Darrah Lane lot.
By: Lea Kahn
Six members were sworn into office on the Lawrence Township Planning Board on Monday, and the board promptly took action on the first application before it this year.
Thomas Wilfrid and Sarah Crowley were sworn into office for four-year terms as regular members. They were also elected to serve as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, by the full Planning Board.
Marcy Kleiner was sworn into office for a two-year term as an alternate member. Mayor Pam Mount, Councilman Michael Powers and Municipal Manager William Guhl each were sworn in for a one-year term.
The mayor or designee serves on the Planning Board. Mr. Powers is Township Council’s liaison to the Planning Board. Mr. Guhl is the township staff representative on the board.
In one of its first official acts, the Planning Board held a public hearing on HACBM LLC’s proposal to convert a vacant industrial building on Darrah Lane into offices for the 32-member architectural, engineering and planning firm.
The Planning Board unanimously approved the application for preliminary and final site plan approval for HACBM’s proposal, which calls for gutting the former S.G. Frantz Co. building at 31 Darrah Lane and creating offices for the firm.
With its approval in hand, the firm plans to begin work immediately and hopes to move into its new home by July, said Ahmed Azmy after the meeting. He is the chairman of HACBM.
Michael Marquis, director of civil engineering for the firm, outlined the plan for the Planning Board. The plan calls for connecting the existing parking lot with a new one that would be built behind the building, for a total of 44 parking spaces. The existing driveway entrance would be closed and a new one would be constructed.
The main entrance to the building would be on the parking lot side of the building not on the Darrah Lane side of the building, Mr. Marquis said.
Architect Christopher Elden, who is director of project management for HACBM, told the board that the existing metal siding would be removed and replaced with a combination of zinc siding and stucco. New windows would be installed, highlighted by a ribbon of burgundy trim.
"We are proud of the building," Mr. Elden said, adding that the firm wants to bring new life to the former manufacturing facility. The S.G. Frantz Co. made machine parts before it went out of business several years ago.
Mr. Wilfrid and Mr. Powers praised HACBM for taking on the abandoned factory. The planned renovations will make the site more interesting than it is now, Mr. Wilfrid added.
In other business, the Planning Board also appointed its professional staff for the year. It appointed David Roskos of Sterns & Weinroth as the board attorney, and Philip Caton of Clarke Caton & Hintz as the planning consultant.
James Kochenour of Arora and Associates was appointed as the traffic consultant. Municipal Engineer Christopher Budzinski was appointed as board engineer and in-house secretary. Sara Summiel was named recording secretary.

