FREEHOLD — A plan that would have brought a Houlihan’s restaurant to the Route 9 and Manalapan Avenue site where Jersey Freeze now sits has been withdrawn from consideration in Freehold Borough.
The application for Houlihan’s proposed to demolish the existing Jersey Freeze ice cream stand and restaurant, and relocate it to a new, smaller building on the same site, while at the same time constructing a 7,900- square-foot Houlihan’s restaurant and a 4,000-square-foot bank.
The plan was withdrawn in July.
“We are shocked, disappointed and upset that Freehold Restaurant LLC has withdrawn its application for a Houlihan’s restaurant on the Jersey Freeze property,” Jersey Freeze owner Bruce Blackmore said. “Houlihan’s has not provided us with any additional information as to why the application has been withdrawn. Everyone is perplexed and anxious for more answers.”
As part of the application, Houlihan’s was expected to make sewer improvements in the area around the Jersey Freeze site.
Part of the Jersey Freeze property is in Freehold Borough, and part of the property is in Freehold Township. The Jersey Freeze building is in Freehold Township.
The area where Houlihan’s was proposed is an R-5 residential zone in Freehold Borough. A use variance would have had to be granted by the Freehold Borough Land Use Board in order for the applicant to build the restaurant in that location.
Houlihan’s was proposed to sit completely in Freehold Borough. According to Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina, the restaurant had to be completely in the borough because the liquor license that is held by Blackmore was issued by Freehold Borough.
The state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control requires that the restaurant be in the town where the liquor license is issued.
In a July 25 letter from attorney Bill Mehr, who represents Blackmore, to Bellina, Mehr said Freehold Restaurant LLC notified Blackmore that it will be terminating its contract and will not be proceeding with the project.
In addition to the restaurant project, a developer’s agreement between Freehold Restaurant LLC and Freehold Borough included a proposed sewer project on Manalapan Avenue at the Bowne Avenue pump station and along Broad Street that was contingent upon Freehold Restaurant LLC obtaining approval for the restaurant at the Jersey Freeze property.
Since the contract has been terminated, Mehr said the sewer project has also been cancelled. He added, “If Mr. Blackmore is successful in obtaining other developers’ proposals for his property, the matter regarding the sewer can be discussed at that time to determine whether any future agreement can be reached.”
Blackmore said Jersey Freeze, which has been at the Route 9 location for more than 60 years, will remain open. He said he is continuing to look at other options and to see what other parties may be interested in the property.
— Clare Marie Celano